These boys from Brooklyn call their sound "Psychedelic New Wave," and after a few listens, I agree. Combine the zaniness of early They Might Be Giants with the unbridled enthusiasm of early Buzzcocks, toss in a good sense of humor, and throw it all down on an 8-track recorder. Lyrics are sharp too: "Jesus Pamphlets" begins, "I'm not easily led, merely open to bad suggestions." The chorus of "X-Rays" repeats, "I'm taking x-rays of you, and filing them away." It may not seem too funny out of context, but trust me, it is. The other tunes all share this infectious energy, and my guess is these guys will soon become the darlings of the college circuit. www.fakebrain.net

This is rock deconstructed at its best. Al Johnsons' raspy voice makes Tom Waits seem like a crooner. Guitarists Todd Rittmann and Mark Shippy range from absolutely giddy to raging maniacs, and drummer Pat Samson is equally chaotic, from skittish beats to primal pounding (bassist? they don't need no stinking bassist!). This is the kind of stuff that will send 9 out of 10 people out the door, complaining, "It's crap," or, "I could play that, and I don't know how to play." But disjointed though it may be, it ain't easy to pull this off. Avant garde along the lines of Television, Sonic Youth, or Captain Beefheart, the sonic mayhem is delicately crafted, and discerning listeners will be rewarded many times over. www.dragcity.com

Andriette Redmann's path to this CD has taken some interesting turns along the way. Born in Wisconsin, inspired by an accordion-playing aunt in her youth, off to stardom in Italy after securing a recording contract, and then the tragic loss of both parents to cancer. As for the CD itself, a mixture of big synth interlocked with folk country outpaces the other drivel often encountered in the New Age arena. Her voice carries through the songs like a velvet blanket or a feather drifting through the air. Songs like "Your Hands Lie Open" and "Flying" bring the guitars more forward than the keyboards, and the country feel succeeds. Overall, the disc has a relaxing effect. Bonus points for the Jethro Tull cover, "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day." www.sunpalacemusic.com

Smart and funny lyrics, county-influenced power pop, what more could you want? Grant Langston comes blowing in from the Left Coast like a breath of fresh air. The opener, "Ugly Women," is as hilarious as it is tender. Superficially, the title may sound otherwise, but lyrics like, "She was friendly, in the way only ugly women seem to be, she was nice to me," prove otherwise. While Langston and his band are kickass, he is just as strong on his own with an acoustic, as the last three cuts, recorded live, show. It's a bit of a mistake to have one song twice – "The Real Man" is here in both studio and live versions – but you'll get over it. Catch him when he comes to town. www.grantlangston.com

This compilation from 3:16 Records throws together twenty-one cuts from predominantly New York bands. They range from heavy, goth rockers to hyped-up speed-punk pop. For the former, Dead Emotion from Queens delivers "Nothing to Die For," a good song that suffers a bit from less-than-stellar production. A case of the latter is 5 Cent Deposit from Long Island, with "Things Ain't Fine," a ripper that sounds like an over-caffeinated Green Day. Staten Island's Blame rips through "The Blame," a speed-metal ditty that clocks in at just over two minutes. As a compilation of new bands, it's what you'd expect: A mix of songs and styles, and a wide range of production values. Does it rock? Well, if you don't want your ass kicked, don't bend over by the speakers. www.316productions.com

This trio of Brits is led by Leah Harlow on vocals and guitar, with Christie Moore on bass and Red Rob on drums. It's a disc that shows some promise, but is hobbled by poor production – front and backing vocals are weak and sometimes buried, the balance between instruments varies, etc. That said, there is some rock here, and on "Want Your Body," Harlow manages to rip some angry solos from her guitar. A final live cut, which seems to be a trend now among newer bands, sounds a bit thin, and the mix again ain't great. "Heaven" is probably the best cut, with some nice guitar runs up the neck, and solid harmonies against a ZZ Top chunky rhythm. They hope to get stateside, as the info sheet points out. Will they make the trip across the pond? Time will tell. www.atouchofclass1.co.uk

Another rockabilly compilation here, and like the one reviewed a while ago, this CD is chock full of fun. Maybe there's some sort of trend springing up, and creepy rockabilly is going to be the next big thing. Anyway, get a jump with these 21 tunes and their creepy bent, ranging from a benign, Stray Cat type sound (Phantom Cowboys, "Transylvania Girl") to a heavily distorted Crampish feel (Mr. Badwrench, "Gasoline") to the just plain weird (Electric Bird Noise, "Lazy Tumbleweeds"). While most of the bands come from the States, a few debut from across the pond. While some cuts clip just a bit, overall there's a solid feel here, and everything is polished. Get a copy now in time for Halloween. www.skullyrecords.com

Here's a heavy band out of Michigan, along the lines of Limp Bizkit, but frankly, much better. And what makes this outfit so good is the sound – almost a throwback to the seventies, with a heavy, arena rock guitar propelling the songs forward. You'll catch the influences of Motor City, and if there is such a thing as a Detroit sound, it's reflected here. Sure the lyrics are rapped, even chanted, sometimes even buried, and they may at times blather on about drug use too much, but there's that wicked guitar driving every song. And though some songs may start out slow and jazzy, make sure your tray is in the locked position, because they'll take off. Plain and simple, these guys kick ass. www.workhorsemovement.com

Her press kit mentions that Ohlman has been the singer for the Saturday Night Live Band for the past eight years, but I'm not sure that's needed. I can't remember hearing a voice when SNL goes to commercial, but never mind. Ohlman has a solid set of pipes; a strong, smoky, sexy voice doesn't stop coming out of the speakers. Her band is tight as well, and the resulting sound is that of a good bar band rocking the house. And that's not a bad thing, although the choice of the Stones' cover "Heart of Stone" seems a poor one. There's enough of a mix here from bluesy rock to ballads that you'll find enough reason to play it over and over again. Cool beehive hairdo too. www.christineohlman.com

If you like an energetic, garage-band sound, then trot on over to your favorite store and pick up this gem. Though it's been eight years since their last release, the wait was worth it. The sound, well, it's kind of a cross between a classic garage band and Seattle-based grunge, but with a cleaner guitar tone, if that makes any sense. Maybe it's because they don't play together too much, but you can certainly feel that they're having fun. Take the opener, "Solar Revelations," which sounds like a crazy mix of early Devo and STP. Or, 12 songs later, try "In the Days of the Five," an eight-and-a-half-minute, hazy, acid trippy ditty. I just wish I had a garage they could play in. www.estrus.com