Fol Chen

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Fol Chen

Album: Part II: The New December

Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Genre: Electropop, rock

Comments: The California troupe Fol Chen made waves with their 2009 debut Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made, an album that flew a bit under the radar, yet instantly hooked in anyone who stumbled across it. For a followup, they've made one of this year's best and most intriguing dance pop records. More electronic than Of Montreal, but more of an indie rock outfit than Hot Chip (two of the promoter's comparisons), Part II: The New December is easily accessible, but far from your standard synth pop record.

Start with "In Ruins," "C/U" and "Adeline (You Always Look So Bored)."

Laurie Anderson

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Laurie Anderson

Album: Homeland

Label: Nonesuch

Genre: Defies classification

Comments: The onesheet says: "Calling Laurie Anderson 'the most important multimedia artist of our time,' The Los Angeles Times recently noted the 'rare, profound maturity' of her latest songs. Thirty years into her recording career--in which she has simultaneously remained busy as a visual artist, composer, poet, photographer, filmmaker and internationally touring live performer--she has applied her craft to a new studio album, her first in 10 years. The collection of songs is at once personal and political, equally focused on love and American identity...

"The music is instantly recognizable as Anderson's, though it draws on a broad scope of styles: She sings throughout and plays newly developed sounds on violin, as well as contributing keyboards and percussion... On Homeland, Anderson is joined by a diversity of collaborators, from the Tuvan throat singers and igil players of Chirgilchin to New York experimental jazz and rock players, including Rob Burger (keyboards)... Kieran Hebden of Four Tet (keyboards)... Eyvind Kang (viola)... [and] Ben Witman (percussion and drums)... Antony Hegarty contributes additional vocals."

Nearly 30 years after releasing her masterpiece of a debut, Big Science, Anderson proves her relevance to modern pop music on Homeland. This is a truly fascinating album that blurs the lines of folk, electronica, jazz, neoclassical and many other styles. Start with "My Right Eye," "Bodies in Motion" and "Only an Expert."

The Beauties

Add Date: June 29

Artist: The Beauties

Album: The Beauties

Label: Six Shooter

Genre: Folk, blues rock

Comments: Toronto roots rockers The Beauties make bluesy folk that reminds me of their Six Shooter labelmates Elliott Brood, and this self-titled release will also appeal to fans of Son Volt, Whiskeytown or that wonderful new Deer Tick record. Try "Hearts Are Down" and "Die Die Die."

A Million Years

Add Date: June 29

Artist: A Million Years

Album: Mischief Maker

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the onesheet: "A Million Years wear their love of guitar-driven indie rock on their sleeve. Mischief Maker also touches on sonic elements found in electronic music, using drum machines alongside real drums and synthesizers alongside the guitars and bass to create a sound that is dense but also feels organic."

Check out "Poster Girl" and "Incandescent."

Hugo

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Hugo

Album: Hugo (EP)

Label: RocNation/Epic

Genre: Pop, rock

Comments: This 3-song EP from Hugo features his version of "99 Problems," and it's being released on the RocNation imprint founded by Jay-Z. But I wouldn't call it hip hop; the musical style brings to mind Citizen Cope. The Jay-Z cover is unplayable during daytime hours, so try "Bread & Butter" instead.

Quiet Science

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Quiet Science

Album: [With/Without]

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: The Florida quartet Quiet Science makes music that borrows from alternative, indie and pop punk, with the occasional synthesizer flourish thrown in for good measure. Check out "Magnetism" and "Ghost and the Grave."

Half Acre Day

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Half Acre Day

Album: "Baby Blue" (single)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Indie pop

Comments: In reviewing the singles series from this Seattle outfit, we keep coming back to The Flaming Lips. But in our defense, it's pretty obvious how much of an influence Wayne Coyne and co. have had on Half Acre Day. (No complaints there.) The dream pop number "Baby Blue" sounds like it could have been written after a few listens to The Soft Bulletin.

Perfume Genius

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Perfume Genius

Album: Learning

Label: Matador

Genre: Rock, folk

Comments: Seattle native Mike Hadreas is on the indie rock fast-track: discovered by Los Campesinos!, who got him a UK release for the single "Mr. Peterson" (track 3 on Learning), his project Perfume Genius has been signed by Matador--putting him in the company of Belle & Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Ted Leo, Sonic Youth, The New Pornographers, et al. Learning is a promising debut of quiet, piano-driven pop rock tunes that expand to include organ and layered synthesizers. For fans of Xiu Xiu and Antony & the Johnsons. Start with "Look Out, Look Out" and "You Won't B Here."

Alejandro Escovedo

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Alejandro Escovedo

Album: Street Songs of Love

Label: Fantasy

Genre: Rock

Comments: A veteran of punk bands like The Nuns and Rank and File, San Antonio native Alejandro Escovedo now makes punchy rock tunes that are as informed by Texas folk and power pop as by his earlier work. The followup to 2008's well-received Real Animal, Street Songs of Love is another fine LP. Try "Anchor," "Tender Heart" and "Faith," featuring guest vocals from a young up-and-comer named Bruce Springsteen.

William Ingrid

Add Date: June 29

Artist: William Ingrid

Album: Where Are You?

Label: Self-released

Genre: Electropop

Comments: I'll be honest--when I saw the artist and album title, plus song names like "Rock Bottom" and "Premonition," I assumed the worst: another bland acoustic guitar-and-vocals folk record. Imagine how pleasantly I was surprised, then, to hear the opening bass-and-synth line of "Move On," followed up by soulful female vocals. As it turns out, William Ingrid isn't some run-of-the-mill singer/songwriter, but rather the creative electropop project of the husband-and-wife duo of Derek and Kristen Larsen; Where Are You? will appeal to fans of Passion Pit and The xx. The album opener is the best track, but also try "Let's Play Pretend" and "Before That."

The Lincoln Bedroom

Add Date: June 29

Artist: The Lincoln Bedroom

Album: Broken Record

Label: People Mover

Genre: Folk, Country rock

Comments: This is a country/folk album that goes out of its way to make sure to grab you by the ears in letting you know The Lincoln Bedroom writes pop songs. Each track is carefully molded, with prominent choruses and catchy melodies. The lead singer, David Richman, has a sharp voice. The drums often follow that one-two country beat. And the songs are well constructed and individually progressive in lyrics and tone. One review states, "TLB may be folk but they're not afraid to let loose and rock." There are slow songs, fast songs, and everything in between on Broken Record.

Start with 1, 2, 4, and 11.

Rose's Pawn Shop

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Rose's Pawn Shop

Album: Dancing on the Gallows

Label: Self-released

Genre: Country, rock

Comments: Rose's Pawn Shop has put together a high-energy country/folk album that will make your head bop without you noticing. Lead singer Paul Givant has a sharp voice that is often backed by layers of melodies and an upbeat drum/bass rhythm section. The banjos, slide guitar, stand-up bass, they're all there.

From the promoter: "RPS confronts traditional country music themes of loss, lamentation, and redemption, while throwing in some drinking songs for good measure. They're borrowing pages from legends, but RPS takes those pages, tears them up, and sets them on fire with breakneck speed, bluegrass instrumentation... vocal harmonies, and lyrics that will break your heart."

This is a country album that you'll want to dance to on Friday nights. DNP track #9. Start with 2, 1, and 11.

Melaena Cadiz

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Melaena Cadiz

Album: Rattle the Windows

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: Melaena Cadiz is a singer/songwriter with a powerful voice, loads of musical talent, and a deep appreciation for classic country and folk/blues roots. Cadiz has written an album that is refreshing at its least. She enlisted the help of Matt Bauer and members of Brown Bird and The Felice Brothers to write this album. Besides the fact that any friend of Brown Bird is a friend of mine, the musicianship on this album perfectly backs the deep (yet rangy), and confident (but still full of personality) vocals that Cadiz brings to the table. She also plays guitar and banjo on the album.

Rattle the Windows serves as Cadiz's debut album and ought to get her noticed as a heavy hitter in the same arena as Cat Power or Loretta Lynn. This is certainly a folk album, but most anyone will enjoy the accessibility of the Cadiz's melodies and songwriting ability. Start with 2, 5, 4, and 1.

Halsted

Add Date: June 29

Artist: Halsted

Album: Life Underwater

Label: Ashbury

Genre: Rock, folk

Comments: From the promoter: "[Life Underwater] is a love letter to the passion that draws one to make music; the feeling of standing in the crowd or listening to a record in your room, hoping one day to channel a glimmer of the magic someone else's songs have made you feel." Although this description is kind of cheesy, it's mostly on point. Lead singer Ryan Auffenburg has a calming, raspy, and melodic voice that is a pleasure to listen to. The guitar riffs and some of the choruses are Ryan Adams-esque, but the album as a whole seems to fall in the gray areas between alt-country, pop rock, and, every now and then, southern rock. The songs have clear structure, catchy melodies, tight musicianship, and rock n' roll rhythms that will make you tap your foot without even noticing.

