New CD from The Bushels and more ...

The Bushels

Wood & Steel

(Independent)

Local acoustic quartet The Bushels have been showing the Lowcountry their own brand of acoustic music for awhile now, most notably during the band's weekly hoedown at Seel's on Sullivan's every Wednesday evening. While Mal Jones, Guilds Hollowell, and Jim and Whitt Algar embody the typical bluegrass four-piece that consists of acoustic guitar, upright bass, banjo and mandolin, the music of The Bushels is anything but typical. On the band's new seven-song studio album, "Wood & Steel," the boys come out swinging with a harmonica solo at the beginning of the first track, "Cheap Beer Bar Brand Blues," that would make the guys in Blackfoot proud. Lively numbers, such as "Kon Let's Dance" and "Dust Me Off" make up the majority of the album. There are a couple of slower tunes, such as the mournful "Someday" and the blues-infused "Ain't Gon Be Troubled." The scorching "Train Called Love" is probably the CD's best track, but that's saying a lot on a short but sweet CD that is good from beginning to end.

Key Tracks: "Kon Let's Dance," "Someday," "Train Called Love"

Jack of Knives

Pretty Little Things

(Independent)

Trying to nail down the exact style of music played by the local band Jack of Knives is an exercise in futility. Sure, there's a hard rock edge to just about every song on "Pretty Little Things," the band's new CD, but simply calling it hard rock would be doing the music an injustice. Elements of blues, jazz and punk also pop up without warning on many of the tracks, making for a wild and unpredictable ride through the dozen tracks on the album. While some might find some of the material a bit too experimental, in reality tracks such as "The End" and "Spies" reward the listener with challenging changes and melodies. Band members C. Dodson, Nick Jenkins and Khalid Smalls are obviously having fun here, and great tracks such as "Fast Ace," "Money," and the jazzy instrumental "Thunder" relay that feeling. Jack of Knives might not agree with folks more accustomed to what passes for mainstream music these days, but for those looking for something a bit off the beaten path, "Pretty Little Things" is an interesting journey.

Key Tracks: "7+11," "Fast Ace," "Money"

Concrete Blonde

Bloodletting: 20th Anniversary Edition

(Shout!Factory)

Sure, these days vampires might be all the rage, what with the success of the "Twilight" series and HBO's "True Blood," but two decades ago the band Concrete Blonde proved itself way ahead of the trends when it released "Bloodletting." Led by the sultry voice of lead singer Johnette Napolitano, "Bloodletting" remains Concrete Blonde's best-selling release, largely due to its gothic and vampire themes, as well as the commercial radio success of the single "Joey." The album features guest appearances by both Wall of Voodoo's Andy Prieboy and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, and still sounds surprisingly timely, given its age. In addition to great album tracks such as "Joey," "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)," and "The Sky is a Poisonous Garden," the newly remastered album features bonus tracks that include a previously unreleased French-language version of the album's title track, "I Want You," the long-unavailable B-side for the single "Joey," and live versions of "The Sky is a Poisonous Garden" and "Tomorrow, Wendy." If you're a longtime fan, let this reissue take you back." If you're a teenage member of Team Edward, then check out a great vampire-themed rock album that, thankfully, wasn't pillaged for the "Eclipse" soundtrack.

Key Tracks: "Joey," "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)," "The Sky is a Poisonous Garden"

Rush

Beyond the Lighted Stage

(Zoe)

For those who still think of Rush as that quirky prog-rock band from Canada, consider this; according to the RIAA, Rush ranks third, just behind The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, in bands with the most consecutive gold and platinum albums. If that still doesn't sway your opinion, then the best argument for the band's greatness yet comes in the form of the film "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage." This documentary traces the history of a band that has done surprisingly little over the years to tell their own story, leaving their music to do most of the talking. Filmmakers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn lovingly tell the story of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, three guys who went from not being able to land a gig in their hometown of Toronto, to selling out stadiums around the world. "Beyond the Lighted Stage" features interviews with the band members, as well as fans from other notable bands, including Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins, and KISS' Gene Simmons. The archival footage is plentiful, and the filmmakers manage to pack a lot of information into the film. The DVD edition features an extra hour and a half of previously unreleased footage that wasn't included in the theatrical release, as well as a 12-page color booklet of rare and unreleased photos. For Rush fans, this film represents their favorite band finally getting some much-due respect.

Key Scene: Learning why Neil Peart doesn't do meet-and-greets.