This band out of NYC pumps out a sound that gives me a "deja-who?" feeling. There's an element of early rock and roll, as in the dawn of head-banging stuff, when blues and pop were congealing but not quite brewed yet, and when amps only went up to, say, 8. You can certainly get a Spinal Tap impression as the disc spins. In fact, as the music was playing, the wife walked by and said, "Sounds like Spinal Tap." But once you get that connection out of your head, you'll find some splendid stuff, as the playing is good, production is clear as glass, and the songs are hooky enough to stick in your head. All songs were written by keyboardist Steve Herrig, and thus the disc has a strong, cohesive feel to it. Production chores fell to guitarist Rich Gaglia, who also runs Richsound Studios in NY. Rounding up the rhythm section are Rich Chapple on bass and John DiGiulio on drums. For those seeking a solid dose of old-school rock, or for fans of bands like Todd Rundgren, Queen, and the like, PRB's latest will do you nicely. www.pushingredbuttons.com

Another NYC outfit, this time a trio, with Scott Porter on guitar, Billy Ziff on bass, and Ray Crespo on drums. The music is powerful, yet clean, always seeming to push ahead but never getting out of control. And throughout listening, I kept thinking how much Porter's vocals reminded me of Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe, many moons ago). While Porter may not be as jazzy or blazing on guitar as Nelson was, he certainly holds his own, whether in solos or interjecting bits and pieces that bolster the songs. The numbers, by the way, are quite interesting, straying from the standard 1-4-5 rock standards. Porter often uses chord movements not in the way you'd expect, resulting in an interesting song. A number like "Fool," for example, weaves in and out during the verse, switching chords, setting up the chorus with a wonderful hook, before an ascending break beefs up the song. The band can get funky, as on "Sit Down," or heavy, as with "Let It Go." In the end, Frank has produced a powerful disc that deserves your attention. www.frankband.com

Though they are described as rock/reggae on their website, they are more the former than the latter, much in the same way that No Doubt is. Perhaps white reggae is a better term, since any dilution of reggae always seems to irk me, much in the manner of middle-aged white guys belting out Delta Blues numbers. But those are my problems. And speaking of problems, there seems to be one on the opening song, "Colors Fading." I swear I keep hearing the time slip, most notably around the minute mark. I played the song again and again to be sure. In the end, I think it does, but on the outside chance my mind is going (a distinct possibility), give the song a listen for yourself. If it is the case, it's a bad way to open a record. As for the rest, well, Annastasia Victory's vocals have just a trace of an accent, and that works in her favor. She can move from belting it out to shy schoolgirl in a heartbeat, and admirably covers all points in between. Guitarist Ian Bouras can up-pick his chords just fine, and his lead work is quite good, while bassist Dan Paccione and drummer Ryan Cavan handle the rhythm section. A pleasant alternative to No Doubt. www.anavana.com

You know, I appreciate the White Stripes for their stripped-down approach, but their music doesn't do much for me. This duo, on the other hand, will rock you like a hurricane, and make the Stripes seem pedestrian. This is raunchy, gravelly, sweat-drenched juke fare that belts it out like an old Chevy SS 396. Sure, the ride may be a bit bumpy, but once you hit the pedal, you're grinning till you run out of gas. As for details on the lads, well, their press kit is light (but thanks for the magnets), and the website devoid of hard info. Their first band, Hot Water, put out a disc with the help of Richard Dodd (he of Grammy fame and acquaintance of Tom Petty), and they've supported the Blues Explosion, and that's about all the facts I can toss you. As for the music, the guitar is often distorted, often with a slight flanger effect on it, the drums provide a big feel without being too busy, and the vocals, ahh, those vocals, raunchy, raspy, strained at times but always there. This is a surprisingly good album, both from a songwriting aspect, and from the standpoint that it's primarily just a guitar and drums (though sometimes horns sneak in). You'll have to hear it to believe it, and that's what I'm telling you to do: www.theapplebros.com.