Just as I was wishing for a larger range of dynamics among the songs, track 5, the title track of the album, started playing. The song, "Life Underwater," adds a new flavor to the album with a slower and softer tone as compared to the first few tracks.

Life Underwater is chock full of hooks that make the album worth listening to. Start with 6, 5, 1, and 2.

Wolf Parade

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Wolf Parade

Album: Expo 86

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Indie rock

Comments: Wolf Parade are back with Expo 86, a tight, cohesive output with a solid rock feel. Steady drums, keyboard, and synth give the record focus and intensity, and the familiar level of noise and fuzz compliments the melodies. It's an energetic, familiar-sounding record, but still creative and fresh enough to feel like a new album. Try the addictive riffs of "Cave-O-Sapien" and the great vocal hooks of "Little Golden Age."

Sia

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Sia

Album: We Are Born

Label: Jive/Monkey Puzzle

Genre: Pop

Comments: Sia's We Are Born is a record of infectious pop music, highlighting her powerful, soulful vocals. Rhythmic and driven by persistent electric guitar, the tracks are largely infectious and upbeat. The slower tracks, like Sia's cover of Madonna’s "Oh Father" and "I’m In Here," fall flatter, although they’re more indicative of her previous, more ballad-focused work. Instead, go with Sia's new style and try "The Fight" and "Clap Your Hands."

Tender Trap

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Tender Trap

Album: Dansette Dansette

Label: Slumberland

Genre: Pop

Comments: Tender Trap's Dansette Dansette is the newest record from twee and indie pop fixtures Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey (previously in bands such as Talulah Gosh and Heavenly). Catchy, melodic, at places punk-rock and girl-group referencing, the album is cohesive and consistent, with touches of piano, rhythms, guitar and harmonies. Start with tracks "Girls with Guns" and "Capital L."

Clara Luzia

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Clara Luzia

Album: The Ground Below

Label: Asinella

Genre: Indie pop

Comments: Clara Luzia's The Ground Below is a fairly standard indie pop album, with touches of folk and instrumental accompaniments as varied as the cello and banjo, resulting in a full-sounding record. Although the vocals can sometimes sound weak next to the instruments, certain tracks carry a level of detailed charm--try the more rustic, softer "Faces" and the upbeat "Queen of the Wolves."

Stars

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Stars

Album: The Five Ghosts

Label: Soft Revolution/Vagrant

Genre: Indie pop

Comments: Toronto's Stars have been perched atop the indie rock mountain for quite some time now, and despite many possible distractions--Amy Millan's folksy solo records, Torquil Campbell's Memphis side project, the band members' frequent work with Broken Social Scene, etc.--they haven't stopped making great indie pop. The Five Ghosts, the group's fifth LP (and first since leaving Arts & Crafts for Vagrant), is more electronic than 2007's In Our Bedroom After the War, veering back toward the direction of another great Canadian synth-pop act, Metric.

But in the end, it's great pop music, featuring plenty of Stars' trademarks, from an album opener reminiscent of "your ex-lover is dead" in "Dead Hearts" to the alternating male/female vocals of Campbell and Millan. Check out "Fixed," "Wasted Daylight" and "The Passenger."

Devo

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Devo

Album: Something for Everybody

Label: Warner Bros.

Genre: Rock, dance

Comments: Here is the 9th studio album from the pop band Devo, creators of the hit 1980 single "Whip It." The album is titled Something for Everybody, a tagline that I just can't buy into. (I try to write objective reviews, but when '80s electropop falls in my lap, I have trouble relating.) Devo's latest release is unsurprisingly chock full of heavy synths, drum machines, and prominent guitar riffs. I would describe this album as a good 1980s pop record made in 2010. The album is well produced, in a super-polished fashioned that show off the vast sonic ranges and heavy rhythm from the bass and drum machines.

If you're a fan of dance music, or '80s pop, or the song "Whip It [just whip it!]," then you'll enjoy this album. Start with 1 and 4.

Punch Brothers

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Punch Brothers

Album: Antifogmatic

Label: Nonesuch

Genre: Folk, bluegrass

Comments: Wow. Folksy, musically complex, gorgous, and a joy--those words are what came to mind during my first listen of Antifogmatic. This is the Punch Brothers' second full-length album; the first was highly praised by The New Yorker, the Boston Globe and, the Chicago Tribune. Chris Thile's voice slides up and down the musical scale like a slide whistle. Equally as interesting as the vocal melodies are the complexities within the musical compositions. With five band members arming a mandolin, guitar, bass, banjo, and fiddle, one might be expecting a series of cowboy chords--but you couldn't be more wrong in the case of the Punch Brothers. Although the Punch Brothers never enter into a single jam, jam band gurus would adore this album, given the sonic fireworks that often back the smooth vocal and string melodies.

The Punch Brothers have done something fantastic: created a completely unpredictable album with the most predictable instruments. The acoustic quintet will be playing in Lexington on September 24 at the Theatre at Lime Kiln, certainly a show I will be checking out, and I hope I see you there. Start with 1, 2, 8, and 4.

Richard Walters

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Richard Walters

Album: The Animal

Label: Kartel

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: From the promoter: "The Animal is a collection of beautiful piano and guitar ballads adorned with a hint of strings to which Walters lends his angelic gentle falsetto. The title was purposely chosen as a stark contrast between it and the content of the album. Equally contrasting is the sweet nature of the music and lyrical content."

Richard Walters has one of those soft voices that seems to fly off in its own directions, stretching melodies and high notes to new ranges. I was skeptical at first listen of the The Animal, thinking "not another soft acoustic melodramatic guitarist." Fortunately, Walters brings much more to the table than that pessimistic view on things. This album is a fine example of good songwriting--the melodies flow into each other and clearly change in ways that build on what came before. I even enjoy the cover of "True Love Will Find You in the End," originally written by Daniel Johnston. This is soft rock that often builds into full-sounding sonics. You will enjoy The Animal if you're a fan of Headless Heroes, Iron & Wine, or Sufjan Stevens. Start with 2, 1, 9.

The Cinnamon Band

Add Date: June 22

Artist: The Cinnamon Band

Album: All Dressed

Label: Olympico

Genre: Rock, Southern rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Tinged with southern-rock sensibility and [lead singer John] Harouff's maturing songwriting, All Dressed... starts off with a rollicking riff that rolls into Harouff's distinct vocals before climbing a massive crescendo."

At just four songs, it is tough not to enjoy this sonic burst of melody, hook, and singing. Although the album was recorded in Montreal, track two connects with our Rockbridge sensibilities as it is titled "Buena Vista." However, that's not the only connection you'll make while listening to this EP; fans of My Morning Jacket, Whiskeytown or The Avett Brothers will enjoy this album. At its core, All Dressed is a southern rock album, but with layers of originality that allow these songs to be refreshingly pleasurable to give a listen. Start with 2, 1, 3.

The Chemical Brothers

Add Date: June 22

Artist: The Chemical Brothers

Album: Further

Label: Astralwerks

Genre: Electronica

Comments: From the onesheet: "Nearly three years on from the release of their Grammy Award-winning and fifth consecutive UK No. 1 album We Are the Night, Further sees Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons explore the boundless possibilities of their sound. Taking a trip through four decades of electronic noise, Tom and Ed have taken the template set up with their occasional 'Electronic Battle Weapon' releases and allowed them to mutate gloriously into an entire album. Voice samples and snatches of vocals are woven through tracks to create a record that ebbs and flows like one of the band's legendary live sets. Here, West Coast power pop harmonies sit beside German Motorik rhythms while My Bloody Valentine-esque sonic manipulations plane across the top of early house basslines. Further is the culmination of nearly two decades of psychedelic exploration, an immersive collection that finds The Chemical Brothers at their least restrained and most melodic best."

Unlike their recent works, Further isn't laden with numerous star guest vocalists, and I think it's a welcome change. Check out "Another World," "Dissolve" and the epic "Escape Velocity."

Dragons Power Up!

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Dragons Power Up!

Album: Brace for the Bloom

Label: Guilt Ridden Pop

Genre: Rock

Comments: The promoter says: "Brace for the Bloom is the new album from St. Paul band Dragons Power Up! Dense and hook-heavy with a strong focus on arrangement and lyrical narrative... [w]ith unexpected elements like brass interludes, jazz-like percussion, hints of math rock and a broad range of emotion, this album is full of surprises."

Recommendations on the album promo sticker.

Lucy Bland

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Lucy Bland

Album: Brown Sky Rewrites (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Electronica, indie pop

Comments: The Seattle 4-piece Lucy Bland has recorded six alternate versions of two songs from its small catalog: four of "Brown Sky," from their 2005 debut EP Lucy Bland's First Recital, and two from 2008 LP Down to Sea Level standout "Rewrite." Tossed in is a folktronica cover of Iron & Wine's "Sunset Soon Forgotten." The band sounds like a strange-bedfellows mix of Mirah and Portishead.

