A disc like this doesn't come along too often. That's probably why I might sound a bit over the top in appreciation of it. The Contes, brothers Steve and John, aside from being accomplished musicians (check their website bios for the depth there), have assembled a dozen songs that are pure pop genius. The opener, "So Much For Love," for example, sounds like a mix between XTC and recent Aerosmith. There's an alluring drag to the number, as if the song were trying to get up despite its weight, ringing open guitar strings, a repetitive suspension riff, background vocals that swell. It's the kind of song you just have to play again and again. Other songs feature similar intricate layering of instruments set over gorgeous chord progressions, movement that reminds you of later Beatles stuff or songs by Elvis Costello. And just when you least expect it, they'll toss in a soulful number like "Bleed Together," or go the Bossa Nova route, as on "Bossa Nova Sunday." A brilliant disc from start to finish, and quite possibly the best thing to cross this desk all year. www.thecontes.com

The music on this disc has a shiny-happy-people feel to it, so much so you almost expect an off-Broadway cast to jump out in costume and dance around. If that sounds too overbearing, then think of light, poppy songs with a New Age bent to them. Yes, they're squeaky clean, and I suspect the style is from the band's musical heritage. Their collective experience is diverse, and the musicianship is quite good. Petina Cole's vocals are strong; Daryl Kojak's keyboard work is solid; Anthony Biale can play guitar, and Susan Mitchell's violin work is fine. Yet there is something that nags at me, and it's probably more of a personal issue than a reflection on the band. It's just that the New Age glean gives me the creeps. In part, it might be the ultra-clean sounds and G-rated lyrics, but the songs miss that guttural punch that makes rock what it is. Perhaps if you're a born-again rock and roller (is there such a thing?), then you'll like the band. Find out for yourself at www.hazellord.com.

This six-song EP from the Brooklyn singer/songwriter is his second disc for your consumption (and, no, I didn't hear the first one). Initially, you'll notice the extremely low-key production, as if the songs went straight from the four-track to the CD. Roughly translated, that means it's a bit harsh on the ears. Another thing that leaps out is the flatness of Gold's vocals in spots; there are moments during the first song that had me wince. Yet despite these flaws, there is an appeal to young Gold – a rawness of emotion, or at least the thought that he's really throwing himself into his music. And then you start thinking, well, with a good producer, this guy might give even Dave Matthews a run for his money. The songs are dark, and prone to droning, yet Gold uses his dynamics well, building to an emotional crescendo, and back again. And by disc's end, quibbles about production and vocal gaffs seem to fall by the wayside, and frankly, I'd like to hear more. www.evangold.com

From Detroit comes a quartet that at first sounds like the current crop of generic tripe that passes for rock nowadays on radio. But bit by bit, sections of songs jump out at you, catching you off guard, surprising you, and changing your first impression. Yeah, there's the jangly guitar spots that initially seem to come from the riff factory, but then you'll hear layered vocals on top, as on "No More," and then the reverb and a chorus that's infused with guitar, creating the sensation of swelling. And suddenly, the song seems huge. The following cut, "I Figured It Out," has an edgier sound to it, and again, the wall of vocals over a descending bass line is real pretty on the ears. By disc's end, you realize this is more the sound that should be heard on the radio, the kind of hook-laden songs that take the pressure off, like when you're at work, doing brake jobs or whatever, or even just driving on a sunny afternoon. A real impressive disc. www.supertc.com

When I listen to Robin Robinson belt out her songs, I am reminded of Lone Justice, a band from a ways back, that also had a roots sound, kind of straddling the divide between rock and country. Robinson possesses a voice similar to Maria McKee's. That is, one that just pours out, as if she were hollering deep into the valley for the hogs to come home. On "The Trouble With Cowboys," her voice sneers and snarls ever so slightly, veers into a sexual tease, and so on, but it's not overdone, more like she's toying with the listener as she plays with the lyrics. It's subtle, to be sure, but worth edging your ears closer to the speakers to pick up on. Other songs swing back and forth from acoustic to electric to rock. But whatever the vehicle, Robinson's voice is out front, and she holds her own against the band. Production is excellent, as the numbers have a live, out-front feel to them. A strong disc. www.enginecompanyrecords.com

There's a large sound to this disc, not necessarily overproduced, but one that takes advantage of 48 tracks, as there is a lot going on during each song. You can sense a nod to the Beach Boys, or Phil Spector, with each song providing an abundance of information to the ears. And while that's all fine and good, it's almost too much; I was wishing at some point for just an acoustic guitar and vocals. Yet on subsequent listens, the layering didn't bother me, so maybe it was a headache or something. Anyway, Bryan Master writes pop songs that have good hooks, though at times, they can sound familiar. For example, "Californ.I.A" sounds like it could have been penned by Brian Wilson himself. Other songs may possess a folk-rock feel to them, though the buildup in instrumentation makes them sound larger than they need be. Where Master does shine is in his lyrics. He's adept at spinning the stories. An interesting offering. www.bryanmastermusic.com

Although this band scores high in annoyance regarding their website, they do well in the industrial-sounds category. Kind of a cross between the current metal stuff and bands like KMFDM, there is a heavy, slogging, dark sound interspersed with melodic bits and pieces. While the opener "Surprise Surprise" is dark, almost evil sounding, punctuated by slashing guitar chords, "Human Comedy" is closer to something you might hear Enrique Iglesias sing. And that's not too much of a stretch, given drummer Lou Ferreira's Brazilian roots (and the band's as well, which traces its inception there way back in '85). Similarly, the disc alternates from its initial heaviness to songs that are less threatening, yet still rock. But the bulk of the matter lies on the heavier side. The mixture of light and dark makes for a more complete disc than one that is simply shoved down your throat. It gives you time to collect yourself while you listen. In the end, the result is a well-balanced album that may surprise you. www.freax.com

