WHITE DENIM: FITS (DOWNTOWN) *** There's all over the place and then there's all over the place with GPS. "Fits" starts out in a post-punk alleyway and glides through breezy pop and white soul among other stops on its 12-song journey. ...more

October 29, 2009

Bands. They just break your heart in the end. Just today I heard "Tell Me" from the Bangles' debut full-length album, 1984's "All Over the Place." Man, I love that album. The guitars chime and bite, the harmonies are tough and tender, and the songs are everything that's great about power pop. ...more

February 26, 2009

Most people do one of these "here are some of my favorite things" lists at the end of the year. ...more

January 17, 2009

Every month in Alternative Press magazine, the column "I Don't Know, Ask That Guy" skewers some band that had the temerity to exist before Weezer. ...more

January 16, 2009

GLASVEGAS: GLASVEGAS (COLUMBIA) ***½ Glasvegas recalls early, angry Elvis Costello or a Scottish incarnation of The Arcade Fire or Okkervil River with big ambitions, urgent vocals, soaring choruses and jangling guitars. ...more

January 16, 2009

ARMY NAVY: ARMY NAVY (THE FEVER ZONE) *** Los Angeles-by-way-of-Seattle quartet Army Navy got a boost when its song "Silvery Sleds" was included on the soundtrack of "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." "Silvery Sleds" isn't included here, but the 11 originals that are establish the group as solid newcomers, combining power-pop exuberance with more shadowy alt-rock strains. ...more

January 2, 2009

Wrap It Up Keep The Box In Boxing Day: 1. "TKO (Boxing Day)," ...more

December 26, 2008

NRBQ's ability to play just about anything hasn't always worked in its favor. "Rolling Stone reviewed our first album and trashed it," original 'Q drummer Tom Staley recalls. "They couldn't figure out where we were coming from." ...more

December 19, 2008

The big difference between Stephen Colbert and Bill O'Reilly: Colbert is only pretending to be a pompous windbag. ...more

November 21, 2008

I almost ran out screaming from a Wal-Mart last week when they started piping in Christmas music. "Rudolph" before Halloween is so wrong. ...more

November 10, 2008