Boulevard, Magnolia, Hensley, Fleshtones

• Boulevard's great 'Vice': It's probably safe to say that sooner or later, all musical genres see their revival, bringing renewed props to music whose influence, during its heyday, could be called a cultural phenomenon. A band that's doing particular justice to the '80s is Athens' own Boulevard, a quintet whose perfectly delicious collection of new wave/Brit-pop/glam rock-flavored songs make up its second EP, "Vice & Daring." Full story.

• Back-porch Americana: How many music writers' analysis' of Magnolia Electric Co. begins with a Neil Young reference? Throw this syrup on that stack of pancakes because the Bloomington, Indiana-based band delivers a Midwestern, everyman brand of anesthetized Americana, led by guitarist-vocalist Jason Molina (ex-Songs: Ohia) that can't dodge the honest comparison. Full story.

• Hensley release 'Right' on time: Heidi Hensley has been waiting a long time for this moment. Now she's ready to seize it. The Heidi Hensley Band have their first full-length album coming out next week and have been diligently rehearsing for their big release party Friday at The Melting Point. Full story.

• The Fleshtones still rock harder: First of all, we should just get this out of the way - The Fleshtones rock. Harder than any garage rock outfit banging its drum kit out there today, harder than any post-rock, prog-rock, punk-rock wannabes, and certainly harder than any shoe-gazers. It's probably not what people expect from a band that's been at it for 30 years - a band that, notes founding member Peter Zaremba, has been told by pals in R.E.M. that watching The Fleshtones get out there and "do it" 25 years ago gave the impressionable young Athens quartet the chutzpah to do it themselves. Full story.

Posted by David Bill at September 29, 2005 09:33 AM