NOISE

There's a tradition of British musicians reinventing and/or reinvigorating American music genres, like jazz and blues. Do you think Brits have a special perspective?

It's an interesting point. I think from a British point of view, we always think the Scandinavians do that to what we do, so I don't know. Maybe the perception's different from where you are. I just think it's more abut accepting that you've got to take your own perspective on things. And what I mean by that is, when I went with jazz or pop or rock, I try and do it from the point of view as a guy who grew up in England, as opposed to someone who grew up on 52nd Street in New York in the 1950s. I grew up listening to rock and hip-hop and pop and stuff, so that has to color my experience making this music.

It's said you're not classically trained. Does that make it easier for you to cross genres?

In some ways, because I'm not overwhelmed with so much knowledge in the terms when you study classical or jazz for years. I'm not bound by that. And it means that some of the time, as much as I can play and put together some kind of fairly complex jazz harmony, I think at times it's easy for me to forget that and make it sound like three chords sometimes, which some people with a lot of knowledge forget how to do sometimes.

If you could be any member of the Rat Pack, who would you be?

It would be obvious to say Frank. It would be less obvious to say Dean, and it would be bizarre to say Peter Lawford or Joey Bishop. I think, as for me, the most experimental and possibly magical artist was possibly Sammy Davis. He managed to cross all these musical boundaries within single songs, jumping between the trumpets and the drums and singing. I think he made some fine albums. I don't think his best music is actually on the record. Frank obviously had the charts record everything he did. I think had Sammy been given the opportunity, we might have a great accounting of work behind him. He would be my favorite one. Plus, he's got a better tan.

Blondie (performing Friday with the New Cars) performed "Heart of Glass," "Rapture" and "Call Me" at its Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction in March, but dig deeper into the band's catalog and there's a far more convincing case for new wave immortality.

1. "Out in the Streets" (demo, 1975)

2. "X Offender" (Blondie, 1976)

3. "In the Flesh" (Blondie, 1976)

4. "Rip Her to Shreds" (Blondie, 1976)

5. "Kung Fu Girls" (Blondie, 1976)

6. "Fan Mail" (Plastic Letters, 1977)

7. "Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)" (Plastic Letters, 1977)

8. "Hanging on the Telephone" (Parallel Lines, 1978)

9. "Dreaming" (Eat to the Beat, 1979)

10. "Accidents Never Happen" (Eat to the Beat, 1979)

This was actually a tougher call than we expected, considering Creedence Clearwater Revisited is also in town. But they've been kicking dirt on John Fogerty's legacy for years, whereas the New Cars is a fresh atrocity. One vocalist, Benjamin Orr, died in 2000, while the other, Ric Ocasek, opted out of the reunion. Drummer David Robinson also took a pass, leaving a once-cherry vehicle in the hands of guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes, along with new vocalist Todd Rundgren, who isn't making any bones about his motivation. "An opportunity has arisen for me to pay my bills," he reported to an online fan site. At least Blondie—with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein intact—is opening.

Kenny Chesney. Rascal Flatts. Toby Keith. Is it any wonder that these are the nominees for Entertainer of the Year at the May 23 Academy of Country Music awards?

It shouldn't be. These are the artists, along with the Gretchen Wilsons and the Big and Riches, who are constantly played on radio. It's a world sanitized, vanilla and mainstream. The Academy, as usual, has ignored tons of great music from last year that is country music by virtue of soul, sound and spirit:

Album of the Year

Stephen Bruton, From the Five. The former Kristofferson and Raitt sideman from Texas knows how to play guitar (think of Chuck Berry playing slide guitar with Mark Knopfler's phrasing and The Band-era soul) and write beautiful songs. Listen to "Put Me Out of Your Misery."

Cross Canadian Ragweed, Garage. This roots-rock band from Oklahoma owes just as much to The Eagles and John Cougar Mellencamp as to R.E.M or the Black Crowes. And their music is as catchy as the best tunes those four have ever put out.

Top Male Vocalist

Delbert McClinton, Cost of Living. Bar none, there wasn't a better singer belting out country and western and roadhouse blues and soul music than McClinton. "Kiss Her Once For Me" will make you tear up for all the right reasons.

Top Vocal Group

BR5-49, Dog Days. I still can't figure out why the rest of the world hasn't caught on to these guys. Country hillbilly swing at its most exciting, BR5-49 is everything country music should be in the future because they know and respect the past.

NO TRIGGER


Canyoneer (2 stars)

Nitro Records' indefatigable quest to revive old-school punk forges ahead with the debut full-length from this Massachusetts quintet. Over 12 short tracks, though, No Trigger's melodic hard-core leans more toward pedestrian modern peers Rise Against and Strike Anywhere than the Minor Threats and Dag Nastys name-checked in the label's online bio.

Sugarland


Twice the Speed of Life (3.5 stars)

The debut from this country trio has been a slow-burn hit, and it's easy to see why: It's got a pop-country sheen and some incredibly catchy songs, along with an authenticity thanks to the members' pasts as singer-songwriters on the outskirts of the country and folk scenes. An excellent balance between grit and glam.

Buckcherry

15 (3.5 stars)

Thank heavens for Buckcherry. The LA retro-rockers reunite for their third album of Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses-style tunes, bringing exuberant sleaze and catchy hooks to liven up the doldrums of mainstream hard rock. Perfect for anyone who loves Motley Crue but can't stand the bloated whiners they've become.