Music | AAN.org

No Pain, No Gainnew

At first glance, Los Angeles band HURT may sound like just another angry young band that listeners of modern-rock radio stations latch onto. But one look beneath the surface reveals a layered wall of sound filled with influences not found within your typical modern-rock band.

Metro Spirit | John Cannon | 02-27-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: HURT

Heating Upnew

Hear that sizzle? It's Skillet, burning up the charts and frying the rock competition

Metro Spirit | Stacey Hudson | 02-27-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Skillet

Is Trances Arc 10 Years Late?new

I guess it all depends on whether or not they're heralding a change in trajectory for the music industry back towards the mid-90's alt-rock boom that made and killed the careers of Dishwalla and Semisonic.

Metro Spirit | Josh Ruffin | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Trances Arc, XOXOX

Luego is All Over the Placenew

Songwriter/guitarist/singer Patrick Phelan's bizarrely childlike upper register is what Jerry Garcia probably would have sounded like at 16; the man's voice is whimsical without sacrificing that self-aware tone that accompanies early-gotten wisdom, just lazy enough to fall markedly short of careless.

Metro Spirit | Josh Ruffin | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: I Know, I Know, Luego

'Heavy Petting' is Cheeky and Endlessly Charmingnew

One could be forgiven for passing off the Two Man Gentleman Band as a one-trick novelty act.

Metro Spirit | Josh Ruffin | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Heavy Petting, Two Man Gentleman Band

Bull's Style is Individual and Also Originalnew

The main sounds that seem to stand out on this group's CD are the unique vocals and guitar playing and distortion and tremelo.

Metro Spirit | Rich McCracken II | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: A Million Yesterdays, Mechanical Bull

A Jazz Classicnew

This is basically a Duke Ellington record when he was recording in Paris in 1963, but it features the amazing vocal stylings of Sathima Bea Benjamin.

Metro Spirit | Rich McCracken II | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: A Morning in Paris, Sathima Bea Benjamin

A Fresh and Honest Approach to Hip-hopnew

Inverse has what it takes to push through the humdrum atmosphere of the industry.

Metro Spirit | Frazia Lee | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Inverse, So Far (The Collection)

Raheem DeVaughn is Teetering on the Edge of Mainstream Glorynew

On the recent Grammy-nominated "Woman," which seems to be the sequel to "You," he presents the ultimate ode to the female, equipped with dramatic strings and piano against a hip hop beat.

Metro Spirit | Frazia Lee | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Love Behind the Melody, Raheem DeVaughn

Blazing Starnew

Corey Smith, MySpace's No. 1 unsigned country artist, is back in town.

Metro Spirit | Jeremy Reuggeberg | 02-27-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Corey Smith

Stephen Malkmus Lets the Guitar Do the Talkingnew

Real Emotional Trash sees Malkmus continuing the guitar wankery of 2003's Pig Lib, but while some of the longer tracks used to meander only to showcase his ever-increasing guitar vocabulary, Trash highlights his interplay with the rest of the band.

Willamette Week | Michael Mannheimer | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Real Emotional Trash, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

'Bahia Band' Highlights Experimental Music Adventuresnew

"Free Mesopotamia" is percussion on a new level. There are multiple percussion instruments used on this track and the result is amazing. The alignment of jazz with the percussion makes the tune stand out. It's great listening for all musicians of any style.

Metro Spirit | Rich McCracken III | 02-27-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Bahia Band, Mike Ellis