Story Archives of 'Alternative Music'

For 13 years, the magazine No Depression gave exposure to alternative country music that was virtually ignored by the mainstream. Many bands of this broad and diverse genre owe a debt of gratitude to No Depression for helping them connect with a passionate and hungry fan base.

But with so many people changing their habits in this downloadable world, small print publications are having a harder time keeping that audience. Last February, No Depression announced that its bi-monthly publication would cease production, and that their May/June issue would be their last. Several niche music magazines have folded or gone digital this year, including Harp, Resonance, Bluegrass Now, and Punk Planet went under last year.

But today, No Depression launches their new website, and they'll publish their first “bookazine” in October. The magazine’s co-founder, Peter Blackstock, joins Word of Mouth on changes in music journalism and the evolution of Americana music.

Also, musician Justin Townes Earle talks about his childhood as the son of songwriter Steve Earle, his teenage infatuation with drugs and alcohol and why he prefers mountain music of yesteryear over popular music of today. Click here to listen.

Dean Wareham, author of a new memoir, "Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance," was the frontman of the iconic indie rock bands Galaxie 500 and Luna. He now records with his wife and former Luna bandmate, Britta Phillips, in the group Dean & Britta.

It's an up-close look at how Galaxie 500 achieved a cult following and then fell apart, a backstage pass to his years of living the sex, drugs, and rock & roll lifestyle while on tour with Luna, and a chronicle of vast changes in the music industry over the past two decades. Dean spoke with Word of Mouth host Virginia Prescott about the highs and lows of a career spent in music.

Watch the video of Galaxie 500's "Fourth Of July"

Watch the video of Luna's "Lovedust"

Watch the video of Dean & Britta's "Words You Used To Say"

Read Liz Phair's review of "Black Postcards" in The New York Times

(Photo by muzikspy)

Tom Waits says "Her music is like going swimming in a lake at night." The New York Times says it "sounds as is it comes from an imaginary country." And music reviewers around the country are adding her debut album to their "best-of" lists. Jesca Hoop is making a splash, that's for sure. Word of Mouth new music reviewer Bill Slammon talks with us about her album, Kismet.

Click here to check out Jesca Hoop's website.

Click here to find out more about Bill Slammon's radio show on WVEW.

The New England band Twinemen has evolved a unique sound from its roots in the Boston-based band Morphine. The band's made up of Dana Colley, Billy Conway, and Laurie Sargent, and tonight they're going to play live in the Front Porch studios. They've got a new CD, Twinetime; we'll talk with them about the ways it reflects their distinctive, sophisticated alt-rock sound.

Alt-rock veterans They Might Be Giants broke big in the 1980s, and they've been experimenting with all kinds of genres since then. John Linnell and John Flansburgh are two Massachusetts guys who've been making music together since 1982. They wrote the popular theme song for TV's Malcolm in the Middle, they won a grammy, and they've got a new cd coming out later this month. We'll talk with the two Johns in advance of their Stone Church performance, and they'll play some new tunes for us in the studio.