If only Washington, D.C.'s A Day in Black & White could have harnessed the "New Energy" they found in the track of the same name, this might have been the next great D.C. hardcore record since the glory days of Rites of Spring and Gray Matter. Said tune also has some of the best guitar harmonics this side of Fugazi's Repeater. But alas, this young band, featuring a member of the like-minded D.C. hardcore band Navies, just doesn't maintain the intensity needed to push this release into the annals of D.C. underground history. Remember those not-as-stellar Dischord bands from the golden era? The ones whose records were brought home because of the Dischord imprint, only to disappoint when they weren't as good as Fugazi or Jawbox, and tended to meander about? Soulside comes to mind. Well, that's A Day in Black & White, a band that has a striking advantage over 90 percent of the shite being passed off as emo, punk, or hardcore these days, but still can't find a way to write a knockout album. But, ah, they're young yet, and that "New Energy" is definitely one hell of a song!
-Jason Schreurs

ALEXISONFIRE/MONEEN
Split EP [Vagrant]
[Fans of emo bands covering each other's songs take note.]

Pay attention now: This six-song EP features two Canadian bands - Alexisonfire and Moneen - covering two of each other's songs, as well as contributing one new song each. And even though I understand that this is not a contest, it's hard not to note that Moneen definitely comes out on top. Their renditions of Alexisonfire's "Accidents Are on Purpose" and "Sharks in Danger," as well as their new track "Bleed and Blister (Version Two)," are pretty spectacular. Moneen seems to take a few more chances than their cohorts (who still turn in fine performances, just not as inspired) and really make the songs their own (Christ, I'm sounding like an American Idol judge here ...). Regardless, fans of either band won't be disappointed with this intriguing experiment.
-Adem Tepedelen

THE BEAUTIFUL NEW BORN CHILDREN
Hey People! [Domino]
[Fans of The Strokes, The Hives and Kings of Leon take note.]

The story of Beautiful New Born Children is one that makes the everyday, hardworking band feel like shit. A non-descript CD-R with no attached contact information lands on the submissions desk at Domino Records. Weeks of Internet searches ensue, leading Domino to BNBC, a band they still claim to be very much a mystery to them. But as Domino found out, and as you'll find out soon enough, this is the stuff of which submissions desk dreams are made. With its quick-jaunt debut disc, BNBC captures the immediacy of efforts like The Strokes' Is This It by way of its careful yet lovable we're-trying-to-make-this-seem-unplanned-and-its-working garage sound. That sound is paired with an unnamed vocalist's pipes, which match the growly, sedated passion of Julian Casablancas, but with a boisterous Pelle Almqvist delivery. It's overall a bit more excitable than either of those boys' bands though, and in being so manages to bring to mind the party atmosphere of giant lineups like The Arcade Fire (or maybe it's just the cult name), though with a casual, crackly recording. Hey People! will probably be the most fun you'll have with a debut disc for a while, and, accordingly, stands as a safe investment.
-Ashley Graham

BELL ORCHESTRE
Recording a Tape the Colour of Light [Rough Trade]
[Fans of The Arcade Fire, Brian Eno and Alarm Will Sound take note.]

OK, who here is sick of hearing about the Montreal music scene? I have to admit, even as a proud Canadian, I'm getting kind of tired of it. So, when I picked up this disc and saw that it not only dropped the M-word in the first sentence of the press kit but also stated that the group actually shares two members with the Arcade Fire, I rolled my eyes. However, after listening to this amazing album, all my apprehension melted away. From the soft, well-placed tinkle of bells to the ever-changing sounds of Sarah Neufeld's violin, each of the album's 11 instrumental tracks takes you on a unique and indescribable journey. The band has assured us that this isn't merely an Arcade Fire side project, so let's hope we hear more coming from this talented group of musicians in the years to come.
-Amanda Farrell

BOUND STEMS
The Logic of Building the Body Plan EP [Flameshovel]
[Fans of Modest Mouse, Portastatic and Archers of Loaf take note.]

