: Michael T. Regan

Artists are reimagining themselves. Repackaging, rethinking, rekindling. They're hopping genres, skipping steps, taking chances and pushing boundaries. It's a time of renaissance and rebirth. The dead are rising from the grave. Figuratively!

And it's not just The Goats getting back together. (We'll believe that when we see them all in one room at the same time.)

Just look at the nifty little reinvention The Extraordinaires have pulled off with their modest epic Ribbons of War. It's not just a smart, dreamy sing-along rock album, it's also a beautifully bound and illustrated lyrics book. Damned if it doesn't come with a library card in the front sleeve, too. (Pick one up at www.extraordinairesmusic.com.)

Or how about Sugar Town, reigning champion of the music showcase showdown in Philadelphia, reviving after an extended hiatus. The female-forward stage, now in its fifth year, will be a quarterly thing, beginning with Sally Crewe and The Sudden Moves March 9 at Tritone. Evil Janet and Surefire Broadcast will open. (Check out www.plainparade.org.)

Here at City Paper we're getting into the spirit with Local Support, our brand new biweekly music podcast, hosted by Jon Solomon. That name should sound familiar: He's the longtime DJ at Princeton's WPRB 103.3 who's been championing local music for years on his weekly radio show. Jon really knows his Golden Ball from his Pink Skull, his Overlord from his Undergirl. For more info on the whole thing, see this week's editor's letter on p. 4. Then go to www.citypaper.net/podcast. Then, come to the launch party at AKA Music (Second and Chestnut streets) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. There will be lots of free beer and live music by the Yah Mos Def. Hell yes.

Think of Local Support as the loud robot cousin to your weekly City Paper music section. Finally, you'll hear what we hear. And instead of just doing a little jig about local architecture, we can lean out the window and point at all the pretty buildings and say look, look, look! Figuratively.