Formerly the hard rock act Loudermilk, the members of Gosling renamed and refocused their sound, the results of which can be seen on Here is…, the first full-length release under their new moniker. Expressing a wide range of influences, Gosling mixes upfront guitars and the often dramatic vocals of Davey Ingersoll with sonically diverse arrangements. Think arena rock for the indie set. Highlights include “Mr. Skeleton Wings” which marries a great hook with funky rhythms and howling vocals as well as the Queen-meets-White Stripes “Worm Waltz”. While several tracks on the album mar the overall quality by being a bit too theatrical to be taken seriously, Gosling’s talent is apparent and their approach undeniably entertaining. [www.goslingmusic.com]

While we shall endlessly debate the merits of “best of” compilations, there’s no denying they serve one useful function: as a primer for new fans of the band. When it came time for alt-country heroes The Sadies to dip into the waters, they decided to release a compilation with a twist–all of the tracks would be recorded live and stripped down, which brings us to In Concert Volume One. The result is a good starting point for newbies, and a way for long time fans to experience their favorites with a twist. [www.yeproc.com]

7 From the Village, the debut EP from Birmingham, England five-piece Fields, revives late-'60s folk with a helping of early-'90s Brit-pop and late-'90s electronica. Imagine Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young growing up in the UK countryside spending their days listening to the Stone Roses while frequenting London clubs ‘til dawn and you’ll get the idea. Nothing spectacular or original, but the songs are catchy and driving, and the gentle atmospherics aren’t overbearing. With lyrics painting pictures of long days spent working outdoors and the pain from a love lost, the themes lean towards dark but your foot will still be tapping. Without blazing any trails, Fields announce they might be a band to look out for. [www.fieldsband.com]

Listening to Portastatic's second film soundtrack, Who Loves the Sun without having seen the film is like reading quantum physics without ever studying English. There's no context, no syntax, no rhyme or reason. There's just a light score from the cello, harp, flute, and [insert appropriately breezy instrument here]. "Seems Like a Long Time Ago" has deep strings, and nothing else; "Older Summers" sounds like it's been produced by a child tinkering at an electric keyboard. The music of "Maggie at the Dock" is fine, but it conjures up nothing. The songs that do evoke images are simply those of generic summer days, and the few interesting tracks, like "Fighting Music" and "Tremolo Chase" are either instrumental knock-offs of Belle and Sebastian or remixes of earlier songs on the band's own album. Honestly; we all love the sun, but who CARES about it? [www.portastatic.com]

Owen Ashworth’s drunken deadpan is alive and well in Casiotone For The Painfully Alone’s fourth release, as are his wryly wrought tales of twenty-something despondency and drudgery. Etiquette expands upon its predecessors’ lo-fi trappings, however, by adding pianos, organs, steel pedal guitars and other instruments to the mix. But while Ashworth deserves kudos for broadening his horizons, the end results, no matter how finely crafted, leave one wondering if he’s stuck in the very same rut as the characters he so painstakingly depicts. [www.cftpa.org]

Ari Picker (of Chapel Hill’s The Never and The B-Sides) extends his musical umbrella to cover his Lost in the Trees project—songs of a much more experimental and orchestral nature than what his more well-known indie pop persona would suggest. Time Taunts Me pits seven tracks against a plethora of instrumentation, including guests from Picker’s other projects as well as from Vibrant Green and the Squirrel Nut Zippers. Songs are constructed on a folky, acoustic foundation and then treated with sprawling piano and string arrangements, and for the most part it’s a laudable effort. The hip hop beat of “Lost in the Snow” opens the disc on a strange note, but that oddity shortly dissipates and the song segues into low-key, near-classical movements. Sometimes the songs seem to wander aimlessly, but Picker’s shooting straight enough to warrant checking this out. [www.trekkyrecords.com]

Miracle of Five, Los Angeles native Eleni Mandell’s sixth record, feels as welcome as a suntan on the first warm Spring day. Coming across like a less bitter Fiona Apple and a more approachable Regina Spektor, Mandell’s jazz-tinged folk is equal parts bright and soothing, equal parts dark and haunting (often at the same time). Her conversational lyrics are loaded with seductive imagery of singing birds, plane crashes, and salt trucks, while her heartache shines through playful waltzes on her nylon-stringed guitar. Propelled by a strong supporting cast (including Wilco’s Nels Cline, credited with “weird sounds”) who add colorful layers to the music without detracting a bit, Miracle of Five cements Mandell’s status as a songwriter of the highest caliber. [www.elenimandell.com]

Je ne parle pas français. Hailing from Montreal, French is Malajube’s native tongue and every track on their second release, Trompe-Loeil, is recorded in the language of love. Surprisingly, the barrier for us ugly Americans does not obscure enjoyment of this record. Bordering on progressive, the quintet’s sound is a cross between the clever freak-outs of Modest Mouse and the loud-soft dynamic of The Mars Volta (Malajube is not quite as adventurous). With its crunchy guitars and changing tempos, Trompe-Loeil is brimming with energy. Although they have a huge sound, Malajube still manage catchy hooks with poppy, memorable melodies that don’t seem to be taken overly seriously. [www.malajube.com]

