Burt Bacharach

Grant Hart contemplates his losses and the stories behind his music

Moovers & Shakers 2008: Backbeat scribes weigh in on their favorite local releases of the year

Q&A with James Lumb of Electric Skychurch

This Weekend: The Ron Miles Group @ Dazzle

The Ladybug Transistor

Tuesday, August 14, the hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Bad Plus...Plus

Tuesday, August 14, the hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Bad Plus...Plus

Tuesday, August 14, the hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

The Postmarks

Sunday, May 6, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Humming Along

Abstracts from show tunes at William Havu, and abstracts with show tunes at Sandra Phillips.

Diamonds in the Rough

Rick Rubin put the polish on Neil Diamond's new disc. Who's next?

Fairest of Them All

MirrorMask is a thing of beauty, a joy forever, etc.

Candy Caine

Jude Law puts a pretty face on an ugly story in Alfie.

Drink of the Week

Sidecar

Paul Weller

Studio 150 (V2)

Bacharach's Back

The pop legend leads the CSO

The Autumn Defense

Circles (Arena Rock Recording Company)

Highway Stars

After fifteen years of ups and downs, Swell is on the rise again.

Mistletunes

Rounding up holiday discs that offer season's greetings -- and beatings.

Dwight Yoakam

Population Me (Audium Entertainment)

Lounge Wizard

Sondre Lerche puts plenty of fizz into his sophisticated brand of pop.

That's a Wrap-Up

Backbeat writers sound off on a few of their favorite musical things from 2002.

Furry Logic

Classic rock and mother nature fuel the weird Welshmen of Super Furry Animals.

Fortune Smiles

Unsung country crooner Allison Moorer changes course on a new album -- and she doesn't care what you call it.

Cornelius

Point (Matador)

Bertrand Burgalat

The Sssound of Mmmusic (Tricatel/Emperor Norton)

Dive In

The sultry Brit-poppers of Cousteau go deep.

The Voyage Out

Jazz singer Nnenna Freelon has touched the “devil's music” with her own world-class style.

Stereophonics

Just Enough Education to Perform (V2 Music)

Blur

The Best Of (Food/Parlophone/Virgin)

Frazer's Edge

Paula Frazer artfully crosses the country divide with Tarnation. As a solo artist, she sticks more to the shadows.

Everything but the DJ

With Lazy Dog, English songwriter Ben Watt gets a modish makeover behind steel wheels.

Critic's Choice

Patricia Barber

Mann in the Middle

After her career blossomed anew with Magnolia, Aimee Mann made a declaration of artistic independence.

Pop Goes the Country

Who's changed more -- Trisha Yearwood or country music?

High Llamas

Snowbug
(V2 Music, Ltd.)

Valley of the Dull

Trash-novel queen Jacqueline Susann is turned into pulp in Isn’t She Great.

It's Awful, Baby, Yeah!

Trash-novel queen Jacqueline Susann is turned into pulp in Isn’t She Great.

The Mellowing of Mr. C

Elvis Costello isn't angry anymore.

The Major and the Minor

A roundup of big-name recordings that live up (or down) to expectations.

Feedback

A roundup of big-name recordings that live up (or down) to expectations.

Playlist

A roundup of big-name recordings that live up (or down) to expectations.

The Quiet Man

A roundup of big-name recordings that live up (or down) to expectations.

Plugged In

Just in time for Lollapalooza, a list of the albums you need to understand electronica.

Erasing the Past

Erasure's Vince Clarke visits America to check on the state of his baby: electronica.

The Prize Patrol

The biggest musical winners from 1996.

Playlist

The biggest musical winners from 1996.

PLAYLIST

The biggest musical winners from 1996.

HOW SWELL IT IS

DENVER'S LOUNGE LIZARDS WERE ALL DRESSED UP WITH NO PLACE TO GO. ENTER THE KIT KAT CLUB.LET'S DO LOUNGE SINATRA SONGS, COCKTAIL PARTY CLOTHES AND CHAT GALORE--THEY'LL DRINK TO THAT.