4-1-1

New direction

On their new album Howl, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club takes a departure from its earlier noisy and more experimental stuff. The band's last album, Take Them On, On Your Own, was brash and aggressive rock but every track on this album is mellow and melodic, and the listener hears twinges of gospel, blues, country and early American rock throughout. The lyrics embrace the themes of sin, salvation and God. Stand-out tracks include the gospel-heavy opening track Shuffle Your Feet, the twangy Restless Sinner and the ballad-esque Promise. Check the band out at www.blackrebel motorcylceclub.com.

Natasha b.

Natasha Bedingfield already is a No. 1 recording artist in the United Kingdom and now is looking to conquer North America. If you're wondering why the name sounds so familiar, she is the sister of Daniel Bedingfield, who made it big with Gotta Get Thru This in 2002. This New Zealand-born singer infuses pop, R&B, rock and dance in her debut album Unwritten. Ms. Bedingfield studied psychology for two years in college, and she uses that to be able to connect with fans through lyrics she co-wrote on all 13 tracks. Standouts on the album include the first single, These Words, Single and I Bruise Easily.

Tragically 1337

For all you gamers out there, CTRL+ALT+DEL (www.ctrlaltdel-online.com) bears plenty of similarities to the online comic Penny Arcade, but still is distinctly different. The artist frequently makes colorful commentary on recently released games and has a storyline going over several comics.

Didja know?

Energy drain: Ceiling fans use 98 percent less energy than the central air conditioner.

Quotable

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

- Young People's Press