Having released his first solo effort in six years earlier this year, Billy Bragg is still fueling his music with political and social passion. His twelfth studio record, 'Mr. Love & Justice,' finds the English musician singing about issues ranging from the Iraq War to civil liberties. Although his messages may seem to warrant an angry, raucous sound, Bragg manages to deliver them with calm, romantic melodies in our Interface studio.

Throughout his lengthy career, Bragg has worked with a multitude of artists, including Paul Weller, Less Than Jake and Wilco. When asked about his most memorable collaboration, however, the troubadour poignantly recounts his work with three terminally ill women near his hometown of Dorset, England. But don't let his heartfelt story and gentle voice fool you: Bragg still manages to amusingly spit venom every now and then. When asked which celebrity he wouldn't want to be, Bragg mentions Prince Charles. "He's a f---ing jerk."

Find out what other celebrity Billy Bragg isn't a fan of and see his stripped-down solo performance after the jump.

Never judge a book by its cover. Fair enough. Never judge a band by their name. Also fair. Just ask Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. The band's Beach Boys meets Nada Surf approach is an undeniably good formula.

Springfield Missouri's power-pop quartet stopped by the Interface, to unplug for a special performance. Springfield might not be a hotbed for rock, but don't be too quick to assume. "Brad Pitt is also from Springfield," guitarist Will Knauer tells Spinner. "Johnathan James, my friend and our bassist, went to the same high school as him, and this lady that used to babysit me used to babysit Brad Pitt." Knauer also reveals the origin of the band's name and more after the jump.

Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, the indie-pop duo better know as Mates of State, presented three tunes from 'Rearrange Us' in our Los Angeles studio. Augmented by a small string section, the pair prove that their latest efforts are their most focused to date.

"This time around, we added a lot of things in the studio, which was sort of newer for us -- we are adding some string players and they also play guitar and some percussion here and there," Gardner tells Spinner. "In the past, what we've done to change the studio sound into the live sound is just turn the volume up. So, members, I guess -- members are volume."

The band's sound was not the only thing that has changed for the husband-and-wife musical duo in recent years. "We were in the studio one day finishing the record, the next we were in the hospital having a baby -- our second child," said Hammel, explaining the origin of the title 'Rearrange Us.'

Watch the band let loose on the Interface.

Years after his departure from the Moldy Peaches, Adam Green has hit his stride. The New York singer-songwritter has evolved into a smooth blues singer backed by a Memphis-influenced ensemble, complete with backup singers and former Moldy Peaches bassist Steven Mertans. Armed with wacky lyrics and killer dance moves, Green lays down four new tunes from his latest, 'Sixes and Sevens.'

Green also came through by delivering a signature outlandish interview where he speaks about his helicopter ride to the studio and his gambling problem. He also shares about his fishing and playing Parcheesi in his downtime. Watch Adam Green work his magic on the Interface.

Clever lyrics, loud rock 'n' roll riffs and more hooks than the outskirts of Times Square in the '80s -- the Hold Steady are back. This week, the Brooklynites by way of Minneapolis will unveil their fourth album, called 'Stay Positive,' which evokes the feel of DIY hardcore of yesterday. "I think the record in general is about the struggle to age gracefully, which in rock 'n' roll is an especially tricky business," singer Craig Finn tells Spinner.

The group dubbed "the world's greatest bar band" proves that as its members head into their late '30s, they've still got their chops as they drop five tunes from 'Stay Positive,' feeling that it's their best work to date. Watch the Hold Steady do what they do best as well as talk about their favorite baseball films and lyrics.

Independence day is a perfect time to reflect upon the independent-minded artists that the Interface has showcased. So far in 2008, the show has played host to soul queens on both sides of the pond with Brooklyn's Sharon Jones and England's Adele, all the way to the Southern sounds of the Drive-By Truckers.

We've compiled a special addition of the Interface with a special podcast, making the perfect soundtrack for your holiday. Next week the show will resume it's regularly scheduled programming with the World's greatest bar band, the Hold Steady.

