Of course, the band - Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis (drums/guitar/vocals); Cobra Verde's Tim Parnin (guitar); John Petkovic (vocals/guitar) and Witch's Dave Sweetapple (bass/vocals) - eschews the whole "supergroup" tag.

Sweet Apple, you see, was born by accident and friendship - out of death, after a cross-country drive. Singer-guitarist John Petkovic got in his car heading eastward days after the passing of his mother -- to smoke cigarettes, listen to music and clear his head. He didn't even know where he was going or where he'd end up.

He ended up in New England, the home of long-time friends Dave Sweetapple and J. Mascis, who told John to start writing some songs so they could start a band. Within weeks, and after recruiting Cobra Verde guitarist Tim Parnin they started working on an album.

The result is "Love and Desperation." The 12-song disc casts a wide net, reflecting the disparate sounds of all their bands: catchy power-pop, crushing rock and wounded ballads.

"I hadn't even played the guitar for months," says Petkovic. "And then, out of the blues, there were all these songs just coming out."

Recorded in Cleveland and Massachusetts, "Love and Desperation" was mixed by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth and The Hold Steady) and Don Depew (Cobra Verde, Guided by Voices).

"I tell people that I saved John's life by starting this band," says Mascis. "But they don't believe me."