Grant Langston
Stand Up Man
By Kerry Doole

In an era of alt-country bands with artistic pretensions it's refreshing to come across an unabashed throwback like Langston. The Alabama native was rejected by Nashville for being too old school — always a good sign. He has found a warmer welcome in California, and has also earned a following in Europe. This spirited new album, his sixth, deserves to spread the word. His band, the Supermodels, are joined with cameos by the likes of Amy Farris (Dave Alvin) and his co-producer, Rich McCulley, and guest fiddle and pedal steel players add to the authentic honky-tonk vibe. Langston's amiable vocal style suits witty tunes like "Burt Reynolds Movie Brawl" and "Shiner Bock And Vicodin," an album highlight, while such ballads as "Just Pretend You Love Me Tonight" and "Broken Clocks" show he's not just a stand-up comic. If the likes of Webb Wilder and Corb Lund are up your alley, check this out. (MSG)
The Slew / Rise Ashen
Bumbershoot
Interpol - Interpol
Siskiyou - Siskiyou
Malevolent Creation - Invidious Dominion
Boston Spaceships - Our Cubehouse Still Rocks
The Thermals - Personal Life
The Great American Beast - Domestic Blood
Neon Bastard - Meikhaus
Sam Prekop - Old Punch Card
The Victory Square Block Party
Festival De Musique Émergente En Abitibi-Temiscamingue
Flying Lotus / Ultragamma / Mymanhenri
Scissor Sisters
Angry Samoans / Class of 1984
Ra Ra Riot
City and Colour / Tegan and Sara / Wintersleep / Ra Ra Riot
Jenny and Johnny - I’m Having Fun Now
DJ Muggs vs. Ill Bill - Kill Devil Hills
Prosanctus Inferi - Pandemonic Ululations of Vesperic Palpitation
Profanatica - Disgusting Blasphemies against God
Luke Doucet & the White Falcon - Steel City Trawler
Sonny and the Sunsets - Tomorrow Is Alright
Reid Jamieson - Staring Contest
Various - Kompakt Total 11
Lou Barlow and the Missingmen
The Specials
Vampire Weekend / Beach House / Dum Dum Girls
Ra Ra Riot - The Orchard
S. Carey - All We Grow
Sarah Jezebel Deva - A Sign of Sublime
Cotton Jones - Tall Hours in the Glowstream
Neil Hamburger - Hot February Night
Oneida / Cowards
Ion Dissonance - Cursed
Various - Bloody War: Songs 1924-1939
Mogwai - Special Moves/Burning
Reason - Fools
Bars of Gold - Of Gold
Jon Langford & Skull Orchard - Old Devils
Brad Laner - Natural Selections
Surgeon / Various - Fabric 53
!!! - Strange Weather, Isn’t It?
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Rivers
Fennesz / Daniell / Buck - Knoxville
SMMR BMMR featuring Meercaz, Fist City, Sex Church, Timecopz, Woven Bones
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