The quick and dirty:

• Stewart is a power-pop-rock band from New York City
• Stewart is a good reminder why Gibson guitars and Marshall stacks worked wonders for Weezer in the mid ’90s
• You probably have never heard of them
• You should listen to this band

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Power-pop may not be “cool” in the eyes of the music bloggers of the interwebs. I say, “Fuck them.” Kicks is an unyielding album of catchy hooks, catchy lyrics and rock ‘n’ roll prowess. After a single listen this album has reminded me what listening to music for fun is all about. For the young and young at heart, Stewart offer a solid album of 2-3 minute rock ‘n’ roll blitzes. I’m sold. ‘Nuff said.

Last year I went to an academic conference dealing with all things popular culture. It turned out that what researchers and scholars really liked talking about were popular understandings of sub and fringe cultures. One Finnish scholar now teaching at a university in North Carolina, I can’t remember his name, decided to research fans of Scandinavian and European metal in contrast to the popular understandings of these fans (which tend to depict them as disturbed, depressed, or angry/violent people). His research seemed fascinating to the head-nodding profs, but illustrated virtually nothing new to anyone who identifies as at least a casual fan of metal or “hard” music. Basically, his thesis was that metal seems “angry” to outsiders, but for fans it is a very positive experience that builds community and elicits typically happy emotions.

After that conference I silently asked myself, “Is there enough metal in my life?” The answer, sadly, was “no.” Somewhere along the way, my metal consumption waned and my record collection began to swell with folk and country records. Not that it’s a bad thing, but I decided to diversify my sonic portfolio, so to speak.

Enter Wonder, the new album by Swiss math-metal, hardcore, sludge band Knut. Now, I dropped out shortly after Botch’s We Are the Romans and my stint in Greensboro, NC. If bands continued to make records like Wonder between then and now, then I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

Knut’s latest is a reminder why we need more metal in our lives. Wonder is a cathartic experience. Amidst the chaos of postmodern existence, Knut burst through with raw emotion, stripping away all the excesses of consumerism and putting forth just loud, heavy music. Time changes and riff progressions are everywhere. On my third listen (couldn’t stop to write after one), I’m drawn to the way that the songs evolve. Like a web or matrix, complex riffs, jud, jud palm muting, and polyrhythmic structures shift continually with each song an amalgam of at least a dozen parts held together by a unifying aesthetic theme.

While the vocals (lyrically inaudible, but for me that’s a non-issue) display excellent screaming capabilities, from low guttural to mid-pitch screams, I’m a little disappointed by the lack of diversity in cadence and delivery, which is my only criticism in this early review.

I haven’t heard any of the 4 EPs Maps & Atlases have released, but I stumbled upon their full-length debut Perch Patchwork and was pleasantly surprised.  Their sound is rich with peculiar, worldly rhythms and acrobatic melodies that feel more like hooks than exercises for music theory geeks.  Sometimes it gets a little too breezy for my taste, but there’s no question that I’d like to spend some more time with this record.  A full review should be up here within the next couple of weeks.

In 1999 I bought my first Pavement album, Wowee Zowee. I think I had heard Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’s “Cut Your Hair” on MTV’s 120 Minutes or in a friend’s car or something and thought it sounded a bit Weezer-ish and pretty cool. When I got to the record store they didn’t have Crooked Rain, but they did have Wowee Zowee and the cover was sorta funny so I went ahead and purchased that as my first Pavement album. I don’t remember much of my first listen except thinking that this didn’t sound much like “Cut Your Hair.” These songs were really weird, but also kinda cool. I wasn’t really sure what to make of it.

Listening to CAW! CAW!’s Bummer Palace is very similar.  Not that they sound like Pavement (they don’t), but they play music that is not easily categorized and my first impression is that this music is both very strange but also quite awesome and unique. Moreover, this is a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a great sense of humor, both of which are extremely refreshing.

CAW! CAW!’s closest musical relative might be the indie darlings of yesterday, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or the lesser known but incredibly awesome Kudzu Wish.  Bummer Palace is frantic, angsty rock music that is seemingly always being pulled in a million different directions: pop, indie rock, punk, hardcore, soul, psychedelic, shoegaze. The genre bending is probably Bummer Palace’s greatest strength and biggest weakness.  However, with songs continually shifting and changing, it is a fun album that rewards listeners with multiple listens (I’m on 2.5 listens at time of writing and still trying to wrap my head around some of these songs).

