The fact that Fareed Haque is a professor of jazz and classical guitar at the University of Northern Illinois is ironic. Not because he lacks experience or ability (obviously), but because the most recent Garaj Mahal album <span style=\"font-style: italic\">w00t </span>is the type of album that could possess any self-respecting young musician to open the window of their sixth story walk-up and heave their instrument in the general direction of the nearest dumpster never to play it again.

The influences are obvious with the Killer B&rsquo;s: The Beatles, The Band, The Beach Boys, and these boys fit perfectly in the midst of the current indie-hippy revival alongside Dr. Dog, Cold War Kids, Hymns and a host of others. <br />

Decorating the stage with huge potted plants and flower garlands around the microphones, Dr. Dog created an overgrown garden on stage, adding to the already down-home-vibe of the music, this theatrical setting transported the audience to a remote forest glade for the performance.

<span style=\"font-style: italic\">Stone of Sisyphus</span> is the great-lost Chicago album, at least till now with its release via Rhino. Recorded in 1993 in the wake of a series of middle-of &ndash;the road commercial successes, and originally intended as <span style=\"font-style: italic\">Chicago XXII</span>, the album was conceived by the band and its producer Peter Wolf (once a Zappa sideman) as a return to the early approach the band utilized in creating original material arranged with room for improvisation.

The Allman Brothers Band performing at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA on August 16th, 2008.  All photos by Richard Gastwirt

Eef Barzelay, founder and creative force of the much-loved alt-country combo Clem Snide and noted filmscore composer, has recently released his second solo album &ndash;<span style=\"font-style: italic\">Lose Big</span>. Adorned with distinctive musical textures ranging from mid-tempo rock to lighter acoustic flourishes (the album was recorded in Ben Folds&rsquo; studio), the songs are charged with a heightened sense of intimacy that Barzelay had not tapped into under the support of his former band.

Rarely, if ever, should a band be compared to the Beatles. However, ever so often a group comes along that is so fab-four influenced, it is unavoidable and these darlings of Australia, Youth Group, fall into this category. <br />

t&rsquo;s true, and clich&eacute;, to call a band like Backyard Tire Fire guitar heroes.&nbsp; And with all the nasty licks and six-string thunder on their newest album, <span style=\"font-style: italic\">The Places We Lived</span>, it&rsquo;s difficult to resist from noting this.&nbsp; But this impressive piece of work is more than a heap of broken guitar strings, it&rsquo;s rather a complete presentation built on solid songs, brief harmony, and homespun musicianship, and it shines.