Dead Meadow, 'Old Growth' (Matador)
Trippy riffmongers allow some light into their dark din.
By Kyle Anderson 03.20.08 3:05 AM
Psychedelic blues rockers Dead Meadow relocated from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles last year, and their sixth album sounds reenergized by the scenery change. The trio still combine '60s garage jangle with thick jams that channel Iron Butterfly heaviness, but their new songs are sunnier and jumpier than 2005's dirgeful Feathers.
SHARE THIS:
Who's Next '08: Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
The next folk-rock collective. BONUS VIDEO: An acoustic performance, just for SPIN.com.
By Kyle Anderson 02.02.08 12:50 AM
In a nutshell: Eight dreamy, world-weary Indianapolis musicians brought together by a shared love of woodsy Americana and chamber pop. Their cello-laden debut, 2006's The Dust of Retreat, caught the attention of Epic Records; the band signed on without reservation.
Who's Next '08: Black Tide
The next teen headbangers. BONUS VIDEO: See them shred in L.A.
By Kyle Anderson 02.01.08 11:32 AM
"It's the fucking weather," says 15-year-old Black Tide lead singer/guitarist Gabe Garcia, explaining why Florida produces so many extreme-metal bands, such as Deicide and Obituary. "The heat makes everybody go crazy, and the humidity makes you angry."
Lupe Fiasco, 'Lupe Fiasco's The Cool' (Atlantic/1st & 15th)
The bookish rapper keeps twisting the plot.
By Kyle Anderson 01.18.08 4:17 AM
Puscifer, 'V Is for Vagina' (Puscifer Entertainment)
Heavy whimsy from Tool timer's side project.
By Kyle Anderson 01.18.08 4:17 AM
Through four albums of dark, existential art metal, Tool have cast a spooky shadow, but the underlying truth about the band (and frontman Maynard James Keenan) is that they're pretty cheeky. Ænima featured a big single about fisting, a nod to acerbic comic Bill Hicks, and "Die Eier Von Satan," whose lyrics sound like a Nazi salvo but are really a recipe for cookies.
SHARE THIS:
Jukebox Jury
Andy Samberg and Albert Hammond Jr. deliberate over some of the year's biggest songs.
By Kyle Anderson 01.11.08 2:13 PM
In addition to their awesome 'fros, our esteemed jurors had something else in common this year: Both took cautious steps away from the outfits that made them famous.
