Van Music: Brian Warren of Weatherbox

Click above to listen on Spotify.

We at the Myxem staff are always interested to hear what other people are listening to; it's the easiest way to discover new music. We're especially curious to find out what tunes some of our favorite musicians enjoy when they're not out making their own. The life of a touring musician often consists of countless hours spent in the van, driving from city to city, so when we sat down with Brian Warren of Weatherbox, of course we had to ask what he's been jamming out to on the open road. Check out the first playlist in a series we're calling "Van Music" to hear some selections from the artists that keep Weatherbox company on tour, including The Locust, Michael Nyman, R. Kelly, Fugazi and more. Click the banner above to start listening!

A Conversation With Brian Warren of Weatherbox

Weatherbox Live at the Tipsy Teapot in Greenville, NC
Photo by Terry McElhennon

Last week, I ventured to Greenville, NC to see a show I'd been excited about for quite some time; San Diegan (is that a real adjective?) hard rockers Weatherbox would be gracing the stage at one of my favorite Greenville spots, the Tipsy Teapot. Hot on the heels of the release of their newest EP Follow the Rattle of the Afghan Guitar (check out Grant's review if you haven't already), the band have been touring relentlessly, bringing Long Island's Sainthood Reps along for the ride. Both bands brought plenty of energy to spare and their heavy, high-octane performance blew plenty of minds that night (and probably a few eardrums as well). Weatherbox played through an excellent blend of old and new material that kept every head in the room banging right until they closed with "Trippin' The Life Fantastic", one of my personal favorites. After the incredible performance, I had the esteemed pleasure of sitting down with frontman Brian Warren to talk about his music, touring, conflict in the Middle East, and R. Kelly.

Album Review: "Follow The Rattle of The Afghan Guitar" by Weatherbox

Follow The Rattle of the Afghan Guitar is released
on Youth Conspiracy Records on October 4, 2011

Weatherbox are an ever-evolving band that continue to find their sound with each subsequent.  A band that continually explores the true pallet of their sounds, Weatherbox have toured with bands like Manchester Orchestra, Say Anything, All Get Out, and many other incredible rising acts that explore similar themes and styles.  Weatherbox tends to delve a bit deeper than most though and with much less filtration, Brian Warren shouts out his disbelief in god and the holy books while tripped out and speaking to the devil on "Tripping The Life Fantastic" from the band's first full length, American Art.  Religion, life, death, drugs, they all pop up rather frequently in Weatherbox songs and it's what makes the band so accessible and relatable, but what keeps the fans coming back are their unique song structures.  Songs can go from fuzzed out distortion with frenetic vocal melodies to hushed tones and falsetto refrains at the drop of a dime.

Myxem Playlist: Side One, Track One 2006-2011

As Spotify Week continues here at Myxem, the editors put together a special playlist, the first in a series. This playlist focuses on the best album openers of the past five years, in no particular order.  With artists as diverse as LCD Soundsystem and Neil Young, this playlist is a tribute to the rare moment that an album grabs a hold of you from the very start. Click the banner above to see our choices.