The New York punk outfit moves even further away from the mainstream on this sophomore effort (a concept album about witch trials), which also sees them with a new rhythm section.

All Night Radio is the latest (and most psychedelic) incarnation for Beachwood Sparks' Dave Scher and Jimi Hey.

This self-titled disc marks the debut for the quirky Austin/Brooklyn indie-rock trio, whose guitar-keyboard-drums sound is sometimes reminiscent of Spoon.

Recorded at the same time and released on the same day, 'Aw C'Mon' and 'No, You C'Mon' are actually intended as separate albums, rather than two parts of a double album. The Nashville String Machine lends strings to each.

The Washington, D.C. band's seventh album finds the band in a more political mood, even sampling President Bush (the newer one) on one track.

Recorded at the same time and released on the same day, 'Aw, C'Mon' and 'No, You C'Mon' are actually intended as separate albums, rather than two parts of a double album. The Nashville String Machine lends strings to each.

This is the fourth release for the all-female Japanese rock band fronted by Yoshimi P-We of the Boredoms.

This tongue-in-cheek Canadian duo mixes 70s and 80s electro, funk, rock, and dance sounds on this debut.

The veteran duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray continue with their well-established sound on this ninth studio album.

The Americana collective founded and led by fronted by Robert Fisher returns with a fifth LP. Co-founder/guitarist Paul Austin is no longer a full-time band member, but he appears on some tracks, as do Kristin Hersh, Chris Eckmen (The Walkabouts) and a variety of other guests.

The band's sophomore disc includes guest appearances by Wilco and Scott McCaughey (Minus 5).

This is the third full-length album for the challenging, intensely personal Bay Area post-punk outfit led by Jamie Stewart.

The paintings of Edward Hopper are the inspiration for this second solo outing from the former Stone Roses guitarist, who also spent time in The Seahorses.

Probot is the all-star metal band founded by Nirvana/Foo Fighters drummer Dave Grohl and fronted by a variety of singers, including King Diamond, Max Cavalera (Sepultura), and Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead).

The dance-pop diva, still going strong at 35, returns with a new album.

The (we hope) ironically-titled 'America's Sweetheart' marks the solo debut for the former Hole leader, who co-wrote this album with Linda Perry and Elton John lyricist Bernie Taupin.

The in-demand Chicago-based producer makes his debut with the help of guests Ludacris, Jay-Z, Mos Def, Dirt McGirt, and more.

The German noisemakers return with a somewhat quieter affair, marking their first studio recording in four years.

Arif Mardin produced this follow-up to the singer's hugely successful 2002 effort 'Come Away With Me.' Dolly Parton guests.

London-born, 19-year-old jazz vocalist Nellie McKay makes her debut with this 2-disc set produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Unlike contemporaries such as Norah Jones, McKay brings a darker edge and a sense of humor (and even a hint of hip hop) to her songs, all of which she wrote herself.

The veteran singer-songwriter was forced by Island to re-record the songs for this eighth album three times, before the label finally approved a release. This final version was recorded with producer John Shanks (Alanis Morissette) and marks the first of her albums to include songs not written by Etheridge.

One of the more attention-grabbing British bands to emerge in the last few years--their fun, genre-jumping debut album landed them a Mercury Music Prize nomination--The Coral returns with a more coherent, '60s-influenced sophomore LP.

Although lumped in with the New York garage-rock scene, The Walkmen (which includes members of defunct bands Jonathan Fire Eater and The Recoys) stand out by incorporating a wider range of influences and instrumentation. (Plus, they own their own New York recording studio, which puts them about as far from an actual garage as you can get). This is the band's second LP, which follows their acclaimed 2002 debut 'Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone.'

This is the second album for the nu-metal band out of Wales.

Singer-songwriter John Ondrasik returns with his third Five For Fighting album, with Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow) handling some of the production duties.

Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett is the mastermind behind this collective, which includes contributions from members of Azure Ray and Ozma and production from Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and Jimmy Tamborello (DNTEL, Postal Service).

This is the veteran Australian band's 17th album.

The hugely successful Tennessee-based singer returns with a follow-up to the triple platinum 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems.' He took almost a full year to record these 11 new tracks, including the title cut featuring a guest appearance by Uncle Kracker.

The experimental/psychedelic Japanese collective returns with their first album in five years, with co-founder Taishi Takizawa re-joining the group as a member (in addition to continuing to serve as the band's producer).

DJ Danger Mouse's bootleg hit, which mixes together vocals from Jay-Z's 'The Black Album' and music from The Beatles' 'The White Album,' has brought legal action from Beatles record label EMI, preventing record stores from selling the album.

