After Dark

Shouting out Atlanta’s latest and greatest of the after-dark hours in our Best of issue has become an annual litmus test for the city’s place on a larger cultural map. From the outside looking in, avant-garde rockers Deerhunter are still riding the wave of their fifth, and possibly career-defining, album Monomania. On the radio, the pep rally bellow of “2 Chainzzz” has become impossible to avoid. But here at home, in the wake of the country’s recent economic woes, Atlanta’s musical communities have grown tighter, the sounds that bind each one becoming increasingly defined. This year, a homegrown metal scene - best personified by the black-clad headbangers of Disfigurement and their growing fascination with the outlandish, gory aesthetics of a classic ’80s sound - became a dominant force. Underground MC Scotty ATL broke adventurous new ground with his F.A.I.T.H. mixtape.

From Mayhem to heRobust to Distal, electronic music pushed the outer limits of club music. Progress and nostalgia found equal footing in Atlanta over the last year. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the ragtime and jittery rock of Cabbagetown songwriter Blair Crimmins’ latest album, Sing-a-Longs. Fresh trends are revealing themselves in the likes of young indie rockers Warehouse, drummer Joe Sweat, and rising hip-hop star Rich Homie Quan. Naming the city’s best artists is no easy task. We’re lucky there’s so much incredible talent to choose from.

— Chad Radford, Music Editor

Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner

Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » After Dark » Critics Pick

2 Chainz

We love to hate 2 Chainz’s seemingly comedic lyrics: “She got a big booty, so I call her Big Booty.” But we’re not joking when we say 2 Chainz is inescapable right now. Since his chart-topping, Grammy-nominated 2012 debut album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, it’s been almost impossible to avoidmore...

We love to hate 2 Chainz’s seemingly comedic lyrics: “She got a big booty, so I call her Big Booty.” But we’re not joking when we say 2 Chainz is inescapable right now. Since his chart-topping, Grammy-nominated 2012 debut album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, it’s been almost impossible to avoid hearing the “2 CHAIIINZ!!” war cry on the radio. At this point, he’s repping Atlanta through sheer cultural pervasiveness. The deluxe edition of his new album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time, comes with a cookbook. Here’s hoping he gets a Food Network show in the near future. He’s different, yeah, he’s different. www.2chainz.com. less...

Best art-punk band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » After Dark » Critics Pick

Dasher

Dasher has quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the local art-punk scene. The group has received much praise for its seven-song demo tape, and anticipation is mounting for its forthcoming vinyl full-length debut this year via local garage-punk mainstay Die Slaughterhaus Records.more...

Dasher has quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the local art-punk scene. The group has received much praise for its seven-song demo tape, and anticipation is mounting for its forthcoming vinyl full-length debut this year via local garage-punk mainstay Die Slaughterhaus Records. The group features three talented Atlanta underground vets: Kylee Kimbrough with precise drumming and abrasive screams, Ian Deaton on bass, and guitar work from Abby Go Go’s Jon Allinson. Dasher shreds through bleak and arty soundscapes, bringing mighty music to some of the city’s gruffest venues. www.dasher2.bandcamp.com. less...

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » After Dark » Critics Pick

Mood Rings

Hey loners, meet your new best friend. Sometimes, sitting with your own reflective contemplations just feels right, and the only companion you need is a resonating soundtrack. Mood Rings’ lush guitar pop is a sullen symphony of grooves. Singer/guitarist Will Fussell’s subtle yet dynamic voice swingsmore...

Hey loners, meet your new best friend. Sometimes, sitting with your own reflective contemplations just feels right, and the only companion you need is a resonating soundtrack. Mood Rings’ lush guitar pop is a sullen symphony of grooves. Singer/guitarist Will Fussell’s subtle yet dynamic voice swings like a pendulum between a forlorn falsetto and bold girl-group crooning on the group’s debut album, VPI Harmony (Mexican Summer). The album contains enough ethereal eccentricities and heartbroken wistfulness to sit comfortably alongside your record collection’s legendary mopers the Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive. www.moodrings.bandcamp.com. less...