Austin Nelson

Exclusive Song Premiere and Interview: ‘I Am and You Are,’ Christina Courtin

March 5, 2013

Christina Courtin’s Varsity is ambitious, successful, and sonically masterful. The album captures the energy of a live show that so few bands are able to recreate in a studio setting, while also showcasing a precision and delicacy that’s sometimes hard to accomplish the other way around.

Exclusive Song Premiere and Interview: ‘Giving Your Heart Away,’ Country Mice

December 18, 2012

Country Mice have gained a respectable following in the NYC area and beyond, but expect to see their name around a lot more after Hour of the Wolf is released in February. Think earnest rural Middle America rock for city folk.

Discovery: Jena Friedman

November 19, 2012

Your favorite comedians have faith in Jena Friedman. She has been a fixture at The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, written for Late Show with David Letterman, and recently began working as a field producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Sarah Silverman for President

September 14, 2012

Sarah Silverman is a saint. In both her stand-up routines and scripted roles, she doesn’t shy away from anything—politics, sex, racism, whatever—and, sure, shock value abounds, but it always accompanies a principled message.

Jon Glaser: The Man Behind the Masks

January 17, 2012

There’s no reason for you to not know who Jon Glaser is, but a lot of the time he wears a mask. Beyond that, you should be ashamed of yourself, because he’s been a part of some of both the most eccentric and culturally relevant comedies in America since the mid-’90s.

The Timbre of Empathy: Wilco’s Latest

September 26, 2011

Wilco played Central Park’s SummerStage on Thursday and Friday nights in anticipation of Tuesday’s release of The Whole Love, the band’s newest album, sating fans with extended sets filled with songs both new and old.