The Decemberists are passionate, intense and they put on one hell of a show.

I knew something had changed when I was in a crowded downtown bar, filled with twenty-somethings sipping Red Bull and vodka and Pabst Blue Ribbon, and the opening chords of “Ring of Fire” evoked instant cheers and singing. The hype surrounding “Walk the Line” officially secured Johnny Cash a spot on the must-have music list…

It’s no surprise that it took both the band and the audience several songs before either was able to relax and mutually enjoy the enormity of what took place Monday evening at Avalon. The club was packed, with little space to either move or breathe, by 8:30 p.m. as fans awaited the reunited Alice in…

Indie rockers Snow Patrol (who performed at Avalon last Friday) are from Northern Ireland but formed the group in Scotland. Their fourth full-length album Eyes Open (Interscope) which they released on May 1 has only reached number 34 on the U.S. charts, but it was number one on the UK and Ireland charts.

When a band is as new and as hyped as Wolfmother, there are two factors that determine whether it will have lasting power. The first is live performance – can the band translate the energy of a hit record to the stage? The second is the all-important subsequent album.

The only constant in Neil Young’s decades of pointed political songs is that he’s bound to do some more, sooner or later. At times he responds to headlines. Other times he calls up distant historical events. He can tackle broad social changes or personal issues he’s been turning over in his head. He’s cozied up…

Okay, here’s the short version of my take on The River in Reverse (after an inadequate 1 1/2 listens):