The Logic of Building the Body Plan is an antsy preview of Bound Stems' debut album slated for release this summer. The EP chronicles three years of band history with estranged time signatures that often get tangled within the same song; "Totipotent" showcases each musician's mood with ethereal guitar lines and a drummer laying down beats as if he's just eaten too much candy, while the vocals meander about in outer space. But don't conclude that Bound Stems is space rock. Listen to songs like "Wake Up, Ma and Pa Are Gone" and "Risking Life & Limb for the Coupon," two of the EP's best tunes, and you'll hear the ratty pages of a crinkled and ink-worn notebook that chronicles the life and blood of this band. For better or worse, the music just naturally follows.
-Andrew Duncan

THE BRIEFS
Steal Yer Heart [BYO]
[Fans of The Vibrators, Weirdos and Buzzcocks take note.]

If you don't know The Briefs yet, now's an ideal time to be schooled. Their latest opus, Steal Yer Heart, is quite possibly the Seattle-based band's finest work - a lofty statement, considering the monumental output they already have under their belts, the last being 2003's Sex Objects. Here, as per usual, it's apparent from the get-go these guys are having genuine fun with their spirited, '77-inspired punk. And not only do they rock hard, the lyrics also reflect their fun nature/attitude. Irreverent and cheeky are the operative words here (the first song is an energetic riot called "Genital General"), something not often seen nowadays with so many bands over-intellectualizing and taking themselves too nauseatingly seriously. Most songs here are wild blasts in The Weirdos/Vibrators vein, but they also mix in the alluringly dark and moody "Can't Get Through"; the quick, Angry Samoans-like "My Girl (Wants to Be a Zombie)"; and a pop-punk gem recalling The Queers, "Forty and Above," a song about a younger man who loves women in their riper years. Another great tune is "Lint Fabrik," which holds Yours Truly's favorite line: "I'm so bored I feel retarded." With this record, that ain't the case anymore ...
-Janelle Jones

CELEBRATION
S/T [4AD]
[Fans of TV on the Radio, Dead Can Dance, and dancing naked in forests take note.]

At a recent show by devoted Celebration boosters TV on the Radio, David Sitek took a moment to give the Baltimore three-piece a shout-out. "If Jesus Christ and Calla formed a rock band," he enthused, "it'd sound like Celebration. Only there wouldn't be as much sex in it." The description is a little off - Calla would have to get less synth-y, and Christ a lot throatier, before their collaboration sounded much like Celebration's self-titled debut - but it's understandable why Sitek and crew are so jazzed about these guys. Celebration captures the primal intensity of a great band better than any of TVOTR's own mildly underwhelming records. Wild-voiced Katrina Ford and remarkable player-of-everything Sean Antanaitis have had a string of fine bands in the past that you've never heard of - Jaks, Lovelife and Birdland - but two minutes into smashing opener "War" and you know they've hit their stride here. In some weird way, this is the perfect 4AD band for 2005; Celebration boasts the sort of darkly multicolored primitivism that you remember from old faves like Lush, His Name is Alive and Dead Can Dance, updated with fiercely modern production courtesy of Sitek himself to turn Ford's spirits-of-nature howling and yelping loose in a desolate post-9/11 urban jungle. If that sounds like a load of buzzword claptrap to you, well, just spin the incredible "Diamonds" or "Stars" and let yourself be swept away. Very good stuff.
-Steven Hanna

DENGUE FEVER
Escape From Dragon House [M80/BRG]
[Fans of Dick Dale, early Pink Floyd and Matthew Sweet take note.]

