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Parental Guidance Suggested
Jabbering with the Adults. [4]
Christopher Gray

Vertical Integration
Crystal Clear expands to Austin, increasing competition in the one-stop album manufacturing market. [8]
Michael Bertin

Genius heard
Jazz pianist Herbie Nichols released only three albums in his lifetime and died, at 44, practically unknown. Now re-issues and tributes are making him famous. [13]
Ed Hazell

Of Note
Larry Adams launches Liszt-O-Mania '97. [14]
Larry Adams

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Scanlines
Reviews of Alan Lomax's American Patchwork Series. [2]

Review: The Adults
Greg Beets reviews the Adults latest release. [5]
Greg Beets

Big gulp
What's a bunch of audio terrorists and culture critics to do when they've been attacked by the Man? On Dispepsi, Negativland bite back. [12]
Mark Woodlie

Texas Platters
New releases by Evan Johns, Delbert McClinton, Kacy Crowley, and other Lone Star artists. [15]

Turn Up That Noise!
An eclectic survey of recent recordings. [17]
Stephen Grimstead

Rhythm & Views
The Crown Royals, Robbie Fulks, Ween. [18]

Tiny Tunes
Give a listen to the newest disks by DK3 and Pizzicato Five. [19]
Michael Henningsen

Lori Carson
The wild child finds beauty in sadness. [20]
Ted Drozdowski

Karp
Heavy metal is hardly ever a guilt-free pleasure. [21]
Carly Carioli

SWV
The pride and pleasure of hearing young Sisters with Voices let loose. [22]
Franklin Soults

Howie B
An almost entirely instrumental album of electronic groove from Island. [23]
Michael Freedberg

Various Artists
Sugar Ray, Joey Ramone, the Misfits, BLondie, and more cover Iggy to benefit LIFEbeat AIDS. [24]
Matt Ashare

Matthew Ryan
The new Dylan has finally arrived -- the new Jakob Dylan, that is. [25]
Chris Erikson

The Notwist
Prog rock is making a big comeback, and Germany's Notwist are one of its better contemporary exponents. [26]
Joe S. Harrington

India Cook
Violinist India Cook's first album as a leader is a loose-knit blowing session full of spontaneity and camaraderie. [27]
Ed Hazell

B-Sharp Jazz Quartet
The fourth CD in as many years by this LA-based quartet is straight-ahead melodic. [28]
Richard C. Walls

Just look at these articles. Bluesy across the board. But are they sad tales? Not at all. Which leaves me in an even worse state, with the almost- all- the- articles- in- the- Weekly- Wire- music- section- are- about- blues- and- yet- they're- not- even- sad- stories blues.

Prime example: Martin Sexton. With a career path that led him from street music, to small gigs, to regular concerts and a well-received album, Sexton really doesn't have much to feel bluesy about anymore. Described as poetic, poignant, and -- because he always makes the audience participate in his songs -- fun, the guy's hardly a poster child for gloom.

Then there's Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, a 75-year-old blues legend who, when not playing bluegrass, jazz, country, swing and -- yes -- blues in America, jets over to China or Africa for a little R&B and R&R. A living legend, a master of guitar and fiddle, revered everywhere he goes....that hardly sounds woeful to me.

Delbert McClinton sings the blues too, but after reading this article, I find it impossible to ever feel sorry for the guy. I mean, listen to this quote: "I got the world by the tail, man. My career's better than it's ever been. I've got a pretty good grip on what's important to me, and it's a lot less than I ever used to think it was. Life is good." What the hell kind of blues singer are you, McClinton? Go screw up your life a little!

You'd think these bluesmen were well-fed Zen priests or something. This article about Bo Ramsey, for instance, practically turns singin' the blues into some sort of mystical philosophy. "The groove is the source," he says sagely, almost in an Obi Wan Kenobi kinda way. Use the groove, Luke.

I could gag on all this blithe blues, but fortunately I found an antidote in this article. Its focus: a new documentary series that traces the roots of blues, from early American history, to black field culture, all the way back to African tradition. You won't see any famous, well-paid bluesmen in these movies; director Alan Lomax was only interested in real blues by genuinely down-and-out people. His commitment to authenticity is almost enough to cure my all- the- blues- articles- are- about- well- adjusted- happy- people blues.

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Poetic Justice
The Texas-based musician breezes into Burque. [3]
Michael Henningsen

Gate's Expression
Coverage of New Orleans local music scene. [6]
Geraldine Wyckoff

The Good Life
Delbert McClinton's still givin' it up for your love. [7]
Michael McCall

In the Groove
Bo Ramsey taps the rhythm of life. [9]
Bill Friskics-Warren

Fab formulists
If writing and playing to formula and making hay while the sun shines are punk-rock virtues, then Green Day are a punk-rock band. [10]
Ted Drozdowski

Dave's world
Dave Grohl shares his insights as the surviving Foo Fighter. [11]
Matt Ashar

Roadkill
Blue Rodeo is coming to Stubb's on Wednesday, Oct. 15. [16]
Michael Bertin

Now What?
If you go gaga over the sultry smoothness of a symphonic glissando, just wait till you experience our transitions to cool and useful music links on the Web. [29]

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Talk Back
If anything in this section offends, annoys or perturbs your senses, here's your place to scream like an angry punk rocker.