The moody alt-country band led by David Eugene Edwards returns with its darkest set of songs yet.

Now into their third decade of recording, Sonic Youth offer up a return to form that has more in common with their output of the 80s than with anything they have released in recent years. Multi-instrumentalist Jim O'Rourke, who worked with the band on their previous effort 'NYC Ghosts & Flowers,' is now a full-fledged member of the group.

Often compared to Doves and Radiohead, Manchester-based Elbow is yet another new alternative band to emerge from the British music press hype machine. This debut album was shortlisted for 2001's Mercury Music Prize.

The funk band's compilation includes songs featuring Kim Bassinger, Ozzy Osbourne, Mel Torme, and Leonard Cohen.

This self-produced 20th album finds the New York band back down to a four-piece, with Jim O'Rourke dropping out after two albums.

The 13th Floor Elevators founder returns with his first album of new music in more than 10 years, and Okkervil River joins him as his backing band.

The third album for the New York band was produced by Nick Launay and Dave Sitek.

The fifth album from Kieran Hebden is his first full-length release in five years.

The latest album for the duo of Daniel Auerbach and Patrick Carney features two tracks produced with Danger Mouse.

Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker makes his solo debut with this 14-song disc (which includes recent single "Running The World" as a secret bonus track).

This is the debut full-length album for the indie-rock duo from Vancouver, Canada.

This is the sophomore disc for the Norwich, England rock band (led by excitable vocalist Nikki Colk) who at times recall a harder-rocking Electrelane or a UK version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The second album for the British rock band was produced by Portishead's Geoff Barrow.

The third release from the trip-hop/indie/rock/electronic/jazz/pop band named after the first dog in outer space.

This is just the second full-length recording for the Birmingham, England experimental pop outfit founded in 1995. Included here is the track "Pendulum" from the recent EP of the same name.

The Good Life is a side project for Cursive's Tim Kasher, and this third full-length release (following the 'Lovers Need Lawyers' EP) finds him joined by Stefanie Drootin, Ryan Fox and Roger Lewis.

The rerelease of the two-night concert at Madison Square Garden in 1969 features five unreleased tracks and tracks from the opening acts: BB King and Ike & Tina Turner.

The Irish singer-songwriter releases his follow-up to his 2006 Mercury Prize-nominated album "The End of History."

No, it's not *that* kind of drum'n'bass album. Instead, Rhode Island's Lightning Bolt literally consists of just two instrumentalists on drum and bass, and together the pair generate an experimental sonic fury on this, their second full-length.

Singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega fills her sixth studio album with 13 new compositions. Former producer (and former husband) Mitchell Froom is gone, replaced by Rupert Hine, who creates an overall sound that is more like Vega's earliest recordings than her Froom-produced output during the 1990s.

This is the fourth full-length for the Canadian indie-rock band led by Carey Mercer (also of Swan Lake).

This double-disc set is the influential singer-songwriter's first album in a dozen years.

The experimental Dallas, Texas outfit led by John Congleton returns with a spooky, noisy fourth album.

This is the fifth solo disc for the former Blur guitarist.

The second album for the rock band was produced by band member, Rostam Batmanglij.

The duo's fifth long-player, destined to be known as GBMS in record reviews everywhere, was recorded in their Detroit studio. While not a total departure from previous efforts, it does find them expanding their sound away from their usual guitar+drums formula.

This is the debut album for the Long Beach, California-based rock band led by Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg, who also goes by the name Avi Buffalo.

The fourth album for the veteran Scottish band is their first album release in eight years and first U.S. release since 1993's 'I've Seen Everything.'

The San Francisco-based band led by John Dwyer releases its follow-up to last year's "The Masters Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In."

The second album for the W. Cullen Hart-led indie rock band is its first in eight years.

Liz Hysen's Toronto-based band which also includes cellists, releases its fourth full-length album.

J.G. Thirlwell's first album as Foetus in four years finds the industrial pioneer back with eleven new tracks and another monosyllabic title.

This is the debut studio album for the San Francisco trio.

This is the second solo album for the E Street Band member (and Bruce Springsteen wife), and was recorded over the last 11 (!) years.

This is the second full-length for the Olympia, Wash-based indie-punk trio led by powerful singer Beth Ditto.

Chris Walla produced this third album for the literary Portland, Ore.-based five-piece led by Colin Meloy.

Thalia Zedek returns with a band with her latest album on the Thrill Jockey label.

This split LP includes seven new Akron/Family tracks and five new songs from Michael Gira's Angels Of Light project (which, of course, features backing by Akron/Family).

Following her tenure as singer for roots-rockers Lone Justice, Maria McKee issued a series of three solo releases in the mid 1990s, and then remained relatively quiet for seven years until 'High Dive,' her self-released return.

The singer-songwriter's fifth studio album is the first for his new record label, Lonely Astronaut.

