With the release of Anhedonia, The Graduate prove that they are one of the most promising new bands of 2007. Sharp and well produced, their sound features the bittersweet and nostalgic lyrics of frontman Corey Warning, whose often soaring vocals give songs like "Sit & Sink," the title track and "Better Company" raw emotion and an intense dose of reality. This same honesty is also clear in their musical choices. The opening riff to "Sit & Sink" sounds a little like a more distortion-laden "Where The Streets Have No Name," and the band is not shy about following the arpeggiated style of guitarist like the Edge. Even in their slower ("Surround Yourself") or slightly experimental ("Interlude") moments, the band shows that they have a knack for writing strong pop/rock songs, with a more than solid base from drummer Tim Moore keeping the sound forceful and impacting. So make sure you check out this band, as they will be one everybody will be talking about as one of the best new bands of the year. At the very least, you'll feel great when you can say you knew them before they blew up. [www.wearethegraduate.com]

Mando Diao have picked up the ball dropped by the mega-groups of England’s last golden age (1993-96) and are running with it. Ode to Ochrasy, the Swedish group’s third album, blends all that is exciting about rock music into a thrilling jet stream of sex and sonarchy. Although punk and pop elements are equally present, their songs are not limited by any defining element. Had Blur combined “Bank Holiday” with “To the End” into one song, the result might be something like "Killer Kaczynski." Wild and reckless punk rhythms support the sweetest melodies this side of the Beatles. Conversely, “The New Boy,” dripping with strings, makes a bid for the most perfect pop-ballad of the century. Although the songs are anchored in the song structures of sixties’ rock, there is nothing retro or stale about them. They are as new to music as “Ochrasy,” the band’s self-coined word, is to the dictionary. And it can mean whatever you want it to mean. [www.mando-diao.com]

On their second release, L.A. based quartet Midnight Movies transmit a sound as mysterious as it is melodic. Ambitious, yet subdued when appropriate, the group seamlessly and patiently constructs soundscapes which reference the brooding guitar pop of bands like The Cure and dreamy ambience of artists like Trespassers William. A deliciously tight rhythm section, eerie keyboard/organ sounds and the transcendent guitar work of Larry Schemel (at times driving and insistent, at others resembling a growing, swirling haze of sound) combine to frame Gena Olivier's spellbinding vocals. Though consistent in tone and effect, the band displays its versatility by excelling equally at lush ballads ("Ribbons"), dark and meandering mid-tempo cuts ("Lion Song") and tracks that resemble more straight ahead rock ("Hide Away"). Additional album highlights include "Parallel Paramour", "24 Hour Dream" and "Two Years." If Lion the Girl is any indication of the band's ability, it can only be a matter of time before the charismatic and alluring sounds of Midnight Movies connect with a significant audience. [www.midnightmovies.net]

Citizen, the debut album from Washington, DC alt-rock band Army of Me, is one of those intensely likeable albums put out by an extremely likeable group of guys. At times very pop oriented ("Perfect"); at others quiet and thought provoking ("Rise" and "Better Run"); and other times still just a solid rock record ("Going Through Changes," "Meet You At The Mouth," and "Thinking It Over"); generally, it's just excellent. It's one of those albums that you cannot help but enjoy listening to. That it also happens to be worthy of any praise it may get only makes it that much better. [www.armyofmeonline.com]

Nine Inch Nails have never looked or sounded so good. The recording is clean, the performances hot, and there are plenty of cameras to catch all the angles of the action. Reznor’s voice is in great shape, and his focus intense. New members Josh Freese (guitar) and Aaron North (guitar) give the band a clarity that goes beyond the sweaty aggressiveness of past line-ups. To break up the visual scheme, the band performs a few songs behind a scrim, upon which are projected images that are at first docile (fish, birds) and eventually terrifying (missiles and bombs). This sequence ends with a startling effect of Reznor throwing his mike stand at the scrim, where it seems to shatter into the audience. The DVD includes 18 of the 23 songs performed on the 2006 “With Teeth” tour, and ends with a trashing of the instruments that was more impressive live. On the whole, the film captures the performance with an energy equal to the performance itself. DVD extras include songs from the summer amphitheatre tour that are not so great and rehearsal clips that are amazing. [www.nin.com]

The word “timeless” so often automatically precedes the equally overused word “classic” that the phrase “timeless classic” has become a bit of a joke. What does it mean anyway? That people through the ages are destined to go ape over something that was created in a time and space so universal that the date of its inception will forever be impossible to determine? On a more practical level, it could signify some old record that a parent can induce its child to listen to without reprisal, although I doubt that artifacts such as Beatles records are works of eternal duration. Nor, for that matter, is the mountain music of the Stanley Brothers. Still, the 60 recordings collected by Time-Life for this 3-CD box set, spanning the years 1947-1966, come from a place that seems, if not outside time, apart from the crescendo of civilization known as the post-Industrial age. In other words, it is hard to tell which of these tracks were recorded in the forties and which from the fifties or sixties. The music is all of a piece, coming from the Virginia mountains where the brothers were raised. Some of it has been unheard outside of the rural South, and some of it has entered the national consciousness through movies such as “O Brother, Where Art Thou” and the never-ending performing career of Bob Dylan, who has covered songs such as “Stone Walls and Steel Bars,” “White Dove,” and “Rank Stranger” in recent years. There is 20 years of music in this box, but the life of these songs is not limited to those years. I suppose that's why some people might call them "timeless classics." I’d rather just call it mountain music. [www.timelife.com]