John Darnielle's fifth Mountain Goats disc in the past two years was produced by John Vanderslice.

The alt-metal band's first album since their 2001 hit 'Morning View' features a slightly different lineup, with Ben Kenney replacing bassist Dirk Lance. Brendan O'Brien produced.

The all-female indie-rock band from Brighton, England (who in the past have crossed Stereolab's love for vintage electronics with a more raucous sound) worked with producer Steve Albini on this second full-length, which incorporates vocals into the mix for the first time.

Nigel Godrich (Radiohead) produced this third studio LP for the French duo, who handle all the vocal duties themselves for the first time.

Mike Patton (Faith No More) returns for his third studio album (which consists of a single, 74-minute song!) with his more experimental outfit Fantomas.

Mice Parade is the solo moniker adopted by Adam Pierce (drummer for the east coast indie rock band The Swirlies) for his forays into electronica and post-rock. Although he has expanded Mice Parade into a full-band effort on some previous releases, Pierce recorded this fourth studio LP mainly on his own.

The Manchester band follow their Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut 'Asleep In The Back' with this ambitious 11-track sophomore disc.

The Chicago rapper's long-awaited follow-up to 'Adrenaline Rush' features contributions from Kanye West, Toxic, Cee-Lo and R. Kelly.

'Margerine Eclipse' marks the London-based band's first LP since the death of long-time member Mary Hansen, as well as the once-prolific group's longest-ever gap between albums (2 1/2 years).

Voodoo Child is the electronic dance music alter-ego for Moby, and this is his first full album under that name, after a series of singles released during the 1990s.

The veteran Illinois-based college-radio favorites offer up more new wave (or is that post new wave or new new wave?) tunes on their eighth studio LP.

Savath & Savalas is a side project from avant-garde hip-hop producer Scott Herren (aka Prefuse 73) that here incorporates elements of post-rock, Latin pop and jazz rhythms, and other world music elements. Aiding him are drummer John Herndon (Tortoise) and vocalist Eva Muns.

This 70-track, 4-disc collection is just what the title says: every Cure B-side and compilation track, in chronological order, from 1978-2001, each newly remastered and accompanied by extensive liner notes by Robert Smith.

The sophomore effort for the English quartet includes two tracks produced by the legendary (and allegedly homicidal) Phil Spector, with the remainder handled by John Leckie and Danton Suppie.

This limited edtion 11-song low-fi mini-album was recorded with producer Ian Broudie over the course of a week.

This is the debut disc for the 18-year-old London-based rapper (born Dylan Mills), who has been heralded by (among others) Uncut magazine as "good as any MC currently active on Earth."

Brooklyn's Oneida has been around a bit longer (since 1997) than some of their fellow bands in the New York neo-garage/punk/new wave scene, and 'Secret Wars' marks their sixth LP.

'Punk Rock' is just that, combining new recordings of some of the band's edgier late-70s output with live performances culled from their 25th anniversary tour in 2002.

'Underachievers' is the first U.S. release for the Glasgow, Scotland-based band, who mine some of the same musical territory as fellow Scots Belle & Sebastian (as well as drawing more than a few Nick Drake comparisons).

This electronic-rock effort marks the full-length solo debut for Omaha, Neb.-based Denver Dalley of Desaparecidos.

Originally self-released in March 2003, 'Land Air Sea' returns in 2004 in a resequenced and remixed version (on Epitaph) for this side project from members of Weezer and Rocket From The Crypt.

Known for her work as half of the 4AD group Dead Can Dance, as well as more recent efforts scoring such films as Gladiator and Whale Rider, Lisa Gerrard here unites with Irish classical composer Patrick Cassidy for ten new tracks, including songs sung in Aramaic, Latin and Gaelic.

The latest LP from the Chicago-based experimental indie-rockers returns the same four-piece lineup (led, as always, by Tim Rutili) from 2003's Quicksand/Cradlesnakes.

Popular San Francisco-based indie producer and former MK Ultra frontman John Vanderslice returns with his fourth solo album.

The singer-songwriter's latest is a solo release in every sense of the word, as DiFranco wrote, produced, played, and sang everything on the album (not to mention releasing it on her own record label).

The Songs: Ohia leader offers seven new tracks on this completely solo release, the first he has recorded under his own name. It is the result of a single session in Omaha with engineer Mike Mogis (who worked with Molia on the 'Ghost Tropic' album).

The third album for the Los Angeles-based electronica duo of Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland includes guest appearances by Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit), Lisa Vennum-Kekaula (The BellRays), Jon Brion and Milla Jovovich.

Jason Schwartzman has departed, but the Los Angeles band continues on with a third album.

