mitch easter Archive
21 Feb 2017
Sneakers: A Walk Through Powerpop History, Part 2
Continued from Part One … Speaking of wanting (or not wanting) to know, around the time that the original Sneakers EP was released, the band couldn’t get many gigs. In fact, according to Unofficial Sneakers Historian and bassist Robert Keely, Sneakers’ 2016 reunion performance at the Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh was exactly the band’s ninth
20 Feb 2017
Sneakers: A Walk Through Powerpop History, Part 1
In the histories of power pop, indie rock and college rock (and whatever you want to call the musical scene that bubbled under in North Carolina several decades back), there’s one band that elicits approving nods whenever it’s mentioned. Sneakers never released a full album and played only a tiny handful of live shows, but
12 Sep 2016
Album Mini-review: Waiting for Henry — Town Called Patience
File next to: Jayhawks, Wilco, Gin Blossoms Inside the college rock movement of the 1980s, there was a kind of proto-alt-country vibe that informed later groups like Wilco and Old 97s. There are echoes of that scene in the warm and friendly country-rock of Town Called Patience. Sharp hooks and memorable lead guitar lines provide
16 Jul 2014
Short Cuts: July Mini-reviews Part Three
Here are three more shortish reviews, this time all new releases. Randy Jackson – Empathy for the Walrus As a rule, I’m rather wary of tribute albums. More often than not, they’re bereft of original ideas, and too reverent by half. And when they’re not, they seem likely to miss what was/is important about the
29 Oct 2013
This Won’t Be a Waste of Your Time
It’s exceedingly rare for me to (a) post content here more than once a business day and/or (b) provide a stream to music. That’s simply not how I operate. But rules are made to be broken, and here’s a delightfully good reason to do so. The new single from Charleston SC* – based pop group
09 Jan 2013
Album Review: A Fragile Tomorrow – Be Nice Be Careful
As baseball boffin / bowtied blowhard George Will likes to begin especially forceful pronouncements, “It is axiomatic.” What exactly is axiomatic in this case? That big-label backing does not always equal quality music, and that indie- or self-released label product isn’t always unworthy of national attention. I mention this not only to get in a