Although Styx is now shorthand among music snobs for cheesy '70s arena rock (heavy on the syrupy ballads, please), there was a time that this wasn't so.  Released before they broke big in America, 1975's Equinox marked the creative apex of the band's early period.  On this album they did a much better job at melding their prog rock aspirations with the crisp, straightforward hard rock they were much better at handling. Other than the excellent music contained therein, Equinox is notable for ... Read on, Daddy-O

These days it's commonplace for music to function as an integral part of a television show; think Grey's Anatomy, Smallville or Dawson's Creek. With Seinfeld, not so much. Nevertheless, there are more than a few classic moments during the series that can be called to mind with just a few notes. With that in mind I give you the Seinfeld Songs Mixtape. The following songs were played on at least one episode of Seinfeld, which started featuring much more non-original music ... Read on, Daddy-O

Being an Ace Frehley fan is not without its frustrations. His last studio album, Trouble Walkin', was released nearly 19 years ago and relatively little had been seen or heard from him since he left Kiss (again) in early 2002. What he's been up to during the last 6 years - other than recording a yet-to-be released solo album and rocking executive meetings across America - is anyone's guess, so it came as a pretty big surprise late last year ... Read on, Daddy-O

I'm not sure if it can accurately be said that the Raconteurs' new album, Consolers of the Lonely, represents an unexpected left turn. After all, who's to say that their 2006 debut, Broken Boy Soldiers, isn't the aberration instead? Either way, fans looking for a repeat of the brilliant, trippy power pop of BBS would do best to just stick with that album. Consolers - steeped as it is in the blues, hard rock, and even vintage country ... Read on, Daddy-O

I'm not sure what the origin of the whole "desert island" thing is when referring to music, movies, and other stuff you really like. Why not a tropical island? That one Tom Hanks got stuck on in Cast Away seemed pretty nice, didn't it? Oh right, the point. So apropos of nothing, I recently participated in a fantasy draft on a favorite message board of mine. But instead of drafting a sports team, we picked from a list of every ... Read on, Daddy-O

This month saw the release of a 25th Anniversary edition of Michael Jackson's seminal album Thriller (even though it originally came out in November '82). I owned the album on vinyl back in the day, and loved it to death before I officially renounced All Things Not Metal around '84/'85. My palette is considerably broader than it used to be, so I gave the album another listen today. Removing any historical context from Thriller (which is difficult), it is still a ... Read on, Daddy-O

When Sunderland-based indie rock/pop outfit Field Music announced an indefinite hiatus early last year, it appeared that their brilliant sophomore release Tones of Town would mark the end of something great. But as it turns out, it was just the end of the first phase of Field Music. According to the band, they opted to walk away from Field Music "the band" in order to concentrate on honing their creative skills without worrying about the confines of being in an "indie band." They ... Read on, Daddy-O

I'll admit up front that I'm not what you would call an überfan of Cold War Kids. I first heard their debut LP, Robbers & Cowards, about six months ago and have dug it ever since. I whiffed on a chance to see the band earlier this year, so I was definitely looking forward to last night's concert at the venue now known as Fillmore at the TLA. So we (me, Mrs. Suit, Jeff and Sara) loaded up the trusty ... Read on, Daddy-O

Once in a while I fall into a bit of a rut with my music and get the urge to strike out and discover some new bands or some new styles. And by "new" I mean "new to me." The last time I did this was about 6 years ago when I started seriously developing an affinity for jazz. That period bore a lot of fruit and allowed me to get into groups/acts that have really had an impact ... Read on, Daddy-O

The Problem: How does a band that has been around for more than 30 years and is more than 20 years past its commercial peak stay relevant? Well for Journey, it ain't easy. Life after Steve Perry has been rough for the group, which is currently without a lead singer. Except for the recent popular buzz generated by the use of "Don't Stop Believin'" in the series finale of The Sopranos, Journey's role is now limited playing old ... Read on, Daddy-O