Japhys Descent Archive

  • It’s a little difficult to wrap my head around the fact that Banana Gun is celebrating their five year anniversary this week. Granted, I’ve been writing about local music for nearly seven years, but it seemed that when things just got started rolling around here Banana Gun was a part of the new emerging scene. Now, half a decade later, they are one of the top local bands and seasoned veterans at that. Across five years they have released one studio EP (more of a mini-album/short full album), two brilliant full lengths and a live EP–all to critical praise, including...

    Banana Gun Celebrates Five Years With A Show And A New EP!

    Posted on December 2, 2014 | No Comments
    It’s a little difficult to wrap my head around the fact that Banana Gun is celebrating their five year anniversary this week. Granted, I’ve been writing about local music for nearly seven years, but it seemed that when things just got started rolling around here Banana Gun was a part of the new emerging scene. Now, half a decade later, they are one of the top local bands and seasoned veterans at that. Across five years they have released one studio EP (more of a mini-album/short full album), two brilliant full lengths and a live EP–all to critical praise, including...

    Continue Reading...

  • There are a lot of great things going on this weekend, probably too many in fact and most of them seem to be squeezed into Saturday. Not only is Saturday Record Store Day, a celebration of independent record stores across the globe in which music geeks like myself and nearly everyone I know go on a bender buying up one day exclusive releases to add further fodder to our treasure trove of secret sounds, guilty pleasures and aural indulgences, which should be enough for any day, it also happens to be Phochella! For the last three years Beef Vegan has...

    TMI on KWSS Presents the 3rd Annual Phochella Music Fest!

    Posted on April 17, 2014 | 1 Comment
    There are a lot of great things going on this weekend, probably too many in fact and most of them seem to be squeezed into Saturday. Not only is Saturday Record Store Day, a celebration of independent record stores across the globe in which music geeks like myself and nearly everyone I know go on a bender buying up one day exclusive releases to add further fodder to our treasure trove of secret sounds, guilty pleasures and aural indulgences, which should be enough for any day, it also happens to be Phochella! For the last three years Beef Vegan has...

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  • I  know I’ve complained about the lack of rock’n'roll in this city before, but my complaints stop here. Banana Gun has somehow released one of the most compelling rock records of the entire  year.  Yes, there is something  in the combination of Ian Breslin on Drums, Kevin Loyd on Vocals and Guitar, Nic Dehaan on  Guitar and vocals, Ross Troost on Bass and  Kyle Scarborough on Sax and vocals, but together, there is magic here. There is also a hell of a lot of rock. It’s not a coincidence that Banana Gun is already one of my favorite bands around...

    A Hard Rocking Love Affair: Banana Gun releases Love.Instinct

    Posted on March 6, 2014 | No Comments
    I  know I’ve complained about the lack of rock’n'roll in this city before, but my complaints stop here. Banana Gun has somehow released one of the most compelling rock records of the entire  year.  Yes, there is something  in the combination of Ian Breslin on Drums, Kevin Loyd on Vocals and Guitar, Nic Dehaan on  Guitar and vocals, Ross Troost on Bass and  Kyle Scarborough on Sax and vocals, but together, there is magic here. There is also a hell of a lot of rock. It’s not a coincidence that Banana Gun is already one of my favorite bands around...

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  • Well, this is a jam packed weekend kids, no doubt about it. There is so much action going on its unbelievable and I’m not just talking about what will be happening in peoples pants, rather, what will be happening at venues across the valley. The kicker for me is that my beloved Jeepster is in the garage and I will be damn lucky if I surface at all this weekend. Thus I encourage everyone to make the most of this incredible list of shows that I will most probably miss. Although, I must admit when I see a lineup like...

    What’s Going Ahhhn…

    Posted on February 14, 2014 | No Comments
    Well, this is a jam packed weekend kids, no doubt about it. There is so much action going on its unbelievable and I’m not just talking about what will be happening in peoples pants, rather, what will be happening at venues across the valley. The kicker for me is that my beloved Jeepster is in the garage and I will be damn lucky if I surface at all this weekend. Thus I encourage everyone to make the most of this incredible list of shows that I will most probably miss. Although, I must admit when I see a lineup like...

    Continue Reading...

  • Well, hell it’s been a damned rocky road to get to 2014. I feel like last year I was trucking along full speed and killing it with unbreakable momentum. The fact that I haven’t posted in over a month proves that I hit a roadblock. I apologize for ducking out for an unplanned hiatus. Hey, I’m only one guy–I don’t have a staff and only occasionally do I have other contributors, mostly this is a one man show. A show I intend to get back on the road. The main problem for me began in October when there was a...

    Out with 2013, In with 2014!!!

