REGARDING JAWBOX REUNITING.

Looks like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has become a haven for '90s underground heroes. D.C. post-hardcore band Jawbox will perform for the first time in 12 years on the show Dec. 8., according to both the Washington City Paper and Billboard. The performance follows the reissue of the band's seminal third album, For Your Own Special Sweetheart.

Frontman J. Robbins is one of my favorite musicians ever. Whether he's behind the mic or the mixing board, I already know I'm going to be interested knowing he's attached to something. While the band says this won't lead to anything else, I'd love to see this go somewhere (provided a Jawbox Philly show doesn't sell out before I can get tickets, a la Sunny Day Real Estate...).

And since er'rybody else is doing it, here's the video for "Savory," off of For Your Own Special Sweetheart:

Suinage - 'Shaking Hands'

Dang it all, Italians are charming, with their sports cars and delicious food. Power-pop act Suinage can be added to that list as well. The group’s full-length debut, Shaking Hands, is a charming 12-song strong collection. The three-piece name-checks Joe Jackson and the Replacements as influences, though the former comes through more than the latter. There’s even a hint of Candy Apple Grey-era Hüsker Dü, specifically on sad songs like “All Eyes on Me” and “There’s No Time.” These songs are tight and bouncy, and that counts for something, clam-flammit.

There’s a smattering of pop-punk energy spread throughout the record, like on opener “Toothbrush” and “Chump,” though the songs that make the bigger impression tend to be more mid-tempo. Concluding track “There’s No Time” is easily the best song on the album, building slowly but surely into a cavalcade of cacophonous guitars. It takes a little while to get there, but when it does…bang, fireworks. Dissonant, indie rock fireworks that sing in pretty good English despite originating from the country that gave us Andrea Boccelli.

Admittedly, the record does feel a little long at 40 minutes; it’s as if the band wasn’t sure they’d get to make another album. Still, though, there are some worthy gems to be found here, like the fist-pumping “Don’t Pass Me By” or the loose tumbler “Blacklist.” As each song ticks by, I get the feeling Suinage probably has a dynamo live show. The melodies are pleasing, the guitars crunch, and the drums pound away, though the group isn’t afraid to slip in the occasional slow/pretty part, like in the bridge to “Blacklist” or “Underneath the Leaves.”

Shaking Hands is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades record. It’s got flashes of Got the Time and Tim with a healthy dose more somber songwriting. If ya dig indie rock, pop-punk, or power-pop, there’s something to take away from this album.

The Mountain Goats - 'The Life of the World to Come'

In spite of his increasingly personal songwriting in the last four years or so, John Darnielle (singer, songwriter and the core of folk-rock masters the Mountain Goats) has always spoiled his fans. Last year he dropped one of the best albums (Heretic Pride) and two EPs (Black Pear Tree EP, with Kaki King, and Satanic Messiah) of 2008; this year he repeats the trick with Moon Colony Bloodbath (a tour-only split EP with John Vanderslice) and The Life of the World to Come, yet another emotionally affecting bit of storytelling. It’s a somber downturn after the relatively raucous Heretic Pride; much as the downtrodden Get Lonely followed the defiant The Sunset Tree. Granted, about half of the songs could have been on Pride (No surprise there, as bassist Peter Hughes and drummer Jon Wurster return). But it’s the sparser material, like “Matthew 25:21” or “Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace,” that leaves the bigger impression.

Oh yeah, The Life of the World to Come is also a loose concept album about faith and the Bible. The titles are all Bible passages and the songs are stories that react creatively to those passages to varying degrees. With a few exceptions (The chorus to “Roman 10:9” quotes that very section), reading the Old and New Testament adds a rewarding but not completely essential dimension to the work. It’s not a Christian album, unless you want to compare Life to, say, Bob Dylan’s Slow Train Coming. In short, atheists can like this album too, even though, again, “Roman 10:9” will probably irk them.

