Band Review: Maps & Atlases

The first time my ears ever did a double take was listening to Maps & Atlases. I had just gotten home from school, and an old buddy I used to go to shows with sent me a message on Facebook or MySpace saying, “Dude, you have got to hear this band from Chicago.” My friend couldn’t really tell me what they sounded like, so I had my assumptions. The only bands I could think of from Chicago were Wilco and Fall Out Boy. (I’m still impressed that fifteen-year-old Bo knew who Wilco was.)

A Conversation With: PSALLOS

In eager anticipation of their upcoming concert this weekend, I jumped at the chance to speak with singer-songwriter couple Cody and Melody Curtis as well as vocalist/musician/visual artist Thomas Griffith about PSALLOS. PSALLOS is a musical group made up of fourteen individuals currently supporting their ambitious ROMANS project, a concept album that details the book of Romans in the Bible.

Outsiders Exposition: How You Can Support Local Music

Growing your local music scene is a lot like trying to grow a fledgling business. You need people eager to support your products, the wherewithal to put in the hours to create good products, and (of course) some good products. Jackson’s music scene has an massive amount of potential, but it lacks some of the key ingredients to basic growth. First, the arts in general need more support in Jackson. Jackson’s music scene needs all the support every arts-lover can stand to give. Why?

Playlist: Songs to Ring in 2016

You can glance over almost any music magazine or publication this time of year and find endless “Best Of” suggestions: “The 50 Best Songs of 2015,” “The Best Albums of 2015,” “All of My Favorite Songs and a Few That I Think You Should Hear Simply Out of Moral Obligation,” etc. When I set out to create a New Year’s Eve playlist, I also thought back to all of the stellar music that has made 2015 so memorable. Still, I wanted to hear what’s next.

Missing Jackson, Part 6: "I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me"

In September when I packed up all of my things and started my fall journey I had no idea what to really expect. Not because I hadn’t toured before or worked before, but because this time was different. Working two full-time jobs simultaneously is not my norm, and it felt like I was possibly biting off more than I could chew. But I had to trust that God was not giving me more than He thought I would be able to handle. So off I went to New York City to begin putting Songbird on stage.