This band is like oral sex: intriguing and strange ... until you give it a try and soon discover that you can't get enough. The blending and mixing of different cultures and genres is nothing new, but when it's done well and with spirit, the result is excitingly transcendent. This Silver Lake, Calif. six-piece has crafted something truly unique, eclectic and energetically fun. Escape From Dragon House is a collection of pop/rock songs originally recorded in Cambodia in the late '60s and early '70s, with a couple of original numbers thrown into the tangy mix. But these are more than mere cover songs best suited to an Austin Powers soundtrack. Au contraire! Here we have some excellent, trippy, retro-ish '60s disco surf-rock, mystically floating in heavy Cambodian sweet sauce ... and that's just where it begins. Give this a few spins and you'll find yourself spontaneously attempting to sing in Khmer, the native language of Cambodia. You can play this at the next 'shroom-fest in the privacy of your own mind. You can also play this at any well-attended dance party where open-mindedness and experimentation are the silly-serious psychedelic soup du jour. Wow! Start undulating and be drawn imperceptibly into the shamanic trance that permeates every song.
-Marcus Solomon

DIOS (MALOS)
S/T [StarTime International]
[Fans of The Beatles, Supergrass, Ben Folds Five and Dandy Warhols take note.]

Hailing from Hawthorne, Calif. - a city infamously known for hosting the Beach Boys once upon a time - Dios (Malos) are well bred for crafting sickly sweet harmonies and deliciously catchy pop music. It's perpetual summer inside these 12 songs. Opening track "Feels Good Being Somebody" starts the momentum with the beat of the toms and a playful melody. By the third track, "I Want It All," you're entering the party peak of the record (which is your cue to clap to the beat and sing along to the chorus). The order of the songs could have been rearranged a bit to help the record's overall feel, but whether it be "EPK," "No Dance Now" or any of the other sentimentally layered songs, any one of them can be a radio hit. This disc is more than just that California/beach label the band is often tagged with, and in its entirety can be enjoyable to music fans of all ages; it shares a common denominator that mirrors at least one facet of one's musical palette. You can literally buy this record for your entire holiday gift list and rest assured you won't go wrong.
-Céleste Tabora

EYES OF FIRE
Prisons [Century Media]
[Far-reaching melodic near-goth metal that doesn't suck like every other goth metal band does. Fans of Fields of the Nephilim, Neurosis and Mindrot take note.]

With two of the main songwriters of the mighty melodic doom metal maestros Mindrot being the driving force behind this more streamlined unit, there are more than a few similarities between the two bands. Extreme misery and despair in the music is the main thing, along with a true sense of cinematic intensity. Prisons has a more raw feel to it than the California band's debut, the excellent Ember to Ashes, with fewer guitar effects and songs that are a bit more to-the-point. But we're still talkin' epic here, folks: If that second disc with the 25-minute song doesn't scare ya off, then it probably has you drooling. If so, Prisons will be the first disc of 2006 to melt yer mind, and I dunno what the hell is gonna compete with this. At times rockin' like first-era goth rock, at times very Neurosis-like in its power and vibe, this band is in a genre all its own. With Eyes of Fire's mix of melody and apocalyptic abrasion, and the buildup, journey and climax its music contains, most metal bands should be shaking in their booties at the thought of releasing an album after this one.
-Greg Pratt

GOGOGO AIRHEART
Rats! Sing! Sing! [GSL]
[Fans of Public Image Ltd. and The Rapture take note.]

The whole dance-punk revival came and went with little more than a grunt and whimper; James Murphy's too preoccupied with LCD Soundsystem at the moment to proffer another hand-out to the The Rapture, and the Liars stunk up the joint with their critically-reviled second full-length. Meanwhile, scene granddaddies Gogogo Airheart - who like Gang of Four as much as the next New York scenester - quietly released a succinct statement of purpose (2002's ExitheUXA) and went into hibernation. Well, mostly. bassist Ashish Vyas dropped hints about a series of sessions with RFTC/ Drive Like Jehu mastermind John Reis that (sadly) never materialized. Rats! Sing! Sing! - recorded and mixed with Carlos de la Garza earlier this year - honors Gogogo Airheart's legacy of willful eclecticism. The white-hot opening of "Lie With the Lamb" threatens to usher in another dance-punk revival, and continued experiments with dub take center stage on "Turn Out the Lights." But the knock on Gogogo Airheart remains the same as past efforts: Where's the common denominator? The odd track like "Heart on a Chain" or "The Big Girl of Beauty" suggests the group's closer along to crafting its own Yank Crime; the rest of the record smacks of wayyyyy too much time in the studio.
-Nick Green

HUDSON BELL
When the Sun Is the Moon [Monitor]
[Fans of The Weakerthans, Spiritualized and early Flaming Lips take note.]

