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Music Journalism

20 stories

Photo for “The Bones of J.R. Jones: Desert Rhythms and Dancing Through the Blues”

FeaturesThe Bones of J.R. Jones: Desert Rhythms and Dancing Through the BluesJ.R.’s life as a touring bluesman came later than some. In his late 20’s, he was living in Brooklyn, bartending and teaching at a pre-school. He had a masters degree in printmaking, but the medium was quickly being usurped by digital alternatives. Still, he needed a creative outlet. A few years before, J.R.’s college roommate had introduced him to a song that made him fall in love with the blues. It was Blind Lemon Jefferson, a 1920’s singer and guitarist who is sometimes credited as the “Father of the Texas Blues.” “I had never heard that raw, gritty passion in anything else,” he said. “It just kind of leveled me.” From then on, J.R. spent his in-between time — in between work, school, relationships and everything else — playing the blues. “There were a lot of DIY venues that popped up in loft spaces or garages. They were perfect for the type of music I was playing,” he explained. “All you needed was a condenser microphone, a picnic table and a cooler of PBR.”Gabe Allen · Jul 14, 2022

A smiling bearded man in a cap, glasses, and plaid shirt stands in a crowded club under pink and purple lights.

FeaturesBlast N’ Scrap is Back on TrackMichael Gormley’s scrappy nonprofit has reemerged as the centerpiece of Fort Collins’ DIY scene.Gabe Allen · May 17, 2022

Man in a cream woven cowboy hat and dark jacket glances sideways in a dimly lit room with rustic log walls.

FeaturesCorb Lund: Country Muse, Clean Water and Frontier JusticeCorb Lund is the son of a ranching family that goes back eight generations in Southern Alberta. If he can tell you something in three words, he won’t use 20. “Pretty country,” was all he needed to say in an interview with BandWagon to evoke the rolling sage brush on his family’s ancestral homestead. While Lund may be conversationally economical, he is lyrically verbose. Over the course of twelve full length LPs, he has become one of Amercana’s most beloved songwriters; lyrically and sonically a modern embodiment of life on the range. Last May, the Alberta provincial government rescinded a 1976 ban on open-pit coal mining on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies which threatened to scar the landscape and taint the water of nearby communities. “It pissed off everybody up here, not just the lefties — ranchers, hunters and the first nations people,” Lund said. “It affects the water I drink. This was too egregious to let go.” Lund collaborated with other Canadian musicians to re-record his 2009 song “This Is My Prairie,” in protest. A few months later, the government backed down and even introduced new protections.Gabe Allen · Mar 11, 2022

A man in a dark knit beanie and sweater sits cross-legged in a grassy field, smiling and gazing to the side.

FeaturesSpoke In A Wheel: Zachary Williams of The Lone Bellow Hits the Road with Dirty CamaroZachary Williams, whose powerful voice drove him out from the Brooklyn Bar4 open-mic world and onto the international stage, is best known as the belting leader of The Lone Bellow. His new solo record Dirty Camaro is indeed an escape from that band’s gravity; one that’s weird, head-turning, soulful and fresh. Williams says “I’ve wanted to do it for a long time – really, right after Jim James from My Morning Jacket released his solo record.” He says James had “graciously come out to a couple of my shows,” and the two connected. What began as a two day trial session resulted in the full length record. The album is rich with expert pedal steel guitar, orchestral strings, saxophone and a Texas-band backbone that really cooks.Kevin Johnston · Feb 9, 2022

Photo for “Album Review: This Broken Beat – Far From Home”

MusicAlbum Review: This Broken Beat – Far From HomeJulio Perez, lead singer of This Broken Beat has the kind of pop-rock cross-over voice that would make Adam Levine turn his chair around.Kevin Johnston · Dec 8, 2021

Photo for “INTHEWHALE Gets Real on Vanishing Point”

FeaturesINTHEWHALE Gets Real on Vanishing PointWhat sets Eric Riley and Nate Valdez apart from other heavy acts isn’t their musicianship (though it is excellent) but their ability to translate unflinchingly raw moments into music. Starting with INTHEWHALE’s last EP, Dopamine, the band’s tone shifted from the sophomoric humor of their earlier releases to brutally honest explorations of the darker moments of life. These explorations continue on Vanishing Point. The band wrestles with pharmaceutical addiction, suicidal ideation and gentrification. The pain and anger is palpable.Gabe Allen · Dec 4, 2021

FeaturesBattle Profile: Nelsen“The momentum was really good,” Nick Nelsen said. “We were doing four gigs in a one month span.” On the first day of February last year, Nelsen (the band) beat out Hot Tub Wrestler, Ethan More or Less and the Able Dogs in round one of BandWagon’s 2020 Battle of the Bands. The success was three years in the making. Nelsen had also competed in 2018 and 2019, never to make it past the first round. Now, armed with tearjerkers new and old, Nelsen is poised and ready to make the audience “feel” when the Battle of the Bands returns on March 12.Gabe Allen · Feb 16, 2021

Four men pose between tall brick pillars at night, lit in red, wearing dark casual clothes and looking toward the camera.

FeaturesBattle Profile: Lady Denim“We were starting to get the ball rolling, you know, the snowball effect,” recalls Lundeen, Lady Denim’s lead vocalist, of the band’s momentum heading into March 2020, “and then it all got paused.” Lundeen looks back on the band’s last headliner at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, where the band walked out to a crowd of 450. At a show a month later on March 13, just as news of COVID-19 began to flare up, the band walked out to a crowd of less than 50. “The silver lining of it all was that we were able to set aside time and record,” Lundeen reflects. Trading rehearsals for recording sessions not only brought the band closer, but also yielded the seeds for what Lundeen said will be their next release.Diego Felix · Feb 15, 2021

Five people pose with swords and props in front of a red-lit mural of a painted warrior woman.