This seven-song follow-up to 2004's 'Blue Cathedral' adds a bit more melody and cleaner sound to the band's usual noise assault.

Continuing with the same lineup as 2008's "Imperial Wax Solvent," the British rock band led by Mark E. Smith releases its 28th studio album on new label Domino records.

The latest album from the British group is with yet another different lineup from 2007's "Reformation Post TLC."

This is the fourth solo disc for the illustrator and Sea And Cake guitarist.

Mike Kinsella's latest solo album under the name Owen was recorded over two years.

The second album for the British singer-songwriter was produced by Ethan Johns.

Leaving Songs is the Nashville-recorded second solo disc for Tindersticks frontman Stuart Staples, who is joined by Maria McKee on one track.

The producer/singer/songwriter releases his lastest solo album.

The British drone band's latest release is a two-CD set.

The two-disc set includes track recorded by the BBC between 1996 and 2001.

The Chicago-based singer-songwriter returns with his tenth album of literate and eclectic indie rock.

You won't read very many reviews of this New York band without seeing the words Joy Division pop up, and although there are some similarities, Interpol has something new to offer as well. This debut LP includes the tracks "PDA" and "NYC" from the group's well-received first single for Matador.

The Brooklyn-based Elephant 6-style band (which shares some members with Ladybug Transistor) returns with a second LP.

This the final album for Pete Swanson and Gabriel Mindel Saloman. The experimental music duo from Portland, Oregon broke up in 2008.

Originally a quintet known as the Chicago Underground Orchestra, the duo of Chris Taylor and Rob Mazurek releases its fifth album.

The Modesto, CA band returns with a concept album reminiscent of Radiohead's 'OK Computer.'

The Doug Martsch-led band returns with its first album in five years, and its first in 13 years not to utilize producer Phil Ek. Recent touring guitarist Jim Roth makes his recorded debut with the band, and Quasi's Sam Coomes returns to help on keyboards.

After gaining acclaim for a densely melodic sound that anticipated the coming emergence of grunge, Scotland's Teenage Fanclub return with a harmony-driven album to inspire a power pop revival.

Louisville-born Will Oldham releases his latest album produced by Mark Nevers.

Another solo release from the former Throwing Muses singer.

Britpop, New Wave, and Kraftwerk-style electronica come together in the debut full-length from Britain's Ladytron (named after a song from Roxy Music's debut album). The album repeats three of the songs from 2000's "Commodore Rock" EP (including the ever-catchy "Playgirl") and adds 12 new tracks plus the 1999 single "He Took Her To A Movie."

The fifth LP for the chamber-pop trio is a collaboration with the New York-based progressive theater collective SITI Company.

This is the first LP for the Sheffield, England co-ed five-piece fronted by Kate Jackson. Steve Mackey (Pulp) produced.

Brendan O'Brien produced (and plays bass on) the singer's 19th album, which finds Springsteen backed by a variety of guests. Several of the 12 tracks here have previously surfaced in live performances, including two dating back to 1995.

Escovedo's first solo disc since 2000 was produced by John Cale.

The debut album for the British quartet was produced by Erol Alkan.

Boasting a somewhat higher profile after a tour supporting Broken Social Scene, fellow Canadians Stars return with a third LP, produced by Tony Hoffer.

The seventh release for the Swedish band led by Gustav Ejstes is its first in five years.

This is the tenth album for the very large Nashville band led by Kurt Wagner.

While the trio of Roger Miller, Clint Conley and Peter Prescott typically wait a few decades between albums, this third LP follows just two years after their second.

The singer-songwriter's fifth release finds him backed for the first time by a full band, which includes Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists) and Jordan Hudson (The Thermals). Neko Case and My Morning Jacket's Jim James guest.

The fifth album for the group was was co-produced by Flood and its first recorded in less than a year.

Steve Albini returns as engineer for this fifth album from the Japanese post-rock outfit.

This is the sophomore album for the indie-rock band from Madison, Wisconsin.

This is the second album for Bradford Cox's solo project.

This is the major-label debut for the Bay Area punk rockers (whose initials stand for "A Fire Inside"), who got their start in Ukiah, Calif. in 1991. Garbage's Butch Vig produces.

Producer Rick Rubin attempts to do for Neil Diamond what he did for Johnny Cash, resulting in a rare stripped-down, intimate set for the veteran performer. (Don't expect any Nine Inch Nails covers, though; these are all Diamond originals.)

Annie Clark's second album was produced with John Congleton.

The Chicago-based indie rock band releases its second full-length album.

This is the second album for the band led by Spencer Krug (who can also be found in both Wolf Parade and Frog Eyes).

The blues-rock duo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney return with their third album, so-named because it was recorded in a deserted rubber (tire) factory.

Laura Cantrell, Peter Holsapple, and Annie Hayden guest on Mac McCaughan's second Portastatic album of 2006.