DIERKS BENTLEY: FEEL THAT FIRE (CAPITOL) ** Something about seeing Bentley perform in person makes you want to root for him. Usually an opening act, Bentley plays as if he's the headliner. The crowd usually eats up his hay-in-the-hair farm boy energy and charm. ...more

February 12, 2009

THE VERVE: FORTH (ON YOUR OWN) **½ The Verve returns 11 years after scoring a hit with "Urban Hymns" and subsequently disbanding. "Forth" has one foot in the solid song structures of its 1997 album and one toe dipping tentatively into the more free-flowing waters of early albums. ...more

October 10, 2008

"No Wave: Post-punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980," by Thurston Moore and Byron Coley (Abrams Image, $24.95) ...more

October 5, 2008