Post-millennial ska hasn’t fared so well, and it’s surprising how many leftovers there are from the revivalist scene of a decade ago. Massachusetts’ Big D & the Kids Table have bravely fought the dissidents through the years, and it’s unclear whether the band is trying to re-establish the prominence of the ska/punk fusion or if they’re merely just trying to have fun. It’s probably the latter. Strictly Rude doesn’t do anything new, but I’ll damned if it doesn’t bring some smiles and sunshine and remind people of less stressful times. Yeah, it’s silly and kind of cheesy, but sometimes it feels as though there’s too much of that missing nowadays. [www.sideonedummy.com]

Crooked Fingers’ Eric Bachmann has checked in with his first official album To the Races, released on Saddle Creek Records. Two things struck me about the album, the first being a consistently mellow vibe, which one can be used to bring oneself to a state of quiet and brooding contemplation. The second were the sparse arrangements which recalled early Leonard Cohen (think of around the New Skin for the Old Ceremony era). While Bachmann’s voice is much higher than Cohen’s, the two cover similar lyrical territory, namely the complexities of relationships in the modern world. [www.saddle-creek.com]

Crooked Fingers multi-instrumentalist Barton Carroll couldn’t get Love & War released for five years; the album was completed in 2001 but no labels showed any interest until Birmingham, AL-based Skybucket Records picked it up last year. Carroll’s style of folk music—mostly bare, chilling, austere—is delicately pretty and morose, and he brings in some friends to pack some meat (violins, cello, bassoon, etc.) on his songs’ skeletons. Though Love & War (the two topics he covers) is adding little to the modern folk canon, it’s deserving of more than just a few listens. [www.skybucket.com]

The Tiny’s off-kilter indie pop is enchanting and endearing at the same time, and the Swedes’ second record Starring: Someone Like You may be one of 2007’s unexpected success stories. Ellekari Larsson’s vocals are subdued, as shy as a little girl who hides behind her daddy when strangers approach. Occasionally she lets them soar though, and that combined with the piano/cello/contrabass that drive the record make a wonderful hunk of chamber pop. Larsson penned the majority of the record, but celloist Leo Svensson's lone contribution "Know Your Demons" is the album's shining star. A splendid rendition of Gillian Welch’s “Everything Is Free” is thrown in for good measure. You might not want to listen to it over and over, but on those special occasions when you do, you’ll be pretty damn pleased. [www.eyeballrecords.com]

This LA band got their start in the early '90s. Their second release, Monument to the Masses, is the follow up to their self-titled debut. The album starts out with the David Bowie-esque “Disconnect,” and moves quickly into the white-guy-rapping-over-guitar-and-synth track “Cool Cool Universe,” then into the apparently Prince inspired track “The Beat.” While lead singer Alex Ebert is an admitted rap and hip hop fan, the influence rarely shines through. The album does have a rather unified aesthetic, although each song sounds suspiciously familiar in that bad 80s, VH1 at two in the morning way. The cover sound feel is rarely endearing in sophomore releases. In this case the songs are nearly endearing. This album is overloaded with drum machines, left over synth patches, Bowie-esque vocals, chorused and 80's guitars. While songs like “Happy Annie,” have a more down-to-earth sincerity, songs such as “Creeps Me Out” dare the listener to find any real meaning. [www.imarobot.com]

The press quote for Kick Up the Dust calls it “twelve stunningly diverse tracks for when the skies are slate grey and Jim Beam is the only friend worth turning to.” Or, twelve similar songs for rainy days in college town coffee shops. Blending early '90s rock, Americana, and a little bit of punk, Blood Meridian has a vaguely Velvet Underground, Love and Rockets feel. Think Johnny Cash and Lou Reed getting stoned with Kurt Cobain. The album is full of acoustic guitar, snare drums and hi-hats, backed by organ synths, and the slightly off-key vocals of Matthew Camirand (of Black Halos and Pink Mountaintops fame). The album is nowhere as bleak as the band’s namesake, a book written by cowboy-inspired author Cormac McCarthy. In fact, most of the songs seem to have a hopeless romantic feel. This record includes the hymn-like track “Soldiers of Christ” and the title track's mellow tambourine tap, which swells into a wall of organ chords punctuated by bass drum and a little hint of snares and toms. Not to mention the Grandpa playing the slide guitar on the porch cowboy ballad “Try For You.” Although Kick Up the Dust is a strong freshman album produced by seasoned musicians, it has a consistently mellow feel. This album is a reasonable step up from a college kid with a guitar trying to pick up girls during Spring Break. The music is done well, but strays from the adjective "creative." [www.bloodmeridian.com]

