Toronto’s Golden Dogs produce some of the most hook-laden rock around — don’t miss them at the Liberty Lounge this week

Neil Diamond is one of the latest old-timers to be given a career reboot from producer Rick Rubin. It seems odd that an artist who has sold over 115 million copies could be considered washed up, but rather than a revered figure, the public at large seemed to think of Diamond as a punchline. If his 2005 Rubin-produced comeback accomplished anything, it reminded listeners that Diamond has written some mighty fine songs in his career, including “I’m a Believer,” “Sweet Caroline” and countless other ubiquitous hits, and just as importantly, that he can still belt ’em out. Check out the Jewish Elvis when he plays the Pengrowth Saddledome this Thursday, September 18.

This column has mentioned Elliot Brood more than once, but there’s a reason. These alt country mavericks have the rare ability to mix passion and pure songwriting chops, and the results are always entertaining. Their latest, Mountain Meadows, is their crowning achievement to date, and you can hear it live at either the Warehouse on Thursday, September 18, or with a quick trek to the Canmore Hotel on Friday, September 19.

After the weekend wraps up, there’s still plenty to take in. Spoken word maestro C.R. Avery’s appeal doesn’t always come through in his recordings, but live, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Mixing Tom Waits-style piano balladry with spoken word poetry and beat boxing, he makes masterful use of his passion and charisma. And considering he’ll be sharing a University Theatre stage with pop-jazz songstress Ndidi Onukwulu, there’s no excuse to miss his performance on Monday, September 22.

Lastly, Mount Royal College’s Liberty Lounge is trying to recapture its glory days. A few years back, the venue was known for bringing in some of the best Canadian talent around, including a now-legendary Stars and Broken Social Scene show that more than justified the trip to the not-so-transit-accessible venue. This year’s season is getting off to a fine start with a performance on Wednesday, September 24 by Toronto’s Golden Dogs. Their 2006 release, Big Eye, Little Eye, contained some of the most singularly hook-laden rock of the year, and their live show is even better.