Aimee Mann - Charmer

Aimee Mann has had an interesting career. A brief view of pop star life with 'Til Tuesday, a solo career with another blinding spotlight around the Magnolia soundtrack, even a guest shot with Rush! Now she has come out with a poppy new wave-ish tune that reminds me of The Cars, Weezer or Fountains of Wayne - catchy, well-produced pop/rock, no more, no less. The new track, Charmer, is a preview of the album of the same name coming out September 18.

Creosote - Area Man

Regina's Creosote is really a one-man wrecking crew named Gord Smith, and he recently released a new album called Area Man. A very long time ago, Smith walked up to me and, apropos of nothing, asked: "Son Volt or Wilco?" Upon receiving my answer, he smiled and quickly moved on. That question stuck in my mind, and I always expect to hear some alt-country coming from Smith, but Area Man is straight-out rock. Or maybe that should be ROCK, because Creosote's new album sounds like the kind of unabashedly riff-heavy, harmony-driven hard rock we don't really hear much anymore. Area Man almost sounds like grunge never happened, that filter that unfortunately spawned Pickleback, Theory of a Default, et cetera.



Smith also has the er, guts to cover Rush on the new record. Not only that, but he chooses a 1980's keyboard-laden track from Power Windows to cover - Mystic Rhythms. You can buy Area Man at iTunes. Creosote is also a son Volt tune. Coinkydink? Just don't call Cresote MR. Creosote.