Artist The Che Arthur Three

Whether playing solo or with the dearly departed Atombombpocketknife, Che Arthur seems set on avoiding the fleeting whims of indie taste-making in favor of huge, smart guitar rock—the type perfected by the likes of Mission Of Burma and Bitch Magnet. But 2007’s Iron is no mere throwback: Amid bleak melodies and sawed-off songs lies calculated yet passionate songcraft that sounds totally timeless. For his third record, last year's sublime Like Revenge, Arthur picked up a full-time backing band. Revenge is already heavily stacked with buzzing guitar lines bolstered by cutting acoustic overdubs, but the album was recently re-released with extra heft in the form of additional artwork and a link to download acoustic mixes of some songs. While just short of revelatory, these glimpses into Arthur's process serve to further highlight his songwriting prowess.

Updated 07/07/2010