Scott Wexton, better known these days as the Voodoo Organist, wears a red suit on stage, growls out bluesy, demonic lyrics that have landed his songs on zombie-movie soundtracks, and plays a theremin, of all things, as he churns out soul-stealing organ chords. He’s pretty much a Mirror Universe cross…

James Blunt’s debut Back to Bedlam was the number-one album in the U.K. last year, catapulting him to superstardom, thanks in large part to the hit “You’re Beautiful.” Go back a few years earlier, and he was a personal guard to the Queen of England — and before that, a…

Female singer-songwriters are a dime a dozen these days, multiplying like mogwai: Sprinkle a little water on them and suddenly they’re everywhere. Worse, they all want to be just like Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco or Aimee Mann! Maybe that’s why the truly talented singer-songwriters of today stand out so dramatically…

Wasn’t Josh Gracin that country-singing Marine from American Idol’s second season? How’d that jarhead land himself a recording contract? Well, actually, it’s a lot easier to understand than you might think: While Simon, Randy and the eternally narcotized Paula have never really understood the relevance of country music to Middle…

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldiers are about to release their debut CD, So Many Musicians to Kill, after struggling through nine years together. Thing is, they’re barely in their twenties. The Eugene, Oregon-based rockers got together in seventh grade — they named their band after a tour by legendary Australian…

Few musical acts receive universal praise for any aspect of their work, but Shinedown — generally not hailed as anything other than “good enough” — is rarely rivaled when it comes to its live shows, impassioned affairs that leave audiences chanting and swaying like drunken monks. The Florida-based crew is…

Attending an Aimee Mann show is no different than flipping a coin. Some nights she’s on — clouds part, angels sing and souls are saved — and others, well, you’re left scratching your head as to why you didn’t just order Thai takeout instead. Let’s hope the recent release of…

aris Delane is at home, preparing to audition for the role of a samurai-trained ex-Special Forces bodyguard named Virgil in an upcoming film. A monolith of a man, Delane is seemingly perfect for such a role. It doesn’t take long to discover, though, that despite his imposing figure, he’s really…