The best introduction to CAW! CAW! might be the “band photo” they’ve posted on their MySpace page:

Interested? Do yourself a favor and go listen to a handful of the tracks from Bummer Palace on their MySpace band page.

I’m only familiar with one previous Melvins album, 1994’s Stoner Witch, but that album is one of my favorites. More so than most other rock albums, I totally want Stoner Witch to think I’m cool. It would probably just make fun of me and beat me up and steal my woman if it ever met me, but I love it anyway. Stoner Witch is Todd, and I am Beavis & Butt-head.

The Bride Screamed Murder is The Melvins’ 18th album and their 8th for Ipecac Recordings, and while it may not be a Stoner Witch it does remind me that I ought to be listening to a lot more Melvins. Expect a full review on or around its June 1st release.

I figured listening to this would immediately inspire me to get a boatload of response done by the day it came out.  Yet, I am still but one full listen in after having the album at my disposal for over a week.  Attack and Release absolutely destroy(s)ed me, I have no reason to believe this one can’t… but I have no will to press on.

Trying to explain this phenomenon is tough.  I think it is what happened to most people when they reviewed Midlake’s The Courage of Others.  The critical edge was decimated by delusions of the last album’s grandeur.  Like I said to a lady last week: this almost never happens to me. For some reason I am trapped in a no-listen zone with Brothers.  Call it the opposite of album-oriented manifest destiny.  I want to go no further with The Black Keys. I want them to remain as they were.

I can admit my bias should be overcome in the name of 10 Listens motto. However, I can also admit when I am defeated.  I doubt highly I will make it to 10 with Brothers, but I guarantee I will not forget this album.  One day it will rear its head again, and I will be sorry I missed the chance to talk in depth about it.  Until then, however, it’s onward to other projects.  Perhaps a mash-up? The Courage of Brothers? Probably not.

On May 25th, an album will be released.  It will not shatter the world or change any lives, but it will be awesome.  It will be much better than anything within its genre and most people will ignore it.  This is the life we chose.

Yes, I will be reviewing the album. And yes, I will aggrandize it greatly.  I think Damien Jurado deserves the attention and his newest album Saint Bartlett is going to worth my hype.  I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I have thus far.  Head over to his myspace page, as he is putting up a song a day to celebrate the album (including a cover of Dio to commemorate RJD’s death).   Then we can agree or disagree on brilliance.  I get the feeling our loyal readership will mostly agree with me.  We shall see.  Expect my review in a few days.

Brooklyn’s Electricians have a good thing going.  Not sure if they know it, but this EP is good on the first run-through and beyond (and free).  Its brevity (a little over 10 minutes of your time) does not take away form their overall ethos and I am looking forward to hearing this repeatedly.  Download the album, see them live (check here for dates) and prepare for their subtlety to surprise you.

There influences are on their sleeve, listeners, and it is a good thing.  I’m pretty happy they found us and vice-versa.  Expect my review in the next couple of days since it is so short.

Jack White may continue to keep his hitmaking formulas and his sympathetic sweetheart side hidden from The Dead Weather, but Sea Of Cowards probably kicks ass anyway.  White’s third band’s second album struts for 35 minutes like it’s headed toward a one-night stand with The Bride of Frankenstein.

On first listen, I forgave what sounded like unremarkable songwriting because I was seduced by the riffs.  They’re heavy and spry, liquid and sharp, and they’re the main reason I plan to spin Sea Of Cowards at least nine more times.  The album’s official US release is May 11, so by then I should have a better idea whether it’s more than just an intoxicating work of blues, fury and sweaty monster sex.

I find myself whimsically dazing to Matt Berninger’s silky baritone delivery and the music seems cut out of a soundtrack for slow-motion battle scenes. There is no doubt that The National put me in a mood.  The sound provides me with an overwhelming indifference to my environment, almost as if I could be anywhere and still not realize my surroundings. After nine more listens, it will be interesting to see if the album carries actual weight, or if it becomes white noise. High Violet drops May 11.