“Changes are no good” is something that the Stills sang about on their debut album, but the Canadian indie-rockers learned the lesson the hard way when their “difficult” second disc took a nosedive upon release. The band’s brand new record resurrects their old sound to win back the disillusioned rock hipsters. Continue reading
For all the jokiness inherent in the Melvins’ music, many might think fate has played the ultimate joke on the hardcore/metal pioneers. After all, 20 years is a long time to follow an artistic vision with meager results. But the group proved on Sunday night’s concert in Madison, Wis., that being eclipsed by Nirvana and other grunge grandmasters hasn’t tamed their sonic firepower or their sense of humor. Continue reading
Already secure in his place as the imaginative, whiny voice of the emo generation, Bright Eyes’ frontman Conor Oberst has embarked on a solo career that leaves behind much of what we’ve come to expect from him. His new, self-titled album dumps overwrought songwriting confessionals for the sweet and simple sounds of country-rock. Continue reading
If you ever wish your favorite rock gods would just rawk out like they used to, the Hold Steady aims to satisfy. The Brooklyn, N.Y., quintet is an indie-rock sensation by championing and recreating the big, dumb sounds of the ’70s and ’80s. Their new album is more of the same. Continue reading
Like Common, Mos Def or Talib Kweli, Nas occupies that murky ground between commercial hip-hop and the brainier purveyors of its better nature. On his new album, “Untitled,” the highly acclaimed rapper steers away from settling juvenile street beefs to step up his comments on the hip-hop public’s level of political engagement. Continue reading
Long the beneficiary of overly generous indie-rock buzz, Canadian New-Wavers Wolf Parade has released a new album that gives greater justification for the hype. Continue reading
Sheryl Crow hit all the right notes and played nearly all her greatest hits at Wednesday night’s concert at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. But it was her two onstage guests who demonstrated that passion goes a lot further than professionalism into making a performance exciting. Continue reading
With their latest disc, alt-rockers Weezer try to lay claim once again to their legend as masters of power-pop hooks. Unfortunately, the new songs show a weakening vision of how to marry their high-art aspirations and dreams of stardom. Continue reading
San Francisco neo-folkies Vetiver have long paid tribute to their acoustic-music forefathers and mothers by sharing the studio and the stage with them. The group’s new, all-covers album, “A Thing Of The Past,” takes this hero worship a step further and in the process, makes them inspirations for the next generation. Continue reading
Emerging from a particularly rough period in their two-decade career, the Roots have just released a new disc that shows refocused intensity and renewed energy as the Philadelphia hip-hop crew seeks to finally capture what was once barely out of their grasp. Continue reading
Soundbytes Music Column 