THE STRAIGHT DOPE:
MTV has been parading rock bands in front of their cameras armed with acoustic guitars on Unplugged for well over a decade now. The show was once an opportunity for bands to experiment with different styles and to unveil lesser known aspects of their music. Eric Clapton and Aerosmith's shows were light on the radio hits but contained covers of blues favorites and obscure b-sides. The Cure added unusual instrumentation. Even LL Cool J and Jay Z have gotten in on the action with some different sounds. These days, however, the show is slightly less ambitious. Staind's performance, while full of sturdy musicianship, will only really be inspirational to their fans.

Still, that's a significant audience. The band has connected through dark, introspective lyrics and broodingly melodic guitar-driven rock. They refuse to jump on the rap-rock bandwagon, playing a more ...Read the entire review