Austin Powell

There are three sides to Hank III: Risin' Outlaw, hellbilly deluxe and black-metal Neanderthal. Each one gets equally represented at his near three-hour live shows — often in that order — with only a brief intermission and wardrobe change to signal the transition. Hank III is clearly a man of...

Annuals are at the forefront of indie-rock's New Density movement. Comparable to contemporaries Gang Gang Dance, Islands and Yeasayer, the ADD-affected North Carolina sextet is a jubilant centrifuge of influences, compacting aspects of stadium rock, tropicalia and even country into a unique brand of cross-­pollinated pop, complete with elaborate string...

There's nothing more difficult for a rock band than overcoming a mid-life crisis. Built to Spill's first album in five years, 2006's You in Reverse, though, is a testament to the band's collective coming of age. Songs like "Goin' Against Your Mind" and "Conventional Wisdom" are given room to develop...

Perhaps the only thing more damning than being hailed as the next Dylan is being perpetually stuck in the shadow of Conor Oberst. Such has been the fate of Kevin Devine, a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter who deftly balances personal and political sentiments through largely acoustic, emotive ballads. The former Miracle of...

If LCD Soundsystem is the Sound of Silver, then MGMT strikes solid gold. Essentially the duo of former art students Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, MGMT's disco-glam combines the Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever with David Bowie's futuristic vision and lyricism, creating stylized indie-rock for a new generation of movers...