Music | AAN.org

Shannon Worrell Lays On the Nostalgia on Her Latest Albumnew

The thing about nostalgia is that it's deliciously indulgent, like turtle cheesecake, and Worrell's record is comparably rich. The Honey Guide is thick with string, twang, and image-heavy writing, and the elements that make it perfect for certain occasions are the same elements that make it a little too much for everyday listening.

C-Ville Weekly | Laura Eve Engel | 10-29-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Shannon Worrell, The Honey Guide

Sweden's Dungen Can Count to '4'new

Dungen's latest sees lead singer/songwriter/producer Gustav Ejstes continuing to blend genres while abandoning some of the reverb that allowed its previous releases to sound straight off some late-1960s Brit-rock vinyl.

Chicago Newcity | Andy Seifert | 10-29-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: 4, Dungen, Sweden

Larry Smith, Keeper of the Bebop Flame, is Lighting Up the Stage Againnew

Five years and two strokes ago, the alto saxophonist stopped playing completely. He couldn't play. Now he's ready for a comeback.

Metro Times | Charles L. Latimer | 10-28-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: jazz, bebop, Larry Smith

Wovenhand Frontman David Eugene Edwards on God, Goth and Guitarsnew

Edwards' themes of sin and salvation ring with an authenticity that can, for some, be genuinely uncomfortable. And while I've long been an admirer of both his bands, only recently did I realize just how serious Edwards actually is.

Colorado Springs Independent | Bill Forman | 10-28-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: religion, 16 Horsepower, David Eugene Edwards, Wovenhand

DeVotchKa is Anything but a McBandnew

With newfound acclaim, the band gives up a little control but no singularity.

Colorado Springs Independent | Kirsten Akens | 10-28-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: A Mad and Faithful Telling, DeVotchKa, Starbucks, McDonald's, commercials

'Acid Tongue' is Where Jenny Lewis Finally Exploits Her Famenew

Lewis continues to write great songs and shape shift their environments, making them sound so damn simple, she practically writes her own reviews.

Metro Times | Dan Weiss | 10-28-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue

Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Group Formula412 Releases its Long-Anticipated Albumnew

Back in early 2006, the local supergroup burst onto the scene with a couple of high-profile shows and immediately went into the studio. As that hype turned into more live opportunities, the album sat on the back burner.

Pittsburgh City Paper | Aaron Jentzen | 10-28-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: hip-hop, Pittsburgh, Formula412, The Difference

Religious Knives, Surprisingly, Create Order Out Of Chaosnew

So far this year, Religious Knives have issued two proper albums that mark monster steps away from noise-drone doldrums and into classic rock/no-wave terrain. In both cases, the quartet starts out with a head fake.

Baltimore City Paper | Raymond Cummings | 10-28-2008 | Reviews

Tags: noise rock, It's After Dark, Religious Knives

My Brightest Diamond Smooths Some Rough Edgesnew

The push and pull between the classical conventions in which Shara Worden was schooled and her craving for rhythm informs this year's A Thousand Shark's Teeth, the second proper My Brightest Diamond album.

New Haven Advocate | Brian LaRue | 10-28-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: My Brightest Diamond, A Thousand Shark's Teeth

Frankie Venom, 1957-2008new

When Frankie Venom succumbed to throat cancer last week at the age of 51, the Toronto punk scene didn't just lose a gobbing godfather -- Canada lost one of the most engaging entertainers ever to stalk a stage in a rubber-legged frenzy.

NOW Magazine | Tim Perlich | 10-27-2008 | Music

Tags: punk rock, Toronto, Frankie Venom, Teenage Head