Elliott Smith was born on August 6, 1969, and thus, August is Elliott Smith Month, according to his onetime label, Kill Rock Stars. To celebrate, KRS has been generously offering fans alternate…   Read Story »

Following the 1994 split of the celebrated Uncle Tupelo, the betting line amongst fans and critics alike held that between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar -- the band's two major principals -- it was the…   Read Story »

I never should have signed up for this. Volunteered, even. It doesn't matter what criteria you apply or artificial boundaries you create to make the task easier, there's no way to pick 10 songs from…   Read Story »

Last month, Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, released her first single since 2006, "Ruin." The track comes from her forthcoming Matador long-player, Sun, which is Marshall's first album of entirely…   Read Story »

Tapping the taboo appeal of physicality is nothing new -- there's a long history of using nudity to move product. The music business, like any business, is no exception. If a well-placed buttock gets…   Read Story »

Something about America's pastime inspires whimsical paeans from even the generally sports-ambivalent world of indie rock. Just ask Death Cab For Cutie frontman Benjamin Gibbard, who took a break…   Read Story »

Soundtracks to comic book movies used to kick ass. The right combination of original songs, inspired covers, and curated classics can breathe life into otherwise blatantly commercial popcorn flicks.…   Read Story »

The Flaming Lips have always been weird, and they have a penchant for showing it off in pretty spectacular, and sometimes head-scratching, ways. They're currently in the midst of an attempt to break…   Read Story »

In the June 2, 2012 issue of the NME, Kevin Shields said the long-awaited third album from My Bloody Valentine –- the first since 1991's classic Loveless –- is imminent. The UK mag quotes Shields…   Read Story »

Most of us go to work every day at jobs we find redundant, collaborating with people we don't like. And, generally speaking, the pay is terrible, and the benefits are worse. Yet, we plod on. But for…   Read Story »