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My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

Evil Urges

If the more adventurous parts of 2006’s ‘Z’ hinted at the Kentuckian quintet’s quest to shed their much-loved origins as Neil Young worshipping modern masters of noodling for the better part of eternity, ‘Evil Urges’ hammers home the message. The combo renowned for stately-paced epics that turn the clocks back to the hairier parts of the 70’s is no more. Long live the new, streamlined incarnation of My Morning Jacket.

Tokio Hotel: Scream

Scream

Emo is distinctly an American creation, one popularized by rich kids whose idea of rebelling is getting a shitty haircut and buying clothes with characters from Disney movies and overrated Nickelodeon cartoons on them. While the genre has had some success overseas, there have not been any European emo bands that have come close to the sales of groups like AFI, Panic at the Disco or My Chemical Romance. That’s changing now, thanks to Tokio Hotel, a band that has been tearing up the charts in their homeland of Germany, no doubt because girls seem to go gaga for the 19-21-year-olds who make up the band. It sure as hell can’t be because of their talent, originality or anything related to the music, because Tokio Hotel doesn’t even fit the low standards needed to stand out as a halfway decent emo band. The only thing memorable about the group is the lead singer’s hair.

Neil Diamond: Home Before Dark

Home Before Dark

It was the season of the first Super Bowl. “The Sound of Music” won Best Picture. Lyndon Johnson was in the White House. The year was 1966, and a Russian-Polish Jew named Neil Diamond escaped Brooklyn and released his first album, The Feel of Neil Diamond, after writing “I’m a Believer” for The Monkees a couple years prior. A mere 42 years later, the Chiefs aren’t any good, the musical has been replaced by the sequel, and President Johnson’s party has seen just two Democrats succeed him since. Pretty much everything has changed – except for the unmistakable songwriting prowess of Neil Diamond.

Opeth: Watershed

Watershed

Not all prog is created equal. Take prog metal, for instance. In one corner are Mastodon, who are prog to the core: long songs, lots of noodling, worship of 1970s Genesis (at least on the part of drummer Brann Dailor, an avowed Phil Collins acolyte). In the other corner are Dream Theater, who are equally prog: long songs, lots of noodling, worship of 1970s Rush (at least on the part of drummer Mike Portnoy, an avowed Neil Peart acolyte). Hipsters love Mastodon, but they won't go near Dream Theater. Dream Theater fans are equally unlikely to sport Mastodon t-shirts.

Weezer: Self Titled (Red Album)

Weezer (Red Album)

As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer consistently delivers their trademark hook-heavy guitar pop. What sets the band apart from every other garage band out there however, is their geekiness. None of the members of Weezer, especially leader Rivers Cuomo, are conventional rockers -- they were kids that holed up in their garage, playing along with their favorite records when they weren't studying or watching TV. As a result, their music is infused with a quirky sense of humor and an endearing awkwardness that made songs like "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "Buddy Holly," and "Say It Ain't So" off their self-titled debut into big modern rock hits during 1994 and 1995.

The Pinker Tones: Wild Animals

Wild Animals

Fresh and wildly eclectic, Barcelona-based electropop wizards The Pinker Tones dazzle on their latest disc, "Wild Animals." Comprised of neo-lounge lizards Mister Furia (Salvador Rey) and Professor Manso (Alex Llovetand), The Pinker Tones provide an ambitious mix of styles — including funk, pop, psychedelia, hip-hop, soul and bossa nova — but remain grounded by contagious melodies.

Alanis Morissette: Flavors Of Entanglement

Flavors Of Entanglement

When your boyfriend runs off with a Hollywood blonde turned Tom Waits covers artist, it must be hard to find your feet again. Thankfully Alanis Morissette is no wilting wallflower and her fifth international album, guided by producer and co-writer Guy Sigsworth, is a mass of musical experiments and heartbreak. Opening track Citizens Of The Planet's Asian percussion laces a dark and broody atmosphere and makes a brave opener. It sets the scheme of Morissette's range for the rest of the album.

Ladytron: Velocifero

Velocifero

From their earliest moments, Ladytron was always a band that was so far left of the norm that any mainstream success seemed like a far-fetched fantasy. With thick synths, harsh vocals, and nothing that sounded even remotely ordinary, they eventually gained some sort of widespread recognition with cult hits like "Seventeen" and "Destroy Everything You Touch." Their most recent album, Witching Hour (2005), was a giant leap forward for both the band, and their unique style of electronic pop. Velocifero continues this trend with songs that are much easier to swallow without completely disowning their signature sound. Simply put, Velocifero is easily the most accomplished Ladytron album to date.

Paul Weller: 22 Dreams

22 Dreams

2008 release, Paul Weller's ninth solo studio album in an amazing 30 year career that saw him front The Jam and The Style Council. Recorded over the course of a year at Paul's own Black Barn Studios in Surrey, 22 Dreams is a kaleidoscopic tour de force incorporating Rock, Funk, Soul, Free Jazz, Krautrock, Classical, Spoken Word, Electronica and all stops in between. It's a seventy minute (m)odyssey delivered with a verve and ambition to shame musicians half his age.

Johnny Foreigner: Waited Up Til It Was Light

Waited Up Til It Was Light

Critics have ruminated n for Johnny Foreigner since the release of last year's mini-album, Arcs Across The City. With the release of the debut album, Waited Up Til It Was Light, and critical excitement reaching near climactic levels, it's time to find out what all the fuss is about. Johnny Foreigner is a two boys and one girl three-piece from Birmingham. Formed in 2005, the trio first started picking up speed with the release of 2006's Sometimes, In The Bullring. Since then they have speedily pieced together a collection of songs so off its tits with creativity and ideas it sounds like the band have just been beamed to Earth from another planet.