Ghosts represents the American debut of the British duo SMOKE FAIRIES.

Rock is often called the music of rebellion, but rarely is it so true as here. Koes Bersaudara ended up in jail for three months in 1965 for playing Beatles songs in their concert sets.

Quirky has become a cliché, if not a bad word, but Warm Robot embodies the best of what truly quirky pop has to offer.

Purity of Essence, the second album by the HOODOO GURUS since their reformation a few years ago, is the beloved Australian quartet’s best record since its 80s heyday.

All three acts choose to stick close to the space rock guidelines laid out by Hawkwind decades before: aggressive guitars, whooshing synthesizers, repetitive rhythms, droning vocals.

One aspect of shoegaze music that’s never been fully explored in its 25-odd year history is its potential as makeout music.

This soundtrack for Marc Craste’s animated film Varmints is absolutely beautiful, of course, yet with an austere elegance and the occasional dissonant edge.

The record has always stood somewhat apart in the band’s large catalog, as it’s the group’s lone attempt to keep up with what was then the times.

The fertility and innovation of the Athens, GA music scene in the late ’70s/early ’80s is legendary (B-52s, Pylon, Love Tractor, R.E.M.). Now, in the wake of DFA’s wonderful Pylon reissues, Acute, which has long had an interest in that period if not that locale, blesses us with more brilliant material from that time and place.

No mere audio résumé, Initiate is a map of Cline country, and it’s territory that’s a pleasure to explore.

The Leeds trio boldly recalls the early 80s era of jangly, bittersweet, U.K.-based guitar pop, a la AZTEC CAMERA, ORANGE JUICE and the like.

Yet another indie rock supergroup? It’s easy to roll one’s eyes and let a “meh” escape your lips, but before you do either, give SWEET APPLE a chance.

EARL GREYHOUND drips promise the way a honeycomb oozes honey, and on Suspicious Package it tastes sweet indeed.

Allegedly the aim was to craft the ultimate Scott Morgan LP, and while it remains to be seen if that’s the case, the record is definitely a strong one.

Paired with Denton, Texas-based psych/pop/prog weirdoes MIDLAKE, Grant creates the lush pop masterpiece we long suspected he had in him.

BLLD pairs experimental musicians MARKUS REUTER and 05RIC.

A good sampler should not only make you want to explore the artists represented, but it should also flow like any other album.

The San Antonio quartet is certainly stuck on the 60s, but has a palette that encompasses more than just simplified rip-offs of the ROLLING STONES and the BYRDS.

It’s a good thing the Voidoids scenes are so hot, because otherwise there’s little to recommend the movie.

It’s a collection of 21 brief instrumentals and sketches, one instrument per track, most of them sounding improvised.

Fourteen years after their last studio album, Nashville’s JASON & THE SCORCHERS makes an unexpected return.

RB strains catchy melodies and mellifluous grooves through a mildly acidic strainer, giving the entire album a warm, psychedelic glow.

The Beating of the Wings is a rare breed of record, building a sonic bricolage from moody glam cabaret and early 80’s coldwave with an injection of Nine Inch Nails ire.

There are a lot of retro-minded guitar bands who plunder the pre-punk 70s for nuggets of gold, but few quite as deft and inspired as the BROUGHT LOW are on Third Record.

With its perfect balance of keen craft and open heart, I’m OK, You’re OK reaffirms Falkner’s talent and vision.

Innovation in rock & roll is well and good, and mostly welcome. But sometimes you just wanna get back to three chords, big hooks and caffeinated energy, ya know?

Newcombe has made the same shift as 80s acidheads like PRIMAL SCREAM and the SHAMEN by diving headfirst into dance music and electronica.

Despite treading well-worn ground, the Draggers make it sound fresh, rather than hackneyed.

This digital EP arrives just as THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES hits American shores for a rare tour.

The Plimsouls rip through a set of turbocharged power pop, stripped-down R&B and blazing rock & roll with the skill of veterans and the enthusiasm of teenagers.

My series on Middle Eastern black metal continues with a look at Cyprus.

Bloody Hell Fire is a work of pure spirit, unpolished talent and raw heart.

Australian underground rock legend DOM MARIANI teams up with British punk & roll journeyman NICK SHEPPARD to form the DOMNICKS.

There’s a buzz about this 1974 album among collectors of vintage psychedelia and prog-rock; quite a rarity, the original LPs — only 200 pressed — were supposedly going for as much as $1000 in online auctions (the highest I saw was $800).

More quick takes on albums worthy of being more than just units in a discard pile.

Here are some quick takes on albums worthy of being more than just units in a discard pile.

This album was inspired by Merritt’s image of ’60s folk music – big-production folk with dazzlingly complex arrangements.

There’s a pastoral atmosphere to these eight tunes, a certain deliberate pace that belies any need for frenzied musicianship.

“Lucky Day” belongs in the same canon as the very best of HANK WILLIAMS or MERLE HAGGARD.

Not as pop-minded as NIRVANA, as psychedelic as SCREAMING TREES or as weird as SOUNDGARDEN, ATH nonetheless bears echoes of all three.

On Prior To the Fire, the follow-up to its debut album Hello Master, Priestess worships the almighty riff.

One of Europe’s longest running progressive rock bands, Germany’s ELOY return after a decade-long absence with Visionary.

The Myth and The Sum showcases a mature electronic slink compelled by moments of abyssal depth and seductive ethereality.

Love TOM WAITS, NICK CAVE and JIM WHITE? Then THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN is your new favorite band.

Obviously enamored of the early 70s Laurel Canyon sound, Barker amiably meanders through eight easygoing melodies that will neither set your teeth on edge nor induce eargasms

You don’t have to look much further than the title of both band and album to assume that what THEE AMERICAN REVOLUTION offers is trippy psychedelic rock.

STEVE CONTE is best known these days for filling the JOHNNY THUNDERS slot in the reconstituted NEW YORK DOLLS, but he has a musical resume stretching back nearly two decades.

My series on Middle Eastern black metal continues with a look at Egypt.

RICHARD JANKOVICH‘s day jobs include being a member of BURNSIDE PROJECT and a remixer to the stars.