NOISE

On the impetus for the band's reunion: "It was something that we had talked about, and I guess at some point we were going to have to fuckin' figure out what the fuck's going on. We took some time off to deal with going through what we went through with losing Layne [singer Layne Staley died in 2002]. Where it really started, I guess, was actually getting our asses off the couch and getting on a stage, and Sean came up with a great idea. It was about the time the tsunami hit, and he called us up and said, ‘Hey, let's get together and do this show.'" (Guitarist Jerry Cantrell)

On the possibility of offending fans of the original lineup: "Fuck them, man." (Cantrell)

On new singer William Duvall: "It just feels right. He really means it, and he really brings it. He does the music justice, and he knows why he's there. It's unspoken, but it's done beautifully. I'm amazed. He kind of rolls in, and had his homework done and knows the songs, and just did them so well." (Drummer Sean Kinney)

On why they didn't tour as a three-piece: "People talk to me about that. ‘Why don't you sing?' I don't sing like that. That's not in my range, man. The way that we worked as a band was kind of a two-vocal band anyway. I could kind of do some things, and I was always supporting Layne underneath, and I like that about us. I like that variety." (Cantrell)

On the possibility of recording new music: "New songs happen when you write them, and you get together and you go, ‘That's a fuckin' killer riff!' And then you work on it, and you're excited about it. At this point, we just set out to do a couple things, and it keeps going, and so we haven't had a lot of time to focus on that. I don't know. I'd love to do that. That comes when it comes." (Kinney)

Already in their short-lived musical collaboration, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse have become famous for equipping Gnarls Barkley with unusual concert attire and opening each show with a corresponding cover tune. For example, the lead duo and backing band kicked off a San Francisco set with "Hungry Like the Wolf" while dressed as chefs, and got started in New York City with "Dr. Feelgood," decked out like doctors and nurses. What might they do in Vegas? A few suggestions:

Pole dancers: David Bowie's "John, I'm Only Dancing" or ABBA's "Dancing Queen." Who wouldn't want to see Cee-Lo in a G-string?

Siegfried & Roy: Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." Tasteless? Not when you consider that the band name applies to S&R as much as the song title.

Bellhops: The Killers' "Somebody Told Me." A little too inside? Perhaps, but Gnarls did open its Wizard of Oz-clad Coachella set with Pink Floyd's "Breathe," so nothing seems clever for these gents.

Drunken tourists: The Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right (To Party)." As long as Danger Mouse guzzles Budweiser out of a clear plastic football.

CSI unit: The Who's "Who Are You." Cee-Lo as team leader Gil Grissom; Danger Mouse as coroner Albert Robbins. This almost makes too much sense.

The comparison was inevitable; for just like Radiohead's before them, Muse's sound commanded praise on account of a few definitive qualities: layers of orchestral and electronic euphoria laid upon a solid foundation of good ol' rock 'n' roll; the synchronization of improbable sounds to elicit melodies splendid, epic and downright haunting; and a distinctive lead singer's voice that serves as another poignant vehicle toward the band's ultimate sound.

But Muse did it better than Radiohead, for the same reason every wise student supersedes his master, and the arts and sciences keep progressing: Muse had Radiohead to learn from, build off of, improve upon—an undeniable advantage not afforded to Radiohead. That is: Not only did Muse have all of Radiohead's predecessors to utilize at will, they in addition possessed one more—Radiohead itself, whose beautiful sound Muse enhanced on their latest album, Black Holes and Revelations.

GEISHA GIRLS

DISAPPEARING ACT (4 stars)

This LA group's solid guitar licks bring a glimmer of hope to the bland and tired '80s-revival movement. The Geisha Girls' fast-paced, addictive post-punk makes you wonder what would happen if more '80s retro groups stopped trying to sound like The Killers and began to try to sound like ... themselves.

GODSMACK

IV (3.5 stars)

Following hit albums Godsmack, Awake and Face-less, Sully Erna and the guys return with IV. Keeping with their traditional style, this album is powerful, notably Erna's clean-yet-intense vocals—he sings instead of screams, something not often seen in metal acts these days. Singles "Speak" and "Voodoo Too" prove that Godsmack is still hard and heavy. A must for any Godsmack fan.