Cover Story

Make-Believe Maverick

Beneath John McCain's carefully constructed image as an incorruptible war hero lies a cynical opportunist with a record of reckless behavior and dishonesty.
By Tim Dickinson

REPORT: The Double-Talk Express
VIDEO: Five Myths About John McCain

Features

Of Montreal's Surreal Life

Kevin Barnes, frontman of indie-pop act Of Montreal, is obsessed with Prince, suicide and putting on over-the-top glam-rock spectacles. Meet rock's newest damaged genius. By Jonathan Ringen

VIDEO: Of Montreal Perform Live in L.A.
DOWNLOAD: "Nonpareil of Favor" and "Id Engager" from Skeletal Lamping

Jackson Browne at Peace

The songwriter opens up about Barack Obama, living off the grid, what he learned from Dylan, and the inspiration for Time the Conquerer, his most important record yet. By David Fricke

VIDEO:Jackson Browne explains Time the Conqueror

Surviving Cable News

Is Rachel Maddow a savior? Can BBC America be trusted? And how much of what CNN, Fox and MSNBC broadcast is actually news? A TV guide to election coverage

Rock & Roll

Travis Barker in Tragic Crash

The inside story of the former Blink-182 drummer and his friend DJ AM's horrific plane crash in South Carolina.

REPORT: Fans Complain Metallica Disc is Too Loud

REPORT: Bruce's Super Bowl Plans

LIVE RELEASE: The Dead Rock the Pyramids

REPORT: Ken Kesey Rides With the Dead [From Issue 632 — June 11, 1992]

ON THE RADIO: DJ Bob Dylan Returns to Airwaves

IN THE STUDIO: Head Injury Inspires New Melodic Mastodon Album

IN THE STUDIO: Weiland Disc May 'Turn Off STP Fans'

IN THE STUDIO: Big Boi's Solo Debut

IN THE STUDIO: The All-American Rejects' Follow-Up to Multi-Platinum Success

ON THE ROAD: After 16 Years, My Bloody Valentine's Deafening Return

REPORT: Rock Daily's Coverage of All Tomorrow's Parties

INDUSTRY: MySpace Music Takes on iTunes

INDUSTRY: M.I.A.'s Unexpected Smash

Q&A: The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde

VIDEO: Behind the Scenes of the "Boots of Chinese Plastic" music video
LISTEN: Hear Break Up The Concrete

PROFILE

Santana's New Age Blues

How the legendary guitarist overcame his divorce and thoughts of death, and learned how to forgive

VIDEO: Ask a Rock Star — Santana
ALBUM GUIDE: The Essential Santana Album-By-Album Guide

BREAKING

Divorce & Drugs: Jamey Johnson's Outlaw Country

Alabama badass turns his grim life into a stunning set of songs

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Rove: Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Bush may be history, but his brain, Karl Rove, has been transplanted to the McCain campaign. By Matt Taibbi

REPORT: Karl Rove's A-Team

Reviews

Bob Dylan's End Times

A new series of unreleased recordings reveals the bard's remarkable late-period revival.

PLUS: New discs from Rise Against, Oasis, Of Montreal, The Pretenders, The Streets, Lucinda Williams, Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, and Old Crow Medicine Show
REISSUES: The Clash, Johnny Cash, Otis Redding, Graham Nash

ALL REVIEWS

KEY TRACKS: Hear the best of this issue's review section

Movies

Body of Lies' Ugly Truths

Russell Crowe scores in this gritty spy thriller about the American government's duplicity. By Peter Travers

PLUS: Religulous, RocknRolla, Happy-Go-Lucky, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Flash of Genius, Eagle Eye and Miracle at St. Anna

Also In This Issue...

Letter to the Editor

Comedy Issue Smackdown: Who's the Unnamed Comic Criticizing Rolling Stone?

Fricke's Picks

THE COSMIC MERCURY REV: Upstate New York specializes in constantly mutating psychadelia

REBEL YELLERS: Athens, Georgia quintet Dead Confderate

A FAMILY AFFAIR: San Antonio brother band Hacienda