• Playlist,  Song Playlist

    Songs with Horns

    I played string instruments growing up, so I’ve always been fascinated with brass. Horns and trumpets, when juxtaposed with guitar, bass, and drums, lend an entirely different mood to a song: bold, stout, clean and weighty, bright and jazzy.  The songs on this playlist use horns in different ways and to different ends, but they are all brassy, in the positive sense of shameless or strident. Valerie June, “Working Woman Blues” Probably my favorite song of 2013. It starts with folksy guitar, drums, and June’s one-of-a-kind voice, but wait for the horn solo, which makes the song.   Carpenters, “Close to You” A classic that ought never be forgotten, with a modest trumpet…

  • Artist Spotlight,  Band Information

    The Lovely Ladies of Ancient Warfare: A Chat w/ Echo and Rachel

      The best way to find new bands is to stumble upon them at shows, at least that’s my favorite way. It was my lucky day back in September when I first saw the ladies of Ancient Warfare perform at the Comet. I was immediately mesmerized with their haunted sound and a certain darkness that was not expected. Ancient Warfare is made up of Echo Wilcox on guitar and vocals, Rachel Yanarella on violin and Emily Hagihara on drums and vocals. A few weeks ago, I sat down with Echo and Rachel at the Green Lantern in Lexington, Kentucky and talked to them about the music they create. IK: How old were you…