Combinations is the second full-length album from pop wunderkinds and blood relatives Eisley. They've always been known for their ethereal pop music, but this new release shakes things up a bit—exhibiting a slightly darker and more intense sound that really shows their maturity and willingness to explore new avenues. With that said, it's still not a huge departure from earlier material. If you were a fan of any of their prior releases, you'll more than likely dig this one as well. [www.eisley.com]

For those of you not yet up to speed, The Dear Hunter is the new project of former The Receiving End of Sirens member Casey Crescenzo. This is his second release under the new moniker and it continues the genre-defying approach he took with his first release. Casey cuts no corners here, employing the use of conceivably every instrument in the room, making for an eclectic and beautiful record. [www.myspace.com]

Swinging big band vocalist Keely Smith's solo work has long been overshadowed by the music she made as Louis Prima's partner. Only two of the 27 tracks on this new compilation feature Prima, and the rest, excluding two duets with Frank Sinatra, are pure Keely. Nelson Riddle and Billy Mays supply much of the orchestration on these cuts that move from the late night seduction of "You Go to My Head" to such signature swingers as "Birth of the Blues." Smith was a Vegas singer, which has kept her in a class below the jazz club singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holliday. This retrospective provides an occasion to listen to her again, just as a singer, and appreciate just how good she is. [en.wikipedia.org]

There is a brilliantly subversive feel to the first of what will hopefully be many LP projects from Eastern Conference Champions. How novel and wonderful it is that the Pennsylvania trio can record songs that are catchy, beautiful, unassuming and progressive, often all at once. Eastern Conference Champions are reminiscent of bands like Lovedrug in their ability to combine the driving and the delightful, the edgy and the ethereal. Yet, the group's sound cannot be pigeonholed or compared to one specific artist or group of artists. [www.easternconferencechampions.com]

A little more Snow Patrol style indie-rock than previously releases would suggest, If You Want Blood, is yet another successful recording for Matt Pond PA. The EP isn't just a one trick pony, though, as there are also folky/alt-country tunes to hit with the radio friendly indie-rock of songs like "Reading" and the title track. If You Want Blood is definitely a success and a worthy addition to the stellar catalog. [www.mattpondpa.com]

Ryan Ferguson, who's most likely best know as the vocalist for San Diego indie rock band No Knife, changes it up quite significantly with Only Trying To Help, his debut solo album. Drawing heavily on influences that could easily include The Beach Boys or Matt Pond PA, the album has a warm, summer time feel to it that makes me wish it was beach-going weather again. Standout tracks include the electronically-enhanced "The Imposter," the overwhelmingly Beach Boys-esque "In The Sea," and the somber tune "Must Be Friday Night." [www.fergusong.com]

Emery's music has often been polarizing, but their latest effort, I'm Only A Man, will prove to be even more separating than ever. It's an album of truly great moments ("World Away"), but also one that will leave you unsure of what the band is trying to do ("Rock-N-Rule"). Overall, I can't seem to totally dismiss the album because of the talent I know this band has. If nothing else, I'm Only A Man is an album that you should experience rather than letting someone else tell you what they think. [www.emerymusic.com]

Jimmy Eat World is one of the few bands making music that you can always count on. With the release of Chase This Light, the fifth full length from this Mesa, Arizona quartet, they continue to prove why that is the case. They cover the huge choruses "Big Casino," "Electable (Give It Up)", the acoustic-driven "Carry You", the moody pop "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" and even, this time around, dance rock "Here It Goes" and even though this is what we expect from JEW, they still do it better than anyone else. [www.jimmyeatworld.com]

Yet another British based band that has become famous from Grey's Anatomy, Vega4 actually plays a lot more fun, upbeat rock music than their huge single, "Life Is Beautiful," would suggest. While "Life" isn't a bad song, it doesn't even come close to tunes like "You And Me," "Traffic Jam" or the moody "Papercuts." I think that a year after its release, its time to give You And Others a listen. [www.vega4.com]

With his debut, The End of History, Irish artist Fionn Regan has delivered a refreshingly stripped down, unpretentious record focused on intricately played folk guitars and fine songcraft; it's an album for people who love great singer-songwriter records. Regan's music has already garnered Regan comparisons to beloved songsmiths Nick Drake and Damien Rice (there's a hint of early Dylan present as well). Tracks like "Put a Penny in the Slot", "Noah (Ghost in a Sheet)" and "The End of History" are the most shining examples of Regan's talent, consistent in tone and quality. [www.fionnregan.com]

Former Drive-By Trucker Isbell strikes out on his own and, largely, strikes gold with Sirens of the Ditch. Marked by colorful narratives, a ragged rock sensibility and earnest, everyman vocals, these eleven songs mix shades and tones of alt. country, blues, rock and gospel to create a sound that will appeal to fans of artists ranging from Ryan Adams and Leeroy Stagger to John Mellencamp. Especially resonant and winning are "Brand New Kind of Actress", "Chicago Promenade" and "Dress Blues." [www.jasonisbell.com]

