“Which twin are you? The evil one?” asked Jamie Hince as he and Alison Mosshart strolled on stage to a packed First Avenue late Monday night. And that cheeky attitude was on full display all evening, as the Kills proceeded to stomp, strut and slay their way through a fierce set that completely electrified the club…

Everyone’s sonic threshold was tested (in a good way) by the Glaswegian five-piece, who created a massive, beautiful landscape of sound and were tight and focused all show, even with the inherent celebratory distraction of it being guitarist Stuart Braithwaite’s birthday.

It’s a meticulously crafted album that is flawless in both it’s production and style, with the songs blending seamlessly into each other while forging an easy atmosphere of serenity and calm amongst the storms of modern living.

Omaha’s Cursive brought a “very special guest” along with them to their First Avenue gig, and the unannounced (but not so secret) performance by local hip-hop luminary P.O.S. proved to be the evening’s highlight, as the emcee stole the show from the headliners.

April was one hell of a month. Lily hit America, new members were introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, No Doubt released its first new song in roughly six years, Eminem dropped his first (hugely underwhelming) video from his forthcoming album Relapse and a group of Frenchmen played SNL. But aside from all of that are Culture Bully’s favorite things from the month of April 2009.

Mastodon could have easily sold-out a venue three times the size (or more) of the Fine Line, and the relatively tiny venue could barely contain not only their mighty sound but also the absolutely huge crowd, who were treated to an intimate, intense show from a band certainly firing on all cylinders.

After a couple of poor venue choices recently in Minneapolis (the rather drab Northrop Auditorium and the cavernous abomination that is the Target Center), Franz played to a packed First Avenue on Tuesday night, and the club and its enthusiastic audience proved to be a perfect fit for the band and their infectious dance rock.

If reviewing the new Guns ‘n Roses record is “like reviewing a unicorn” according to Chuck Klosterman, then reviewing a new record by Bob Dylan is a bit like reviewing the Roman Colosseum; you might not like the way it looks now, but there is no denying the cultural significance of the structure and the history found within.

It is often difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt the review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective on the music here are four reactions, four impressions, Four Takes on Kingdom of Rust by Doves.

It is often difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt the review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective on the music here are four reactions, four impressions, Four Takes on You Can Have What You Want by Papercuts.

Lily Allen put to rest any fears over her unpredictable nature and live show with a composed and engaging performance Saturday night at a sold-out First Avenue.

Glasgow, Scotland’s Glasvegas rolled into the sold out Varsity Theater on Tuesday night behind a wall of hype, sound and blinding lights, and delivered a resounding, albeit polarizing 50 minute set full of earnest, retro-leaning songs in the bands first ever Minneapolis performance.