• The Hold Steady's 'Almost Killed Me' Turns 11: 5 Best Songs From Debut

    Members of The Hold Steady celebrated their 10th anniversary last year with the release of a sixth album, 'Teeth Dreams.' It was clear the band had veered a bit from the sound and angst that graced its superb debut 'Almost Killed Me,' which turned 11 today, March 16. The group would go on to record the concept effort 'Separation Sunday' in 2005 and the fan-favorite album 'Boys and Girls in America' in 2006. None contained the explosiveness the first had.

  • 8 Albums With Misleading Titles

    Though an album title shouldn't tell you explicitly what kind of music you're in for (where's the fun in that?), a title does have a subtle influence over how we hear an album, or how we expect it to fit into the artist's career arc. These eight albums, however, went with titles that ended up being misleading for either one of these reasons.

  • 7 Artists Who Gradually Became More Accessible

    While some artists throughout rock history gradually became stranger as their careers went on, including The Beatles and Radiohead, there are other artists who started off strange and inaccessible but eventually moved toward accessibility, whether it was due to pressure from their label or a legitimate desire to clean up their sound. Here are seven artists who became more accessible:

  • 7 Live Albums Made Up Entirely Of New Songs

    A typical live album serves as a greatest hits album of sorts, compiling live performances of an artist's best-known songs. These seven live albums, however, took a different approach, including songs that had been previously unreleased, basically making them studio albums that just happened to be recorded in front of an audience.

  • 7 Bands Whose Double Albums Were Their Best

    Double albums are a tricky proposition for most artists. Though they can be fascinating listens, they tend to come off as overlong, bloated, and messy, and even some classic ones such as The Beatles' "White Album" are often criticized for being indulgent. Still, some bands pull it off, and the double albums released by these seven bands are often considered to be their best work.

  • 5 Artists Who Debuted With Live Albums

    If an artist decides to record a live album at all, it's usually released at least a few years into their career, after they're established enough to warrant interest in how their live performances sound. However, these five artists took a more unusual route by actually debuting with live albums.

  • 8 Albums That End With Instrumentals

    A well-constructed album should flow a lot like a film or a novel, with an engaging opening, rising action, and a satisfying conclusion. Some albums even come with a dénoument or epilogue, an instrumental closer that follows the climax. Here are eight albums that close with instrumental tracks.

  • Concert Review: John Ryle House in Haledon, NJ, 7/12/14

    The last time I went to a show at the John Ryle House in Haledon, NJ, bayonets were discovered in the garage by a couple of people who had consumed an exorbitant amount of alcohol. Nobody died or was even (seriously) injured, but that's the sort of thing that would normally persuade me to never return. So why did I go back last night? Because Omegalith and Huge Pupils were playing.

  • 5 Great Alt-Rock Bands Whose Line-Ups Never Changed

    If a band lasts longer than a few years, there's an excellent chance that someone's going to leave or get kicked out, and if it lasts long enough, this could become a frequent occurrence. However, these five bands somehow managed to maintain a consistent line-up for their entire careers.

  • 6 Alternative Musicians Who Vanished from the Music Business

    For the most part, musicians don’t really retire. A great deal simply keep playing until they’re physically unable to go on (see: the Rolling Stones). However, there are some artists who more or less vanished from music altogether, and some never returned. Here are six alternative musicians who vanished from the music business.

  • 7 Artists Whose Best Song Isn't On Their Best Album

    When an artist has an album that's commonly accepted as their best, there's usually one song in there that's cited as their best as well ("God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys, "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen...). However, a lot of artists end up putting their best songs on an album that isn't actually their best. Here are seven artists who's best song isn't actually on their best album.
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