The Thermals, 'Personal Life' (Kill Rock Stars)

Through the blblical fire, punky seekers thrash on

Staunch skepticism propelled the Thermals through their transcendent 2006 concept album, The Body, the Blood, the Machine, as the Portland trio merrily scorned the foundations of Christianity with a pop-punk adroitness that belied their lo-fi roots.

Brian Wilson, 'Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin' (Walt Disney)

Two American masters take leisurely sandy stroll

The most brilliant Beach Boy has always cited "Rhapsody in Blue," American composer George Gershwin's prodigal 1924 meeting of jazz and classical, as his favorite song. Here at last, he takes it for a joyride; Wilson's cover is bright and romantic, anchored in rich harmonies and fluttering woodwinds.

3OH!3, 'Streets of Gold' (Atlantic)

Bamboozling brats punk the masses once more

As anyone who’s ever worked retail will attest, some people are so unfathomably thickheaded you suspect that they’re stealth sociopathic geniuses.

Eminem Does Surprise Performance in New York City

The Detroit rapper celebrates his album release with an unannounced set at a Red Bull freestyle battle.
Eminem / File Photo from Voodoo '09: Erika Goldring

Call him, for Monday night at least, the worst-kept secret in showbiz.

Weezer's Bonnaroo Set Draws a Mixed Reaction

The band's '90s hits get wild cheers from the crowd, but their newer songs fail to connect.
Weezer's Rivers Cuomo / Photo by Ian Witlen

Nowadays, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo squanders the majority of his genius on KISS-lite arena riffs and regressive rhymes about malls and homies (see: 2009's Raditude and the preceding two albums), but his musical prowess isn't dead; it's just dormant.

Edward Sharpe Draws a Huge Crowd at Bonnaroo

The L.A. Pied Piper's languid afternoon show brings out the festival's tie-dye and feathered-headress set.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros / Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford

If anyone still doubts that Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros are the new Pied Pipers of hippie kids and trustafarians, they were not in the Other Tent audience on Friday.

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