Third time's a charm, and Hudson Bell - the man, not the band - has created a masterpiece with When the Sun Is the Moon. Fueled by the same sonic architecture as Spaceman 3-turned-Spiritualized and early Flaming Lips, Hudson Bell - the band named after its main man - offers a blissful and serene view of a rock band. The songs are drawn out, yet never exhausted from the layers of instruments and volume the group showcases. Bell's singing is naturally flawed with a twangy accent, making his lyrics seem that much more meaningful and sincere. Add that to the album's organic production quality and get a gorgeous landscape that can be interpreted in so many ways. Hudson Bell paints a portrait of American life rich in imagery, and with an absolutely breathtaking soundtrack.
-Andrew Duncan

THE JAI-ALAI SAVANT
Thunderstatement EP [GSL]
[Fans of Franklin, Fugazi, The Police and Bedouin Soundclash take note.]

The Jai-Alai Savant vocalist/guitarist Ralph Darden has always been admired for his desire to push the boundaries, and his latest group is no different. Best known for his work in Philadelphia band Franklin, a group who threw the emo-hardcore scene for a loop with their dub and soul stylings, Darden is back with another outfit that takes pride in not fitting in. The songs of The Jai-Alai Savant (pronounced hy-ly sa-vont) are definitely an acquired taste; a strange amalgamation of reggae, punk, dub, and pop. Thanks to Darden's sing-sung vocalizing, which sounds like Sting meets Perry Farrell (but in a good way, folks), and the inventiveness of his two co-players, Mike Ali and Jeremy Gewertz, the band has a sound that not only incorporates bongo drums, tape loops, and a bit of rhyming, but also enough pop elements to keep us singing along. Anyone daring enough to give this EP more than a casual listen will find himself keenly anticipating The Jai-Alai Savant's debut full-length.
-Jason Schreurs

JETTIE
Heading for Mornings [Astro Magnetics]
[Fans of Sigur R—s, Coldplay and Poor Rich Ones take note.]

Maybe it's the massive scope of sound or the overwhelming impression of orchestral rock that Jettie consists of, but this debut album explodes with accomplished talent and sincere tonal aesthetics. What Heading for Mornings is not is an over-the-top production. Beyond the pianos, the lush guitars, the mixture of melodic and harmonic vocals, and the exemplified beats is simplicity and an organic song structure. Sure, you'll want to jump off the cliff and soar into the clouds while listening to songs like "Nyanian" and "The Coaster," but the band is aware of how to effectively use restraint. Songs like "Inside Your Vaults/6.5" explore the beauty of minimal construction, putting the dissonant guitar tones and lazy drum beats in the background and allowing the vocals to take center stage. This duality in magnitude is what makes Heading for Mornings a delight.
-Andrew Duncan

LIGHTNING BOLT
Hypermagic Mountain [Load]
[Fans of Van Halen, Black Dice and stomach-turning disorientation take note.]

