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In all of its potential for presenting flawed and misleading information, Wikipedia pretty much hits the mark when it comes to math rock. The oft-vilified source for universal information calls the genre "a rhythmically complex, guitar-based style of experimental rock music ... characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), angular melodies, and dissonant chords."

That sounds about right. And it's pretty much the same string of adjectives that most respectable journalists have been rearranging for years when trying to describe the sound. But the legitimate media harbors a somewhat skewed perception of North Carolina's accidental math rock foursome Polvo.

Throughout the '90s, the Chapel Hill-based group seemed like just another math rock band. Their albums were good, earnest and distinctive; but not the stuff of legend. At least they didn't seem so at the time. They were akin to the musical legacy kicked off by Slint in Louisville, Kentucky in the late '80s, which came to a head with Chicago's Thrill Jockey Records scene that dominated indie rock real estate during the Clinton years.

The Replacements turned countless people on to Alex Chilton a couple decades back by naming one of their career-best songs after him, and that track's appearance in Rock Band 2 will surely move new pilgrims to worship at the House of Chilton. But I'm sure he could've mustered a cult even without Paul Westerberg's blessing.

Britney Spears, who has totally regained her hottie status, is back, and playing the St. Pete Times Forum on March 8. Here's the info:

(TAMPA, FL) - Britney Spears will bring her highly anticipated The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 Tour to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, FL on Sunday, March 8.  The 27-city North American trek, her first arena tour in five years, follows hot on the heels of Spears' long-awaited sixth studio album, Circus. Emmy Award-winning choreographer and director, Wade Robson, is helming the incredible tour production, which also features special guests The Pussycat Dolls.

Tickets will go on sale Monday, December 8^th at 10:00am and can be purchased at the McDonald's Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum box office and all Ticketmaster locations, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express at 866-448-7849 (automated only self service line) or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are subject to applicable service charges and event time and date are subject to change.

Remember back in the early part of the decade when scratch DJs were all the rage? Wasn't that pretty ridiculous? I mean, people actually paid $15 to stand and watch a guy make a mess out of records they really liked. "Oh jeez, yes, finally, something I can dance to. No, wait, no no no, don't, you're murdering 'White Lines!'" Good times.

James McMurtry might not be a name on par with, say, fellow Texans Lyle Lovett or Steve Earle, but the singer/songwriter and bad-ass guitarist is still a revered act in the Americana world. McCurtry's latest album, the outstandingly incendiary, darkly humorous, wonderfully emotive and rustically rocking Just Us Kids, has garnered glowing write-ups in glossies such as Blender, Mojo and Entertainment Weekly, the latter of which showered the disc with superlatives like "brilliant," "hilarious" and "poignant" in giving it an A- grade. Just Us Kids is selling, too. It has reached a very respectable No. 18 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.

So it's surprising when I'm given McMurtry's mobile phone number and instructed to ring him in the afternoon. Any afternoon. Easy as that, the PR person says. But I'm skeptical. Usually when dealing with an artist of McMurtry's status there's a set time, date and minute count to which, you, the interviewer, are supposed to stick. Twenty minutes is the norm.

I dial the digits and hear a gruff "hello" that could only be James McMurtry's. "Give me a moment to pull over," he says. "I've got a manual transmission." He steers his automobile into a nearby parking lot to grant an interview on a recent Tuesday afternoon. McMurtry has been driving around his hometown of Austin, running the same mundane errands you or I might conduct on an off day. He good-naturedly refers to the interview as just another duty after I apologize for interrupting his daily routine.

The Americana music icon speaks slowly. His voice is deep. His answers are straightforward and marked by an economy of words - and a drawl that reflects both his native Virginia and decades spent in the Lone Star State. You get the sense he's incapable of feeding you bullshit, and it's the same way with his music. Whether recounting the machinations of a crystal meth cooker in the fan favorite "Choctaw Bingo," or telling me how his world-famous father Larry McMurtry's one shortcoming as a novelist/screenwriter is that "he always gets firearms wrong," the younger McMurtry's words smack of integrity.

The twin pianos -- one black, one white -- stationed in the St. Pete Forum conference room should've offered a pretty solid clue. But the rumor at the news conference was that the Forum was unveiling a Britney Spears tour date.

Instead, Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules stood at the podium just past 11 a.m. and announced that the venue would host Billy Joel and Elton John's Face 2 Face Tour on Thurs., March 5, 7:30 p.m.

The twin pianos -- one black, one white -- stationed in the St. Pete Forum conference room should've offered a pretty solid clue. But the rumor at the news conference was that the Forum was unveiling a Britney Spears tour date.

Instead, Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules stood at the podium just past 11 a.m. and announced that the venue would host Billy Joel and Elton John's Face 2 Face Tour on Thurs., March 5, 7:30 p.m.

Their show at the Troubadour tomorrow is sold out (and involved some weird rsvp situation that just seemed annoying), but No Age have a show tonight at the extremely tiny Pehrspace.  Apparently this is the lineup: No Age, New No Age, E&E, Faav!, Blue Glasses, Tleilaxu Music Machine, and Ghost Towne. I have no idea who nay of those bands are. If you do, go ahead and hit us in the comments because I'm definitely curious.

I'm pretty sure that New No Age is a No Age cover band that Randy Randall joined because he was super into them. No that's not a joke.

The show costs five bucks at the door and I'm sure if you wait around long enough you'll see Randy and Dean shred for awhile.

On your mark, get set, go! The holiday party season is off and running. If you can't get invites to the Yelp party at the Exploratorium or the SF Weekly gig at the Aquarium, here's some other ideas.