Adam Green: The Lord of the Kingdom ... of incest

Adam Green's time with partner, Kimya Dawson, in the anti-rock-folk group the Moldy Peaches may be one of the coolest weirdo-rock jaunts since their influences, The Frogs. Green's third solo album, Friends of Mine, marks a predicted transition to a slight bit of maturity (without someone named Kimya, you're bound to be a little more normal). Adding string sections to his normally oddball lyrics dealing with themes from Jessica Simpson to incest (quite a bit of that, really) only fortifies this break from his "Downloading Porn with Dave-O" days. There's where his movement toward adulthood that so many rockers make ends. His songs still bear the flavor of a Superman ice cream cone snuck by 30-somethings behind the alley of the strip club. It's a return to anti-innocence and hidden fun with planned complexity instead of the chaotic layers of The Moldy Peaches. It's more attainable, but a little less fun. But it's a hell of a lot better than the solo projects of Chris Cornell or other grown-up, washed-out older guys that leave their bands.