GiTAr

Add Date: June 22

Artist: GiTAr

Album: "STUFFED"

Label: Seeland

Genre: Defies classification

Comments: GiTAr is the project of two Evansville, Indiana natives who go by the names of I Cut People and Ellipse Elkshow. Their work involves cutting and pasting clips of TV and movie dialogue, radio news programs, songs, found sounds and more into a mindbending stew. In that way, they're much like Negativland, whose Seeland label is releasing "STUFFED". But unlike Negativland, which generally has a more musical focus, I wouldn't describe most of the 28 tracks here as "songs"--it's a different form of art. This is definitely worth a listen, but it may not work for music-based shows.

The Like

Add Date: June 22

Artist: The Like

Album: Release Me

Label: Downtown

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Signed to Geffen Records just out of high school, The Like nearly crashed and burned after their 2005 debut, Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?, was a commercial flop. But everyone deserves a second chance, and this L.A.-based quartet is getting one with the Mark Ronson-produced Release Me. At its core, the record is '60s girl-group pop reimagined, much in the vein of The Pipettes, but Ronson's work and the band's creativity give the LP a very modern flourish of neo-soul. Release Me is great pop music. Start with "Wishing He Was Dead," the title track and "In the End."

Fred Eaglesmith

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Fred Eaglesmith

Album: Cha Cha Cha

Label: Lonesome Day

Genre: Country

Comments: One of the most unheralded songwriters in country music--he's written hits for the likes of Miranda Lambert and Alan Jackson, among others--Fred Eaglesmith's music is quite good in its own right. On Cha Cha Cha, his aptly-named 18th LP, Eaglesmith brings in elements of Bossa Nova to liven up his approach to traditional country. But one thing remains constant: his ability to write terrific songs. Start with "I Would" and "Careless."

Will Knox

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Will Knox

Album: The Matador & the Acrobat

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: A very well-constructed folk record from NYC singer/songwriter Will Knox. The Matador & the Acrobat is at times propelled by Knox's vocals and acoustic guitar, and at others it's moved along by Kyle James Hauser's banjo. Check out "Buckled Knees."

Warren Haynes Presents

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Vol. 3

Label: Evil Teen

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, folk, jam bands

Comments: Recorded at the Asheville Civic Center in December 2001, this concert double-album features music from Phil Lesh & Friends, blues rock guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart, Blues Traveler, Drivin' N Cryin' and Warren Haynes' own band, Gov't Mule.

D.O.A.

Add Date: June 22

Artist: D.O.A.

Album: Talk - Action = 0

Label: Sudden Death

Genre: Rock, punk

Comments: From the promo flyer: "D.O.A., Canada's punk legends, release their 13th studio album, Talk - Action = 0, on Sudden Death Records. There are early raves about this album with the band going back to its early roots and drawing comparisons to their classic first two albums: Something Better Change and Hardcore '81... On this lucky 13th full-length, there's plenty of what you would expect from the boys: power, politics and humor...

"They get in your face right away with the blistering 'That's Why I Am an Atheist,' followed up by the Eddie Cochran-inspired 'Rebel Kind.' As if more proof [were] needed that D.O.A. has always been an accurate barometer of the times we live in, then listen to the angry anthem 'Don't Bank on a Bank' and the all-too-timely 'I Live in a Car.' ... As with all their albums, you can hear why D.O.A. has influenced and inspired three generations of fans and musicians, from Green Day to Rancid to The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Henry Rollins to The Offspring."

The Constellations

Add Date: June 22

Artist: The Constellations

Album: Southern Gothic

Label: Virgin

Genre: Rock, hip hop, electronic rock

Comments: The Atlanta collective known as The Constellations self-issued this record back in 2008; it's now getting a proper re-release on a major label. The promoter compares them to Gorillaz, Beck and Gnarls Barkley; that's definitely what they're shooting for, but I don't think they quite belong in that company. Cee-Lo Green is a guest on "Love Is a Murder."

Hot Hot Heat

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Hot Hot Heat

Album: Future Breeds

Label: Dangerbird

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "On Future Breeds, Hot Hot Heat returns to its roots, both metaphorically and literally, with a hot-wired and proud party album throbbing with spontaneity and creativity. When the band began writing Future Breeds, frontman Steve Bays, along with bandmates Paul Hawley and Luke Paquin, sought to recapture the energy and sheer love for the art form that drove the late-'90s Vancouver punk scene from which the band emerged."

Try "21@12" and "What Is Rational?"

PDX Pop Now! 2010

Add Date: June 22

Artist: Various Artists

Album: PDX Pop Now! 2010

Label: Self-released

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, multiple genres

Comments: Portland's annual PDX Pop Now! festival runs from July 30 through August 1; those of us who can't make it to the Pacific Northwest can still enjoy this sprawling collection of 40 tunes that shows the quality and diversity of the Oregon city's music scene--the compilation includes rock (of all shapes and sizes), folk, hip hop, jazz, electronica and more. There's plenty of good stuff throughout, highlighted by established artists such as Menomena, Laura Veirs, Blitzen Trapper and Talkdemonic, as well as cuts from lesser-known acts like Sean Flinn & the Royal We, Dharma Bums, Nick Jaina, Typhoon and Mike Coykendall.

Best New Music - June 15

Even better than vuvuzelas:

Tame Impala
The Gaslight Anthem
Kathryn Calder
Kele
Robyn

Also check out: Careful, Danger Mouse + Sparklehorse, The Drums, Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack

Kele

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Kele

Album: The Boxer

Label: Glassnote

Genre: Electropop

Comments: With Bloc Party on hiatus (sadly), frontman Kele Okereke is embarking on solo endeavors, bringing his distinctive vocals and electronic sensibilities along with him. The result is The Boxer, an electropop record full of heavy, aggressive beats and well-placed electronic blips. Lead single "Tenderoni" is an addictive, synthed-out, dense dance track, "New Rules" is slightly lo-fi, and "Everything You Wanted" shows off Kele's Bloc Party background. So while Kele tends to stick to fuller, heavier electropop, it's clear there's room for deviation; the end result is an impressive and enjoyable record (and not just for Bloc Party fans).

Against Me!

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Against Me!

Album: White Crosses

Label: Sire

Genre: Rock

Comments: Against Me! are no longer the angry, aggressive punks they once were, made perfectly clear on both the title of lead single "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" and in the general sound of their latest album, White Crosses. Sure, their lyrics still vaguely describe some dislike of mainstream society, but their style has lost all of the powerful vocals and aggressive-yet-melodic instrumentation that made them so prominent in the anarcho/plan-it-x records/folk-punk circle years back. White Crosses isn't bad--it's a pretty good rock album--but there's nothing terribly distinctive about it; it seems the Against Me! boys have grown up, and their music along with it.

Tame Impala

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Tame Impala

Album: InnerSpeaker

Label: Modular

Genre: Rock, psych

Comments: An impressive, blissfully loose and fuzzy psychedelic record from Australian rock group Tame Impala. InnerSpeaker is a full, expansive record, with sounds coming from every angle and giving each track a substantial, weighted feeling. Completely textural, with punctuating drums and pervading, consistent vocals. In short, awesome.

Danger Mouse + Sparklehorse

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Danger Mouse + Sparklehorse

Album: Dark Night of the Soul

Label: Capitol

Genre: Electronica, alternative

Comments: Artist/producer Danger Mouse is best known for The Grey Album, the Jay-Z/Beatles mash-up. Here, on Dark Night of the Soul, he teams up with Sparklehorse, along with David Lynch, Iggy Pop, Julian Casablancas, Black Francis, The Flaming Lips, Vic Chesnutt, et al. The result is a collaborative album that is multi-layered and produced to near perfection. Each track stands alone, with a style to match that of the collaborating artists, but the album all the way through has a great ambiance. "Daddy's Gone" is a blissfully upbeat, psyched out number with Nina Persson, while the title track (a collaboration with David Lynch) is a brooding, fuzzy meltdown. In short, something for everyone and highly recommended.

Bibi Tanga & the Selenites

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Bibi Tanga & the Selenites

Album: Dunya

Label: NatGeo

Genre: International, funk

Comments: From National Geographic's record label web site: "The future of funk is being written right now by a pair of Parisian groove theorists named Bibi Tanga and Professeur Inlassable. Singer, bassist and bandleader Bibi Tanga bridges the divide between the arty South Bank of the Seine and the gritty suburbs, where he grew up as an immigrant from the Central African Republic. Bibi's music is marked by slinky, sinuous basslines and a wicked falsetto that conjures up Prince and Curtis Mayfield, while producer Professeur Inlassable ('The Tireless Professor') digs deep beneath the cobblestones of Paris to unearth the sound and spirit of another era. Together with Bibi's band The Selenites, the duo forges a stunningly original new sound and creates a space where Afro-futurism meets steampunk, Fela Kuti jams with Sidney Bechet and Marcel Duchamp gets down to Chic."

