The Faint
Wet From Birth (Saddle Creek)
September 21

As a band critics either love or hate, The Faint’s upcoming release already has media geeks scampering for their marks. The band underwent a dramatic facelift five years ago with Blank Wave Arcade, and then met with greater popular success with Danse Macabre. The Faint’s evolution from mediocre whine-core gee-I-wish-you-loved-me genre to pounding bahausian sex scenes has even the most ardent fans maintaining the “what’s next” pose. Wet From Birth looks to be a grittier time (think of a David Fincher film) on their usual sexually anxious themes with song titles like “Desperate Guys,” “Erection” and “Symptom Finger.” Bassist Joel Peterson’s dooming strings should be more prominent this time, along with lead singer Todd Baechle’s carefully timed histrionics. Also, look for the band’s tour dates with TV on the Radio in mid to late October.

Interpol
Antics (Matador)
September 28

Since the release of Turn on the Bright Lights, Interpol has mopped up rock’s zeitgeist for the past two years with aggressive touring, fashion tips that shame fascistic dandies and, of course, an album with instant classic status. Antics supposedly ranges in its tracks from the danceable to the ominous, from the disjointed to the lush … kind of like the band’s last album. This one, however, may have more emphasis on individual tracks than the album as a whole. Besides the music, lyrical themes are as consistent, if not more so, on Antics, which involve variations on the theme of interpersonal relationships.

The Pixies
October 8
Sundome

For well over a decade now fans of legendary alternative juggernaut The Pixies have asked, “When’s the reunion; they’re still alive, right?” After capitalizing on many best of, B-side and demo compiled releases, the stubborn water of the inevitable reunion fetus finally broke and is scheduled to play at our beloved campus. The band has not recorded a release since Trompe le Monde in ’91, so new comers and veteran fans alike will hear the classics in all their live glory. This concert is a big deal. It’s almost tantamount to Bob Marley back from the dead to perform with The Wailers again, and not having to rely on the next best Ziggy Marley, or any side projects of The Pixies.

The B.B. King Music Fest
October 2
Sundome

The “king of the blues” is an even more apt superlative when considering what’s left of blues legends, because he’s about the only one left. Forget about potato chip commercials and the capitalistic can of worms that affects every artist, B.B. King has influenced everything that came after him, whether people know it or not. It’s a sad but true commodity for tours like this to scare people into buying tickets, because “who knows how much longer he’s got?” If that’s not enough, remember the bottleneck craftsmanship he plays with on his love Lucille (his guitar) with songs like “The Thrill is Gone,” “When Love Comes to Town” and “Why I Sing the Blues.” Others included in the festival are Dr. John, Shamika Copeland and Muddy Waters Blues Band.