Matt Cappiello

March 3, 2005

Jeff Hanson | Jeff Hanson | Kill Rock Stars

By Matt Cappiello

It seems indie rockers are finally taking some vocal lessons. Singer-songwriter Jeff Hanson sings with a lilt in his voice, a Celtic soprano that drifts away with the melodies in his songs.

February 24, 2005

M.I.A. | Arular | Beggars XL

By Matt Cappiello

If Nelly Furtado kicked ass, her name would be Mathangi Arulpragasam. Hailing from both London and Sri Lanka, the frontwoman for M.I.A. is a Jill-of-all-trades.

February 17, 2005

Iron and Wine | Woman King | Sub Pop

By Matt Cappiello

Oh, what a wistful record. Iron and Wine's newest EP, Woman King, is beautiful and bittersweet in all the ways folk music hopes for. Samuel Beam, the singer-songwriter behind the project, has always gravitated toward mus...

February 3, 2005

Tsunami Bomb Packs a Punch

By Matt Cappiello

We at UCSB are a fighting breed. We need good fight songs: Who better to provide than Tsunami Bomb? The Petaluma, Calif., superpunks recently talked with Artsweek writer Matt Cappiello before their Jan. 27 performance at...

January 13, 2005

Social Distortion | Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll | Time Bomb

By Matt Cappiello

Sensitive men love to sing the blues. However, they don't often sing about much else. Mike Ness, the singer and songwriter behind weathered punk trio Social Distortion, always embraced macho endurance on earlier albums.

December 2, 2004

Finch Takes on the UCSB Hub

By Matt Cappiello

The band, currently on a string of West Coast dates, is prepping their new album, due out later in the year. Artsweek recently talked with Finch guitarist Alex Linares, regarding the band's upcoming plans and festivities...

December 2, 2004

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

By Matt Cappiello

Everyone's heard the lead single, "Vertigo," on that annoying iPod commercial, and everybody hates Bono. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real meat of this album lies in the tracks that would never make it to ...

November 18, 2004

A Perfect Circle | eMOTIVe | Virgin

By Matt Cappiello

A Perfect Circle's latest release, eMOTIVe, is a little more than ambitious. The first music video from the album, a rousing cover of John Lennon's "Imagine," depicts Disneylike puppets of different cultures singing in u...

November 4, 2004

The Biko House Keeps the Music Coming, Despite Difficulties

By Matt Cappiello

Guitars were put to a good cause on Friday night, as the Biko House held its second benefit concert, featuring headlining bands Tobias and the Shotgun Wedding.

October 27, 2004

REM | Around the Sun | Warner

By Matt Cappiello

Alternative rock would not be the same without REM. The influential band, which hails from Athens, Ga., has penetrated the rock pantheon with songs like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon," and at the same time has c...

October 14, 2004

Elliott Smith | From a Basement on the Hill | Epitaph

By Matt Cappiello

A guitar and a hushed voice go a long way. Elliott Smith, whose death in October 2003 dealt the music community a severe blow, was considered by many to be an indie rock pioneer.