Tool

It’s probably not a coincidence that there’s nothing new to say about Tool. After all, it’s been a while since the band had anything new to add to the world. (Well, presuming they ever had anything new to add to the world.) Whether it’s their cookie-cutter riffs, their interchangeable drum…

Rise Against, & Rancid

As a well-adjusted 28-year-old man, I’m not really the kind of guy who listens to Rise Against. Luckily, my little brother is. You know the type: Well into his 20s, he still holds grudges against his kinfolk for not being nice enough to him while he was growing up, so…

Son Volt

Jay Farrar’s Summerteeth sucked. When the Son Volt frontman — once a member of Uncle Tupelo with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy — tried to branch out from Americana with 2007’s The Search (which featured electric piano, backward loops, a horn section, and electric bouzouki) it didn’t go nearly as well as…

Twentysomething Titans

As a well-adjusted 28-year-old man, I’m not really the kind of guy who listens to Rise Against. Luckily, my little brother is. You know the type: Well into his 20s, he still holds grudges against his kinfolk for not being nice enough to him growing up, therefore finding some utility…

An Open Letter to Jay-Z

Dear Jay, Can I call you Jay? Thanks. I heard you were coming to town and I just wanted to make a little public service announcement sharing my concerns about your latest high-profile celebrity feud. Up against NaS and The Game, you handled yourself well, and I think it’s fair…

Abe Vigoda

If you take The Fader’s word for it, you pretty much have to see Abe Vigoda. In fact, if you take their word for it, you should probably stop listening to anything other than Abe Vigoda. The magazine’s editors have gone gaga for the band they dubbed “the lone practitioner…

A.A. Bondy

Last time you heard from Scott Bondy, he was fronting an Alabama grunge act called Verbena and ripping off, first, the Rolling Stones and, then, Nirvana, with the help of producer Dave Grohl. Now he’s going by A.A. Bondy and channeling Bob Dylan. The name change seems to be a…

John Vanderslice

Few people have benefited from the Obama administration more than John Vanderslice’s fans. Whether you voted for McCain or Obama, you probably agree that the country would be a lot better off if we could come to a bipartisan agreement to stop writing songs for or against the war in…

Eric Clapton Is God, but Steve Winwood Is Not

The good news: God is coming — soon. The bad news: He’s bringing Steve Winwood. The good news: He smites with guitar instead of cricket plagues. The bad news: He won’t be smiting the Jonas Brothers. The good news: “After Midnight.” The bad news: “Higher Love.” The good news: You…