Like a lot of folks, we're sure, Rocks Off is chomping at the bit to get our ears around the remastered and expanded version of the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, due in stores Tuesday. Rocks Off has done a lot of things while Exile was blasting out of a jukebox, radio, our iPod's earbuds, etc., and most of them we wouldn't take back. But more on that next week.

Sadly, Keef Richards' foil on Exile, Mick Taylor, had to cancel the tour that would have brought him to Dosey Doe next Thursday, but if you're still looking to scratch that Stones itch, Rocks Off reckons you could do a lot worse than Paul Thorn, who stops by House of Blues' Bronze Peacock Room tonight. So does the San Francisco Chronicle, who likened the Mississippi native - he's from Tupelo, just like Elvis - to "Kris Kristofferson backed by the Rolling Stones."

Kristofferson, meanwhile, called Thorn the "best-kept secret in the music business."

Rocks Off isn't sure about that - if someone asked us the best-kept secret in the music business, we'd probably say B L A C K I E or somebody - but we did listen to the title track from Thorn's forthcoming album Pimps & Preachers (due next month) and it's pretty sultry, gritty, soulful stuff. It's definitely enough to make us pretty sure there's more where that come from, so we'll see you at House of Blues in a few hours.

Thorn ain't a bad painter, either - he did the cover art for Pimps. Rocks Off especially likes the intersection of "Redemption Lane" and "Turn Out Blvd." We've spent so much time there we're considering buying property.

With the Mighty Orq, 8 p.m. tonight at House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room), 1204 Caroline, 888-402-5837 or www.hob.com/houston.