Howl was clearly no easy ride for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The Los Angeles trio’s third album’s lyrics address depression, failed relationships, war and, most noticeably, spirituality. The somber tone is likely a result of BRMC’s recent struggles, including a drop from their former major label Virgin and infighting that…

Supergrass no longer sounds like a hyperactive younger brother jumping up and down, clamoring for attention. After releasing last year’s retrospective, Supergrass is 10, perhaps the band decided that year 11–and the album that goes with it, Road to Rouen–marked the time to grow up and mellow out. With help…

In concert, Jon Mikl Thor wields fake swords and foam war hammers in mock battle with masked opponents. He also bends steel bars between clenched teeth and sings heavy metal songs about how mighty he is. Even stranger is his age–this 51-year-old Vancouver bodybuilder and self-proclaimed “rock warrior” is returning…

When a rock star blames his dad for something, it’s usually pretty bad. You know, scarring-horror-that-created-the-dark-place-in-my-heart-from-which-oozes-the-anger-and-hurt-that-fuel-my-songwriting-and-need-for-attention bad. On Friday at the Double Wide, though, Fort Worth’s Collin Herring only blamed his father for forgetting the merch table’s CDs. The elder Herring, Ben Roi, certainly couldn’t be faulted for his mesmerizing…

Bob Mould’s latest album, Body of Song, comes with a blurb advertising the disc as a “return to his signature guitar sound.” Though there’s some honesty to the PR, as he plays the ol’ six-string on every track, take it with a grain of salt, because the album doesn’t sound…

Oklahoma City’s Redbud Revival is the best reason to get to the Gypsy Tea Room early on Friday. RR specializes in bluesy, no-frills rock reminiscent of the Stones, Tom Petty and early Wilco with swaggering Southern rockers and slide-guitar-drenched weepers. Fans of Pleasant Grove and Sorta shouldn’t miss it. Meanwhile,…

Between songs, Robert Gomez is all smiles, offering an abandoned warm beer to anyone who wants it, estimating the number of chickens that have died to feed him while on tour and joking about the $12 a guitarist owes him for his favorite guitar strap. But the easy stage presence…