Recommendations on the album promo sticker.

Steve Mason

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Steve Mason

Album: Boys Outside

Label: Domino

Genre: Rock

Comments: From Domino Recording Co.: "Without much fanfare, Steve Mason, one of the Britpop generation's few genuinely brilliant and original songsmiths, has been delivering on the promise of The Beta Band's The Three E.P.'s--the masterpiece which introduced his extraordinary talent to the world... [H]e's proud of these 10 songs, whose sparse, haunting arrangements bespeak economy, maturity and focus. Boys Outside is fully the equal of The Three E.P.'s, packed with inventively sculpted sounds and sublime melodies, and shot through with a rare emotional beauty."

Much more stripped down than Mason's work with The Beta Band, and perhaps even more centered on songcraft. Check out "All Come Down" and "Am I Just a Man."

Robyn

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Robyn

Album: Body Talk Pt. 1

Label: Konichiwa/Interscope

Genre: Electropop, dance

Comments: I've always wondered why Robyn hasn't remained a bigger name in this country. She's the queen of pop music in Sweden, and generally is quite popular throughout Europe; during her first big run of success in the late '90s, "Show Me Love" was a Top 10 hit in the U.S. Yet when her 2005 comeback record, Robyn, was finally issued in the States--in April 2008--it barely registered on the charts.

Quite simply, Robyn's music, on the self-titled LP as well as this 30-minute mini-album--the first of the 3-part Body Talk series, with the other two scheduled to be released later this year--is glorious, danceable electropop, as accessible as it is good. Share in this not-too-well-kept secret with pop gems like "Fembot" and "Cry When You Get Older," Robyn's foray into dancehall on the aptly-titled "Dancehall Queen" (co-produced by Diplo) and the darker synth pop of "None of Dem" (produced by Royksopp).

Twilight: Eclipse

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Various Artists

Album: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (soundtrack)

Label: Atlantic

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, rock

Comments: Say what you will about the Twilight series--and, having never seen either of the previous films, I'll say nothing--but the past couple of soundtracks have been full of great artists. Last year's New Moon edition featured great work from Lykke Li, Bon Iver & St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear with Beach House's Victoria Legrand, and Thom Yorke, among others. (The original Twilight soundtrack was pretty forgettable, featuring an Iron & Wine song but also contributions from Linkin Park, Collective Soul and Paramore.)

While New Moon was predominantly a compilation of brooding indie rock, the Eclipse soundtrack could be considered a bit more eclectic. There's plenty of moody music, including the de facto theme song, Metric's "Eclipse (All Yours)," but the collection branches out to include pop from Cee-Lo Green, blues rock from The Black Keys and The Dead Weather, chamber pop from Fanfarlo, and prog rock from Muse--the only band that has made the musical cut for all three films. Not to mention the two best tracks on the LP: Beck and Bat for Lashes joining forces for "Let's Get Lost" and Florence & the Machine's excellent and appropriately haunting "Heavy in Your Arms." Good stuff all around, save for The Bravery.

Eclipse is in theaters on June 30.

Kathryn Calder

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Kathryn Calder

Album: Are You My Mother?

Label: FU:M

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Kathryn Calder is a member of The New Pornographers; Are You My Mother? serves as her first solo album. The promoter says: "It is a beguiling album, that--because of the wisdom and experience communicated by her voice--gives the illusion of being written by someone in the twilight of their years, while at the same time it expresses the excitement and wonder of a young woman who is just finding her own voice."

Recorded in Calder's mother's basement in British Columbia, the album has a refreshingly open sound (not underproduced, but whatever the opposite of overproduced is--that's how I would describe the production). The songs are as catchy and sweet as an ice cream truck in the summertime, all the while showing a maturity in not only lyrics but also song structure and melodies.

This is a pop record that is a great summertime listen and all-in-all a pleasure to enjoy. Start with 2, 3, 5 and 6.

Careful

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Careful

Album: Oh, Light

Label: Sounds Super Recordings

Genre: Rock, soft rock

Comments: Accurately stated by the promoter: "Though he is a published writer, orchestral composer, visual artist, and part-time builder-of-robots, his first fiercest love is making a blend of intimate songwriting, esoteric theory, and delicate electronics... His music is warm, jagged bedroom folk for the post-industrial crash."

Eric Lindley, a.k.a. Careful, has a suspiciously soft voice that draws the listener to do more than passively hear these songs. In fact, the intricacies throughout Oh, Light bring the listener to interact with the subtle parts that often change and transfigure from one melody to another, pushing the listening to enjoy the pleasant, heart warming light that is Careful's second full-length album in detail. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, as you can probably tell. Lindley recorded every sound you hear on Oh, Light, each very particularly placed (and spaced).

You will enjoy this album if you like Elliott Smith, Iron & Wine, or Jose Gonzalez. Start with 3, 4 , 9 and 10.

22-20s

Add Date: June 15

Artist: 22-20s

Album: Shake/Shiver/Moan

Label: TBD

Genre: Rock

Comments: Here is a good example of a band on the rise that deserves the accolades. 22-20s is a British rock band; they certainly embody the recent "British" sound akin to Bloc Party or The Killers. (I know The Killers are not British, but they've always sounded that way to me.) With a catchy album name and catchy song titles, the songs follow the same suite. The vocals are often backed by appropriately heavy and/or melodic guitar riffs. 22-20s will draw you in with sing-alongs; track 4, "Oceans," is a great example of this. For all its positives, this album will not blow you off your feet, but Shake/Shiver/Moan certainly makes a splash in a very big pond as a uniquely worthy British pop album. Start with 5, 1 and 2.

Grand Mal

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Grand Mal

Album: Clandestine Songs

Label: Groover Recordings

Genre: Rock, blues

Comments: I have trouble talking "bad" about albums on this blog, mostly in the belief that every album has something for at least someone. Grand Mal's album comes as close to missing this mark as I can remember from recent albums I've reviewed. The production is poor (I mean frustrating to listen to), the guitar riffs are predictable, and the melodies are "so yesterday" and have mostly all been done before (worse is that most of them lack any real dynamic and often consist of one or two lines on repeat). Believe it or not, the songs and production generally get worse and worse as the album goes on.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, maybe there lies a gem or two in what I believe to be a sub-par album. "Call My Name," track 5, breaks from the mold of the album as far as originality goes and is pretty pleasant to give a listen. The keyboards/organs add a nice, yet predictable, touch--most of the benefit comes in the form of interesting melodic layers the keys provide. The vocals are Bob Dylan-esque... take that how you like. This is a rock/blues album at its core. Nothing comes as a surprise, nothing sweeps me off my feet. Maybe you'll disagree. Start with 5, 6 and 3.

Coliseum

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Coliseum

Album: House With a Curse

Label: Temporary Residence Limited

Genre: Hard rock

Comments: Perhaps the only band in the world that could draw comparisons to Fugazi, Fucked Up and Metallica while boasting guest work from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, the Louisville trio Coliseum deliver their third LP--and first for Temporary Residence Limited (MONO, Explosions in the Sky, The Books). Says the label: "For the first time in their nearly decade-long career, the trio play like a singular unit, commanding an agile, indestructible army of enormous riffs grounded by the head-nodding, foot-stomping rhythm section of [new drummer Carter] Wilson and long-time bassist Mike Pascal. Guitarist/vocalist Ryan Patterson's gravel-throated proclamations are more personal than ever, reflecting against himself and projecting to the outside world."

Recommendations on the album sticker. And a note for DJs: there's an introductory track that isn't listed on the back cover, meaning that "Blind in One Eye" is actually track 2, and so forth.

Sugar Army

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Sugar Army

Album: The Parallels Amongst Ourselves

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: Sugar Army, a quartet from Perth in Western Australia, make brooding, slightly psychedelic indie rock. The Parallels Amongst Ourselves, the band's second LP, was very well received in their homeland. Try "Tongues in Cheeks" and "No Need for Lovers."

The Checks

Add Date: June 15

Artist: The Checks

Album: Alice By the Moon

Label: Pieclub

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Fueled equally by vintage R&B and indie rock classicism, The Checks self-recorded and self-produced the raucous intensity of Alice By the Moon. Where [the band's 2008 debut] Hunting Whales was a straight-ahead rock album, Alice By the Moon delves into deeper waters with hints of psychedelic soul and blues. Tracks like 'You and Me' and 'Bagheera' are Dandy Warhols-meets-Oasis rockers that swagger with a confidence that only comes from a very self-assured band. Still in their early 20s and already veteran road-dogs, The Checks are becoming one of New Zealand's most thrilling acts."

Grand Lake

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Grand Lake

Album: Blood Sea Dream

Label: Hippies Are Dead

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Caleb Nichols [of Port O'Brien] and Jameson Swanagon, the musical force that along with drummer John Pomeroy is Oakland's Grand Lake, began their musical collaboration in 1994... Over the following 15 years, the pair parted ways and reunited more than once... compar[ing] notes on their mutual admiration of the Pixies, the Flaming Lips, Ernest Hemingway and Dave Eggers.

