Music Blurbs, Vol. 18

The Darkness
Glam rock experienced its apex in the early 1970s. Primarily a British phenomenon, glam rock was characterized by a heavy emphasis on boundary-pushing fashion, androgyny and over-the-top production values. By the late ‘70s glam had faded, and its leading lights – David Bowie, Slade and T. Rex. – either bowed out or moved on to other styles. But if glam’s heyday was over, nobody told the Darkness. Launched in 2000 by brothers Dan and Justin Hawkins, the band sought to revive the aesthetics of glam rock for a new generation. The Darkness’ debut album, 2003’s Permission to Land sold well over a million copies in England, capturing a raft of awards. Familiar excesses dogged the group, which went inactive by 2007. But the Darkness returned in 2011 for sustained success. And while their stateside popularity has never matched their appeal at home, the band remains a popular draw. The Darkness’ eighth and latest studio album, Dreams on Toast was released in March ‘25 to positive reviews, capturing the top spot on UK album charts.

The Mountain Goats
Singer-songwriter John Darnielle launched The Mountain Goats in Claremont, California in 1991. The band was saddled with the “lo-fi” label thanks to early releases Zopilote Machine (1994) through 2000’s The Coroner’s Gambit, as well as earlier cassette-only releases. While those ‘90s albums did sport a rough-hewn, ramshackle and DIY approach, they earned positive critical notices. But beginning with Tallahassee (2002) the group signed with hip UK based label 4AD; with that came a marked upgrade in production values. Equally importantly, the Mountain Goats became a proper (indie folk, alternative rock, what-have-you) band rather than simply a Darnielle project. His conceptually-focused songwriting on that record earned some of the group’s best reviews yet, and ushered in a seemingly unending succession of superb albums. The band moved to North Carolina and signed with Merge Records in 2006. Especially notable is the band’s 2023 alt-rock concept album/rock opera Jenny From Thebes. Their 23rd studio album, Through This Fire Across from Peter Balkan was released in early November, and looks to continue further the band’s status as one of the most intelligent, compelling and fascinating acts on the modern musical landscape.

Lindsey Stirling
Until recent years, mention of a dancing violinist conjured thoughts of old-time or folk music traditions. But Lindsey Stirling has gone a long way toward turning that image on its head. First coming to national notice in 2010 when she appeared on America’s Got Talent, Stirling wowed the judges’ panel with both her music –a mix of classical, hip hop and pop – and her skill as a dancer, both at once; her career was soon to take off. Her Lindseystomp YouTube channel garnered more than 3 billion views in its first seven years. Released in 2012, her self-titled debut album was a nearly unprecedented crossover smash success, Lindsey Stirling claimed the top spot on both Dance and Classical album charts in the U.S., taking the No, 2 spot on the Indie Albums chart and earning her a Gold record. Her latest and seventh studio album of new material, the EDM-flavored Duality was released in June 2024. It, too, reached the number one spot on the Classical Albums chart.

The Brobecks
Formed in 2002 by former members of Salt Lake City rock band 1000 West, the Brobecks were led by singer and bassist Dallon Weekes. The Brobecks debuted on record with 2003’s indie pop release Understanding the Brobecks. The band’s lineup at that point included Weekes plus lead guitarist and singer Michael Gross, drummer Matt Glass and keyboardist Bryan Szymanski. In the next few years to follow, the group would release two more albums: 2005’s Happiest Nuclear Winter and 2006’s Goodnight, and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow. Glass and Szymanski departed, ushering in a period of lineup flux for the Brobecks. After 2007’s Violent Things the group wound down its activities, formally disbanding in 2013. But in 2024, renewed interest in the Brobecks via social media and streaming led to a remastered reissue of Happiest Nuclear Winter. A documentary chronicling the band’s history, Not Dead Yet is set to premiere this month, and in mid 2025 the Brobecks announced a reunion featuring the classic lineup that created the band’s first two albums.

Postmodern Jukebox
On paper, it seemed like an inspired concept: assemble a top-notch band that can play anything, bring together a wildly varied collection of contemporary songs from a variety of genres, and recast those songs in the styles of yesteryear (hot jazz, swing, etc.). And as fare would have it, that concept conceived by pianist Scott Bradlee worked just as well on record. PMJ – a rotating cast headed by Bradlee – is nothing if not prolific: since debuting with a 2013 digital EP, the collective has released literally hundreds of songs via weekly online postings. PMJ has also put together something on the order of 45 albums, proving that their concept is not only inspired, but imminently flexible. There seems to be no song, no type of music to which Bradlee and his devastatingly talented and versatile musical associates can’t bend to their style. Though there may well be another release by press time, the prolific band’s latest, Lounge Language Models features reinventions of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town,” Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe” and a reliably eclectic assortment of 12 other tunes.