Swedish new-wave revivalists The Sounds are in New York to play a couple of shows as part of their North American tour, in support of their fourth album, Something to Die For. More accessible than previous efforts, Something to Die For is ten songs of danceable power-pop, which would explain the raucous crowds that have greeted them at recent shows. Lead singer Maja Ivarsson set aside time yesterday while in Philly to discuss bridging the gap between rock and pop, her die-hard California love, and getting too old to party like a rock star.

Mayer Hawthorne’s voice is atmospheric; a potent brand of seductiveness, the kind of crooner-style soul to make love to ...

"I would tell him that he has a great friend in Johnny Depp."

Patrick Stump rose to fame as the soulful lead singer of the successful punk rock band Fall Out Boy. But while on an "indefinite hiatus" from the band (rumors of their breakup have been unsubstantiated), Stump went ahead and recorded a solo album called Soul Punk. Apparently, he took the solo part literally, since Stump wrote, performed and produced it all by himself. On the record, Stump bathes his songs in synth, recalling ‘80s new wave, but there are, as the title suggests, elements here of soul and rhythm and blues. Here, Stump talks about his new sound, diagnoses mainstream music, and sheds light on his post-Fallout Boy career.

"Doing press is the least interesting part of the job, no offense."

"Technology isn't going to make you less of a lazy person."

Jesse Williams arrived at the BlackBook offices wearing a t-shirt that bore the unmistakeable silhouettes of Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins. (They're unmistakeable if you're as big fans of the actors as we are.) It was a tantalizing piece of promotional swag for The Cabin in the Woods, and was given to Williams by the film's co-writer and executive producer, Joss Whedon. For horror buffs and the Whedon faithful, Cabin could not come out soon enough. Initially slated for release in February of last year, it was delayed until January 2011 for 3D conversion, a decision that nearly proved fatal—for the film, and for Williams' budding acting career.

"We found ourselves on our own, and I think we kind of like that."

Music is often looked at as a means to bring us together and to take us far away from the troubles and challenges of our daily routine. Today, a great divide exists between the clubs that offer house music and its derivatives, and the clubs that feature what has been called mixed format or mash-up. Without going into all the convolutions and left turns that got us here, my addled memory remembers people like Mark Ronson and Stretch Armstrong—and I'll throw in Kid Capri and Funkmaster Flex into the mix—as innovators who took music without labeling it, and mushed it all together to put smiles on our faces and movement in our feet.

"Crime stories with no happy ending are pretty universal."