Alec Hanley Bemis

EDITOR’S NOTE: Alec Hanley Bemis is a pop-cultural Radar O’Reilly (you know, the chopper-detector from M*A*S*H): He can smell a mini trend or full-blown hypestorm two miles off. It’s really weird. In this new monthly column, Alec will list the top 10 musical phenoms currently buzzing in his brain —......

Photos by Eric Fermin PerezSet eyes on Imaad Wasif and you’ll think, “This is the skinniest guy I’ve seen in my whole entire life. I bet he could be a practicing guru to the stars. Or wear a convincing praying mantis costume next Halloween.” But then you figure it out......

Photo by Don Felix CervantesTen minutes after I meet him at his Chelsea apartment, Antony dashes into dense New York City traffic to recover my errant cell phone from a departing cab. I fear he might get hit and die. A half-hour later, over a cup of tea, he leans......

Photo by Noah GeorgesonAn honest discussion about songwriter Joanna Newsom has to start with her voice. Its freakishness brings to mind Tiny Tim (large frame, small voice, ukulele) or, if you prefer, Tim’s less naive successor Beck (small frame, large voice, editing software). On first listen, their singing makes you......

Photo by Butch HoganAs the leader and only constant in Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst is obviously a gifted and precocious artist, and he’s quickly developing a reputation as a major figure in popular music. I have no problem with that. But please, don’t call him a great songwriter. So far,......

Photo by Hilary Leftick Q: If you had to summarize your outlook on life in 11 words or less, what would it be? A: Death is real. �Web-zine interview with the Arcade Fire�s Win Butler The Arcade Fire are a Montreal-based group with a dangerous buzz, the type of buzz......

Photo by Charles Stewart Is it bizarre to suggest we should take William Shatner seriously? Like the recently departed Rodney Dangerfield, he’s never gotten much respect, but that’s starting to change. In September, he won his first Emmy for the role of Denny Crane on The Practice, which he has......

Photo by Autumn DeWilde Q: “It seems as if there was a time when people were worried about Elliott Smith. Do you think that time is passed?” Elliott Smith: “Yeah, that time is passed.” —2000 interview transcript A Sonic Thing That Has No Real Face In 2000, I met Elliott......