Michael Hoinski

Two decades ago, Kurt Cobain dogged Pearl Jam as sellouts, dismissing his grunge rivals as "cock-rock fusion" and its gala debut, Ten, as insufficiently "alternative" because it had too many guitar leads. Ever since, Vedder has been out to prove the dead guy wrong, overtly or covertly. But with the...

Okkervil River's The Stand Ins reiterates what reality shows like America's Got Talent have already made abundantly clear: We're obsessed with celebrity, or, at minimum, separating ourselves from the pack. This is evident on the jazzy "Starry Stairs," wherein a diva is driven to ruin by bloodsucking fans, and rocker...

You might think the use of the theremin would be a mark of distinction, but plenty of bands have employed the sci-fi sound machine. Led Zeppelin built a bridge out of it for "Whole Lotta Love," the Pixies knitted "Velouria" with it and for Phish it was a segue out...