Matt name-dropped me in his Hives review for music-critic.com. Is this the first time somebody's done that in a non-blog review? Mondo-flattered.

Yet more reasons to hump Nellie McKay's leg. Found this at Pop (All Love).

Local H gets love from some critics (including myself) for being one of the most self-aware and coherent of the '90s post-grunge acts. Christgau sums it up well, though I think he underrates Here Comes The Zoo, probably since he underrates Jack Douglas. I wasn't knocked out by their latest album, Whatever Happened To P.J. Soles, aside from "Everyone Alive" and the title track, but their new cover of "Toxic" (available here) is terrific. I'm still keeping an eye on these guys.