Hook-happy rock & roll expertly rendered by mature white folks hasn't been a major '90s moneymaker, but certain brave souls persevere. Among them is L.A.'s Carla Olson, whose 10th album is unbridled trad rock and R&B, all frank passion and glorious guitar. The latter comes courtesy of ex-Stones titan Mick Taylor; the Faces' pianist Ian McLagan, soul belter Percy Sledge, Go-Go Kathy Valentine and...

Like most of Scott Miller's ideas, dubbing this group the Loud Family is at once ingenious and obscure. On the one hand, it's a hip allusion to the mid-Seventies PBS series An American Family; on the other, it's a clever way to describe the sound and feel of the band. Either way, it's a great hook – smart, funny and instantly memorable. All of which, appropriately enough, are qualities shared...