'So Much for the City'

In the early 2000s, I had the distinct pleasure in being in college as rock music finally did something creative and, on the way, got a little popular.

Dumb rock media deemed this influx of popular rock bands was "The" bands referring to The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The White Stripes and The Thrills, all of whom were taking over the ranks of the likes of Limp Bizkit, Korn, Kid Rock and those type of mook aggressors.

This so-called invasion of bands that were actually cool changed how people looked at music, how the media covered music, the impact of Internet sources on rock music and the next decade of kids in garages covering "Last Nite."

"So Much for the City" is probably one of my favorite records of the last 10 years and clearly one of the best albums from this brief time in rock music's great history.

Actually, it's a pretty kick-ass Americana record, by a bunch of Irish kids with wayward facial hair and a affinity for the United States and country and western music.