This disc reminds me a bit of the '80s, when bands recorded with a carefree attitude and included a variety of songs on the album. Since radio play at that time was so horrid, anything new, aside from big-hair metal and gnarly pop, was fresh as a daisy. And on this disc you'll find songs that range from light and easy, to up-tempo punk-infused numbers. The opener, "Mankind," has a lazy feel to it, with vocals that sound nerdy, and when the chorus comes along, the clash between the vocals and the processed guitar is a lovely bit for the ears. "John Q. Public" is more of a classic punk number, blowing past in just over two minutes, and vaguely reminiscent of the Buzzcocks. "Firing Line" has a bluesy bar-band feel to it, and the drums keep things from getting too dreary as they pound away quickly during the verses. Initially, I was going to remark that there is an amateurish sound overall, but the more I listen to the disc, the more I think that's part of the charm and appeal.

Well, here's a surprise, a bunch of 19 year olds not playing that speed pop stuff. Go figure. These lads from Connecticut find influences in the pop bands, as you can hear shades of Blink 182, but a song like "Don't Tell Your Friends" has its roots in earlier pop. Another nice touch is the ringing guitar line in the song, shades of early U2 and their ilk, but by the time the chorus comes around, that influence is long gone. The band seems more melodic than most of their peers, stretching the standard chords by use of inversions in spots, or by the use of multi-tracked vocals, as on "American Made," which features clean guitars chording along the lines of Lou Reed, with Beach Boys-type vocals. If there is a weakness to be found, I'd look in the direction of the drummer, who sounds at times like he's dragging, or missing the occasional beat, but that's nitpicking. Amid the current crop of young bands, they seem to offer a bit more, and should age nicely. www.groverdill.com

From Long Island, NY, comes a quartet playing melodic rock that has an updated '70s feel. The guitar sound is thick and overdriven, the way a good tube amp breaks up when you get close to 11, and the songs are all moderately paced, nothing frenetic, no hurry, but no sense of sluggishness either. Singer/bassist Chris Wern has lazy, nasally vocals, but it's a sound that grows on you, and doesn't irritate the ears. His brother Ted is the drummer, and the band also features Mike Nuget and Rocco on guitars. All is not coarse guitars, however, as "I Was Thinking" shows. It's a rambling, acoustic guitar-driven song, a kind of folk-rock number that is fairly standard stuff. And, overall, that's the kind of impression you might come away with, that there is nothing stellar of note on the disc, no guitar prodigies, no wild and crazy rhythmic stuff, no pyrotechnics even. Just relatively straight-ahead rock, with a good sense of melody. Check for yourself at www.shivernews.com.

Well, first off, I'd just like to say I don't get the band name (the periods are theirs, not mine), and also, having once been in a band with an awful name, I can recall trying to explain the esoteric definition, and just how lost people looked when I tried to describe what it meant. Personal history aside, the band consists of Andreas Altmann on guitar and Pete Giambalvo on vocals. And, sure, you might be thinking coffeehouse folk city, but give them a listen, since Altmann has some chops up his sleeve, and is not strum happy like acoustic duos can sometimes be. Giambalvo's voice is pleasant, easy on the ears, and the overall moderate volume of the music means he's not screeching to be heard, though he does manage to be a bit wordy at times. The minimalist instrumentation means you pay more attention to the lyrics than you might with a fuller band, though at times they can get a bit cheeky. One drawback to their setup is a certain sameness to each number, as Altmann doesn't do vocals, and thus the seven tracks have a tendency to slide into each other. But as duos go, they're above average (personally, I wouldn't mind another instrument and a backing vocal), and a nice change from the heavier stuff. www.newmusic.clearchannel.com/artist/.init.

Imagine a hot sunny day in the middle of the summer. You pop into a little café for a nice, cool, refreshing cocktail, you sit back, and what kind of music do you want to hear? Perhaps a laid-back, romantic song with a Spanish flair to it? Well, that's what I think of when listening to Jim Barbaro's latest offering. The songs contained on this disc have an unhurried feel to them, kind of like some of the stuff Sting has done lately, breezy sort of numbers that put you at ease. And, in part, that's why I'm having trouble nominating a song or two as the better stuff on the CD, since, when I play the disc, I just keep falling back in my chair, not really caring much about what is going on. Oh sure, I could toss in a tidbit mentioning that Barbaro used to be in the Magnetics many moons ago, or historical trivia like that, but I'd rather just try to get across the relaxing effect this disc has on the listener. And I'd guess that if the music has that effect on me (of not noticing any flaws and easing me), that it might just do the same to you. Cool stuff. www.jimbarbaro.com

You know, I reviewed their last one a while back and recall liking it a bunch, and now they come along with another disc that is just as strong as the first, solid hooks, interesting song movement, sounding a bit like the mainstream indie stuff, but distinct enough that they can claim a place of their own. Songs can charge, but the band uses dynamics wisely. Guitars are heavy; leads sprout from time to time. Vocals are clean, and singer/guitarist Jon Paul Johnson makes good use of affectations in his delivery. The band seems to have an understanding of what goes into building a good pop song; on "Medication," for example, the song begins with a repetitive guitar riff, then it plays over chord changes, before collapsing into verse. The song builds, runs through the chorus, and the riff repeats. Sure, it sounds simple, but their delivery makes listening such a hoot. And as far as fun goes, this disc has loads of it. Highly recommended. www.3rddegreerocks.com