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[Editor's note: Cover images of albums previously reviewed on the DV have been linked to the review.]The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” is a shining example of the art of the stalker song with its ambiguous lyrics that make you think twice about whether you’re listening to something sweet or sinister. The late ‘70s saw Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” and Blondie’s “One Way Or Another” prove that anything catchy and up-tempo could be instantly forgiven for having a bedrock of macabre.  The stalker track aims to leave its listener somewhere in the region of sympathy, but…

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:MUSIC: Metric / Fantasies -- Fantasies is the fourth album by Canadian band Metric, and perhaps their strongest yet. Delivering more of the same sweet, catchy, keyboard-heavy pop-rock that Metric fans have come to expect, frontwoman Emily Haines sings in a way that seems personalized yet also ready for the masses. Lead-off track “Help I’m Alive” and the Stones/Beatles-referencing “Gimme Sympathy” are great starting points for the uninitiated. (myspace.com/metric) BOOK: Evelyn McFarlane & James Saywell / If…, Volume 2 – Admittedly I’m many years late on this title, having recently…

It’s 1976, and guitar player Daniel Travers is twenty. He lives in a suburb of Sacramento, wrestling with the loss of his brother in Vietnam, an alcoholic mother, a dependence on speed and a very dysfunctional band who might be either on the brink of making it or on the brink of complete implosion. Anyone who’s been in a band can appreciate the details author Roger Trott uses to flesh out Dan’s dysfunctional family of musicians. Dan is too full of personal angst and confusion to effectively manage his role as ad-hoc band leader, and finds himself struggling between following…

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:MUSIC: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – A New York City-based band long ago trumpeted by The L Magazine, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are now making waves internationally. On its self-titled Slumberland Records-releasing album, the quartet showcases a sound that many refer to as “dream pop,” “twee” or “shoegaze.” In layman’s terms, this means ethereally-poppy rock songs that carry a fair amount of reverb; and in the case of TPOBPAH, cute dual male-female vocals. Start with “Young Adult Friction” and perhaps you’ll see why this…

Perhaps, way back in 2003 when "supergroup" The Bens -- consisting of Ben Folds, Ben Kweller and Ben Lee -- were touring Australia, they got ridiculously drunk and concocted a few outlandish dares for each to achieve in their solo careers. We didn't have to wait long for Folds' WTF moment - his William Shatner collaboration, a surprising success, followed in 2004. Ben Lee's moment of craziness came this year, with a concept album of sorts about femininity that was cringe-inducingly bad. As for Kweller , his shift was less of a surprise: he embraced the country tinge that has…

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:MUSIC: Fastball / Little White Lies – Fastball first came into the public’s consciousness in the late 1990s with hit singles like “The Way,” “You’re An Ocean” and “Out Of My Head.” Having recently released their fifth full-length, Little While Lies, the Austin-based band is active as ever. As evidenced by a performance this writer was able to attend at Manhattan’s City Winery, the hooks of Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo remain appealing, energetic and harmony-driven as ever. (fastballtheband.com) BOOK: Tom Davis / Thirty-Nine Years Of Short-Term Memory Loss –…

To be clear, there was a fourth band on the bill this night, but due to driving an hour and a half to get to the show, I missed them, arriving instead towards the end of the energetic set by Set Your Goals. With a lot of dual vocals and a drummer with a huge tattoo across his bare chest, SYG was good. I was only familiar with one of their songs “Mutiny,” so when they launched into it, I was able to compare their recordings with a live reproduction. Not bad. The best thing SYG has going for them…

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:ALBUM: Guns ‘N Roses / Chinese Democracy – Released in late 2008, I am late to the game in realizing the greatness of this album. Is it 14-years-in-the-making great? That is an entirely subjective matter, but “Better” has to be one of the best singles I have heard in recent years. Fingers crossed that GNR can hit the road for a summer 2009 tour in support of the album. (gunsnroses.com) BOOK: Greg Prato / Grunge Is Dead – At the polar opposite of Chinese Democracy – in spite of participation…