"Grand Lake's debut full-length offering, Blood Sea Dream, is the culmination of a decade and a half of friendship and musical camaraderie... [T]he album twists and turns sonically and topically--winding its way from the angst-filled art-rock of 'Louise (I Live in a Fantasy)' to the gently lumbering, orchestral waltz that is 'Our Divorce'. The straight-ahead rock of 'My Father As a Forest Full of Trees' finds Nichols singing desperately about confronting his father... while just a track earlier he sullenly croons an epic poem of American wanderlust in 'Riderless Horse.'"

Faded Paper Figures

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Faded Paper Figures

Album: New Medium

Label: Shorthand

Genre: Electropop, indie pop

Comments: On the surface, it's very easy to compare L.A.'s Faded Paper Figures to The Postal Service--in fact, someone has done just that on this site before--both for the electronic song structures and vocalist R. John Williams' Gibbardesque vocal delivery. But digging a little deeper, the band reminds me more and more of indie pop like Owen or matt pond PA, with synthesizers and drum machines in place of folksy rock. Either way you come at it, New Medium is an enjoyable sophomore record. Try "One More Crash" and "Invent It All Again."

Ruth Purves Smith & the 581

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Ruth Purves Smith & the 581

Album: Out in the Storm

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: Alberta's Ruth Purves Smith makes folk tunes that alternate between quiet ballads and country-rock. Start with the brooding tune "New Light."

Jen Cloher & the Endless Sea

Add Date: June 15

Artist: Jen Cloher & the Endless Sea

Album: Hidden Hands

Label: Sandcastle Music

Genre: Folk

Comments: Australia's Jen Cloher & the Endless Sea make beautiful, well-orchestrated folk centered around Cloher's sweetly melancholy vocals and acoustic guitar, and bringing in viola, piano and the occasional banjo or mandolin. Start with the title selection, "Mother's Desk" and "I Am Going But I Am Not Gone."

28 North

Add Date: June 15

Artist: 28 North

Album: 28 North

Label: Self-released

Genre: Jam, folk rock

Comments: This jammy Pittsburgh band has shared the stage with Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler; the promoter compares them to The Black Crowes and Los Lonely Boys. Start with "The Shine."

The Gaslight Anthem

Add Date: June 15

Artist: The Gaslight Anthem

Album: American Slang

Label: SideOneDummy

Genre: Rock

Comments: It hasn't taken long for The Gaslight Anthem to etch out its place in the rock world. After showing promise on their 2007 debut Sink or Swim, the New Jersey outfit realized its potential with The '59 Sound, one of the most unheralded records of 2008. Those who did pick up on that release lauded Brian Fallon's songwriting and vocal style, throwing out the appropriate comparisons to The Boss and billing them as one of the best classic-style rock bands of the 21st century.

American Slang is a fitting followup. There's no new territory covered here, but that isn't what The Gaslight Anthem do; instead of breaking new ground, they take the traditional rock-and-roll format of guitar, bass and drums, write excellent songs, and play them really, really well. When you stand out with a style that's been done many times before, you're doing a lot of things right.

Start with the title track, "Boxer" and "Stay Lucky."

Best New Music - June 8

Bafana Bafana:

Here We Go Magic
Hey Marseilles
Teenage Fanclub
Tokyo Police Club
Pernice Brothers

Also check out: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Blitzen Trapper, Cowboy Junkies, Ratatat, HEALTH remixes, Chief's teaser EP, and a Pains of Being Pure at Heart single

The Young Veins

Add Date: June 8

Artist: The Young Veins

Album: Take a Vacation!

Label: One Haven Music

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Suspending all judgment from the get-go, The Young Veins' record Take a Vacation! isn't half-bad. There are basically no traces of Ryan Ross and John Walker's former band Panic! At the Disco (from what I can tell); instead, the record is full of '60s/'70s beach-pop-inspired tunes. It's slightly repetitive, but straightforward enough to enjoy, and tracks such as "Cape Town" and "Defiance" are promising. It's a safe record to differentiate themselves from their previous style of music, certainly, but the group has chosen a sunny style that seems to be a good fit, even if they're not pushing the sound creatively just yet.

Disco Ensemble

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Disco Ensemble

Album: The Island of Disco Ensemble

Label: Fullsteam

Genre: Rock

Comments: Disco Ensemble are a Finnish post-hardcore/punk band, and their latest release, The Island of Disco Ensemble, is a consistent, energetic, tightly played record--wound-up guitars, steady drum beats, and vocals that sing and scream with equal measure (softer track "Protector" is probably the weakest of the bunch). Heavy but not overbearing, The Island of Disco Ensemble is certainly worth a listen even if post-hardcore isn't your typical scene; try track 3.

Ratatat

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Ratatat

Album: LP4

Label: XL

Genre: Electropop

Comments: Ratatat have a distinct, recognizable style, and their latest release, LP4, does little to substantially deviate from the combination of sliding guitar, slick beats, hip-hop influence and vocal samples that have made them both so successful and so much fun. The most striking difference about Ratatat's LP4, when compared to their previous releases, is the inclusion of a full string section, which gives a nice quirk to the record. The spoken word sections come from Werner Herzog's film Stroszek and samples from child actress Linda Manz, and as always, they frame sections of songs in a predictable but still relevant manner. Although the core of the record isn't any different from their usual style, the experimentation this time around--with different instruments and denser mixes--does give the record a self-described "weirder" vibe, and even if the changes are minuscule, it's certainly a fun record to dissect. Try tracks 2, 8, and 12.

Tender Forever

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Tender Forever

Album: No Snare

Label: K

Genre: Electropop

Comments: The third record from Tender Forever (the moniker of French native Melanie Valera), No Snare, is an occasionally sparse but frequently dense, mostly moody 9-song production, with focus given to Valera's strong vocals, highlighted by electronic manipulations and attentive rhythms. Each track is a self-contained, highly detailed production, giving the overall album an edited, refined feeling. RIYL The Blow and The Knife. Try tracks 3 and 6.

John Cunningham

Add Date: June 8

Artist: John Cunningham

Album: 1998-2002

Label: Ashmont Records

Genre: Pop

Comments: John Cunningham's 1998-2002 is a compilation of two past LPs: Homeless House and Happy-Go-Unlucky. The British artist creates refined, melodic pop, and the 18 reissued songs and one extra session track show off Cunningham's consistent, elegant style. Occasional trumpet and piano accents give some tracks unexpected flair, while the acoustic styling of others gives off "an almost Nick-Drake like vibe". Relaxed, smooth, almost vintage-sounding pop tunes--try tracks 2 and 6.

Teenage Fanclub

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Teenage Fanclub

Album: Shadows

Label: Merge

Genre: Rock, power pop

Comments: The legendary Scottish band Teenage Fanclub returns with another triumphant collection of extraordinary pop rock on Shadows, their first studio record since 2005's Man-Made. Perhaps some history is in order here: though the band is a longtime indie radio powerhouse, many of you current college DJs either weren't born, or were crawling around in diapers when Teenage Fanclub debuted in 1990 with A Catholic Education. Starting out as a grunge band, they quickly transformed into power pop wizards, giving us some of the best records in that genre throughout the decade (see Bandwagonesque, Thirteen, Grand Prix, Songs from Northern Britain, etc.). They enjoyed a decent amount of commercial success--particularly in the UK, though they had three top 20 singles on the U.S. modern rock charts in the early '90s. Their output has slowed over the last decade, but the quality has continued.

And Shadows continues that trend. Teenage Fanclub's triple-songwriter format--Norman Blake, Gerard Love and Raymond McGinley all pen tunes and sing lead vocals on their creations--makes each song and LP from the band sound fresh. From Love's chamber pop opener "Sometimes I Don't Need to Believe in Anything" and guitar-driven "Into the City," to Blake's pensive "When I Still Have Thee" and Big Star-channeling "Baby Lee," to McGinley's folksy "Live With the Seasons," this record is full of melodious pop. No one's ever done that better than Teenage Fanclub.

Here We Go Magic

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Here We Go Magic

Album: Pigeons

Label: Secretly Canadian

Genre: Defies classification

Comments: Here We Go Magic combine elements of Animal Collective-leaning psych pop, Grizzly Bear-style experimental folk, and the synths of new labelmates Yeasayer into an ambient pop sound that hops across many genres without settling into any particular one. The band started out as a vehicle for Luke Temple's songwriting, but has since transformed into a 5-piece. After opening for Grizzly Bear, Department of Eagles and The Walkmen in 2009, Here We Go Magic are the headline band on a North American tour this summer, and Pigeons is poised to propel this band to prominence. It's a great listen from start to finish, but in particular try "Collector" and "Land of Feeling."

