I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza: 2008's Top Ten Albums From Northeast, Ohio

There's a real temptation to simply rewrite the same things I write every year about the Cleveland music scene: It's under-appreciated and the shows are under-attended, no one notices what great talent we have in Northeast, Ohio, and that no one includes those living in …

"Whisper to Me (Demo)" by Jay Reatard

Stylistically, "Whisper to Me," is most similar to "No Time/You Were Sleeping," the final single issued from Jay Reatard's '08 singles series for Matador." It has that same bedroom pop feel, that of Reatard doing a late night serenade to the object of his affection, …

A Quick Word About National Suicide Day's Show at The Beachland Tavern This Past Friday Night

And that word is slay, as in man, did guitarist Jason Schafer, bassist Lawrence Caswell and drummer Sean Djuricic slay Friday night. It had only been a month or two since the last time I'd seen National Suicide Day play, but the difference between the performance they …

I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza: The Top 40 Tunes of 2008

Cleveland Concert Update: December 18th Through January 4th

While there may not be many national acts coming through Cleveland during this holiday season, there are plenty of big local shows taking place, starting this weekend with the Music Saves and Square Records Annual Gift Exchange, Friday night at the Beachland Tavern and …

From the IRCWHQ Newsdesk: Jessica Lea Mayfield Nabs Blurt's Album of the Year

The publication formerly known as Harp, now Blurt online magazine, has named local folk singer Jessica Lea Mayfield's album, With Blasphemy So Heartfelt as their album of the year. That's a very impressive accomplishment for a young woman who delivered quite the …

"O Tannenbaum" by Wooden Shjips

San Francisco's Wooden Shjips would like you to have a trippy, freaky, and far out Christmas, and to put you in the mood for a magical, mind bending holiday, they've recorded what has to be the wildest version of "On Tannenbaum" ever put to tape. There's sleigh bells, …

I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza: 2008's Top Albums

More than any other year of I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza, the 25 albums compiled in this list represent both the albums which I've personally enjoyed the most, and the albums which I hold in the highest critical regard. There are no consensus picks …

I Rock Cleveland's 2008 Less Than Two Weeks Before Christmas Holiday Gift Guide For Rockers and Procrastinators

If you're anything like me, you've just realized Christmas is less than two weeks away and you have no idea what you'd like for yourself, let alone what you plan to buy for anyone else. So, I'm here to help. Here's a quick, easy guide, complete with linkage, filled with …

Is There a Lawyer in the House?

If you're a lawyer, going to law school, or familiar with trademark law, please contact me at irockcleveland at gmail dot com. I've suddenly found myself in posession of a cease and desist letter regarding a phrase I've been consistently using on I Rock Cleveland since …

"Brass Ring" by Two Cow Garage

More of the same isn't always a bad thing, especially when more is a new Two Cow Garage album, and the same is gritty, classic rock inspired riffage paired with solid songwriting done in the every man American tradition of Springsteen and Mellencamp. On "Brass Ring," …

"Trouble" by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Quite honestly, I could listen to Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan sing an album consisting entirely of press releases for the next big thing from NYC, clinical trials of the newest treatments for athlete's foot, or the police blotter from the newspaper of one traffic …

"No One's Better Sake" by Little Joy

Like a little version of The Strokes, with drummer Fab Moretti playing the part of Julian Casablancas, Strokes' side project Little Joy, succeeds largely by keeping things simple. Whether it's sleepy-eyed garage rock, golden oldies, or first wave ska, as is the case …

And We're Back With New Music From The Marked Men, Friendly Foes, and The Howlies

Without getting into the nasty green, yellow, and brown details, let's just say I'm well enough to be writing and well enough to be working, but still operating at less than peak performance due to that nasty upper respiratory infection that won't go away. In the coming …

"Lakeside" by BLK JKS

"Lakeside" is the sound of Johannesburg, and Soweto, and South Africa. It's where BLK JKS' members were born, raised, and cut their teeth. It's where they learned how to incorporate the rhythmic, hypnotic sounds of their home land into the often staid structure of …

Upper Respiratory Infection

Upper Respiratory Infection isn't a band, no, it's the result of this virus which has wrecked my head, my lungs, my chest, and my week. I think I'm going to nap some more...

From the IRCWHQ Newsdesk: K Rock Cleveland Kicks Out the DJs, Becomes Radio 92.3

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer, comes news that 92.3 WKRK, Cleveland's mainstream alternative rock radio station, has rebranded itself as Radio 92.3 and has ditched all their djs with a promise of less talk and more rock.

It's no secret that terrestrial radio has been …

Attention Shoppers: Insound and I Rock Cleveland Have a Special Holiday Promotion for You

Look, I know times are tough. I really want to buy Lexuses for everyone on my Christmas list. I've seen the commercials, and how happy a new Lexus makes all the rick folk, but this year I don't think I can afford one Lexus, let alone ten Lexuses. I'm sure you have …

From the IRCWHQ Newsdesk: Coffinberry Readies New Album, Like Bells Sign to Exit Stencil

*Cleveland rockers, Coffinberry, are hard at work on the follow up to 2007's most excellent release, God Dam Dogs. According to DX Ferris at the Cleveland Scene, the new album will feature a more expansive sound than God Dam Dogs', rugged guitar attack. Also of note, …