Cool Hunting

The Kooks: Inside In/Inside Out
Named after the David Bowie song, The Kooks bear more of a resemblance to Kings of Leon—still young with great indie hair, and dynamite live. But instead of coming from the Deep South, they're from England's South coast. While the Arctic Monkeys are stealing all the headlines at the moment, this four-piece group from the other end of the country tightly wrap up their...

Sound Kapital: Beijing's Music Underground
by Ashley Eldridge To the casual concert-goer, China's capital city may seem uncharted musical territory, but photographer Matthew Niederhauser's new book "Sound Kapital: Beijing's Music Underground" places it as a powerful voice among the indie scene. In a country where sickly sweet Cantopop rules the airwaves, Niederhauser chronicles a small but significant collection of performers that have found their way to D-22, a cramped, grungy...

Creston Electric Instruments
by Noah Armstrong A one-man operation in Burlington, VT, Creston Electric Instruments builds fairly traditional electric guitars, generally styled in the Fender tradition, but custom-designed according to each customer's expectations. Owner Creston Lea works with his clients throughout the entire process, resulting in highly personalized instruments and a body of work that reflects the pride and enjoyment he takes in his craft. “I stress, more...

Bruar Falls CMJ BBQ Spectacular
Kids sporting laminates on NYC subways signals CMJ's descent on the city once again. Friends of CH, The Roulettes—a band accepted into the music showcase on their first try—put together an awesome lineup that we're sponsoring this Saturday. Other bands performing include Red Wire Black Wire, Renminbi, Sini Anderson, The Fancy and Beluga and we're stoked to be on board with co-sponsors Etsy (who...