Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time In The West (Atlantic): Not all rock music has to be serious. Our first thought was that this album was slickly overproduced to the point where it was impossible to be objective. But this was followed by the notion that it would sound great in the car. Trying again there, we found an album that jumps out of the speakers with beats pilfered from 90's Manchester bands, guitars straight......

Although Hoot Nights and Tribute shows tend to occur frequently, Saturday’s extravaganza at Ruta Maya promises to trump all with an extensive lineup of local talent set to cover a variety of tunes recorded (or released) in 1967, known otherwise as the Summer Of Love. Get there early, even if the music does only start at the respectable time of 4:20 p.m. Full lineup below but we have to mention some of our favorites --......

Sure, Harry Nilsson's birthday isn't actually until Friday. And some of you probably don't even know who he is. But neither of those things should stop you from partying at the Alamo tonight in honor of the late great songwriter, Grammy Award winner and all-around brilliant guy. If you're familiar with Nilsson, we obviously don't need to sell you on his wonderfully diverse and inventive pop music. But if you're not sure who he is,......

The following downloads are by artists playing various shows around town this week -- check the IST List for details. [mp3] Mono - Halcyon [mp3] Mono - The Flames Beyond the Cold Mountain [mp3] Mono - The Remains of the Day [mp3] Elefant - Lolita [mp3] Sound Team - Movie Monster [mp3] Pretty Girls Make Graves - The Nocturnal House [mp3] The Joggers - Since You're Already Up [mp3] Aberdeen City - Another Seven......

Here’s our dilemma: We really want to like Anthony Rapp's Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical “Rent.” In his memoir, Rapp, who originated the role of Mark Cohen in Rent, follows the parallel strands of his rising professional success and his personal struggles, particularly his mother's battle with and death from cancer. Along the way, Rapp touches on themes common to most 20-somethings: finding satisfying work and sometimes compromising to pay......