Hey Willpower, 'P.D.A.' (Tomlab)
Spunky Imperial Teen guitarist throws a disco rent party.
By Barry Walters 02.14.08 9:48 AM
Will Schwartz trades his usual guitar punk for a bedroom-techno interpretation of R&B pop without betraying his indie-rock heart.
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The Selmanaires, 'The Air Salesmen' (International Hits)
Black Lips' buddies dazzle with musicianship -- no gold teeth.
By Shannon Zimmerman 02.13.08 7:23 PM
"Broken Mirrors in the Mud," the opening cut on this Atlanta band's sophomore effort, is a revelation. Built around a wiry, spring-loaded riff, it's a blues barnstormer rendered as power pop -- the work of a band well versed in both Howlin' Wolf and Big Star. The follow-up, "Nite Beat," is similarly sublime, with shimmering chord changes wound tight around a haunting double-tracked melody.
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Nada Surf, 'Lucky' (Barsuk)
Soothing songs for stressed-out thirtysomething indie parents.
By MacKenzie Wilson 02.12.08 9:47 PM
On 2005's The Weight Is a Gift, this Brooklyn-based trio -- best known for their smart-alecky '96 alt-rock fluke "Popular" -- searched for big answers with mature introspective songcraft (produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla).
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Hey! Ho! Let's Shop!
T-shirts, sure, but Ramones flip-flops? Though the band barely sold records in their heyday, the punk icons have become a mighty retail presence in their afterlife. What's behind their transformation from glue-sniffing rebels to tchotchke-hawking moguls?
By David Browne 02.08.08 12:14 AM
Another day, another delivery of Ramones wear to the East Village home of Arturo Vega, the band's former lighting director and art coordinator. (He designed their eagle insignia.) "More merchandise," Vega says with a resigned smile, ripping open a box containing new T-shirts featuring the faces of Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, and Tommy.
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Hot Chip, 'Made in the Dark' (Astralwerks)
London quintet seduce the ghost in the machine.
By Barry Walters 02.06.08 1:36 PM
Hot Chip are the rare dance act with songs that could be sung round the campfire. On 2006's The Warning, they decried and embraced that strength -- "Over and Over" was a response to charges that their debut album was "laid-back," and "And I Was a Boy From School" featured poignant Simon & Garfunkel harmonies.
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My Bloody Valentine
A breakup letter composed of lyrics from 69 breakup songs.
By Dana A. Shapiro 02.04.08 12:41 PM
(Click here to view the full-page, handwritten version of this letter)
Dear __________,
Your picture is still on my wall. A little black cloud in a dress, with your chrome heart shining in the sun -- so pretty when you're unfaithful to me. You don't look different but you have changed.
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