That said, the first time I listened to the record, I sat down with my girlfriend, cracked open her copy of the New Living Translation of the Bible and read the passages referenced. It was profound. And it got me thinking about religion for the first time in years. See, I am a product of a good Christian education. I come from a Catholic family. But I haven’t believed in the dogma in years. After the priest sexual abuse scandal and a series of pro-Iraq War stances from American clergy members, if they took any stance at all (Looking at you, Catholic Standard & Times), a Kairos trip, of all things, spurred me to walk away from the Church. But here’s the thing: Catholicism stayed with me. Whether it’s Irish guilt, or the fact that my friends give me weird looks for knowing about the Beatitudes or my feast day or just getting pissed off whenever people stereotype the religious as intolerant, there’s still this ever-so-slight division between people who have seen David Haas live and people who haven’t.

So if you’re a Recovering Christian, or ya know, just a regular God-fearing, practicing one, The Life of the World to Come might mean a little more. Or maybe just something different. See, it helps to know that Genesis 3:23 says, “So the LORD God banished Adam and his wife from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.” Darnielle relates that excerpt to breaking into an old home of his. “Touch nothing, move nothing, stand still / Keep my ears open for cars,” he says. “See how the people here live now / Hope that they’re better at it than I was / I used to live here.” But that doesn’t mean a public school kid won’t get it. The song taps into a more universal theme – longing for a past, even if it really wasn’t that great.

The Life of the World to Come manages to somehow be one of Darnielle’s most appealing yet difficult records. Mountain Goats fans of all creeds get something to love. Solo vs. full band; bombastic vs. quiet; personal vs. short story; there’s something for everyone. Anyone who’s seen TMG live knows that silence is Darnielle’s most effective way of grabbing people’s attention, and the same holds true for the quiet “1 Samuel 15:23.” Then the record explodes on “Psalms 40:2.” Darnielle always tries to include a few rockers on his albums, and “Psalms 40:2” is definitely one of them. He howls about God raising him from the pit, but it’s more classic rock ‘n’ roll than anything else. It’s passionate and spiritual and alive.

But as much as I love rock-Darnielle (“HAIL SATAN!”), the songs that grab me more are the desperate, quiet ones, specifically “Matthew 25:21” and “Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace.” “Matthew” is about his mother-in-law, who died of cancer. Over acoustic guitar, Darnielle talks about trying to brace himself to say goodbye. “But you can’t brace yourself when the time comes,” he says. “You just have to roll with the blast.” Darnielle references the Parable of the Loaned Money (“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”) in rejoicing her life (“And you were a presence full of light upon this earth / and I am a witness to your life and to its worth,” he sings). It’s gripping, and if you’ve ever had to say goodbye before you were ready, or even if you were ready, this song will hit hard. That’s where the Gospel according the Matthew comes in handy, though. The parable tells us that those who live to the fullest, who use their talents and are a light to others, will live forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. Darnielle could’ve easily gone for a more melodramatic quote (I accidentally read Matthew 24:21’s “For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again.” Jesus is talking about Armageddon, but out of context, it’s a damn depressing line about death). He instead adds a layer of hope, making it that much heavier. A twin to the song, “Isaiah 45:23” takes the perspective of a patient. “And I won't get better / but some day I'll be free / I am not this body that imprisons me” goes the chorus.

“Matthew 25:21” is rife with details; “Ezekiel 7,” not so much. It’s a poignant closer, as Darnielle sparingly talks about driving: “Flip on the high stakes radio / Try to sing the words right / Drive ’til the rain stops / Keep driving.” The lone hard detail – “I had his arms tied up behind him / We were together all day / Maybe make Culiacan by sunset / Try to, anyway” – sets the song in Mexico. Maybe it’s drug-related and maybe it’s not. But given that Ezekiel’s seventh chapter is about the end of the world, there’s a sense of dread hanging over an already sad song. “No hope remains, for I will unleash my anger against you,” and all that.

Sorry about the length of this article. Here’s a summary for you: The Life of the World to Come isn’t about God, but it is. You don’t have to read the Bible to get it, but you should. It is unquestionably the most emotionally powerful record of 2009. You know how your favorite albums are attached to certain moments? Your first kiss and your worst fight and just that one night when you and your friends drove around listening to music and it didn’t mean much at the time but now it means everything? The Life of the World to Come does that for my entire life. It wasn’t playing when my grandmother died or the first time I realized I was in love or during any of my precious, stupid formative years. And yet now, it makes me feel everything. It’s not Darnielle’s most personal album compared to The Sunset Tree or Get Lonely, but it is.

