Trey Anastasio
Bar 17
How many instruments and singers can there be on one album? The liner notes on Trey Anastasio’s Bar 17 list 43 different contributors. While seemingly a little much, it makes for a full, vibrant sound throughout the disc. While the musicianship is best when rich and varied, the lyrics are better when they’re simple. “Let Me Lie,” “Empty House” and “A Case of Ice and Snow” are hauntingly beautiful. “Shadow” is addictive, and “Cincinnati,” “Dragonfly” and ‘Goodbye Head” really move, with the latter reminiscent of that former band Anastasio was once a part of. A solid piece of work.  — RF

Jenny Boyle
Life in Mosaic
With her debut album Life in Mosaic,  Virginia native Jenny Boyle has continually won over the hearts of many. And she’ll probably capture some more, who are likely to fawn over Boyle’s sultry voice and soulful riffs, if not drawing inspiration from her words and the music itself. But there’s more to Boyle than meets the eye. This songbird, also a registered nurse, has played for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, not to mention her and her band have toured overseas on the armed forces circuit performing for the troops in Afghanistan, Cuba and Italy, to just name a few. — SB

The Curbfeelers
Curb Appeal
Those who love American blues and soul will love Arlington-based The Curbfeelers, especially those who have a special place in their hearts for a” full band” that includes a mix of seasoned musicians playing on a variety of instruments from guitars to percussion, keyboards and harmonica, as well as tenor sax and trumpet. Every song on the Curb Appeal is a mix of soul and fun, while the band embodies a combination of Primal Scream, Black Crows and Rolling Stones. Notable vocals include Sally Swan and Pete Connell. One can’t help but think that taking in a live show would be even better. — SB

Tim Emmerick and Cold Front County
North
Fans of Americana and southern rock will enjoy the debut album North from New York artist Tim Emmerick, who is sure to have listeners bobbing their heads. A mix of up-tempo rock and folksy-country tunes along with storytelling lyrics and a great voice, Emmerick proves to be talented and will be sure to attract lovers of the genre. Noteworthy tracks include “Little Town Blues,” “Intentions Fade,” and “Chapter and Verse.” On a side note, the creative packaging of the album is worth mentioning, designed by Grammy Award winner Bryan Grunert (Ani DiFranco). — SB


Endwell
Homeland Insecurity
Melodic-hardcore fans will enjoy the debut album Homeland Insecurity from Endwell. The band fits in with the Victory Records’ family, so listeners can expect no less than brutal screaming mixed with melodic singing, catchy riffs and good percussion. Interestingly enough, these youngsters must be talented and lucky with only one member old enough to drink, surviving a van accident that landed them in the hospital, and working with Jay Baumgardner (Evanescence, Papa Roach) as well as shooting a video with Shane Drake who recently won a VMA’s Video of the Year Award for his work with Panic! At the Disco. — SB

Four Letter Lie
Let Your Body Take Over
From the title, and track names like “Naked Girl Avalanche,” I expected standard sophomore-boy party music. And that’s what I got, but with screaming. Screamo is an acquired taste – that is, I assume someone somewhere has been able to acquire it. Four Letter Lie does the standard thing: One normal-sounding vocalist trading off with one generic throat-hurting angry white boy. Both merely mouth off about childish emotions and the result is both ugly and ordinary. — JS

Robyn Harris
I Never…
Listen to singer-songwriter Robyn Harris, and you figure you’ll eventually hear one of her songs while watching a teen sitcom. Vocals reminiscent of perhaps a sweeter Chrissy Hyde and witty lyrics of life’s lessons is what this folk darling brings to the table. Infusing a bit of jazz, blues and pop into the mix, her sophomore album I Never… is an ambitious and well-taken leap from her debut. Notable tracks include a cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Roll Along” and “Not Falling in love.” For those with a folk flair, they’ll fall head over heels for Harris. — SB

Ari Hest
The Green Room Sessions
Ari Hest’s music could potentially bore you if it weren’t for his voice. His sound epitomizes adult-alternative, however, the rough-edged rasp of his vocals remove the cheesiness from the lyrics. His tone combines Mark Eitzel with Bruce Springsteen.  This lucky guy has drive — he sold 20,000 copies of three independently released records on his own — and it has paid off as he’s now signed to Columbia Records. The Green Room Sessions peaks interest because he recorded on his laptop using Apple’s GarageBand software and he does a sweet cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies” that completely re-legitimizes the tune as a great song. — RA

The Lascivious Biddies
Get Lucky
Not really sure what to make of the Lascivious Biddies and their album Get Lucky. Described as “cocktail pop,” this is swing-jazz style music. Not that this music is bad, you just have to appreciate, or at least be in the mood for or tolerate, poppy, swing jazz with occasional silly lyrics. However, the quartet’s take on “You Don’t Own Me” is solid, and their cover of the Smith’s “Ask”’ is a delightful interpretation, and definitely the disc’s highlight — for Smiths fans and non-fans alike. — RF


