Urge Overkill - "Effigy"

Urge Overkill - "Effigy": "The grit is closer to Exit The Dragon than Saturation and Eddie 'King' Roeser's vocals have become even more sandpapered than before, but this is a tight, rocking number from their new album, their first in 16 years, and much better than one would expect."

F*cked Up - "Son The Father"

F*cked Up - "Son The Father": "If I have to pick a 2nd MVP of the Matador Lost Weekend, behind Ted Leo, I think it's Damian from F*cked Up. Not only did he blaze through a riotous live set on Friday night (complete with crowdsurfing and a live version of this track that's way better than on the record, which is great already) but FU did double duty by coming back out even later on Friday night to face off with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists in a virtual covers-off. While all the hard work was out of the way after that, Damian still stuck around and was seen running around all weekend, going to all the shows - with his young son in tow in a stroller - clearly excited by all the bands and music there was too see. Ever the good father, his kid was wearing industrial-strength headphones, which was a good move, as all of us with hearing damage can attest. Anyhow, good job, Damian!"

Soundgarden - "Birth Ritual"

Soundgarden - "Birth Ritual": "I love love love Chris Cornell's high-pitched wail in 'ritu-aaaaaaaal!!!' I think more hard rock/metal needs higher register singing like that, especially when paired with the deeper, heavier riffs."

Queens of the Stone Age - "Born To Hula"

Queens of the Stone Age - "Born To Hula": "Pummeling. From the pounding drum intro, through the heavy riffs to the extended jam at the end, the whole song is just pummeling, in the best way possible. It's one of my favorite QOTSA songs, despite being a b-side (and a re-record of an earlier Kyuss song, at that)."

Torche - "Sundown"

Torche - "Sundown": "Heavy with a touch of sludge, but melodic with a surging chorus, it's hard rock that indie kids can love. (Somewhere in Rhapsody, I think I saw the term "stoner pop" get used and that might work too.) Either way, I wish this song was twice as long as it is, it's that awesome."

Jeff The Brotherhood - "Heavy Damage"

Jeff The Brotherhood - "Heavy Damage": "It seems like it's been a long time since I did a "it's Friday, rock it out!" post - so, here you go. Do it."

Medicine - "She Knows Everything"

Medicine - "She Knows Everything": "A blast of delicious sweet-and-sour noise to help wash away this week."

Crowns on 45 - "Undercover"

Crowns on 45 - "Undercover": "The verses are filled with swinging handclaps and male-female vocal trade-offs, all in fun, like a great house party. The chorus give the swing a harder edge, with excellent screaming that I've loved ever since I heard this song years ago. (And I don't mean 'screaming' as in a sudden switch to screamo or anything like that - it's still in the same tone as the rest of the song.)"

Chavez - "Break Up Your Band"

Chavez - "Break Up Your Band": "Some find this song abrasive, but I think the high guitar contrasting with the thundering bass, driven by the pummeling drums, is amazing. So is the video, which is also sad and awkward in the best (intentional) way."

New Order - "Crystal"

New Order - "Crystal": "Get Ready may not be the best New Order album, but I think this track stands up with some of their best. Many of the guitar parts are classic New Order (even the ones buried in the mix - some of those at the end deserve their own song!), but the production and programming makes the track feel fresh, especially with a harder vibe not seen much since "Blue Monday"."

Joy Division - "Transmission"

Joy Division - "Transmission": "What an awesomely kinetic song! I especially love the drums, the guitar lead that kicks in at the 1:42 mark and the vocals/chanting at the song's end ("and we can daaaaaaaaaaaance!") - all bursting with energy. Never fails to feel electric, no matter how many times I've heard this."

X - "Los Angeles"

X - "Los Angeles": "This song still blows me away - and it's been around for how long now? The interplay between John and Exene sounds just as fresh today as it did when they made it - literally: I saw them do this song at SXSW this year and they still rock this live. The energy of this song is always infectious - a classic song for the City of Angels."

Superchunk - "Tie A Rope To The Back Of The Bus"

Superchunk - "Tie A Rope To The Back Of The Bus": "...mainly because I am sitting at the back of the bus on the way to and from work every day, on the MUNI. But also because I love this song!"

Rocket from the Crypt - "Over the Rail"

Rocket from the Crypt - "Over the Rail": "A track from the Circa: Now! sessions, but not released until the album was re-issued with bonus tracks, this is another fat slab of rock from the RFTC boys and is as solid as anything from their albums."

The Whigs - "Like A Vibration" (live)

The Whigs - "Like A Vibration" (live): "Check out this previously unreleased track from The Whigs' Rhapsody Originals session. The songs from their album (Give Em All A Big Fat Lip) are great, but this song - slated for their upcoming record - is amazing. It's pounding, rough and rocking with jolts of energy every time they sing "like a vibraaaatioooon". Like the tag says, it's Friday, rock it out."

Kings Of Leon - "Charmer"

Kings Of Leon - "Charmer": "My friend Bob says this is KOL's Pixies song - and he's right, it is. Live, the bassline is even more prominent and even more Kim Deal-y, so it's even more apparent. The Frank Black screams are obvious either way!"

Q and Not U - "Line In The Sand"

Q and Not U - "Line In The Sand": "More Dischord happiness! This herky-jerky song starts out almost emo-y (but more jagged), but unexpectedly shifts into a swinging guitar groove - with handclaps! As you should all know by now, I'm cuckoo for handclaps, so of course I love this. The two parts of the song should be at total odds with each other, but they wind up more like two different flavors that taste great together."

Karl Hendricks Trio - "Like John Travolta"

Karl Hendricks Trio - "Like John Travolta": "More delicious-sounding rock with bile-splattered lyrics from Mr. Hendricks. He does not sound like a nice guy to hang out with, but he is clever and his Dinosaur Jr-esque guitar brings the noise, in a good way."

The Psychedelic Furs - "Mr. Jones"

The Psychedelic Furs - "Mr. Jones": "The sandpaper vocals, the pummeling drums, the careening guitars, the squonky sax - it sounds like it could be some kind of KMFDM song, but it's not at all - it's post-punk gold in the hands of the Furs. All hail the Furs!"

Pat Benatar - "Heart Breaker"

Pat Benatar - "Heart Breaker": "This song rocks - as do many of Pat's 80s classics - and my pals The Benetards shredded it live last night, so this is for them."