As a friend and I were driving into the city the other night, he spied the new Lightning Bolt album on the dashboard and excitedly popped it into the stereo. We made it four or five songs in, bobbing our heads determinedly as the mile markers whizzed past outside and the Providence noise-rock duo thrashed and squalled heroically through the speakers, until finally my friend turned to me with a kind of sour look on his face and said, "Hey, mind if I turn this off?" I tried not to seem too relieved as I assented. Now, don't take this as anything but the very high compliment it is, but you could spin Hypermagic Mountain while lying stock-still on that very comfy couch in your living room, and by track seven or eight you'll still feel kind of like you've been trying to read a magazine while riding in a speeding car over a windy, hilly road. Unlike, say, the energizing thunder of Comets on Fire or even the Main Street Electrical mayhem of Wolf Eyes, Lightning Bolt is obsessed with an almost minimalist brand of noise. Drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale shows his kit no quarter, while bassist Brian Gibson provides what little there is to hold onto as the band skyrockets into mammoth, Bonzo-circa-"Moby Dick" territory. For my money, anti-Bush nonsense like "Dead Cowboy" is better left to those who pursue articulateness rather than chaos, but the start-and-stop freak-fest "For the Obsessed" is as close as you get to the musical equivalent of the tallest theme-park freefall ride ever built.
-Steven Hanna

THE LONG WINTERS
Ultimatum EP [Barsuk]
[Fans of Coldplay, Keane and Neil Young take note.]

The Long Winters is the vehicle for songwriter/vocalist John Roderick's thoughtful vision, and Ultimatum is an EP that packs a big punch into its relatively short, six-song length. It opens on a winning note with "The Commander Thinks Aloud," which takes the perspective of an astronaut returning home to Earth. With its stately piano foundation and high-wiry lead vocal, this particular track comes off sounding a little bit like an unlikely intersection between Neil Young and Coldplay. Elsewhere, the words of "Everything Is Talking" are saturated with weariness over many of this modern world's so-called technological communications advancements as Roderick mourns the loss of plain and simple human interaction. Many smart lines are sprinkled throughout this CD's other selections as well. Roderick sings, "You play hard to want" during "Delicate Hands," then - with an opinion every honest man can relate to - he admits, "Bride and bridle are too close in a man's mind" on the song "Bride and Bridle." Due to its short length, though, Ultimatum ultimately leaves one wanting more.
-Dan MacIntosh

xLOOKING FORWARDx
The Path We Tread [Facedown]
[Fans of Gorilla Biscuits, Good Riddance and Minor Threat take note.]

For the uninitiated, xLooking Forwardx is a straight-edge Christian hardcore band from Maryland. Sure, I suppose people having qualms with hardcore/punk bands that blatantly sing about their faith and beliefs, feeling the term "Christian hardcore" oxymoronic, might write these guys off right away. But those of a more open-minded nature will appreciate xLFx's undeniable talent, dedication and heart that all ooze throughout the tight hardcore found on the group's third LP (and first for Facedown), The Path We Tread. This stuff's just plain good, recalling (musically) such heavyweights as Good Riddance and Gorilla Biscuits. These songs, namely "Heroes of Your Revolution," "Displacement Theory," and the veritable tour de force of the album, the mighty one-two punch of the instrumental "Gimme Two Steps" and "War Tells All" (the two songs closing out the album), are truly powerful: relentless, fast and pounding, but still infused with great, memorable melodies. Lyrically, as aforementioned, the guys' faith isn't in question, yet it's not overbearing, either, as they tackle real issues, sometimes looking inward and often conveying meaningful messages about the importance of living a purposeful life and the value of friends and family - things to which we can all relate.
-Janelle Jones

MADE IN MEXICO
Zodiac Zoo [Skin Graft]
[Fans of Arab on Radio, Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower and Sonic Youth take note.]

