Who would have thought a band could be full of energy and grace simultaneously. Most bands take a lifetime searching for the perfect mix.

From start to finish, Lefty — with their 13-song CD, 4*3*2*1 — has found their balance. Influenced by bands like The Pretenders, Green Day, and Nirvana, Lefty has established a place to call home within the music industry. With a sound that compliments a certain emotion, this album leans more toward the pop side of the band’s punk rock stomping ground. Hard? Slightly. Good? Absolutely.

Signed to Interscope Records less than a year ago, Lefty has taken off like a rocket, needing only three weeks to record this high-energy CD with engineer/producer Bradley Cook (Foo Fighters, Counting Crows). The genesis of Lefty was the friendship between grade school friends Dennis Hill (vocals, guitar) and Scott Somers (bass). Adding to an already strong foundation were guitarist Lorenzo Giovani and drummer Kenny Livingston, making the circle complete. Their focus is primarily based on guitar and drums, while their lyrics tell stories of life’s ups, downs, and in-betweens. Lefty’s first single, "Girls," has already gotten some radio play, and you can bet you’ll be hearing a lot more of it. Between the authoritative beat and uncompromising sound, it’s quite possible that Lefty is responsible for giving origin to the word energy.

This is a good-time album that most any bone-shaker, party thrower, or music lover will be able to appreciate. "Good As It Gets" addresses an obsessive-compulsive disorder. "Secret" is the story of a girl trying to hide an awful truth, and the notion of never having enough of something (whether it be substance or affection) is explored in "Addiction." This album runs full circle and touches the most familiar of topics.

If you’re up for some good music, this will be a nice addition to your collection. (Interscope)

There are bands that swear they are in control of their careers; and there are bands that actually stay in control of their careers; the latter group might be the tiniest conglomeration in modern rock music. Three bands that rest at the pantheon of career-control are R.E.M., Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth. Each of these bands — whether it be at a miniscule level (Sonic Youth), a massive level (Pearl Jam) or somewhere in between (R.E.M.) — has tasted the luxury of success, but each, for various reasons, has pulled away determined to make music for their own interests. And while the Pearl Jam and R.E.M. stories are well known, Sonic Youth has been floating happily in the sludge of Manhattan’s Lower East Side music scene for almost two decades, enjoying artistic freedom and reinventing themselves outside the realm of mass-appeal (while remaining on a major record label). But something odd has happened along the way — while hardcore fans relish in the success of Sonic Youth’s masterpieces like EVOL, Sister, and Daydream Nation — Sonic Youth’s newest release, NYC Ghosts and Flowers, might stand as the band’s most inventive and liberating moment. True, NYC Ghosts and Flowers is not a groundbreaking release, but in the 17 years since their debut release, Sonic Youth has pushed the envelope like no other band before them. With NYC Ghosts and Flowers, guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo, bassist Kim Gordon, and drummer Steve Shelley, have melded a soothing masterpiece of rock, jazz and blues that reaches a pure melodic cacophony that only Sonic Youth can achieve. (Geffen)