United Abominations – MegadethMegadeth (AKA Dave Mustaine) follows up 2004’s politically charged The System Has Failed with, well, the politically charged United Abominations. Due to contractual obligations, TSHF had to be released as Megadeth, although it was primarily a Mustaine project. No report indicating why the new album also falls under the Megadeth moniker, but it does contain all the staples of a typical Megadeth record: Mustaine’s trademark vocals, soaring six-string solos, and insistent drums,......

Great Lake Swimmers Ongiara (Nettwerk) Ongiara sees Great Lake Swimmers move a little further into country with prominent banjo strums and unforgiving Nashville-esque male/female harmonies. The themes are still dark, open and intimidating, never belying the band's daunting name. Production-wise, the songs are gorgeous: layers of acoustic guitars over a banjo and reverberating snare never sounded better. Tony Dekker's voice is straight out of the old dance hall and as slide guitars subtly make......

Architecture in Helsinki is an enterprising collective of musicians adept at relaying diverse and distinct sounds in unison, and they bring their eclectic catalogue (and promise of a new record) to Austin this March for the annual SXSW music festival. The band’s multi-instrumentation utilizes the usual goodness (guitars, drums, bass), along with synthesizers, horns, a variety of percussion, assorted audio samples; the list is long but it all adds to the band’s flair and......

Hugo Chavez called Bush a "racist, imperialist devil" at the U.N. yesterday. How unoriginal can you get? Check out a porn site, get a virus. Virtual reality has truly made great strides forward. A freaking motorcycle rollercoaster. Latest eminently adoptable Japanese trend: trophy husbands. Cameron Diaz says a photographer tried to kill her when she was leaving a party with Justin Timberlake the other night. No, it's not funny. A world without JT would......

Hang on to your wristbands, people, there's a lot going on this week in the world of legitimately released music! The Rapture Pieces of the People We Love (UMVD) The Rapture have finally caught up with their own hype following 2003's Echoes, working with producers Danger Mouse (Gorillaz/Gnarls Barkley), Paul Epworth (Bloc Party) and Ewan Pearson (UK DJ/Remixer) and delivering a disco, funk, punk and pop-influenced album worthy of all your parties, speedy drives......

Did you know Justin Timberlake was destined for greatness even before he went solo? Can you recall NKOTB changing the face of music with their much-maligned image transformation? Do you like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch? Does chinese food make you sick? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, break out your ersatz hairbrush microphones and leave your dignity at the door! Alamo Drafthouse Cinema's downtown location is hosting a video......

There's another one of those bipolar indoor-outdoor shows at Emo’s tomorrow night: sweet-as-candy indie pop inside, lurching packs of stoned werewolves outside. Oh, decisions, decisions... Inside Fresh off their gig opening for The Flaming Lips in Europe, Dentonites Midlake put on a little rock and roll program for us plain ol’ 'mericans. The Starlights Mints open with heaping fistfuls of sophisticated chamber-pop; Mints pal and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Lindsey opens for them. We don’t know......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Julie Neumann and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] My heart has broken into a million pieces. Approximately, give or take a few thousand. Actually, it may not be my heart at all, but some other vital organ in the chest area. You get the point, do these details really matter? I read James Frey’s account of addiction and recovery......