Like most supergroup projects, Golden Smog's Down By the Mainstream is a loose, relaxed affair that sounds like it was a lot of fun to record. Unlike most supergroups, the members of Golden Smog improve on their regular bands. Comprised of a number of alternative country-rock stars -- including Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, the Jayhawks' Gary Louris, and Soul Asylum's Dan Murphy -- the musicians are releaxed and loose, giving the songs a raw, rootsy kick. Since the album wasn't carefully ...   [ read more ]

CD $11.38

On Soulages, Lazy Sunday Dream, a group of alternative country-rockers from the Netherlands, offer a strong, rootsy set that alternately evokes the spirits of Harvest era Neil Young and the Hillman/Parsons-led Flying Burrito Brothers. The group may be European, and this effort may have been recorded in the countryside of France, but Soulages is top-notch Americana. (As if to support this notion, formidable Austin, TX roots rockers the Gourds show up on three tracks.) "Slowday"...   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

Nina Gordon departed Veruca Salt, the band she co-led with former best friend Louise Post, in a swirl of anger, allegations, cheats, and general nastiness. Post retaliated by retaining the band's name and releasing the vitriolic, bile-ridden Resolver. Gordon acted like the furor never happened. Actually, the break was even more extreme than that. With an exception or two, she acted like Veruca Salt never happened, hiring Bob Rock -- who helmed the group's last Gordon-Post effo...   [ read more ]

CD $13.28