Made in Mexico is the sonic equivalent to a flailing orgy in the palace, only to end in a mass of bodily fluids. Zodiac Zoo hearkens back to a first listen of Sonic Youth's Confusion Is Sex, only with better production. But what more can you expect from a group who has roamed the streets in bands like Arab on Radar, La Machine, and Bossman? The guitars speak to us like a schizophrenic clown with Tourette's syndrome as each drum beat stings our earlobes. And Rebecca Mitchell's occasional vocal line gives us no guideline or reassurance as to where the song is going, leaving us as lost as when we first entered these catacombs of noise. Fueling oneself by New York art punk at 3 a.m. will only produce wicked results, and songs like "Clockwork" and "Black Rabbit" are Made in Mexico's derogatory reactions. Zodiac Zoo is like being flicked in the eye: It hurts like hell, but you let it happen to you again.
-Andrew Duncan

MINUS STORY
No Rest for Ghosts [Jagjaguwar]
[Fans of the Flaming Lips, Microphones and all things eerily gorgeous take note.]

In an effort to relieve some pent-up guilt, I shall come clean: I very nearly gave this disc a mere cursory listen and chalked it up to generic indie rock. Oh, the shame! I now indeed know the error of my ways, and the reward for realizing that error is an enormous one. In an era in which the album has fallen by the wayside with the advent of music downloading, even the most liberal of music journalists sometimes catch themselves looking and listening only for that immediately accessible nugget of ear candy. But in doing so, great albums like No Rest for Ghosts fall into a black hole of musical genius. Don't dare put this disc on as background music until you've come to grips with its brilliance. To be brief, No Rest is an iridescent dream with just enough off-kilter sheen to keep you from ever wanting to wake up. It isn't until song eight, "There Is a Light" (actually "Will I Be Fighting?," but renamed after a track switcheroo), that the goosebumps reach their full peak; group an eerily militaristic drum beat, delicately swaying pedal guitar, cooing trumpet, unassuming piano and disconnected vocals, and you can actually hear the fatigued ghosts padding across the attic in search of comfort. Splendidly spine-chilling.
-Jodie Kautzmann

NIRVANA
Sliver: The Best of the Box [Geffen]
[Fans of grunge, collecting and frugality take note.]

I have not heard one note of With the Lights Out, so I cannot offer an opinion about whether this disc is accurately named. With 19 previously released tracks and three that have never seen the light of day, this feels like an obvious cash-in, since I'm sure they could've squeezed an extra three songs on the box set. Completists will begrudgingly shell out for "Spank Thru," from 1985's Fecal Matter demo (featuring only Cobain and the Melvins' Dale Crover on bass and drums), a 1990 studio demo of "Sappy" (the final version appeared on 1993's No Alternative comp), and the "boom box version" (read: poor quality practice demo) of "Come As You Are." None are the best of The Best of the Box. Instead, 1994's acoustic home demo of "You Know You're Right" (better than the single), "Oh the Guilt" (from a 1992 Touch and Go split with The Jesus Lizard), the classic Kurt musings on 1988 rehearsal demo "Mrs. Butterworth," Bleach-era studio recording "Blandest" (1988), and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker" (from Nirvana's first gig in 1987) steal the show. If you can't afford or don't have the patience to pore over a box set, pick this up.
-Natasha Padilla

ONCE FOR KICKS
In the Dollhouse [Book]
[Fans of Guided By Voices, Shudder to Think, Flop and Visqueen take note.]

Seattle's Once For Kicks' previous two albums were only available in very limited quantities (300 each), so maybe they were just warming up for their big coming out with In the Dollhouse. Yes, it's on a small Seattle indie label, but this meaty power pop album can stand up to anything that's been released - on a major, indie, whatever - this year. The core of this quartet - vocalist/guitarist Bill Coury and guitarist Tom Cummings - have been playing together since the early '90s when they fronted local sensation Sourmash, and their knack for writing punchy guitar pop has only continued to improve. They're now joined by Kurt Bloch (ex-Fastbacks) on bass and drummer Dave Gleza (ex-My Name), who bring their own pop expertise to the proceedings. In the Dollhouse opens with the lurching start-stop of the beautifully chaotic "Pieces," and after one listen, you may be inclined to put that song on repeat and listen to it several more times. Keep going, however, and you'll discover Visqueen vocalist Rachel Flotard helping out on the sweet, clumsy "I Need a Script," as well as 10 other fantastically catchy, charming songs. Once For Kicks have taken full advantage of their years of songwriting experience by putting together a cohesive album where no two songs really sound alike. Sure, there are constants, but you'll probably discover a different song you like better than the others every time you listen to it.
-Adem Tepedelen

PEARLS AND BRASS
The Indian Tower [Drag City]
[Some people probably think this sounds like Sabbath. I hear Cream's Disraeli Gears meets Slint meets John Fahey.]

