When the Los Angeles band Lords of Altamont began about a decade ago, they set out to strike a balance between purist garage-rock traditions and a heavier hard-rock sound.

"We found that we didn't exactly fit with the Beatle boots and Rickenbacker guitars guys, and (were) not quite like the Nashville Pussy and Supersuc… Continue

LOCAL CD-RELEASE ROUNDUP

As we've mentioned many times before, bands love to release new albums in the spring, as it gives them an excuse to hit the road to promote their work.

The reason why local acts, especially ones that don't do much touring, do the same is a bit of a mystery. Maybe they all just holed up… Continue

The Monitors sound like a band that rocks because rocking is simple, pure fun.

Three Way Disco, the Tucson trio's third album in two years, is hard-charging, infectious and never lets up, cramming 12 songs into 30 minutes. (The band has made its albums available for free at … Continue

Tucsonan Tracy Shedd switches from guitar to piano for a new EP that explores a somber and more delicate sound, reveling in the lightly swaying melodies.

EP88 is five songs that go well with a relaxed twilight, hushed and moody, but satisfying, like a slow stretch. Building the album around the piano also pares d… Continue

Most Tucson music fans know what to expect from this longtime local act—sun-scorched Sonoran garage rock, with tinges of Latin American music—but Hopkins and company do it as well as ever on their latest disc.

Throughout, Hopkins doesn't sing so much as rhythmically speak—in the tradition of Lou Reed and Steve Wynn—whi… Continue

Mike Wilkins is bi-geeky—he's equally into music and film. Wilkins joined the Loft staff 10 years ago when he was still in high school. His clay-animation book report for Homer's Odyssey had been featured in the Arizona International Film Festival and won the Staff Award at the Carolina Video and Film Festival the… Continue

1. High on Fire

Snakes for the Divine (Koch

2. Johnny Cash

American VI: Ain't No Grave (American Recordings/Lost Highway

3. Joanna Newsom

Have One on Me (Drag City

4. Sade

Soldier of Love (Sony

5. Fear Factory

Mechanize (Candlelight

6. Alkaline Trio

… Continue

Tucson has more than its share of nights with music under the stars—and Sky Bar has upped our opportunities.

Last Saturday, as clouds covered the night sky and a closing-time downpour loomed, Andrew Collberg held forth at the microphone while real stars from real telescopes twinkled on big screens all around him. I… Continue

Namoli Brennet relies on her instincts on her newly released album, 'Black Crow'

Veteran Tucson singer-songwriter Namoli Brennet calls herself a "lyrics person," but she doesn't discount the importance of good melody.

"Good lyrics with a bad melody don't really do much for me," Brennet says during a recent inte… Continue

The Big Stuff

Band/Musician of the Year

Ryanhood (R), 39.3 percent

Runners up:


2. Golden Boots (C), 25.4 percent

3. Cosmic Slop (R), 21.6 percent

4. Fourkiller Flats (C), 13.6 percent

Up-and-Coming Artist(s) of the Year


Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta (C), 33.1 percent

Runners up:

2. Race You There (R), 24.9 percent

3. Triple Double Band (R), 24.1 percent

4.… Continue