Cowboy Junkies

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Cowboy Junkies

Album: The Nomad Series Vol. 1: Renmin Park

Label: Latent/Razor & Tie

Genre: Folk, psychedelic rock

Comments: Cowboy Junkies launch The Nomad Series, a 4-album set that will be released over the next year and a half, with Vol. 1: Renmin Park, based on Michael Timmins' 3-month stint exploring Chinese music in the city of Jianjiang while his wife taught English there. It's a pretty fascinating concept for a record, as the Junkies cover two Chinese bands: what Timmins calls "the melodic Cure-meets-Steve Earle pop of Xu Wei" on "My Fall" and "the inspired innovative sounds of Zuoxiao Zuzhou (ZXZZ)" on "I Cannot Sit Sadly By Your Side." (A Chinese music aficionado translated the lyrics, and Timmins then rewrote them into English-language songs.) They also brought in ZXZZ as contributors on "A Walk in the Park."

This is really excellent stuff. If you're not familiar with Cowboy Junkies, think of them as a folk rock band heavily informed by The Velvet Underground. In addition to those covers and the collaboration, check out "Renmin Park" and "Stranger Here."

Montana 1948

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Montana 1948

Album: Picket Fences (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: This San Francisco area quartet's brand of rock is reminiscent of Stereophonics. Check out "January Jones."

Tokyo Police Club

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Tokyo Police Club

Album: Champ

Label: Mom + Pop

Genre: Indie rock

Comments: Toronto's Tokyo Police Club return with their sophomore full-length, Champ, which is an even tighter set of songs than on their impressive 2008 debut Elephant Shell. This is indie rock in the best sense of the term: upbeat, guitar-driven melodies, earnest vocals, solid songwriting. For fans of The Strokes and French Kicks. Start with "Breakneck Speed," "Big Difference" and "Favourite Food."

Blitzen Trapper

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Blitzen Trapper

Album: Destroyer of the Void

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Rock, folk rock

Comments: After years in the wilderness, Blitzen Trapper is finally getting its due. The band self-released its first three records before inking a deal with Sub Pop for 2008's well-received Furr; always known for their eclecticism--early comparisons were to Beck and The Flaming Lips--they've fleshed out their sound into Grateful Dead-inspired, classic-sounding rock, and they continue to explore this territory on Destroyer of the Void.

The folk-rock milieu allows Eric Earley's songwriting to come to the forefront, and storytelling songs like "Black River Killer" (from Furr and, in 2009, given its own release as an EP) have turned him into a modern-day incarnation of Jerry Garcia or '70s-vintage Neil Young. More of the same here on Destroyer of the Void. Check out "Laughing Lover," "The Tree" (featuring Alela Diane), "Dragon's Song" and "Heaven and Earth."

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Album: Before Today

Label: 4AD

Genre: Rock, experimental

Comments: From record label 4AD (The National, Camera Obscura, The Mountain Goats): "For the best part of a decade, Los Angeles native Ariel Rosenberg has been carving some of the most intoxicating music going, a reclusive pop surrealist whose corroded productions have led to a cult following... To date [Ariel] Pink's most celebrated release... is The Doldrums, released on Animal Collective's imprint, Paw Tracks, in 2004, yet recorded and mixed by Ariel in his bedroom on an 8-track in the late '90s.

"No longer a bedroom venture, Haunted Graffiti is now a fully realized band, comprised of Kenny Gilmore (keys/guitar/vocals), Aaron Sperske (drums) and Tim Koh (bass/vocals), all characters from the underground L.A. scene... For such a unique act, Haunted Graffiti manage to weave such a beguiling range of influences into their music. They can veer from the demented heavy metal of 'Butt-House Blondies' to the classic synth-rock of 'Can't Hear My Eyes', 'Revolution's a Lie' with its pulsating motorik tints to their cover 'Bright Lit Blue Skies' (originally recorded by the Rocking Ramrods in 1966)."

Neon Indian

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Neon Indian

Album: "Sleep Paralysist" (single)

Label: Green Label Sound

Genre: Electropop

Comments: Pitchfork says that Neon Indian's new single has "got that '80s video game vibe that made his Psychic Chasms LP such a winner." Sounds about right.

Suckers

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Suckers

Album: Wild Smile

Label: Frenchkiss

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "In two short years, Suckers crafted a lush tapestry of joyous pop on their self-titled debut EP (produced by Yeasayer's Anand Wilder), and now their highly anticipated full-length is here! Wild Smile goes all-out with an avant-garde, Bowie-inspired eclectic take on pop music. Suckers slow things down from their EP with catchy and simplistic songs filled with echoing synths and gentle guitar riffs... Suckers will indeed get fans of Wolf Parade, Yeasayer and Modest Mouse moving in no time."

Try "Black Sheep" and "Save Your Love for Me."

HEALTH

Add Date: June 8

Artist: HEALTH

Album: Disco2

Label: Lovepump United

Genre: Electronica, rock, experimental

Comments: The promoter says: "Last year L.A. noisemakers HEALTH blew your mind with their sophomore LP [Get Color] of sprawling avant-pop/hardcore/experimental/art-punk. This summer HEALTH get the remix treatment again, with heavy-hitting remixes from Crystal Castles, Javelin, Tobacco, Salem, Pictureplane, CFCF and Small Black who reimagined, recut, and remixed HEALTH's ethereal chanting, screeching noise, and gauzy atmosphere and transformed them into bizarro versions of themselves. This, paired up with a brand-new track, 'USA Boys,' is sure to make Disco2 a stone-cold, windows-down, stereo-up classic!"

That pretty much sums it up, but I'll throw in that "USA Boys" might be the most accessible song that HEALTH has ever recorded.

Magic Bullets

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Magic Bullets

Album: Magic Bullets

Label: Mon Amie

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: From the onesheet: "Today, the Class of '86 is re-graduating in 2010! Magic Bullets, the acclaimed Manchester-meets-San Francisco indie-pop 5-piece, is back with a brand new lineup and a fresh collection of short, sweet pop songs... On first listen, you might recognize hints of C86, Orange Juice, The Cure, and Morrissey. But you might also hear some even older influences, like Glenda Collins, The Byrds, and The Marvelettes. Then there's the underlying washed-out beach sound of California in 2010 that echoes their contemporaries, including Crocodiles, Best Coast, and Dum Dum Girls."

Lots of different things going on here, but Magic Bullets are, at their core and at their best, an indie pop band in the C86 tradition. Check out "A Day Not So Far Off," "Millions of People Running in Circles" and "Young Shoulders."

Icarus Himself

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Icarus Himself

Album: Mexico (EP)

Label: Science of Sound

Genre: Rock, lo-fi

Comments: From the promoter: "What first began in 2008 as a side project for Nick Whetro has developed into a sprawling trio of psych-electro-folk. Whetro's third release as Icarus Himself is a 5-song EP entitled Mexico. Leaning more toward the electronic limb of the band's sound, Mexico includes subtle drum machine beats and baritone guitar run through effects pedals, with added noise from electric guitar, percussion and various keyboards/organs." Check out "Half Ton Load."

Seth Swirsky

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Seth Swirsky

Album: Watercolor Day

Label: Grimble

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Sunshiny, psychedelic-twinged pop from Seth Swirsky, which seems like it might have been informed as much by Super Furry Animals as by '60s touchstones like The Beatles and The Zombies. Recommendations on the album sticker.

Charlie Christos

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Charlie Christos

Album: Widow's Gun

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: Cambridge, Mass. singer/songwriter Charlie Christos' well-constructed folk tunes are accented by cello, fiddle and banjo, and they lean toward the style of Chris Bathgate and Horse Feathers, in particular on Widow's Gun's standout number, "Colors Change." Also check out the title track.

Midnight Spin

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Midnight Spin

Album: Through the Mojo Wire (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Midnight Spin has been named NY's Best Emerging Artist of '09 [by The Deli], and not without merit. Creating catchy, melodic, and high-energy rock has gotten these guys to the top in two short years. Already likened to Green Day and the Killers, this isn't the last we'll see of MS."

Try "Trigger Finger Itch."

Chief

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Chief

Album: Night & Day (EP)

Label: Domino

Genre: Rock

Comments: The New York-via-L.A. band Chief make melodic, slightly psychedelic indie rock that should appeal to fans of Foreign Born and Local Natives. All three tracks on this teaser are worth a listen; the title selection is from their forthcoming debut, Modern Rituals, which Domino will release in August.

Hey Marseilles

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Hey Marseilles

Album: To Travels & Trunks

Label: Onto Entertainment

Genre: Rock, folk pop

Comments: The onesheet says: "Hey Marseilles' debut record To Travels & Trunks grabs your attention with its unique combination of pop, rock, and classical folk elements, and its passionate devotion to instruments (including accordion, viola, cello and trumpet) commonly used in musical idioms outside those typically purveyed by Seattle rock bands... Despite the exotic origins and youth, To Travels & Trunks can--and should--also be counted as a singular, standout pop album in 2010, with all the requisite addictive melodies and catchy choruses."