1997 strives to create a sound that feels like the era from which they take their name, with bands like Jimmy Eat World and the Promise Ring serving as very obvious influences for the musical stylings here. The focus and thrill of ...A Better View Of The Rising Moon, however, are the incredibly stirring dual vocals of frontman Kevin Thomas and vocalist/keyboardist Kerri Mack (who has since been replaced by new comer Alida Marroni). Neither is ever fully in control, but their weaving harmonies are nearly perfect throughout the record. Not only that, but the music is quite excellent as well, ranging from fluid rockers ("Water's Edge"), to smooth acoustic driven tunes (the Dylan-esque "The Roads You Can Take"), to moving ballads ("Grace"). This is truly an engaging work by a band that should not be missed. [www.partylikeits1997.com]

If you think the world is in need of another U2-inspired, eighties-loving bunch of hipsters, Test Your Reflex may be right up your alley. To their credit, this group of 19-21 year olds has put together a mature, well-crafted collection of songs. To their detriment, one song rolls on to the next with few surprises. If you thought Keane’s latest offering was a bit too in-your-face, you’ll find safer waters here. Fans of the genre may want to give this a listen - I would recommend “Pieces of the Sun” or the more zesty “Black Hearts.” Personally, the only thing I found tested was my patience. [www.testyourreflex.net]

When a band sticks to its strengths, it usually means they'll have at least a certain level of success. In the case of Deas Vail, their strength is clearly the magnificently soaring vocals of frontman Wes Blaylock. While the instrumentation is strong, with clear influences such as Coldplay and Copeland shining through on song after song, they serve mainly to give Blaylock's powerful voice an opportunity to shine. All The Houses Look The Same flows very well, as the band proves adept at both ambient indie rock tunes ("Light As Air," "Rewind" and "Anything You Say") as well as hauntingly beautiful ballads, complete with Blaylock's smooth falsetto ("Shoreline"), making for a surprisingly complete debut album. Though far from perfect, All The Houses Look The Same is definitely a debut that shouldn't be forgotten. [www.deasvail.com]

Loren Dent definitely has the ambient, background, noise-chic thing down. Unfortunately, Empires and Milk doesn’t seem to bring anything new or dynamic to the table that artists like Brian Eno haven’t attempted already. Vaguely interesting as background, and reasonably well put together, this album presents a great deal of talent, with very little originality. [www.lorendent.com]

For a guy who credits the church and his parents for his musical roots, this guy’s got an awful lot to say about his ex-girlfriend. The Memphis-raised musician introduces plenty of country and blues influences into his songs, but ends up sounding a bit like a heart-sick college kid. Granted, he’s got a decent Damien Rice imitation going on. Almost everyone has suffered this kind of heartbreak, and some have written about it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need a whole album of it. [www.jamierandolph.com]

With Other Men's debut album Wake Up Swimming, the prolific Rob Crow shows a side that is probably his most straightforward. The guitars and bass come across sounding very clear, and there are no guitar or studio effects (except maybe some multi-tracked vocals). Instead, the band show their chops musically, which include dizzying time changes that are also extremely melodic. Standouts include "False Positives", "Anaglyphic", and "Strapped", which lyrically attack apathy, unreasonable assumptions, and basically excuses in general. If only it were a bit longer, because when the album ends shy of forty minutes, it leaves you craving for more. [www.myspace.com]

For a band that formed after an Oasis concert, Philpot has the good fortune of sounding nothing like the Brit rockers (nor do they apparently have the Gallagher brothers' penchant for violence, despite the album’s title). The album bears more resemblance to bands like Seven Mary Three and Live, in that raw-guitar-screaming-grunge way. The lyrics are maudlin at best, however, proving perhaps that Hate does write better than Love, since I didn’t love this album. [www.philpotband.com]