Sure, Slint figures into Pearls and Brass' stoner-rock way of thinking. The Nazareth, Pa. trio hadn't played for nearly a year until the once-dead Slint got them to play an All Tomorrow's Parties Festival. Since then, Pearls and Brass' cheerless, raucous blues has found itself tinged with the spare sadness of Fahey-vibing folk and train-chugging country, crackling-wallpaper ambience. But it's a formidably cold mathlete's groove - the calculable chill of the skronk - that steers The Indian Tower away from a hot desert's plains into the rarified altitudinal air of hard steel. Is it heavy metal blues that pervades the Tower? Nah. It's heavy Brass, maaan.
-A.D. Amorosi

RIS PAUL RIC
Purple Blaze [Academy Fight Song]
[Fans of the The Sea and Cake, Paul Anka and Sam Prekop take note.]

What would Justin Timberlake's bastardized alter ego be? It would be Ris Paul Ric, of course. Maybe American Idol would shun him, but this vocal virtuoso can carry a note. As Har Mar Superstar is to hip-hop, Ris Paul Ric is to The Bee Gees - not the four-on-the-floor Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees, but the soul-stomping, vocal-crooning serenade, which would make him Paul Anka. His '60s psychedelic-tinged folk rock is more about charisma than free love. And his Purple Blaze sets the indie world on fire. Songs like "Run Up Wild on Me" are so over the top that you cannot help but love 'em. And the coffee-shop acoustic lounge of "The Sleeparound" is exquisitely delightful. At first, you almost want to hate this guy, but he turns that frown upside down with his charisma. Expect the unexpected when you sink your teeth into this album.
-Andrew Duncan

TARANTULA A.D.
Book of Sand [Kemado]
[Fans of CocoRosie, Devendra Banhart and classics with a modern twist take note.]

This disc has "epic" written all over it. From the first notes of "Conquest" to the last of "The Fall," it's clear that Tarantula A.D. isn't just your average band with high hopes and empty promises. This second release combines the sensibilities of an upbringing in classical music with an adulthood oversaturated with indie rock. The album wraps its listener in the throes of a fictionalized tragedy brought to life. Sure, there are notable vocal appearances by some of the most free-thinking musicians around today, such as Devendra Banhart and CocoRosie's Sierra Casady, but Tarantula's distinct ability to create its own instrumental narrative is what brings this album to the top of the CD pile. Recorded on an island off the coast of Washington, Tarantula let the outside in while putting the album together, leaving the doors of the lodge ajar and allowing nature to enter. That naturalistic setting takes center stage at the beginning of "Prelude to the Fall," an album highlight, as the birds chirp in time with the simplistic piano solo. Pick this record up in your nearest mom-and-pop shop. It'll be the one with that epic warrior hero on the cover (no joke!).
-Ashley Graham

TENDER FOREVER
The Soft and the Hardcore [K]
[Fans of Stereolab, The Softies and Xiu Xiu take note.]

Melanie Valera takes laptop and home recording technology to new heights. Bordeaux, France's pop darling makes her debut in the K family with exciting results. Valera goes beyond the '60s girl-band philosophy and '80s new wave aesthetic as she puts her DIY signature on the lush vocal harmonies and angular sonic architecture, whether it's the synthesized accordions of "Make Out" or the twitchy drum machine beats of the title track. Of course what stands out the most is her palette for deep personal philosophy. Her vocal jabs are sharper and more significant than, say, Stereolab's, but the two acts share an identity in their punk-like songwriting attitude. From the personally dark folk melodies of "Then If I'm Weird I Want to Share" to the batting eyes of "The Magic of Crashing Stars," Valera appears innocent but deep; in her songs is a beast luring us into her longing for love and valor in a dark society.
-Andrew Duncan

THIN DARK LINE
The Resolution [One Eleven]
[Fans of Thrice, Hawthorne Heights and Rush take note. That's right, I said Rush!]