Norwegian electronic dance duo Datarock -- Fredrik Saroea and Ketil Mosnes -- and their bright red tracktsuits recently stopped by the Interface, asserting first and foremost that the band is a combination of "the best parts of A-ha and the worst parts of Devo."

Amidst a bevy of jokes and jabs, the duo shoveled out performances of 'Fa Fa Fa' and 'Computer Camp Love' (replete with 'Grease' references), among others, off their self-titled album.

Catch all of the performances and the interview -- which finds Saroea and Mosnes discussing just what those tracksuits are made of (hint: it ain't all cotton), what influence 'ET' had on their career and why they make folks faint -- after the jump.

Jamie Lidell, techno's own soulman, has made a name for himself cooking up elaborate beats on his homemade software. His dynamic one-man improvised live shows have been a must-see since 2006. But now Lidell 2.0 makes his triumphant return to the Interface, armed with a full band to put a twist on his feel-good tunes. The smooth crooner let loose three new songs from 'Jim' and took us back with a live-band rendition of his melancholy number 'Game of Fools.'

"It's more fat-free, it's more vitamin-enriched, it's full of sonic goodness, and it can contribute to weight loss," Lidell tells Spinner about the theme of his latest album, 'Jim.' Lidell gives his all and even takes a dive during 'Another Day' for the sake of entertainment. He also made it clear that he is now at peace with James Blunt for stealing his album art. Watch the beat-boxin' bloke from Berlin do his thing on the Interface.

Back in 2006, during his first visit to the Interface, eccentric singer and musician Jamie Lidell revealed to us his James Blunt conspiracy theory. "Do you think that James Blunt is copying me?" he asked, deadpan. He was, of course, referring to James Blunt's CD cover for 'Back to Bedlam,' which looks strikingly similar to Lidell's own album art for 'Multiply,' which was released the very same day in 2005.

Back with this year's critically adored 'Jim,' Lidell once again finds himself back at Spinner's Interface and back talking about his fellow Brit, Mr. 'Beautiful' himself. And this time, he's telling him to back off. Witness:

Last time you were on the Interface, you expressed your concerns about James Blunt stealing your album art. Have you had any run-ins?

I haven't. I mean, I found it a bit scandalous. What I was hoping, of course, is that I might sell a few more copies sneakily -- a few mistaken Blunt purchases, but that never seemed to happen. So, there must have been enough of a contrast between the two album covers.

I still think he's a little bit sneaky. He's just a little bit sneaky. And I was kind of curious because his album came out before mine this time. He had gone for something completely different, you know. I think mine's vastly superior, again; sorry James, but respect, good try. I know you've sold millions of records. I've sold enough. I've sold plenty, and you can't do any kind of Chilean foot moves, so just, you know, respect.

I know you're in the army and everything and I'm not going to pick a fight, but just stay off me artwork, all right? That's all. Get your own ideas. Get your own pens. I'm sure you could afford them. He's a lovely man. I wish him all the best, and I hope he wishes me the best. Do you James?

The Old 97's, once a humble bar band from Texas, have contributed seven albums innovatively fusing Britpop, classic country and indie rock. Their unique combination of styles have often being credited as a huge influence on the alt-country genre. "The Old 97's have been lumped in with alt-country since that became a term for it, but there's been times when it really bothered me," frontman Rhett Miller tells Spinner. "It was just so reductive. I loved it all the Hank stuff, and the Willie stuff -- but then there's so much of the newer country that really gives it a bad name, and that's why people say that, and I understand that." Miller tells Spinner.