The record is streaming on colbertnation.com right now, leading up to Darnielle’s Oct. 6 appearance on the show. I suggest you try it.

Lungs - 'Lungs'

Though their self-titled EP contains only three songs, sludge metal quartet Lungs also delivers 32 minutes worth of music. That’s 32 minutes of rocking, screaming, ethereal noodling, and slow-and-sweet-as-molasses chugging. Here’s a quick RIYL for ya: pick any metal band that ever wrote a droning tune – Jesu, Deftones, Isis, Neurosis, Black Sabbath, and so on and so forth. Hell, even post-rock bands like Mogwai and Ghost of the Russian Empire. If you like any of those bands, check out Lungs’ MySpace and stream the EP. It’s good and grungy and stirring. Also, it’s free.

I should also probably mention that these songs are mighty long. Middle track “A Green Sea Dusk” clocks in at nearly 16 minutes in length, while bookends “Eunomia” and “Kinsman” both break the seven-minute mark. Yet somehow Lungs never comes off as masturbatory or too prog-rock-y, although one could argue that these songs could have been broken up into smaller, easier to digest songs, a la Portgual. The Man. Still, as is, Lungs is a heavy heaping of pounding, swirling metal for kids who don’t care about Satan or dragons or whatever, and more than just a teaser for the band’s eventual full-length debut.

regarding the new Bruce tune.

Though his new album Working on a Dream could've used a little more work and a little less studio gloss, Bruce Springsteen is still one of the greatest songwriters of all time, as evidenced by his new tune "Wrecking Ball." It's an ode to the soon-to-be-demolished Giants Stadium, and got-damn if it's not a poignant lil rocker. I love when the horns come in. Maybe there's another record in the works. But then again, the guy is due for another rarities comp. I'd love to hear this backed by "American Land."

Also, how goofy/awesome is this picture?

The Raveonettes - 'In and Out of Control'

To the outside world, the Raveonettes are mere Jesus and Mary Chain noise fetishists, which is redundant and stupid and really not that fair. The duo of Sun Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo has constantly evolved since their debut, Whip It On. What began as an excuse to write a bunch of songs in the same key evolved into a fine blend of goth, bubblegum, ’50s rock ‘n’ roll, surf, and shoegaze on 2005’s Pretty in Black. Follow-up Lust Lust Lust found the band exploring their more droning side, and the album is a monolith of noise. A trio of nifty EPs released near the end of 2008 (Beauty Dies, Sometimes They Drop By, and Wishing You a Rave Christmas) radically shifted that dynamic, adding dreamy electronic elements that recall Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine circa “Soon” than pure JAMC. New album In and Out of Control polishes that sound up a bit with a poppier bent.

Taken as a whole, In and Out of Control is the Raveonettes’ most accessible album yet. While there are a few callbacks to the band’s original sound, like “Heart of Stone,” for the most part, it’s a slick goth pop record in the ’80s sense of the phrase. That comes with a price, as fans of drone will likely call Control “overproduced.” But it’s also their catchiest, most danceable collection. And while the record sheds much of the band’s garage rock sound, it’s still awfully dark lyrically. “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed” is the bluntest anti-rape song since Tori Amos’ “Me and a Gun,” and it’s a pop song. The Raveonettes could have used the melody to sell teen rom-coms and cars and fashionable clothes, but instead they employ it as sugarcoating for lines like “They rip you to shreds / Make you feel useless / You’ll never forget / Those fuckers stay in your head / Boys who rape should all be destroyed.”

A lot of the songs follow that same direct approach while describing past relationships and abuse. “Suicide” flirts with a teenage girl’s madcap New York City night, although it ends in the East River. Soft closing track “Wine” hits the listener with a montage of images (“You / Me / Stars / Asleep”) before lamenting the end of summer. Uber-catchy Ramones love letter “Gone Forever” and the stomper “Last Dance” cover the same topic with better beats and hooks.

