“Thank the Lord for heroin, and thank him for your soul.” How did an album with a lyric like that get by me? And it’s not like that’s the only drug poetry on Spider Bags’ “A Celebration of Hunger,” a 2007 release from Birdman Records. Just about every tune is a tribute to excess. To [...]

So, a few weeks ago I get this e-mail:”Diacon-Panthers is endearing southern indie rock from Knoxville, TN.” They give me a link to hear their new record. Here it goes . . . “Days of Wonder” starts out like grungy psychedelia, along the lines of Black Mountain, until, after a long and fascinating it descends [...]

Y’all know I’m a huuuuuuuuuge fan of the Clash. And by huge, I don’t mean I’m fat. I mean I love the ornery fuckers. So, I try not to let more than a month go by without doing something to pay tribute to Joe, Mick, Paul, Topper, and the rest of the crew. This time, [...]

The Autumns claim as formative influences bands like the Smiths and Stone Roses, and both are obviously present here from the first cut, “Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers,” a swirling, sonic wall of wailing. Overall, the album follows that kind of soaring, “big” pattern—alternative rock intended for arenas. For example, Glass Jaw [...]

Warren Zevon is probably my favorite songwriter. I dig his classic hits, which always inject bitter humor, like “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” and “Werewolves,” but I also like his lesser known ironies, like “Something Bad Happened to a Clown” and “Rottweiler Blues.” I also appreciate his tender moments, like “The French Inhaler” and “Tenderness on [...]

1. Picture in a Frame-Pearl Jam. 2. I Don’t Wanna Grow Up-Cold War Kids. An illogical tune: Great song + Great band = Not so great cover. But cool for the curious or completist. For a great cover of this song, check out The Ramones version. Or . . . 3. I Don’t Wanna Grow [...]

Perhaps in the spirit of Lil’ Wayne’s admonishments to “please say the baby,” Marah’s latest record demands your attention by not just telling you its name—but exclaiming it! Still noticeably influenced by old-time rock and rollers like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, and, of course, Bruce Springsteen, Marah offers another collection of bluesy [...]

Back in 1998, when they were still on the top of their game, The Smashing Pumpkins played a brief live set on what Mayor Richard M. Daly called “Smashing Pumpkins Day,” and were joined on stage by the greatest garage band ever . . . Cheap Trick! This isn’t great quality, but it ain’t half [...]

I may have done more posts on EELS than any other single band. (Most recent post: here.) So, I am wicked excited to announce this giveaway. The eels are coming out with two retrospective albums. The first, titled Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, is a CD/DVD that, as you might guess, is a [...]

Patterson Hood, star of the Drive-By Truckers, has performed complete sets of songs written by the two opponents of Cover Wars Two, posted all this week. First, in 2006, he performed six Mick and Keef tunes. To wit: Loving Cup Moonlight Mile Silver Train Shattered Before They Make Me Run Star Fucker ZIP FILE Its [...]