From the picture on the cover, you might suspect this is just another pretty-boy bassist with a groovy symbol for his initials, but the music quickly dispels that notion. Well, he is good looking, and I'm sure the ladies will swoon, but Dova has made a strong offering for your consumption. Oh sure, the first number, "Falling," doesn't leap out; it's a laid-back, up-tempo ballad, but the second tune sucker punches you with its heavy, distorted chord-changing intro. And by track three, "Understand Me," the neck-snapping fun begins. There's some heavy popping, before laying back on the verses, springing up again on the chorus. It's dark, heavy, almost hardcore, but not offensive at all. And Dova seems to have invested some time and money in singing lessons, because his voice sounds almost too polished in spots. Just when you think he's aiming for a corporate-rock sound, he smacks you again, in this case, with "Don't Keep Me Waiting," a song that sounds like the current emo punk bands bloating the radio waves today. Overall, Dova provides an interesting blend of songs and styles that should easily find a home on mainstream radio. www.robdova.com

This disc was recorded at three studios, and you get a feel for different rooms, different moods, different sounds. The opener, for example, "Wicked Dreams," is a laid-back, Mississippi-drawling lazy blues number. Production-wise, it has a beautiful, live sound to it. Following that is "Who But They," and sure, it's more of an up-tempo rocker, but the vocals sound different, as do the drums. "How Could You Leave Me Now" is yet another studio, and again, there is a full, live sound to the track. As for the music, Taranto and crew drift through styles with ease, shifting gears from slow ballads, to swampy blues-influenced numbers, to just Taranto and guitar. A former bartender, Taranto has no doubt needed to shout "Last Call" on more than one occasion, and his voice has developed a nice rasp along the lines of Lou Grahmm or Meatloaf. The varied mix of styles and recording setups provides a good balance of listening pleasure, and hopefully this isn't Taranto's last call. www.miketandthelc.com

This is one explosive quartet out of Queens, NY. And I do mean explosive. Listening to the disc is comparable to riding out a caffeine buzz without the irritability. It is also difficult to describe their music – there is some rap, some metal-influenced guitar chords, some serious guitar shredding, hypnotic beats. In short, there's a lot going on. Imagine Zappa, Motorhead, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in a blender, and even that falls short. Suffice it to say, the music is some of the more interesting stuff to pass this way in a while. It is an energetic, driving, relentless assault, and fascinating the whole time. Kervin features Anupum Mehrotra on vocals, Apurva Mehrotra on guitar, Charles Oliver on bass, and Cy Christiansen on drums. Together, they cook. They also seem to have an agenda, as their website states, "Kervin hope to be the trailblazers down a path where substance outweighs distraction, intelligent thought and inquiry are the norm, and rock music is an outlet for those with something new and inspirational to say." Now, rock bands may not change the world, but God bless 'em for trying, and for putting out this disc. For those in search of a high-charged breath of fresh air, Kervin has arrived. www.whoiskervin.com

The word that comes to mind is soothing. I say that because after I started listening to this disc, the muscles in my shoulders relaxed, and I started surfing the internet aimlessly. Though you may recall Slater from her film and television work (she was Supergirl, after all), this disc makes a good case for her career as a singer. Top that off with the fact that the record was done live in the studio, with Slater playing piano and singing, and the result is even more impressive. Oh, and she wrote all the tunes too. Similar to Norah Jones' first disc, the majority of the tunes here are roughly the same tempo, which was something that bothered me about the Jones disc, though it doesn't seem to bother me with Slater. She may not toy with the lyrics like Jones, but there is an undeniable quality to her pipes that makes you want to relax and kick back. Her lyrical sensibilities are quite strong as well, as on "Remember Last Sunday," a beautiful number about the loss of a loved one. Hopefully this disc won't fall under the radar, as it is a splendid offering from a talented individual. Rock on, Supergirl! www.helenslater.com

You know, when I listen to a disc, I usually check out the artist's website at the same time. Well, I did that with Lisala.com, and sure enough, there was music playing when I launched the website. Not my favorite approach, but as I closed the windows and pondered how to describe her effort, I realized the music, in all its beauty, is an insight into the future of R&B. Lisala's voice flows like water, slipping and sliding, twisting and turning, beckoning you closer to the speakers. What is interesting here though, is the instrumentation, which is predominantly keyboards – even the drums sound synthetic. The style lends an atmospheric and spatial quality to the music, a futuristic sound if you will, thus providing for an interesting disc. Sometimes all the synthesizer stuff can be a bit distracting, but on a track where the instrumentation is sparser, like "Last Tear," you really feel the power of Lisala's pipes. It is a slow, smoky, bluesy number, featuring real drums, and real guitar, more akin to the traditional sound I'm accustomed to hearing. But hey, I'm all for pushing the envelope, and it seems that Lisala is doing just that. The future is in good hands. www.lisala.com