FeaturesBattle Profile: Hannah & The CuddiesHannah Rodriguez knew that The Cuddies were entering a new chapter in January of 2020 when they won the first round of BandWagons’ Battle of the Bands. She eagerly planned their finalist set and looked forward to the future. But the future had changes in store. So now, after a year-long unplanned intermission, losing / gaining new band members and the optimism of a vaccine, Hannah is ready for The Cuddies’ first gig in 2021.Valerie Vampola · Feb 13, 2021

FeaturesBattle Profile: Graham Good & The PaintersGraham Good is relentlessly upbeat. Not only is that really his last name, it’s his nature, and it’s the band’s aesthetic. Even the band’s website greets you with “I believe good things are coming.” He wants people to be happy. So after a year-long delay between the semi-finals and the finals of our Battle Of The Bands, he’s ready to rock.Dan England · Feb 12, 2021

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MusicSingle Premiere: Pie Lombardi – “Some People”Northern Colorado’s Pie Lombardi presents his finest work to date with the moving single “Some People,” which premieres today exclusively via BandWagon.Kevin Johnston · Feb 11, 2021

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FeaturesSomething To Vibe To: Black Pegasus Is On A Whole Different Frequency‘Pandemic Proof’ by Black Pegasus obviously speaks to the current times. The world has been drowning in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, subsequently bringing the music industry to its knees. “I’m doing my best to adapt,” says Black Pegasus. “It’s pretty tricky, but I’ve always been a hustler and an innovator so I’m not worried.” He’s also vocal about important socio-political issues and is wary, yet hopeful for the future. “I really believe in the current movement for social justice and equality,” he says. “I also believe that the movement has been infiltrated by corporations and political agendas.”Kyle Eustice · Oct 2, 2020

Black-and-white photo of a crowd in an ornate theater, with one person raising an arm toward a bright stage.

FeaturesBand Together: National Independent Venue Association Saves Our Stages“There was no one to speak for us,” Stephen Chilton said. “Everyone was talking about the big events and festivals, and no one was talking about the mid-size venues and clubs.” Chilton heads the National Independent Venue Association which is fighting to #SaveOurStages in the fallout of coronavirus repercussions. “What is the most unsafe thing right now? It’s mass gatherings, and we produce mass gatherings,” he said. In two months time, more than 1,600 have joined NIVA, but it still pales in comparison to the thousands in the restaurant industry.Dan England · Jun 3, 2020

Man in glasses and a red shirt sings and plays acoustic guitar before a snowy mountain backdrop.

FeaturesJim Curry Is Not John DenverJim Curry is not John Denver. Well, no #@%*!, you say, but when you see him sing on stage, you may have doubts.Dan England · Mar 3, 2020

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FeaturesMike Doughty: Escape and Return to Ruby VroomMike Doughty knew he wouldn’t be able to shed his association with Soul Coughing, though he describes the band as “a dark, abusive marriage.” The only thing he chose to keep was…Dan England · Sep 18, 2019

Six people in caps and dark shirts pose on a white bench before a gray curtain, one holding a beer.

FeaturesSlim Cessna’s Auto Club: Denver’s Dark, Prolific Mess Passes The Test Of Time“Our audiences are like us,” Slim Cessna says. “They don’t belong in any category. More often than not, they’re just music lovers, and those are the people we attract.” With 27 years as a Colorado band, and several side-projects under their cowboy belts, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club brings their macabre, avante-garde roots music to Greeley for the first time, Friday, September 20 at the Moxi.Kevin Johnston · Sep 13, 2019

Four people in vintage-style clothing and goggles stand on a gravel road in a grassy field beside a double bass.

FeaturesThe Longest Curve: DeVotchKa returns, plays The Moxi“Songwriting was the longest curve,” Nick Urata of DeVotchKa says. “You have to write all these bad songs before a good one comes out. It took a lifetime really.” Formed in the 90’s, each member of the band make up an orchestra themselves and they each ‘got it’ from the beginning. After years as a famed Colorado act, DeVotchKa play Greeley for the first time July 17 and 18 at The Moxi Theater.Dan England · Jul 17, 2019

Photo for “The Steady Hand Behind The Jam: Leftover Salmon’s Jeremy Grant”

FeaturesThe Steady Hand Behind The Jam: Leftover Salmon’s Jeremy GrantJeremy Grant admits he doesn’t even really like jam bands. Regardless, the 40-year-old Greeley native is the monitor engineer and stage manager for Leftover Salmon, one of the most celebrated jam bands around.Dan England · Mar 13, 2019

Photo for “Saved By The Nerve: Gary Dean Smith’s Voice Returns”

FeaturesSaved By The Nerve: Gary Dean Smith’s Voice ReturnsFor Gary Dean Smith it’s been a transformative year.Jay Wallace · Nov 12, 2018

Photo for “105.5 The Colorado Sound: Top Picks – February 2018”

105.5 The Colorado Sound's Featured Artists105.5 The Colorado Sound: Top Picks – February 2018Ron – Calexico, The Thread That Keeps Us On the 15-track new Calexico album, I can hear the almost-30-year musical history Joey Burns and John Convertino have between them.BandWagon Magazine · Mar 1, 2018