The Little Ones
Sing Song
This formula hasn’t worn its welcome yet. Adorable indie dude meets girl in short dress with a wispy voice to back him. Add in a bunch of choruses with whoa-whoas.  Voila — a playable record!  Then, spice it up with some too-cute xylophone, like the Boy Least Likely To. The Little Ones don’t obnoxiously try to be something different. Sure, the off-kilter vocals are kind of like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and the hand percussion mirrors that of the Spinto band. But aw! “Lovers Who Uncover” gives these guys a little too much buzz band potential. — RA

Moros Eros
i saw the devil last night and now the sun shines bright
Moros Eros also contains ample shouting (see: Four Letter Lie), but from the first track they manage to offgas the distinctive whiff of originality. Musical competence helps, too, with driving compositions and deftly-used pop moves behind the hoarse emoting. Screamed or spoken, the vocal phrasing brings to mind Modest Mouse more often than Rage Against the Machine, and none of the bands’ hardcore heritage or ambition gets in the way of making actual appealing rock tunes. — JS

Oasis
Stop the Clocks
OK, let’s play some Jeopardy! Answer: For the money. Question: Why did Oasis release the pseudo-greatest hits collection Stop the Clocks? Unlike most career-spanning collections, this is not in chronological order, so one can’t witness the artistic progression of the Gallagher brothers and their mates. Most of the big hits are here (“Supersonic,” “Live Forever,” “Wonderwall,” et al) but conspicuously absent is any addition from the band’s third album “Be Here Now.” The most outrageous complaint is that the 86-minute, 18-track collection is spread out over two discs. Why not just fill it up? Oasis has enough solid material. OK, Stop the Clocks isn’t a complete waste, there are a lot of great songs here and the sound is amazing. But maybe you’d be better off listening to “Definitely Maybe,” “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory,” and “The Masterplan,” and finding the remainder tracks at your favorite MP3 site. — RF

Willy Porter
Available Light
Some day, we’ll all grow old and choose safe rock and roll, something solid and not threatening, something like Willy Porter’s Available Light. But that’s not to say this disc, Porter’s sixth and the first from his own label, doesn’t have some definite highlights. The title track starts out haunting and builds to a nice, involved rocker; “Me and My Old Man” is a heart-wrenching tribute to his deceased father; and “Sleepy Little” and “Hairball” are beautiful instrumentals. — RF

Scars of Tomorrow
The Failure in Drowning
One enters the world of Scars of Tomorrow on “Lost in the Moment” with a roar resembling a vomit-soaked cough. The Failure in Drowning comprises the soundtrack to a so-bad-it’s-good TV movie about a serial killer who eats people. But the best part is that the band inserts whiny and unfortunate pop-punk harmonies behind the unintelligible snarls of vocal lines.  Is life really that bad? For one, Scars of Tomorrow had enough money to start, and now their album is out on Victory Records, and they’re from Orange County, Calif., and they have a MySpace page. Oh, boo hoo. When a band slams your ears with this much crap, attention to detail is not an option … except for the song titles: “The Silence of Sorrow,” “Face Plastered in Black,” “Relive the Curse.”  Amazing. — RA

The Scourge of the Sea
Make Me Armored
One has to respect a band that has good taste and good intentions. The Scourge of the Sea, from Lexington, Ken., make pleasant, folk-edged guitar music. The band highlights vocals that mimic Colin Meloy’s (but without the twinge of resonance) on Make Me Armored, their first full-length album. The tracks are pleasant but aren’t without slight lulls, and the up-tempo tracks fill the order for marketable, notably “My Sweet One.” It’s coffee-sipping music for the non-rocker; however, a singer harking back to genuine James Taylor-style vocal talent refreshes the ear. — RA

Unlucky Atlas
Unlucky Atlas E.P
This self-described “experimental-acoustic quartet” features all kinds of delicious string instruments, and possessing the ability to play one well is an admirable feat in itself. However, once the vocals creep in, things start to get weird. One asks himself, “Am I enjoying this?” These guys try to appeal to everyone’s inner Sigur Ros/Godspeed!/Low fan, and fail. At their quickest the strings fly like a Gaelic folk tune. The pipes behind the freakish vocals don’t redeem the fluctuation or lyrics coming from Erica Burgner’s voice — there’s no carry behind her tune. Unlucky indeed. — RA

Johnny Cash
Live in Ireland 1993 (DVD)
When Johnny Cash material comes across your desk, you take notice. What makes this performance special is that it 1) Shows a still healthy Cash in the latter stages of his career; 2) Takes place in Ireland, where Cash always had a following; and 3) features a generous helping of the Carter Family, a later incarnation of course, but including June. Also, buddy Kris Kristofferson shows up for a couple of songs. Highlights include takes on the underplayed “Daddy Sang Bass;” the Carter classic “Will the Circle Be Unbroken;” and Cash staples “Ring of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “A Boy Named Sue” and “I Walk the Line.” However, it seems that this wasn’t the best live show Cash ever did. At times the group is unsure of itself and slightly out of sync. The direction is nothing special, and the disc offers no  extras, just the show. But the music is there, and maybe that’s good enough. — RF