Bob Dylanonce had a backing band that eventually became a notable act in its ownright. They were known as the Band. If you consider Irishsinger/songwriter Damien Rice your Dylan, then Bell X1could be your Band. But even if Rice isn't your Dylan, and Bell X1isn't your Band, few could argue that Bell X1 is indeed a band, and agood one at that.

The band releases its fourth album, Blue Lights On The Runway,on March 3. Here's a clip of Bell X1 performing "The Great Defector,"one of the 10 tracks included on the new album, live in Dublin. Notethis song contains the lyric that inspired the album's title.

If you thought that song sounded a bit like a more laid-back version of Talking Heads,you're not alone. But unlike the Heads, who sprung out of the New Yorkart/punk scene of the mid-'70s, Bell X1's roots date back to the early'90s when most of the band's members were in a band called Juniperalong with Rice. Despite some success in Ireland, Rice split from theband after a row over whether

For those not in the know, shoegaze is a sub-genre of alternative rock marked by slow, hypnotic, psychedelic music, featuring droning guitars and vocals, played by blokes who looked as if they are gazing at their shoes. Although these blokes were most likely looking at their distortion pedals, not their shoes, distortion-pedal gazers didn't quite have a ring to it, so shoegazers it was. The initial movement, which began in the late '80s in the U.K., included such acts as My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride, and Slowdive.

While some of those bands enjoyed moderate success, shoegaze was generally thought to be nothing more than a cult movement. Yet it never quite went away and has seemingly grown in influence and importance over the years as evidence of the buzz surrounding My Bloody Valentine's reunion last year and its forthcoming appearance at Coachella.

Yet shoegaze isn't just a retro thing. There are plenty of relatively new bands experimenting with the sound, including Los Angeles' Run

Sometimes you hear a song and it immediately grabs you. Such was the case when I first heard "Money, It's Pure Evil" by Bigelf on the late, great terrestrial version of Indie 103.1 Los Angeles.

The Beatle-riffic tune reminded me of some other fab Fab Four-inspired acts, most notably early Lenny Kravitz, back when he was singing about letting love rule, and Jellyfish, a groovy quartet from approximately the same era (circa 1989-1990), known for its sweet melodies and rather large hats.

Bigelf, too, favor big hats, or at least frontman Damon Fox does. But the Elf's vision is considerably darker than that of effervescent 'fish. Not only do Fox and the three other hirsute fellows in the Elf favor dark clothing, their album and song titles are a dead giveaway. Their latest album, Cheat The Gallows, features the aforementioned track--as good an anthem as any I can think of at this very moment for these tough economic times--as well as "The Evils Of Rock & Roll," "No Parachute," and "Gravest

Every once in a great while a song comes along that seems like the perfect anthem for a holiday. The celebration I write of is not in honor of our great Presidents, silly, but Valentine's Day, a time when lovers share their love with one another and the brokenhearted wallow in self-pity and depression. The song I write of is not only good for Valentine's Day, but for your everyday listening pleasure 365 days a year. It's called "Bitch, I Love You," by a wonderful combo called Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears.

Lost Highway, the label that is home to such heartbreakers as Ryan Adams, Morrissey, and Lucinda Williams, is promoting Lewis and company by offering a handy-dandy little "B****, I Love You e-card you can send to you lovers, friends and/or enemies. It's dang cute, but I wouldn't waste my time writing about it if there wasn't something worthy in the grooves.

On "Bitch, I Love You," Lewis sounds as if he's James Brown reincarnated. I know that's physically impossible considering