Jay Farrar has been unjustly criticized for not taking his music in more adventurous or diverse directions far too frequently. Farrar's and his label’s pre-release comments about the “different instrumentation” on The Search, the follow-up to 2005’s excellent Son Volt comeback, Okemah and the Melody of Riot, led one to believe he might be trying to answer his critics by making his own Yankee Hotel Foxtrot like rival Jeff Tweedy. While it’s nowhere near that much of a diversion, the horns and social commentary during “The Picture” and the overproduction of “Underground Dream” are some of the moments that leave you wishing he’d stick to what he and Son Volt do best: playing sorrow-packed, full-of-emotion rock behind Farrar’s mournful voice. Farrar proves he still has it, however, on “Methamphetamine,” the standout country ballad with the lyric “Still waitin’ to meet the next ex-wife,” and the beautiful duet with Shannon McNally, “Highways and Cigarettes.” The Search is also a great guitar record, although it can be a little too tight in places. The bruising slide of “Action” and “Automatic Society” is a long way from the drunken sloppiness of Uncle Tupelo, but those songs rock really hard, as do a number of other tracks (“The Search” and “Satellite” come to mind). Farrar is one of the foremost figures of alt-country, so there are often unfair expectations placed upon him, especially in the shadow of Tweedy. With such a long (albeit inconsistent) career, it’s expected he’d want to try new things. As the saying goes, however, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. [www.sonvolt.net]

Aussies know how to get their groove on. The Cat Empire, The Avalanches, Midnight Oil, even Men at Work knows how to get people on their feet and rollick around. John Butler and his band of music makers continue this trend admirably. Rootsy like House of Fools, jamming like a sharpened Dave Matthews Band, they’re just phenomenal. Songs like “Funky Tonight,” “Used to Get High” and “Devil Running” simply beg you to tap your feet and sashay around your living room. When you put it on as your preschooler is whining about broccoli and she suddenly smiles, jumps up and dances, that’s the mark of a good album. Even if the broccoli remains untouched. [www.johnbutlertrio.com]

According to their MySpace page, Illinois quintet Inspector Owl’s influences include “fireworks, waffles, fake plastic animals.” There’s some truth to that. “Drive Yourself” blasts the album off like bottle rockets in an empty high school gym. “Clever Girl” is sweet like maple syrup, and “The Gentleman’s Duel” is like a fake plastic animal you’d give to your coworker the day they made, just out of the blue, a pot of coffee for the office. These happy collaborations of instruments (violins, synthesizers, and previously untapped percussive resources) do lack musical maturity and a sharper focus, but if you have a few minutes and want to blow off some steam, throw on the album and goof off. You’ve earned it. [www.inspectorowl.com]

The View are an addicting quartet from Dundee, Scotland, who take their "hats off to the buskers" on songs like "Some Jeans," "Tradesmen," "Skanky Trendy," "Face For The Radio," and their other wonderful tunes. They're catchy, sprightly, chock full of life. If you don't knock over a few pieces of furniture dancing to "Some Jeans," ...."Jack (or Jill) you dead!" And be sure to catch the incredible guitar solos on "Don't Tell Me" and "Skanky Trendy" as well. [theviewareonfire.co.uk]

Patchwork blend folk, rock and country styles into well-crafted and well-written songs reminiscent of a solitary drive through the Midwest on their 6-song EP, Work and Worry. “Blue, Black and Green” utilizes Pavement’s boredom, while “Fallout Shelter Signs” is quintessential atmospheric indie folk somewhere between M. Ward, The Shins and The Decemberists. “A OK” could have been lifted off Frank Black’s Honeycomb and “Laura Lee” is built like a Beatles-esque melody. The record’s most rocking number, “Stolen Tulips” is its most uninteresting, but it’s followed by the standout, “Chasing Down the Sun,” another Beatles-like track that also incorporates the sweeping textures of Wilco (even ending with a three-minute drone). Patchwork is mostly Jeremiah Nelson and his comforting voice and guitar supported by a rotating cast of musicians, but this record sounds warm thanks to the tightness and caliber of all the players. [www.myspace.com]

Cotton Teeth, the latest effort from indie folk/rock band The Snake The Cross The Crown, begins quite auspiciously. As frontman Kevin Jones' soft vocals enter with "I want to live on the stage/I want to play the guitar/And I want to get paid," you immediately grasp exactly what this album is going to be. It takes everything that was good about the group's previous effort, 2004's Mander Salis, and makes it better, from the rich accompaniment to Jones' fluid, folk-influenced vocals. As far as releases for 2007 go, this is an album that shouldn't be missed. [www.snakecrosscrown.com]

These easy listening versions of Korn’s greatest hits are sure to find the band an appreciative audience among the NPR crowd. The two most interesting tracks are the duet with Amy Lee on “Freak on a Leash” and a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” For the rest, it is fun to compare the cocktail hour renditions of “Blind," “Throw Me Away,” “Love Song,” “Twisted Transistor,” and “Coming Undone” with the versions on “Live and Unglued.” One unsettling thing about this unplugged session is Jonathan Davis’ tendency to slip out of his croon into the old-fashioned guttural ache of the original versions. If he wants to go soft, he should go all the way. It sounds ludicrous when he tries to get tough. “Korn Unplugged” may open up the ears of those who could not hear the songs for the angst, and should provide a mellow listening experience for former Korn fans who are getting too old to rock. [www.korn.com]