Discover Anya Marina's Lauper-Like Warble
With help from Spoon and Louis XIV, a former radio DJ finds her inner rock chick.
By Mikael Wood 12.24.08 8:35 AM
Before she moved to Los Angeles to concentrate on her career as a musician, Anya Marina spent her days spinning other people's records -- lots of 'em -- at a series of San Diego radio stations. So it's probably safe to assume that she knows what she's talking about when she says she hates singer-songwriter music.
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Nickelback, 'Dark Horse' (Roadrunner)
Megapopular meatheads decide it ain't broke, decline to fix it.
By Mikael Wood 12.19.08 1:02 PM
By now, when it comes to his lyrics, you have to wonder if Chad Kroeger is just taking the piss: "Gotta meet the hottie with the million-dollar body," he marvels, checking out a stripper with a "pretty pink thong" at the start of the new Nickelback album. "They say it's over budget / But you pay her just to touch it," he concludes.
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Butch Walker, 'Sycamore Meadows' (Power Ballad/Original Signal)
Pop-rock poobah mines tragedy via savvy Rundgren knockoffs.
By Mikael Wood 12.18.08 6:30 PM
This well-connected Los Angeleno spends his days producing hits for pop-radio stars like Pink and Avril Lavigne and his nights crafting vibrant power-pop discs crammed with record-nerd ear candy.
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The All-American Rejects, 'When the World Comes Down' (Doghouse/DGC/Interscope)
Heartland heartthrobs pledge allegiance to big-tent success.
By Mikael Wood 12.15.08 12:24 PM
As 2005's double-platinum Move Along demonstrated, these Midwestern emo-rock dudes have never hidden their arena-size aspirations.
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Guns N' Roses, 'Chinese Democracy' (Geffen)
Finally, the balls-out going-away party Dubya deserves.
By Mikael Wood 11.30.08 11:25 AM
Guns N' Roses codependents are rejoicing over Chinese Democracy's long-awaited release, perhaps the most-delayed album in rock history.
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The Ringers
Three above-average Joes (and one Patrick) rock out onstage and onscreen.
By Mikael Wood 11.21.08 5:41 PM
The Ringers have played plenty of memorable shows since frontman Joe Hursley, 29, and bassist Joe Stiteler, 29 -- community-college pals from Austin, Texas, who moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting -- formed the live-wire garage-punk outfit four years ago.
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