On their fourth album in three years and first for Merge, Brooklyn's Oakley Hall irresistibly traverse the fine line between time-honored folk-rock and modern alt-country in a mix that's an occasional cross between the sincerity of Whiskeytown and the fire of The Black Crowes with a hint of Buffalo Springfield, although each track seems like a visit to a new swampy backwoods town. Their sound is incredibly rich, with soaring melancholic male-female harmonies on top of roots-y guitars, front-porch violins and Neil Young-esque banjo picking; it's a relaxed tone, but not the slightest bit apathetic, resulting in the sextet named after the famed American novelist feeling a lot more Macon than they do Manhattan. [www.oakleyhall.net]

Arthur and Yu is not two people named Arthur and Yu. They're Seattle-based Sonya Westcott and Grant Olsen, a duo with a little bit of funk, a little bit of folk and a little bit of Nancy Sinatra. Listening to "Absurd Heroes Manifestos" sounds like something that was cut from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack. "The Ghost of Old Bull Lee" is bullishly peppy. "Lion's Mouth" you might hear at a local folk festival at twilight, the smell of doobies wafting up towards the pink-orange clouds before dark. [www.myspace.com]

From their post-funk experimentations, Earlimart (so named for a small town near their home base of Fresno, California) has turned, quietly, and earnestly, into a solid lo-fi indie pop band, a la Death Cab for Cutie, with their latest album, Mentor Tormentor. With fifteen solid tracks, from soft Eliott Smith-esque "Happy Alone" to peppy Fountains of Wayne-ish "Fakey Fake," Earlimart's fifth album continues their striving for intimate reflective tunes and it's a success. [www.earlimartmusic.com]

Before I knew who Gustafer Yellowgold was (and I'm still a bit fuzzy) my initial reaction to the music was, "Jim Henson's would have loved to include this stuff in a Muppet movie." It's warm happy music for kids that's not entirely for kids. By that I mean it won't make you throw up like Raffi does. It's simply good music. And who IS Gustafer Yellowgold? He is a friendly creature who came from the sun with his best friend Forrest Applecrumbie, a flightless Pterodactyl. Odd, yes, but charming music (created by Morgan Taylor) never-the-less. So, if you have kids or not, the album's cool and worth a listen or two (there's also a DVD included). You'll also make friends with Gustafer, Forrest, and a pet eel named Slim. [www.gustaferyellowgold.com]

After a smash with their debut, Bang Bang Rock and Roll, the English indie-rock band is back with It's a Bit Complicated, which unfortunately has the earmarks of a sophomore slump. With a goofy art-house punk vibe, Art Brut hasn't pushed themselves in any new way from their first album. Sure "Post Soothing Out" makes you bop your head and "Nag Nag Nag Nag" is a thriving thing that could have replaced "My Sharona" in that famous Reality Bites gas station scene. But with this much talent, and this much energy, Art Brut could have pushed the envelope. In fact, they should have for this album, pushed it onto the floor and recorded that. [www.artbrut.org.uk]

You wouldn't expect one of the year's most charmingly amateurish and utterly un-self-conscious records to be from a duo based in Berlin—a town not historically known for its lightheartedness. Yet, Stereo-Total, a band comprised of French-born Fran'oise Cactus and German-born Brezel G'ring, makes kooky little pop gems that sounds like they were created exclusively for this duo's own amusement. That said, Stereo Total is not avant-garde, or techno or riddled with existential angst. They are not concerned with breaking any new ground. They just make intrinsically wholesome, nearly dada, little pop ditties that are impossible to dislike. [www.stereototal.de]

Fur and Gold is Bat for Lashes' first album. It should go gold, if it hasn't already, because it is a beautiful album. A bit like a Cat Power/Tori Amos mash-up, the group, led by English/Pakistani Natasha Khan, is a gorgeous intermingling of Khan's thrilling voice and involved instrumentation; from viola to autoharp, harmonium to trombone. "Tahiti" sounds like Kate Bush meeting Loreena McKennitt's back-up musicians. "I'm on Fire," is one of the best Springsteen covers you'll hear. Fur and Gold is golden and it'll be interesting to see how they progress. [www.batforlashes.co.uk]

Transformers: more than meets the soundtrack! I've go to admit, I wanted to review this because I figured it would be a good primer into nu-metal, or whatever it's devolved into these days. I mean, if you're already a fan of these bands, you've probably already got these songs. But still, this soundtrack is kind of like reliving the lost art of the perfect mix tape. By including tracks from Linkin Park's, Him, Smashing Pumpkins, The Used, and Taking Back Sunday, among others, the folks who put together this soundtrack—not to mention the effects in the film itself—had a clear plan in mind. And, save a fairly wussy interpretation of the Transformers theme by Mute Math and an inexplicable ballad by Goo Goo Dolls, they succeeded. Viva la testosterone! [www.transformersmovie.com]

The great thing about Ben Harper is how he can transition from one musical style to another. Sometimes he can sound like Hendrix, sometimes like Otis Redding, other times like Bob Marley or Richie Havens. Lifeline, his latest, is a rich amalgam of funk and blues, country and gospel. The Innocent Criminals behind him play with a deep sincerity and the spectacularly written songs are more of the Ben Harper we've grown accustomed to. [www.benharper.net]