Jon Bruhm

Twilight SingersShe Loves You(One Little Indian)When he was in Afghan Whigs, it was no secret that Greg Dulli was a big fan of cover songs. With She Loves You, Dulli presents an album full of his favourite classics, from Fleetwood Mac’s “What Makes You Think You’re the One” to Björk’s “Hyperballad.” The acts he covers—from […]

ClutchRobot Hive/Exodus(Universal)In an era where bands are condemned by their genre through comparisons to other similar-sounding artists, Clutch is exempt from classification. It’s simply impossible to lump this band in with anyone else. Sure, some of its songs may prompt resemblances to The Black Crowes, Black Sabbath, Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age, Soundgarden […]

RammsteinReise, Reise(Universal)German industrial rockers Rammstein are one of the few non-English speaking bands that have made a dent in the North American market. Perhaps it’s because they experiment with different languages —the bulk of Reise, Reise is in German, but they take a stab at English with “Amerika,” and Russian in “Moskau.” Known for both […]

Foo FightersIn Your Honor(RCA)While he’ll always be remembered as the backbone of Nirvana, Dave Grohl has been defined by his solo project-turned-band, Foo Fighters. Many Foo purists felt alienated when the band shifted from post-grunge heroes to mainstream rock kings following two solid albums, but the more marketable sound has netted the band some serious […]

Heavy meadowsRemixes(Dependent)While on yet another extended hiatus, Halifax folkies heavy meadows have entrusted four of their babies into the hands of electronic whiz kid Andrew Duke and ex-Rebecca Wester Lukas Pearse, along with meds’ guitarist Seth Timothy’s obscure electro side project Free Couch, in order to create alternate interpretations of their songs. The results are […]

Gov’t MuleDeja Voodoo(BMG)Have you ever formed an opinion of a band before even hearing them, only to find you were completely wrong? If you were under the impression that Gov’t Mule is a death metal band, as I was, a listen to Deja Voodoo will be quite an eye-opener—especially when one expects to hear Slayer […]

The Crystal MethodCom-munity Service II(ultra)Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, America’s answer to The Chemical Brothers, are arguably the best electronic tag-team this side of the Atlantic. Community Service II, the long-awaited follow-up to TCM’s 2002 mixtape Community Service, is a fun-filled 75-minute-long instant rave. As on the first incarnation, the duo injects highly danceable beats […]

Staggered CrossingBurgundy & Blue(Bent Penny)Back in 2001, Staggered Crossing had two major hits. Despite this, the band was dropped by its label, and the independent follow-up was mediocre at best. Fortunately, the band has found its way back into a groove and return with the stellar Burgundy & Blue. The disc features the stylish “Grow” […]

The F-UpsS/T (Capitol)The F-Ups are one of those pop-punk bands who preach the whole non-conformity thing, yet probably don’t know what conformity means. A listen to their disc and a scan of their website makes it seem as though their stick-it-to-the-man attitude and “bad-ass” moniker are part of a plan to appeal to the kids. […]