After a four-year hiatus and a few solo records from Miller, the band is back in full swing. The 97's rock three new tunes, including a flashback treat, 'Barrier Reef,' from 'Too Far to Care.' Miller sums up his reunited group's latest album, 'Blame It On Gravity,' thusly: "It's the kitchen sink, and it's delivered with as much feeling, heart, honesty and real energy as we could muster. And even though we're getting a little long in the tooth now, I feel like we still got a lot of energy left." The Old 97's prove that to be the case on the Interface.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? never intended to be an actual band. Nor was their name chosen on purpose. "We just did the tracks and decided to setup this MySpace account so we could just send a link and then people could have a listen," singer James Rushent told Spinner when they stopped by the Interface. "Then we switched on the TV and Ricky Gervais was on there and he said, 'Does it offend you, yeah?' If we'd known that we were going to end up doing this, we probably would have picked a better name."

The band, thanks to a slew of blistering shows at this year's SXSW and a forthcoming opening slot on Nine Inch Nails' summer tour, have garnered a bevy of attention from music fiends this side of the pond. Their bass-heavy tunes move massive crowds -- almost involuntarily -- and their shows often result in injury and broken gear. Their stop at the Interface was no exception. Download it all after the jump.

Post-punk legend Bob Mould needs little introduction. His contributions to independent music are nearly immeasurable, with influences in punk, house, hardcore and even whimsical acoustic numbers. And there's no stopping him yet. "[Electronica] is the stuff that I really tune in to a little more so than the guitar rock these days," he told Spinner when he stopped by the Interface. "DJing has really forced me to be a very active music fan."

Mould delivered a career-overview performanc with a pair of new tunes from his latest solo effort, 'District Line,' plus a rare acoustic rendition of Hüsker Dü's 'Makes No Sense at All' and Sugar's 'If I Can't Change Your Mind.' Download the performances and watch Mould speak candidly about his career and time spent working with the WCW, after the jump.

Mocean Worker have been "lucky," mastermind Adam Dorn admits to Spinner. The biggest issue the band has faced is a small one: the mispronunciation of their name.

Dorn, son of the late legendary jazz producer Joel Dorn, has amounted his share of success, culling from his jazz roots and adding a little electronic flare. In addition to his own tunes, Dorn's got a knack for remixes, too, tackling songs by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Charles Wright for usage in TV and movies.

Mocean Worker stopped by the Interface to play tunes from their latest release, 'Cinco de MoWo,' and to chat about politics, his childhood and those catchy commercials. Continue reading to download the performance.

"Organic and classic" are words used by Duffy to describe her rich soul sound. The Welsh soulstress is one of the U.K.s best-kept secrets -- until now. Launching her debut album, 'Rockferry' this week, she celebrated with a performance at New York's landmark Apollo Theatre, where her unique take on classic soul coupled with a passion for '60s British rock 'n' roll shined through.

Duffy's British blues sound seeks to steer clear of the generation gap with her endless sultry grooves. She tells Spinner, "Every day I feel like I'm misunderstood. You can't really control how people see what you do, really, although it's hard to do that."

Duffy and her band drop four songs from 'Rockferry,' including her new single, 'Warwick Avenue,' foreshadowing what stands to be the summer soundtrack for many. The young chanteuse also talks about her whirlwind of heat-laden performances at SXSW and Coachella. Continue reading to download the performance.

Political punks Against Me! have been making noise since the late '90s with their unapologetic power-punk. Picking up where Avail left off, the band -- who've been cited as influences for artists including Ben Lee (who covered Against Me! tunes throughout his 2007 tour) to Tegan and Sara -- hit their stride with their latest album, 'New Wave.'

Against Me! stopped by our Los Angeles studio, leaving most of their gear behind for an acoustic performance.

But let's revisit Ben Lee. It may seem an unlikely cover choice for the singer-songwriter, though flattering for Against Me! nonetheless. However, the band said they had no idea Lee was doing such a thing. "We just got a call one day like, 'Hey, did you know Ben Lee covered your whole record?'" Tom Gabel told Spinner. "We found out at the same time as everyone else did. The whole thing is just completely flattering."

Gabel also informed us of how he'd 'Reinvent Axl Rose' if given the opportunity, and what it's like trying to keep up with the Foo Fighters on an arena tour.

Download the full performance and interview after the jump.