SOUND BITES

To celebrate the release of their sixth album Mechanical Bull this week, Kings Of Leon dropped by The Late Show With David Letterman last night to rip through album track Don't Matter . Then, they stuck around to do another 45 minutes or so for the audience. Balancing new tracks and past hits, it was a fine performance, which can be watched below along with the televised performance of Don't Matter : Mechanical Bull is out now.

So, yeah, that happened. I'm well aware that I've gone ten days without posting in this space, and I'm sure a few of you are concerned I've dropped off the face of the earth and/or been abducted by oil barons and/or checked in to a methadone clinic. I can sure you I'm still here, my car's almost out of gas and my dirty habits are well under control. There are no good excuses for negligence; you have my apologies for being so quiet recently. However, many of you will understand if I felt compelled to get lost in the rich fantasy world provided by Grand Theft Auto V . Indeed, this silly little video game has really gotten in the way of my blogging side gig (but more importantly, my real job has gotten in the way of GTA V ). I'm sure I'm not the only one, and can only imagine how many employees have torn off their name tags in favour of the (fake money) high paying life of crime offered one so inclined in San Andreas. Nonetheless, you have my apol...

When it comes to following up a hit record, few bands have ever been burdened with the pressure and scrutiny Nirvana were in the wake of the culture-altering success of Nevermind . Transcending the mere nature of selling a ton of records, Nevermind was hailed as a quintessential part of every teen's existence as it rocketed the band to not just stars, but rather official spokespersons of an entire generation. It's a heavy responsibility to be tagged as the go-to for millions of disaffected adolescents, and it's one that ultimately crushed the band (and, more specifically, its troubled frontman) under the weight of expectation. In Utero , the group's swansong, was a kicking and screaming resistance to the bright lights and microscopes alike; faced with the prospect of a massive and insatiable legion of fans (many of them bandwagoners with department store flannel) and a label hungry for lightning to strike twice, Nirvana made a record designed for maximum letdown for...

Click here to stream Arctic Monkeys' AM (watch out, it's an iTunes stream). A week ahead of its release, Arctic Monkeys are streaming their fifth album AM . The album takes its cue from last year's Song of the Year R U Mine? , which is included here in re-recorded form. That song's sultry energy drips all over AM 's dozen tracks, resulting in a fully realized, head-bobbing groovefest. It puts the boots to the manic, frenzied attack that endeared them to many in their blinding hype phase, focused on late night folklore and rump shaking beats. When they do slow it down, as on the glorious 70's pop throwbacks No. 1 Party Anthem and Mad Sounds , you can practically feel the smoke machine's fog hitting your ankles. It's a bit early to pass final judgment (especially considering I haven't actually listened to the whole thing yet), but AM impresses early on, and sure seems to cement Arctic Monkeys' status with this music lover as one of rock...

With Nine Inch Nails' eighth studio album (I know, that seems like an awfully low number considering the twenty-eight official "halo" releases, but it's true) set to drop next week, I figure now is as good a time as any to look back on the tumultuous and exciting career of the man known as Trent Reznor and his most recognizable brand (and, apparently, also as good a time as any to go for excruciatingly long sentences). Over the course of Nine Inch Nails' career arc, Reznor has seen the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The ten videos selected do more than just plow through nearly a quarter century of a visionary musician's resumé; they chronicle the soaring best and crushing worst of the man's very life. Enjoy!

Stream Avenged Sevenfold's Hail To The King here , courtesy iTunes. As uncool and un-hipsterish as it may be for me to admit on a blog, I'm a fan of Avenged Sevenfold. Their breakthrough album City of Evil and its blistering lead single Bat Country sucked me in, and their varied, multiple era sprawling attack kept me around waiting for more. Their 2007 self titled effort was just as strong in its shameless genre hopping, planting their feet firmly in the technical metal that endeared them to so many while reaching out to explore new sounds. With that said, I felt 2010's Nightmare was a step back; while it had some genuinely thrilling moments, it overall lacked some of the adventurousness that made them so interesting. Upon listening to Hail To The King 's title track for the first time, I was admittedly disappointed by its trite lyrics and (mostly) simplistic musicianship. However, repeated exposure has helped the track age well; once you get past the lyrics ...

Stream Superchunk's new album here , courtesy NPR. It's been a long, slow summer with regards to substantial rock releases, even more so than suggested by a history of long, slow summers. As an out-of-control music whore with an out-of-control CD buying habit, I haven't bought a new release since Queens Of The Stone Age's ...Like Clockwork . That's about to change as what I playfully call the "fall shopping season" gets an early jump start over the next few weeks, with new platters from heavy hitters Avenged Sevenfold, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys arrive on shelves before fall even officially gets under way. Even before those, there's the tenth album from perpetual fringe heroes Superchunk, I Hate Music . Making some of the most satisfying crunch pop to ever burst from speakers for over two decades, Superchunk rarely fail to give their listeners the warm and fuzzies, and I Hate Music happily won't disappoint those who have waited pat...