T. Hives

I just got the new album Tyrannosaurus Hives by The Hives. Conclusion? It rocks every bit as much as Veni Vidi Vicious. If you loved that album then you'll love this one. If you didn't...well, I just don't know what to say. As with VVV, every song is a winner except for one. I always thought VVV was marred only by Find Another Girl, the only song that broke from the supercharged Nuggets formula. Similarly, Diabolic Scheme, which has synthesized strings and tries too hard to be weird, sucks too. But 11 out of 12 is pretty good by anyone's standard.

What's So Great About Wilco?

What do people think of this article: What's So Great About Wilco? I was into Wilco and Son Volt when their 1st albums came out after Uncle Tupelo broke up. I saw Wilco live several times (Son Volt once) and they rocked. But I haven't listened to any of Wilco's subsequent albums (except for the Mermaid Avenue thing with Billy Bragg). I know they've gotten a lot of critical acclaim but I'm just kinda tired of Wilco. I enjoyed Heavy Metal Drummer from YHF, but can't really get behind Hummingbird (from the new album). I mean, it's OK, but I guess I'm guilty of having a short attention span...

The Soviettes

Very cool mostly female punk-pop band from Mpls that's gotten a lot positive attention. Reviewers like to talk about them in terms of the Go-Go's meet the Ramones, which is about right. Tight, short, catchy, often political songs. Boy, do they hate Dubya! Their first album (LP) is amazing; their recently released 2nd album (LP II) is great, too. Check out the free songs on The Soviette's website:

- 1st album: Matt's Song, Blue Stars, Bottoms Up Bottomed Out
- Rock Against Bush - Paranoia! Cha Cha Cha
- LP II - #1 is Number Two

They all sing, including the male drummer who has a bit of a sing/shout, Fred Schneider (B52's) thing going on.

You can see 2 of their videos at Yahoo. The Land of Clear Blue Radio is a bit low-budget but #1 Is Number Two is cool.

Free MP3s at indieworkshop.com

Just stumbled across another site that offers free downloads of various indie MP3s. IndieWorkshop.com seems to be based somewhere in Iowa, which may explain why it's skewed a bit to the Minneapolis music scene. But hey, so much the better for you poor folks stranded in the cultural wastelands of NYC, SF, etc. Here are 2 recommendations, both Mpls bands:

The Plastic Constellations - Davico: These guys are barely out of high school. I have their 1st album from a few years back (when they were still in high school). At the time, they showed a definite Pavement influence. Their new album has been getting a lot of play on Radio K.

Olympic Hopefuls - Holiday: Another Radio K favorite. Cheerful guitar-oriented indie rock.

All New Allmusic.com in 5 Days!

Is anyone else excited about the new & improved version of Allmusic.com that launches in 5 days? I probably spend more time on that site than any other in the WWW. Many is the hour I've spent (particularly on slow days at work) researching and following links from ABC to the Zombies. What an amazing resource!