Sonja Vitow

The Decemberists style stays the same

As the lights dimmed, the crowd inside the 9:30 Club waited expectantly for the Decemberists to come on stage. Instead, a narrator’s voice boomed throughout the club, encouraging patrons to picture themselves on a rocky precipice, and praising the construct of the building, reminding everyone that it was built by a team of “nubile eunuchs.” […]

WEB EXTRA: The Hyms change their tune

Hymns is the latest in many manifestations of a band that has outlasted puberty, driving school and college seminars. Ever since meeting in the fourth grade, Brian Harding and Jason Roberts have been playing and writing music together. As the two musicians grew (both physically and musically), they often collaborated on ideas, helping each other […]

Not another pretty face

For an artist routinely compared to a slew of other singer-songwriters, Tristan Prettyman is startlingly unique. The laid-back California native combines a clean acoustic sound with simple beats, and her low, breathy voice perfectly complements her honest and unassuming lyrics. Although straightforward and uncomplicated, her songs are far from boring – they manage to grab […]