It may seem that I'm diggin' in the dirt. Gettin' back to my punk rock roots. Well, some of my favorite new music does seem a wee bit primal, oui? And some of it is even out this world. But all of this music is party playlist-worthy for any weekend...

Spring has arrived -- flowers and music in full bloom. Some of it only hints at what might be as summer approaches. Until then, here are few things I'm carting around in my wheelbarrow. Dig it.

"Spiderlegs" Danny Malone: Balloons (DM)

Happy accident as I had no prior knowledge of...

Kidney Brothers: Coal Tattoo (Hearpen)

Having grown up and loved from afar, forced to do so after I moved to NYC, there are few bands still playing live -- four decades later -- worthy of my unbridled accolades and devotion but so it is with the heady agro-blues of

"Ingenue" Atoms for Peace Amok (XL Recordings)

Thom Yorke, Flea, long time Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, session drummer Joey Waronker, and percussionist Mauro Refosco have conjured up some heady experimental rock and electronica juju on this album of Radiohead-like alt-dance and fragmented rock tunes. Much of what I hear...

Some music needs to be heard in concert to be fully appreciated. No amount of spin doctoring by journalists or peer pressure from fanatical fans can justify an act unless one catches said act live. Best to let the music do the talking in a live music venue and judge...

It's inevitable that I miss out on some terrific music and culture every year. The sheer volume of releases seems to increase every year, and the lack of time to listen to everything, the recommendations of fellow critics and friends, well, there's just so many hours in a day....

Wasn't easy to whittle this list down to 10, let alone 11, so I picked 12 for 12-12-12. A few of these selections were last minute additions that knocked two other picks out of top spots. Moreover, I decided to include 12 more picks at the end of my...

Happy Thanksgiving. It's been a terrific month for mining new music. I caught an advance screening of Led Zeppelin's new concert movie at MoMA (and their press conference), discovered what may be my favorite album of the year, and found inspiring young musicians sharing their chops and...

Not all that glitters is gold on the radio, and often one must scratch below the glossy surface of the neatly pressed and homogenous music business where TV pop stars litter radio playlists. Thankfully there is a growing number of outlets that cater to every type of rock music. Here...

NYC-based artist Mark Wiener (R.I.P.) shares stories about his work and the streets.

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This webcast video originally appeared at CultureCatch.com.

The business of rock -- the creative juices, the vibe, the sound and fury, the rage, the excitement, the whole kit and caboodle -- is very lacking these days. Songs come and go, like cotton candy -- looks good, tastes good, but leaves no lasting impression other...

I wrote and recorded this song for freedom fighters everywhere. It was inspired by Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" and the simple phrase -- "it's about time" -- uttered by NYC-based filmmaker/video director Ernie Fritz about the Occupy movement.

Written & produced by Dusty Wright. Video produced by PetRock, Inc. and directed/edited/shot by Ernie Fritz. The song was mixed by David Lee and recorded by Danny Garcia at Arlene Grocery, NYC, 2012. Additional vocals recorded at Casa PetRock, NYC, 2012.

Dusty Wright - vocals & acoustic guitar, J.P. Bowersock -- lead guitar, David Ashdown - electric guitar, Peppy Castro -- bass guitar, David Lee -- organ, Neil Nunziato -- drums, Neil Scott Johnson & Terry Radigan -- background vocals.

©2012 PetRock, Inc./BMI. All rights reserved. Available at Amazon, iTunes, et al.

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Just can't get enough, once sang Depeche Mode. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm listening to other tunes right now. Check out my August playlist for some desktop and...

I had the good fortune of sitting with Gore on several occasions these past few years. He was always razor-sharp and very opinionated. This is one of my favorite sit-downs with him.

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"My Daddy-o's a dude!" bragged my ten-year-old daughter Mina to one of her friends.

Wot? I'm a dad and still a dude? Hey, that's pretty cool, but I thought Quincy Jones was the dude. After all, he did release...

Here's more of my favorite songs for the summer of 2012. If you didn't see Part 1 of my picks, you can find it here. Enjoy the melodic sunshine.

"Rosalee" Chris Robinson's Brotherhood Big Moon Ritual (Red General) -- The funky, retro

Here's my conversation with surrealist David Lynch. Most know Mr. Lynch as a compelling filmmaker (Elephant Man, INLAND EMPIRE, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks, Eraserhead, Dune, Wild At Heart, Lost Highway), but he is also a gifted painter, musician, and founder of the David Lynch...

With so much new music to consume, I wanted to share some of my favorite new (and few old) rock, pop, and soul picks for Summer 2012. It's time for BBQs and beach blanket bingo parties. Time to get your swag on, peoples.

"Radiator Sister"...

Here's a live acoustic version of "Need Shelter" from singer-songwriter Neal Casal's latest solo effort Sweeten The Distance. When Neal is not performing his own music, he can been seen playing lead guitar for Chris Robinson's Brotherhood (currently on tour), Ryan Adams, Beachwood Sparks and more. This solo...

Here's my recent conversation with the award-winning auteur Julie Taymor. Ms. Taymor has directed groundbreaking work for both stage and screen including The Lion King, Frida, Across The Universe, The Green Bird, The Tempest, The Magic Flute, Titus, et al.

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