    Posted on January 7, 2014 | No Comments
    Well, hell it’s been a damned rocky road to get to 2014. I feel like last year I was trucking along full speed and killing it with unbreakable momentum. The fact that I haven’t posted in over a month proves that I hit a roadblock. I apologize for ducking out for an unplanned hiatus. Hey, I’m only one guy–I don’t have a staff and only occasionally do I have other contributors, mostly this is a one man show. A show I intend to get back on the road. The main problem for me began in October when there was a...

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  • A Postcard From Lushfest Evening One!

    Posted on September 14, 2013 | No Comments

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  • (Editors Note: I don’t normally repeat articles posted here, in fact I’ve never done so before. Tonight commands that I do so however, as Japhy’s Descent will be playing all of Moon Noon in its entirety at Last Exit Live. They are about to complete their next album and I would not be surprised if this is the last time you can catch this all out performance live. Below, is the review I wrote about Moon Noon upon it’s release. I would urge you to be at Last Exit Live this evening if you have ever enjoyed and shared in...

    Japhy’s To Play Moon Noon In Its Entirety!!! Tonight!

    Posted on June 12, 2013 | No Comments
    (Editors Note: I don’t normally repeat articles posted here, in fact I’ve never done so before. Tonight commands that I do so however, as Japhy’s Descent will be playing all of Moon Noon in its entirety at Last Exit Live. They are about to complete their next album and I would not be surprised if this is the last time you can catch this all out performance live. Below, is the review I wrote about Moon Noon upon it’s release. I would urge you to be at Last Exit Live this evening if you have ever enjoyed and shared in...

    Continue Reading...

  • If you are unaware, for the last few months SoundsAroundTown has been making a weekly break into radio courtesy of The Driving With Gass show, courtesy of Kevin Gassman, Cindy Love and everyone at KWSS 106.7FM (soon to be 93.9FM!!!). In a  one off meeting with Gassman and Love last fall where we both happened to be at the same broadcast at the same time they cordially invited me to join them on their radio show each Wednesday to spotlight local happenings throughout the weekend and spread the word of the sounds that were, indeed, around town. This has become...

    SoundsAroundTown Exclusive: Japhy’s Descent “Owl” (Acoustic)

    Posted on February 25, 2013 | 2 Comments
    If you are unaware, for the last few months SoundsAroundTown has been making a weekly break into radio courtesy of The Driving With Gass show, courtesy of Kevin Gassman, Cindy Love and everyone at KWSS 106.7FM (soon to be 93.9FM!!!). In a  one off meeting with Gassman and Love last fall where we both happened to be at the same broadcast at the same time they cordially invited me to join them on their radio show each Wednesday to spotlight local happenings throughout the weekend and spread the word of the sounds that were, indeed, around town. This has become...

    Continue Reading...

  • It’s no secret that this year I’ve been paying a fair amount of attention to the production work of Curtis Grippe and the work he’s been doing at STEM Recording. His work has really come to shine in 2012 and with releases to his credit by Japhy’s Descent, Banana Gun and Doctor Bones (all who have appeared in these pages) his work has joined the ranks of other local production geniuses such as Jalipaz and Bob Hoag. I don’t in anyway think this is an exaggeration and if  anyone examines my writings over the course of the last four years,...

    STEM Family Night at Crescent Ballroom

    Posted on September 18, 2012 | No Comments
    It’s no secret that this year I’ve been paying a fair amount of attention to the production work of Curtis Grippe and the work he’s been doing at STEM Recording. His work has really come to shine in 2012 and with releases to his credit by Japhy’s Descent, Banana Gun and Doctor Bones (all who have appeared in these pages) his work has joined the ranks of other local production geniuses such as Jalipaz and Bob Hoag. I don’t in anyway think this is an exaggeration and if  anyone examines my writings over the course of the last four years,...

    Continue Reading...

  • Throughout the last few years in the Tempe music scene, many, many bands have come and gone or broken up or become different bands, but amidst all the change and growth Japhy’s Descent have remained, they have persevered to become a staple and have now emerged as a rock’n’roll force to be reckoned with. This isn’t hyperbole either, I’ve known people who would walk out of Japhy’s shows years ago who now I see at the front of the stage, raving and drooling. I thought they were crazy when they told me during the release of their EP that they...

    Japhy’s Descent: Moon Noon Rising

    Posted on August 13, 2012 | No Comments
    Throughout the last few years in the Tempe music scene, many, many bands have come and gone or broken up or become different bands, but amidst all the change and growth Japhy’s Descent have remained, they have persevered to become a staple and have now emerged as a rock’n’roll force to be reckoned with. This isn’t hyperbole either, I’ve known people who would walk out of Japhy’s shows years ago who now I see at the front of the stage, raving and drooling. I thought they were crazy when they told me during the release of their EP that they...

    Continue Reading...

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