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Fri: 06-20-08: 04:30 PM CDT
Peter Hook Talks New Order Split, DVD, Joy Division

Fri: 06-20-08: 03:44 PM CDT
The Shins Starting Own Label for Next Album?

Fri: 06-20-08: 02:30 PM CDT
The Conor Oberst Album Cover Is Dreamy

Fri: 06-20-08: 01:49 PM CDT
Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer Reveals Solo Album

Fri: 06-20-08: 12:54 PM CDT
Jena Malone's Shoe Maps Out NYC Tour

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Also in the News

Lil Wayne:
Tha Carter III

Nine years after his first solo LP, and on the heels of an unprecedented glut of increasingly remarkable mixtape and internet leaks, Lil Wayne produces Tha Carter III, the epic culmination of a lifetime of eccentricities. This is Wayne's moment and he embraces it on his own terms. [Ryan Dombal]

Crystal Antlers:
EP

Crystal Antlers look like outcasts from six different bands, and at various points on this record, they sound like it, too. Merging lo-fi, psych, garage, and everything in between, their debut EP is an unorthodox summer record-- not so much for driving to the beach as actually being in its sweltering grasp, equal parts scorched earth and wide open spaces. Though it's tempting to pass this disc off as a stopgap on the way to a triumphant long-player, there's enough triumph packed into its 25 minutes to qualify as one of the year's most promising debuts. Plus, you know what they say about always leaving them wanting more. [Ian Cohen]

Fri: 06-20-08:
My Brightest Diamond
A Thousand Shark's Teeth

After a head-snapping debut that recalled Jeff Buckley, Shara Worden's second record-- originally conceived as an album full of string quartet pieces-- was always bound to be a riskier affair. This time, her impressionistic flourishes remain but the songs often sidestep repetitive structures in favor of more meandering paths. [Ryan Dombal]

Fri: 06-20-08:
Dan Friel
Ghost Town

On his latest solo record, Parts & Labor's Dan Friel replaces the drums, the vocals, and pretty much the whole band with the wheeze and skronk of electronic instruments, in the process twisting noise until it's basically pop. [Jason Crock]

Stars Like Fleas: The Ken Burns Effect
Latest from the Brooklyn symphonic pop collective led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Shannon Fields and vocalist Montgomery Knott is dense, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. Contributors include Sam Amidon, Trevor Nunn, and Jesse Sparhawk. [Grayson Currin]

Twine: Violets
Electro-acoustic duo on Ghostly return with an album of compositions-- built mostly with guitar, bits of piano, subtle processing, and voices-- that sound like careful reconstructions of the decayed. [Andrew Gaerig]

Religious Knives: Resin / It's After Dark
Pedal-pushing droners Double Leopards and heavy rock deconstructionists Mouthus come together as Religious Knives on two new releases. [Marc Masters]

Thu: 06-19-08

Wed: 06-18-08

Tue: 06-17-08

Mon: 06-16-08

Fri: 06-13-08

Fri: 06-20-08:
Column: Poptimist #16
Comics have moved from the mainstream to a niche popular culture pursuit and survived-- do they provide any lessons for the music industry? [Tom Ewing]

Thu: 06-19-08:
Guest List: Man Man
We talk to all the members of Man Man, who debate whether downloading is harming aging artists, get really into "Mario Kart" in the tour van, and extend an open invitation for Matt Damon to join their band. [Interview: Tyler Grisham] [Man Man]

Wed: 06-18-08:
The Month In: Reggae / Dancehall
From the forthcoming Ragga Twins compilation on Soul Jazz [above] to the excellent new dubstep-tinged record by the Bug, it's a big month for dance/dancehall crossovers. [Dave Stelfox]

Tue: 06-17-08:
Interview: Ministry
On Ministry's final tour, we talk to Al Jourgensen about hockey, Cuban politics, working with Ian MacKaye and Jello Biafra, and the end of CDs. [Cosmo Lee]

Mon: 06-16-08:
Interview: Black Lips
We talk to the globetrotting Black Lips about everything from their upcoming movie project to a drink inspired by the band to the one-dimensional party image they're still sometimes burdened with. [Nilina Mason-Campbell]

Fri: 06-13-08:
Column: Through the Cracks #6
Taking the (already praised in these pages) Miranda Lambert as a starting point, here are a few other recent country albums that, given the chance, could have some crossover, rock-fan appeal, including records from Merle Haggard [above], Porter Wagoner, and Julie Roberts. [Stephen M. Deusner]