On multiple levels, the second album from Ohio quartet Lovedrug captures the sense of standing at the edge of something grand. Seamlessly moving from perceptive and penetrating rock songs (“Happy Apple Poison,” “Pushing the Shine”) to dynamic ballads with larger than life hooks (“Thieving,” the title track), the band musically expresses the substance of what it is to be young and searching. The group’s epic arrangements and creative spark also give the sense they are on the verge of greatness, evoking an experience similar to absorbing the early albums of of an important band. While Lovedrug may never achieve the level of a U2 or Radiohead, they marry Brit-rock sensibilities with the passionate drive of groups like Mae and Copeland in a way that is both pleasantly familiar and uniquely theirs. If there is any justice, this album will be enough to propel Lovedrug into the collective consciousness of the rock and roll world. [www.lovedrugmusic.com]

Former Fruit Bats, Joggers and Dismemberment Plan collaborator Ron Lewis effortlessly establishes himself as a burgeoning songwriting force with Quixoticism, under the moniker of Ghost Stories. The record flitters between buoyant, transcendent indie pop, eerie lo-fi folk and everything in between, making use of psychedelic-tinged guitars, frail vocals and spacy elements at times. Lewis set the songs to tape in his house over the past couple of years. Suffice to say, it could soon be a bedroom classic. [www.sonicboomrecordings.com]

Against Me!, the Gainesville anarchist quartet turned major label hopefuls take their first shot at a live record with this release. American’s Abroad kicks off with the aptly titled “A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction,” a guitar and drum feast of punk-rock. The highly-political first track addresses Iraq and North Korea, directing questions and accusations at certain members of the US Government. The pumping drums of “Reinventing Axl Rose” brings a playful feel to the album, followed by the title track, which builds into a somewhat self-deprecating, inquiry into what it’s like to be an American abroad: “and while I hope I’m not like them/ I’m not so sure,” the chorus rages on --sung to a British crowd at London’s Mean Fiddler venue in 2006. The track drifts on, with subtly political lyrics: “wherever we go/Coca-Cola’s already there.” Highlights from the disc include the breakdown, sing-a-long track “Those Anarcho Punks Are Mysterious...” which has a rhythmic, head-nodding feel, punctuated with drums and the a bunch of Londoners clapping along to the beat. The ska-esque guitar line of “You Look Like I Need A Drink” builds into a fist-pumping anthem, a-la skate-punk, plus the self-descriptive track “Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Ballad Fists” with its slower tempo and angsty undertones. And what would a punk album set in London be without at least one song called “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong," the band's most popular live number? Then, for the finale, the crowd shouting “Against Me!” in unison, and the tracks “Cliche Guevara” a high-energy blast of old-school punk--and last but not least: “We Laugh At Danger and Break the Rules,” and a final “thank you, goodnight” from Against Me! [www.againstme.net]

A quick note to Weezer: They Might Be Giants was rocking it out an awesomely nerdy way when you guys were still popping your zits and playing Dungeons and Dragons -- and they're still better at it than you are. After two decades, TMBG still reigns supreme as the kings of the Geek Rock universe. Their songs are just as sharp and creative. Their style is just as fearless. And their followers are just as plentiful. One needs only to listen to a smattering of a recently released collection of their podcasted work to appreciate the continued relevance of America's revolutionary nerd troop. TMBG's podcast series has been highlighted by a combination of live tracks, experimental new releases and spruced up versions of the band's classic tracks. And all of is available for the blockbuster price of…NOTHING. Hardcore fans will appreciate everything the band has offered via the podcast, but a few of the particularly kick-ass moments have included their experiments in techno, like "P.S.O.K." Some of the live moments are also a lot of fun, like their guitar-driven performance of "Damn Good Times." And even though it's got noting to offer musically, TMBG junkies should get a good laugh out their Discovery Channel-inspired "Turtle Songs of North America." So bizarre…but so good! Are there really any other bands out there that can seriously rap about the Fibonacci Sequence or the muscular control of tortoises and still keep their street cred? [www.tmbg.com]

Burning Birthdays is exactly how New York City rock should be done—lots of hooks and lots of swagger. The Harlem Shakes’ debut EP showcases a mere five tracks, but the band easily proves itself to be one of the most promising of 2007. The Brooklyn quintet oohs, ahhs and bounces over garage rock riffs, male/female vocals and sunny harmonies that are in opposition to the sometimes dark lyrics within. This is one of those cases where the only complaint about the release is that it’s too short—and that a full-length doesn’t seem to be coming soon enough. Buzz band or not, Harlem Shakes have outdone Arctic Monkeys and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah—both of whom they’ve opened for—in only five tracks’ time. [www.myspace.com]

Did you ever have a dream you couldn’t wake up from? Tried to yell something out but felt smothered, unable to produce a coherent sound? Meet Darker My Love. Everything psychedelic is not only present, but applied in thick, heavy layers. Wavering vocals are stacked on distorted guitars that are stacked on rolling drums. Intriguing at first, the turbid atmosphere soon grows suffocating. The lyrics have a placeholder quality, and most of the songs feel instrumental despite them. Put the album on in the background while you’re doing something else and you’ll probably find it quite enjoyable. Start listening too closely and you may want to wake up and scream. [www.myspace.com]