One of the great things about Thin Dark Line is that the band presents a whole package. The CD is themed, and I like that. The group's not going for a future VH1 one-hit-wonder special; everyone sat down and put together a whole CD. There's nothing over the top about the packaging, but for those who say the physical CD is dead, I say TDL certainly did not kill it. As for the music, the Rush-style guitars meet Thrice and hammer through the songs like a gentle machine gun. The vocals are layered and harmonized to the max. There are lots of sing-alongs here for those of us who like to spazz out to music in our cars. Vocalist Bryan Barnes authoritatively belts out the yells as well as whispers the soft lines. He mixes it up quite well, and I have yet to be bored by this CD.
-Gus Peña

TRISTEZA
A Colores [Better Looking]
[Fans of Tortoise, instrumental music and The Church take note.]

Standing tall on a desert plain, the heat wraps you up like a blanket. But you begin to feel a breeze that quickly engulfs you, swirling around you like a ghost. This is Tristeza's sound - whimsical yet persistent. Taking its business into Mexico, this collection of lush instrumentals was conceived from the geography and geology of la Playa de Tijuana. The new environment has fared well for the band; Tristeza mesmerizes with a bravado not completely realized on its last two releases. Tempos and styles vary from song to song as the group explores dreamlike surrealism on "La Tierra Sutil" or engages in confident interplay on "Halo Heads." These compositions are more focused and two new members add depth, keeping the band vibrant. A Colores only improves as one discovers new elements to the album with every listen.
-Andrew Duncan

WE ARE SCIENTISTS
With Love and Squalor [Virgin]
[Fans of Gang of Four, The Fever and Hot Hot Heat take note.]

The follow-up to We Are Scientists' major-label debut has proven to be remarkable. This time around, the band was able to locate all the right buttons, cranking up the energy level, power and dance-ability while treating every track on the album as a hit. Each song is presented as the end-all of rock 'n' roll. But as one song ends and the next begins, the group manages to continually outdo itself. And if you think the melody is pushed as far as it can go in the majestic "It's a Hit," then wait until We Are Scientists puts on its rock pants for "The Great Escape." From disco beats to rough-edged New York art rock, We Are Scientists covers the gamut of style. With Love and Squalor is everything right with rock 'n' roll.
-Andrew Duncan

WESTERN ADDICTION
Cognicide [Fat Wreck Chords]
[Fans of Black Flag, Kill Your Idols and Enemy You take note.]

Here's a novel idea: Make punk rock the way it was meant to be played. No pretense, no fashion, no bullshit; just anger, speed, screaming, attitude, politics, a bit of nihilism and enough emotion to keep us involved. Western Addiction is the latest in a long line of punk/hardcore bands on the Fat Wreck Chords label. But instead of dwelling in a world where punk rockers are rubbing elbows with presidential candidates, this foursome of Fat Wreck Chords employees (and members of other bands like Enemy You, Dead to Me and Radio Reelers) cranks it out old-school style. Moments here definitely reek of Black Flag, especially the influence giveaway of "The Church of Black Flag," but it's more than simple Ginn/Morris/Rollins worship at play here. Just when it seems Western Addiction's singers are gonna blow a gasket, in comes a perfectly placed "whoa whoa." It's genius, really. With a keen balance of melody and abandon, these dudes rip through 12 songs in 21 minutes. The thing is, it never gets old. Stick this on repeat and take the listening test. I made it through three complete rotations in one crack and was aching for more. How often does that happen?
-Jason Schreurs

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