This is a very promising effort that, at different times throughout the LP, reminds me of the orchestral folk rock of The Decemberists, the chamber pop of Camera Obscura or Belle & Sebastian, and the genre-blurring work of Beirut and Jens Lekman. Start with "Cannonballs," "Gasworks" and "From a Terrace."

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Add Date: June 8

Artist: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Album: "Say No to Love" (single)

Label: Slumberland

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: Everyone's favorite indie poppers return with this new single and B-side, both of which draw more from The Smiths than from the band's other, shoegazier influences. "Say No to Love" is a piece of summer pop perfection.

Pernice Brothers

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Pernice Brothers

Album: Goodbye, Killer

Label: Ashmont

Genre: Rock, folk rock

Comments: For a decade and a half, the Massachusetts musician Joe Pernice has drifted just under the radar, making rock and alt-country records with the Scud Mountain Boys, the Pernice Brothers and as a solo act. His work has drawn plenty of critical acclaim and has attracted a devoted following, but unlike some similar artists--Wilco, in particular, comes to mind--he's never had much commercial success.

Through no fault of its own, Goodbye, Killer probably won't be that breakthrough, but I don't think that's what Pernice and his band are looking for. Instead, this is another very solid collection of folk-leaning rock tunes that will appeal to fans of Tweedy and co., Neil Halstead/Mojave 3, Lambchop and The Minus 5. Check out "Bechamel," "We Love the Stage" and the title track.

Born Ruffians

Add Date: June 8

Artist: Born Ruffians

Album: Say It

Label: Warp

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: From the promoter: "Following their smashing debut album, Red Yellow and Blue, Born Ruffians have made a triumphant return with their second LP, Say It... With bombastic percussion, echoing guitars, galloping bass lines and even an unexpected but pleasant saxophone, Say It presents itself as a very mature album, further amplifying the band's unique voice and sound." Recommendations on the promo sticker.

Best New Music - June 1

Spin 'em like you mean 'em:

Deer Tick
Sleigh Bells
Peggy Sue
Light Pollution
Katzenjammer

Don't forget about: Casiokids, Funki Porcini, Made in Iceland 3, Television Personalities, Young Rival

Casiokids

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Casiokids

Album: Topp stemning pa lokal bar

Label: Polyvinyl

Genre: Rock, synth pop, international

Comments: The promoter says: "Hailing from the same celebrated Bergen, Norway scene that produced Datarock and Annie, Casiokids were named for the beat-up old keyboards with which the band members first conceived their sound. Topp stemning pa lokal bar is the first Norwegian-language pop album ever to be released in the U.S., and even if you can't understand the lyrics, the addictive pop melodies, distinctive vocal harmonies and danceable pop hooks translate flawlessly, no matter what language you speak. Tracks like 'Fot I Hose' and 'Finn Bikkjen!' are fantastic examples of Casiokids' aptitude at crafting breadths of bass-heavy pop, synthy dub and darker percussive club moments."

Also try 'Gront Lys I Alle Ledd' and 'Verdens Storste Land.'

Deer Tick

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Deer Tick

Album: The Black Dirt Sessions

Label: Partisan

Genre: Folk, alt-country

Comments: Deer Tick exploded onto the scene in the summer of 2009, when the band's second record, Born on Flag Day, started drawing appropriate comparisons to Hank Williams and John Prine, among others. Driven by John McCauley's great songwriting and raspy voice, a perfect match for the musical style, tracks like "Easy," "Hell on Earth" and "Straight Into a Storm" lit up this station's airwaves, in particular. But the LP wasn't merely a country-rock stomp: go back and listen to "Little White Lies," "The Ghost" and "Smith Hill," and you'll quickly find that McCauley is just as adept at more intricate folk.

And that's the direction that Deer Tick goes in on The Black Dirt Sessions. As you might expect with this style, lyricism comes into play even more, and McCauley is up to the task--this is a much darker record, delving into themes like mortality, death and the existence of God and heaven, and yet it's no less accessible than Born on Flag Day. "Twenty Miles" is one of the best songs I've heard all year, and there's plenty more to back that up. McCauley is joined by Elizabeth Rodgers Isenberg on the contemplative "The Sad Sun," cranks it up just a bit with "When She Comes Home," and then chases everyone else away for the piano ballad "Goodbye, Dear Friend."

One of 2010's best.

Television Personalities

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Television Personalities

Album: A Memory Is Better Than Nothing

Label: Rocket Girl

Genre: Rock

Comments: The Television Personalities have had a major impact on bands ranging from The Jesus & Mary Chain to Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys to MGMT. (Check out "Song for Dan Treacy" on that band's recent release Congratulations; in what must have been odd for MGMT, Television Personalities opened for them in London back in March.) Now, much like Mark E. Smith with The Fall, the band has become the vehicle for the work of Treacy, the sole constant member since their 1981 debut And Don't the Kids Just Love It.

After a long hiatus, A Memory Is Better Than Nothing is the band's third release in the last four years. The first half of the LP consists of pop songs that bring to mind Belle & Sebastian; over the second half, though, Treacy returns to more familiar psychedelic pop-rock territory. Try the title track, "If You Don't Want Me," "The Girl in the Hand Me Down Clothes" and "All the Things You Are."

Bellflur

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Bellflur

Album: Asleep.Asleep.

Label: Sad Sewer Alligator

Genre: Rock, experimental

Comments: From the promoter: "Long cornered into a maze where Radiohead was a logical comparison by virtue of Bellflur's knack for approaching things differently at every turn, [their] 2009 EP Last Quarter of the 20th Century Blues actually showed the band as capable of delivering music recognizable on its own merits and profoundly accessible to listeners across many genre lines... From monstrous symphonies, lush choirs, cerebral-swelling beats, and poignant lyrics about social awkwardness and love that would have made Mark Linkous proud, Bellflur is prepared to release an album that will be its shining moment..." Recommendations on the promo sticker.

Made in Iceland 3

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Made in Iceland 3

Label: Iceland Music Export

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, rock, folk, experimental

Comments: This 20-song compilation is filled with wonderful rock, folk and experimental works from across Iceland. Included are tunes from recent playlist favorites Lay Low, Jonsi and Sam Amidon--a Vermont native whose I See the Sign was released on Icelandic label Bedroom Community and produced by Valgeir Sigurdsson, whose gorgeous composition "Past Tundra" appears here--as well as indie pop from Seabear, beautiful folk from Emiliana Torrini, a neo-classical gem from Olafur Arnalds, the experimental noise rock of adopted Icelander Ben Frost and the folk pop of Benni Hemm Hemm. Excellent stuff all around.

Toy Soldiers

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Toy Soldiers

Album: Whisper Down the Lane

Label: MAD Dragon

Genre: Alt-country, folk rock

Comments: The Philadelphia troupe Toy Soldiers makes enjoyable, well-constructed country that falls right in with Langhorne Slim, Band of Annuals and The Avett Brothers. At times, elements of rock, blues and soul seep into Whisper Down the Lane, released on Drexel University's student-run MAD Dragon label. Start with "When I Tripped Into You" and "Be Right Here."

Dutch

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Dutch

Album: A Bright Cold Day

Label: Enemy Soil

Genre: Rock, trip hop

Comments: From the onesheet: "Dutch is the buzzed-about new project featuring the vocals of newcomer Liz Fullerton and production by Stoupe of the critically-acclaimed hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. Already, the duo has conjured comparisons to the dark trip-hop aesthetics of Portishead, the soul-piercing melodies of Cat Power, and the wrenching, provocative tones of Dido or Aimee Mann."

Check out "Just Before the Rain" and "Pearls."

Sleigh Bells

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Sleigh Bells

Album: Treats

Label: Mom + Pop/N.E.E.T.

Genre: Rock, noise pop, synth pop

Comments: Sleigh Bells could be forgiven if their debut LP didn't quite measure up to the constantly-escalating and far-reaching expectations, what with killer tracks like "Crown on the Ground" floating around the web for quite some time, signing to M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T. imprint, dazzling crowds at CMJ and Coachella, etc. Well, as it turns out, no apologies are necessary--the duo of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller has lived up to the hype. Treats is 32 minutes of spectacular, unthinkably noisy pop music, whipping through ear-splitting, yet danceable tracks like "Tell 'Em," "Infinity Guitars," "Riot Rhythm," "Kids," "A/B Machines" and the aforementioned "Crown on the Ground," occasionally deviating from the formula for a quieter pop number like "Rill Rill," but never abandoning the beats. And despite the distortion, Treats sounds remarkably polished; Miller and Krauss have quickly found their element, pouring hip-hop and synth pop rhythms into what Pitchfork describes as their "sonic assault." One of 2010's best debuts.

