Battles begins each song like mad scientists, with the guitarist and keyboardist playing riffs, which are later layered into the song. As more and more tunes are looped in, a rich noise erupts that is equal parts chaos and melodic. Changing time signatures and the pulsing, frantic throws of former Helmet drummer John Stanier whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

He Walks Alone was produced in 2009 and finished in 2010. It marks the band’s second full length release — the first in eight years, and their first one since high school, more notably. It is a concept album to boot. The concept is the story of a young guitarist who is trying to find his way in life and faces a lot of struggles in his quest for identity.

It falls roughly into the punk/alternative genre. The closest example I can come up with for a similar artist is Rise Against. Like that band, they feature fast-yet-catchy guitar riffs, emotional lyrics, and chorus-style vocals.

The Detroit Metro area is full of little places that are easy to miss if you’re driving faster than 30 mph…and if you’re ever on Royal Oak’s Main Street, you may want to keep your eyes open for a little place called Luna

Local talent is something that never falls short in Detroit, from artists selling paintings on random street corners to musicians filling venues like St. Andrews and the Magic Stick. But this time, we stepped out of Detroit to check out local Michigan bands in Ann Arbor

There are tons of great shows coming to Detroit in the next couple of months, but my favorite September show so far is Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s

Kid Cudi pairs with Dan Black of Planet Funk on Symphonies, I’m From Barcelona redefines chamber pop, Peter Wolf channels his inner Bowie in “Hard Times” and more.

We bring you another week of great music. From indie dance giants Foals to the bewitching melodies of Bat for Lashes to the pop songcraft of Taio Cruz, we offer you up a steaming hot fresh plate of music. Hope you enjoy it!

Our Weekly play lists includes everything from rapper MJG to techno/indie sweethearts School of Seven Bells. If that’s not eclectic enough for you, we’ve even thrown in an alt. country pioneer, a guilty pleasure song, and much much more, for good measure.

Listening to She & Him always makes me want to throw on my best polka dotted button-up and ride my ’62 Schwinn to the record store for some dusty, forgotten vinyl that still holds the smell of the donors attic.

If there’s two things true about the indie rock movement, they are that a) It sounds great, but b) It can be pretty damn depressing.

What do Bright Eyes, The Shins, Stars, Feist, and Deathcab For Cutie all have in common? They’re all labeled as stars of the indie rock movement. However, examining it closely, much of the “indie” movement appears derived from the “emo” rock movement. Both movements dwell on the same themes — heartbreak, sorrow, and frustration — but the art form has been refined.