While the music is certainly restrained compared to Lust Lust Lust, In and Out of Control is a perfect title for a concept album about being young and in love and in a bad place. The upbeat music gives the lyrics a romantic vibe, making the best pretty songs for sad people this side of the Cure.

Playlist: The Raveonettes

[Playlist is an attempt to distill my favorite artists to 80-minute compilations. If someone asked me to burn them a mix of the bands featured here, I would give them this collection.]

There are few artists I've had a love/hate relationship with more than the Raveonettes; so much so that I almost don't want to call it a "love/hate relationship." When the band band debuted back in 2002 with the Whip It On EP, I was pretty underwhelmed. Their video for "Attack of the Ghostriders" didn't do much for me, and a factoid that made the music news rounds about how the entire album was in B-flat minor (as of opposed to their full-length debut, Chain Gang of Love, which was in B-flat major) further turned me off from the group.

Fast-forward to college: Paul Tsikitas swooped in on a chariot of fire (FIRE!) and told me to buy Pretty in Black. There are very few times people have point-blank forced me to buy albums (Nate Adams - Separation Sunday; Eric Crack - Maybe I'll Catch Fire), and it's always paid off for me. Pretty in Black was a great record, blending elements of goth, bubblegum, '50s rock 'n' roll, and shoegaze into a potent cocktail. And they wrote songs in different keys.

But when the droning follow-up Lust Lust Lust came to the states last year, I found myself again let down by the Ravers. Now, I'm not saying I hate Lust; it's definitely more interesting than the band's early material mentioned above. It just doesn't pop like Pretty in Black. And I'll admit, it's not supposed to. Lust is definitely their heaviest, murkiest release to date, and it is a good record. But it's also not something I can listen to on a regular basis. I'm not getting anything out of the depths, unlike with, say, Loveless, and so Lust is a "sometimes" record. It's not my first choice when I put on the Raveonettes, but I'm still glad that I own it.

Disappointed, I still gave the band another whirl when they release three online-only EPs at the end of 2008. I'm glad I did. Beauty Dies, Sometimes They Drop By, and, to a much lesser extent, Wishing You a Rave Christmas, were all stellar bursts electronic drone. The band really piled on the layers here, shedding their Velvet Underground garage rock of old for something still lyrically dark but also more ambient, which extends to the group's upcoming new album, In and Out of Control [SPOILER ALERT: this puppy is one of my favorite albums of 2009]. As the decade comes to a close, I find myself more in love with the Raveonettes more than ever.

Admittedly, this playlist began as an excuse to have the online EPs coupled with "The Christmas Song," a compilation track the band released back in 2003 that I've always loved, even when I wasn't a Raves fan. I tacked on some of my favorite tracks from Pretty in Black and In and Out of Control, with a single song from Lust Lust Lust, which I feel stands better on its own as this monolithic slab of noise. So, the track list might be a little too focused on the band's recent output for some fans' taste. But then again, I didn't make this list for the hardcore.

Vintage Future
1. "The Christmas Song," The OC: Mix 3 - Have a Very Merry Chrismukkah
2. "Aly, Walk With Me," Lust Lust Lust
3. "Young and Beautiful," Beauty Dies
4. "Black/White," Beauty Dies
5. "The Thief," Beauty Dies
6. "Here Comes the End," Beauty Dies
7. "Way Out There," Sometimes They Drop By
8. "Blood Red Leis," Sometimes They Drop By
9. "Sometimes They Drop By," Sometimes They Drop By
10. "Vintage Future," Sometimes They Drop By
11. "The Heavens," Pretty in Black
12. "Seductress of Bums," Pretty in Black
13. "Love in a Trashcan," Pretty in Black
14. "Sleepwalking," Pretty in Black
15. "My Boyfriend's Back," Pretty in Black
16. "Bang!", In and Out of Control
17. "Gone Forever," In and Out of Control
18. "Last Dance," In and Out of Control
19. "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)," In and Out of Control
20. "Break Up Girls!", In and Out of Control
21. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," Wishing You a Rave Christmas
22. "Wine," In and Out of Control

Hey, I made it through the entire post without mentioning the Jesus and Mary Chain! Oh crap...