Blackout Chatter with Rafay Rashid Ravi Shavi’s new record, Blackout Deluxe, was one of my favorite records from 2018. It was released just before Christmas and shows a more adventurous side of Ravi […]
At the end of the year it is natural to look back on what transpired, but here at The Motif, we keep on moving forward. At first I was a […]
Jay Berndt & The Orphans – Life, Love, & Loss Picked up the pieces while taking a break from a candlelight vigil for my favorite watering holes, E & O […]
The election came and I am proud of Rhode Islanders for voting for change — by re-electing almost everybody. Yeah, take that Trump! Now that we are done showing […]
I’m still coming down from watching Deer Tick’s John McCauley front Nirvana during the Foo Fighters’ encore at the CalJam Festival last weekend, but with wing and a shot of […]
Algiers The sophomore album by Algiers, The Underside of Power, is a stirring statement of our times. Algiers remind me a lot of TV on The Radio, but better. The […]
Newport Folk Festival The last weekend in July means the return of the legendary Newport Folk Festival as it takes over the city for a weekend of music under the […]
I first became aware of Jeff Robbins’ work through his late ’90s band, Orbit. Orbit was like what you get if one took the guitar noise of Sonic Youth, combined […]
After like 13 years of writing under Alt-Nation, it is weird to say fuck that, but I’m nobody’s go-to for rational thought so … fuck it. The original Motif column […]
Bettye LeVette A few years ago I was in Ogie’s when this song came on that was a burst of old school ’60s soul, almost like a female version of […]