Producer T-Bone Burnett compiled this collection of traditional Americana, country and blues tunes to complement Anthony Minghella's Civil War epic. Among the performers here are Alison Krauss and the White Stripes' Jack White.

Kelis' third LP (second in the States) features production from the Neptunes, Dallas Austin and Andre 3000.

This is the seventh album for these Orange County alt-rockers.

Adams' 'Love Is Hell' 2-part album concludes with seven more tracks.

This limited-edition release from the Blur frontman consists of 14 original solo demos (recorded in hotel rooms during a recent tour) spread over four sides, each one clearly a work in progress.

The neo-soul singer returns two years after the success of 'Songs In A Minor' with this sophomore disc.

The eclectic Mexican five-piece returns with a sophomore LP.

Missy Elliott reunites with producer Timbaland for her fifth album, which features vocal contributions from Nelly, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Fabolous and R. Kelly.

The Nirvana-esque four-piece returns with a follow-up to their 2001 major-label debut 'Come Clean.'

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter's sophomore effort comes a full three years after her debut, 'Whoa, Nelly!'

The California nu-metal band offers a back-to-basics approach on this sixth LP.

Rjyan Kidwell's second release of 2003 (third, if you count his all-instrumental alternate version of 'Being Ridden') features 8 new songs that run the gamut from rap to industrial rock to glitchy electronica.

This 3-disc attractively-packaged retrospective on the groundbreaking New York band includes completely remastered tracks from each of their studio LPs as well as the same previously-unreleased-on-CD demos and new tracks included on the earlier 2-disc Sand In the Vaseline complilation. Also included are never-before-released alternate versions of five songs. The set also contains a DVD with an updated version of the Talking Heads music video compilation Storytelling Giant, with three additional videos not found on the original VHS release.

The Reverend returns to his roots, reuniting with the same producer (Willie Mitchell), Memphis studio (Hi Records' Royal Studios) and session musicians that made him a legend during the 1970s.

Originally intended as a loose, spontaneous recording called 'Get Back,' 'Let It Be' was eventually released (after the band's breakup) after being shelved and then reproduced/enhanced by Phil Spector, leaving many fans (and an angry Paul McCartney) wondering, "what if?" This new release answers that question to a certain extent, with an altered track listing (which adds "Don't Let Me Down") containing some de-Spectorized versions as well as some originals that have been remixed and remastered.

Definitely not your typical blink-182 album, this eponymous release finds the once-juvenile band finally showing a mature side, and winning critics over in the process. The Cure's Robert Smith guests on one track.

The Pepsi spokesperson's fourth LP includes guest vocals from Madonna (on lead single "Me Against The Music") and production work from Moby, R. Kelly, the Matrix, and Guy Sigsworth (but no Max Martin).

The hugely successful Brooklyn rapper worked with an A-list of producers (including Just Blaze, Kanye West, Aqua, Eminem, Rick Rubin and The Neptunes) on what he has stated will be the final release of his career. (Sure it will.)

Rapper 50 Cent's backing posse attempts to capitalize on the runaway success of their leader's 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' with this, their own debut LP (which does indeed feature 50 Cent on each and every track).

The sixth album for the Detroit rocker is more party-rock than rap-metal, although some hip-hop elements are retained from previous outings. Included is a cover of "Feel Like Makin' Love."

Following the unexpected critical and commercial success of M!ssundaztood, Pink returns with a third, even more rock-oriented album. Linda Perry returns to helm just a few tracks, with the bulk of the producing/writing chores falling to Rancid's Tim Armstrong.

'Blood' represents the New York rapper's attempt to lash back at 50 Cent, who has spent the better part of the past year targeting Rule.

The fourth album for the London-based duo of Ed Handley and Andy Turner contains ten new tracks that promise to recall the darker mood of their work together in the Black Dog.

Stephin Merritt's soundtrack to the film "Pieces of April" includes previously released tracks from his bands The 6ths and Magnetic Fields, as well as four brand new songs from the latter.

The born-again Christian rap-metal band returns with a follow-up to their 2001 hit 'Satellite.' Jason Truby replaces departed guitarist Marcos.

This is the third full-length for the Detroit garage rockers led by guitarist Mick Collins (ex of the Gories) and featuring a supersized rhythm section of two bass players and two drummers. Included in early versions are bonus covers of Brian Eno's "King's Lead Hat" and Robyn Hitchcock's "Executioner of Love."

The Canadian singer-songwriter emerges from a period of inactivity with her first album of new material since 1997's 'Surfacing.' Frequent collaborator Pierre Marchand returns as producer.