December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. This year we asked some of the staffers what inspired them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

It takes real strength to come to America and sell out concerts singing in your native tongue. I mean, how many people in the world let alone America speak Icelandic? Not very many. And yet, Sigur Ros sold out nearly all of their North American shows including last Thursday's gig at the Greek Theater. It should inspire hope in Albanian bands, Slovakian bands, Sri Lankan bands, and any other that you can conquer American hearts without singing in English, Spanish, French or any other more popular language. If (and there is an if) you are brilliantly talented musicians. Sigur Ros is a testament to the fact that music transcends all boundaries and all barriers. People will feel it in their bones, in their souls, and in their very cores. It binds and defines us together as human beings. Review continued below photo gallery more ›

Tickets for 89.9 KCRW's presentation of Sigur Rós on October 2nd at The Greek go on sale Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Lucky for you, LAist running a contest giving you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show before tickets go on sale. more ›

I've always been intrigued by other "best of" lists, but this year I decided to take it to a whole new level. I e-mailed a handful of bands that I've seen this past year in order to unearth what exactly captivated them in '07. As music listeners, it is our duty to take a keen interest in our favorite musician's influences. After all, they rocked our little world, might as well see what rocked their little world. Therefore, this is an act of paying it forward to those hardworking, underpaid musicians who truly made a difference within the music scene this year. more ›

Artist: Dappled Cities Release Date: June 2007 Album: Granddance Label: Dangerbird Records The Aussie band Dappled Cities (formerly Dappled Cities Fly) are often compared to the Flaming Lips and I just don't get it. The Dappled Cities produce measured indie rock that has marching highs and Sigur Ros-like lows but none of the crazy, out-there solos or fantastical weirdness of the Lips. Their release, Granddance, on LA's Dangerbird Records, is 11 tracks of well-crafted... more ›

She's hot, she can sing, she can dance, and she's not married to KFed. Smartest move Christina Aguilera ever did was pull a full 180 on the trainwreck which once was her rival, Britney Spears, by doing something that Brit can't do right now: slink into a tight little dress and belt out classy hit after classy hit. On a double album... while still being a diva with that platinum 'do and those ridiculously... more ›

A Heartwell Ending - Trust Us, We Lie (Mediaskare) C-Bo - Money to Burn (West Coast Mafia) Cassie - Cassie (Bad Boy) Comets on Fire - Avatar (Sub Pop) Daughters - Hell Songs (Hydra Head) Ani DiFranco - Reprieve (Righteous Babe) Dirty Pretty Things - Waterloo to Anywhere (Interscope) Nina Gordon - Bleeding Heart Graffiti (Warner Bros.) Hello Stranger - Hello Stranger (Aeronaut Records) Hellogoodbye - Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! (Drive-Thru) Jonas Brothers -... more ›

Is anybody driving three hours to the desert for this? Two day passes ($167 + $23 in fees) and Saturday tickets ($86 + $15 in fees) are still available. Most of the rock bands have played LA clubs in the past few months. Otherwise you better really like DJs and house music…… more ›