The Glitch Mob

Add Date: June 1

Artist: The Glitch Mob

Album: Drink the Sea

Label: Glass Air

Genre: Electronica, hip hop

Comments: The onesheet says: "Selling out major venues from coast to coast simply by word of mouth, The Glitch Mob has become a festival favorite, rocking crowds from Lollapalooza to Red Rocks to Coachella and Ultra with their visceral, innovative performances... Drink the Sea represents The Glitch Mob's transformation up from the underground into a more widescreen vision: combining the thundering percussive power of their live show with the relentlessly experimental ambition of the group's core producer/instrumentalists Justin Boreta, Ed Ma, and Josh Mayer.

"Throughout the album, Boreta, Ma, and Mayer artfully craft new, futuristic sounds that take influence from numerous genres, but land in none. For one, there are the Kodo-like drums, skittering percussion, and disembodied voices evoking Fever Ray and Sigur Ros that haunt songs like 'Dream Within a Dream' and 'Bad Wings.' Elsewhere, songs like 'We Swarm' funk into the unknown with string bass runs, live snares and undulating sunrise synths before unleashing an all-out rhythmic attack; alternately, 'How to Be Eaten By a Woman' finds buzzing, ominous guitars doing battle with staccato keyboard melodies. The album's sole full-vocal track ['Between Two Points'], meanwhile, features the singer Swan, whose dreamlike tones become another instrument, another texture in the album's constantly shifting, prismatic palette."

Foals

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Foals

Album: Total Life Forever

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Rock, Brit pop

Comments: On their second LP, the Oxford band Foals start to veer away from the angular rock sound of Klaxons or early Bloc Party, and into more atmospheric Brit pop that brings to mind Doves and Coldplay. Start with "This Orient" and "Blue Blood."

Katzenjammer

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Katzenjammer

Album: Le Pop

Label: Nettwerk

Genre: Rock, folk, international

Comments: Norway has a vibrant music scene, known in the indie rock world primarily for electronic pop acts like Annie and Royksopp. However, the all-girl quartet Katzenjammer is set to turn your notions of Scandinavian music inside out. The band churns out energetic pop tunes, infused with traditional folk and gypsy styles and a rich instrumentation that includes contrabass balalaika, mandolin, accordion, pipe organ, and a wide array of other strings and horns. Their 2008 debut, Le Pop, is finally getting a proper U.S. release by Nettwerk. For fans of Gogol Bordello and DeVotchKa. Check out "A Bar in Amsterdam" and "Tea With Cinnamon."

Funki Porcini

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Funki Porcini

Album: On

Label: Ninja Tune

Genre: Electronica, trip hop, jazz

Comments: James Braddell, the trip-hop trailblazer behind Funki Porcini, returns with his first LP since Fast Asleep in 2002. His work during the '90s had a major influence on Boards of Canada and Amon Tobin, among others, and On is a return to that form. Mixing the sounds of hip hop, ambient electronica and more--the second half of the record is heavily informed by jazz--Funki Porcini falls right in line with the excellent Cosmogramma LP from Flying Lotus. Recommendations on the promo sticker.

Marina & the Diamonds

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Marina & the Diamonds

Album: The Family Jewels

Label: Atlantic

Genre: Pop

Comments: Welsh musician Marina Diamandis makes danceable, off-kilter pop music in the same vein as fellow Britons Lily Allen and Kate Nash. I enjoyed the Spektoresque album closer "Numb," while the promoter recommends more upbeat tracks like "I Am Not a Robot" and "Hollywood."

Light Pollution

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Light Pollution

Album: Apparitions

Label: Carpark

Genre: Rock, psych pop, shoegaze

Comments: Chicago's Light Pollution explode on the stage with this powerful debut on Carpark (Toro y Moi, Dan Deacon, and the former home of Beach House). From the onesheet: "Swirling analog synths, shimmering arpeggios, and washed-out tape noise are embedded into combinations of '90s shoegaze, chillwave, and vocal psych-pop. Thanks to a unique blend of hi-fi and lo-fi tracking and their Midwestern demeanor, they are able to create hazy, psychedelic, layered sounds that set them apart from recent waves of lo-fi pop bands."

Apparitions will appeal to fans of Deerhunter and The Album Leaf. Start with "Good Feelings," "Oh, Ivory!" and "Fever Dreams."

moe.

Add Date: June 1

Artist: moe.

Album: Smash Hits: Volume One

Label: Fatboy

Genre: Jam bands, rock

Comments: The band moe. took a unique angle--actually, two angles--on putting out a greatest hits record. First, the band polled its members, management, techies, et al to pick the songs that got the best reaction from their live shows, with the top 10 making the grade. Second, moe. re-recorded several tracks to avoid copyright restrictions from their days on a major label; eight of the 10 songs here were cut just for this collection. Those are both very interesting concepts for these longtime jam favorites; recommendations on the promo sticker, but if you like moe., you probably already know which ones you want to spin.

Agness Twin

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Agness Twin

Album: Waiting for My Ghost

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, folk

Comments: Very dark pop songs from California band Agness Twin, which blend guitar, cello, piano, drums and synths into an unexpectedly folksy rock sound. Start with "Old Maid."

Half Acre Day

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Half Acre Day

Album: "Clockwise" (single)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Indie pop

Comments: The latest installment in Half Acre Day's single series has them venturing back into the psych pop realm of The Flaming Lips and Islands. Very enjoyable.

RM Hubbert

Add Date: June 1

Artist: RM Hubbert

Album: First & Last

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk, acoustic

Comments: Simple, yet quite beautiful flamenco-style acoustic guitar from the Scottish artist RM Hubbert on this self-issued effort. Someone with more knowledge of guitar picking could likely provide a better critique or review, but First & Last is very pleasant throughout. Check out "Jumphang" and "For Maria."

Mother/Father

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Mother/Father

Album: Physical Heaven (EP)

Label: Radical Notion

Genre: Rock, post-punk, New Wave

Comments: Not exactly what you'd expect from a Nashville band: Mother/Father display the country music capital's versatility with this 5-song set of New Wave and post-punk tunes descended from The Cure and Joy Division. Try "Cascades" and "Order."

Young Rival

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Young Rival

Album: Young Rival

Label: Sonic Unyon

Genre: Rock, garage rock

Comments: The Hamilton, Ontario trio Young Rival fall in line with the many, many '60s revivalists around these days, but they have enough energy to make it work and to make it interesting on this eponymous release. Young Rival's sound falls somewhere between the garage rock of King Khan (with whom they've toured) and the classic pop sound of The Kinks; for the best of this amalgamation, start with "Got What You Need" and "Ghost in the Park." However, they can also change things up--see the sunshine pop number "Don't Make a Sound" or the stoner rock of album closer "A Few Things Left." Young Rival is a very promising debut.

Ty Segall

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Ty Segall

Album: Melted

Label: Goner

Genre: Rock, garage rock, psych pop

Comments: From the promoter: "Ty Segall has been perfecting his formula of burying '60s sing-alongs and dance crazes beneath waves of reverb and fuzz, and his latest album, Melted, is his most realized to date. Marrying a cleaner sound, Segall delves into Beatles-esque melodies and experimental chord structures that add depth to his 'garage.' ... Melted is destined to find itself on the Top 10 lists of fans of Thee Oh Sees, Sic Alps and Tyvek."

Check out "My Sunshine" and "Sad Fuzz."

Nervous Curtains

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Nervous Curtains

Album: Out of Sync With Time

Label: Latest Flame

Genre: Rock

Comments: Featuring former Paper Chase member Sean Kirkpatrick, the Dallas trio Nervous Curtains make haunted rock tunes, but with a twist: piano in place of lead guitar. This is still most certainly rock, and not piano pop; the promoter compares Nervous Curtains to Girls Against Boys and McClusky. Recommendations on the album sticker.

Fjord Rowboat

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Fjord Rowboat

Album: Under Cover of Brightness

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, post-punk

Comments: Toronto's Fjord Rowboat make shoegazey post-punk that takes a page from Echo & the Bunnymen and Interpol. Check out "Other Side of a Dream" and "Underwater Hero."

Peggy Sue

Add Date: June 1

Artist: Peggy Sue

Album: Fossils and Other Phantoms

Label: Yep Roc

Genre: Folk, folk rock

Comments: On their full-length debut, the Brighton trio Peggy Sue make music that should appeal to fans of fellow British folksters Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons and Johnny Flynn, as well as artists from this side of the pond like Basia Bulat and The Felice Brothers. Says label Yep Roc (The Apples in stereo, The Sadies): "Creative compatriots Katy Young and Rosa Slade, along with drummer Olly Joyce, bob and weave their soulful, R&B-ready voices in and out of complex vocal interplay, achieving sonic qualities all their own. A folk power trio of sorts, Katy, Rosa and Olly blend minimalist drums, acoustic guitars, accordion and strings into a soul-folk blast that is much more than the sum of its parts."

Start with "Yo Mama," "Careless Talk Costs Lives," "She Called" and "I Read It in the Paper."