Wussy, 'Left for Dead' (Shake It)
With 2005's country-fried debut, Funeral Dress, Wussy arrived just as quietly as Chuck Cleaver's previous band, '90s shoulda-beens Ass Ponys, exited. Cleaver's predilection for black humor and white trash remained, and he packed a secret weapon in co-conspirator Lisa Walker.
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Jens Lekman, 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' (Secretly Canadian)
Swedish-born songwriter Jens Lekman has a penchant for grand pronouncements, and his pop opuses are rife with strings, choirs, and samples (everything from Renaldo & the Loaf's "Hambu Hodo" to his own childhood squeaks).
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Kanye West, 'Graduation' (Roc-A-Fella)
According to the historical record, an English professor (Donda) and photojournalist (Ray) brought Kanye Omari West into this earthly cipher in Atlanta in 1977. But in actuality, the rapper/producer was born in the hip-hop ether in 1997 with the release of the orgiastic video for the No.
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Bruce Springsteen, 'Magic' (Columbia)
Breaking Out: Kate Nash
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE! Watch exclusive video of Kate performing her single, "Birds," plus a quick chat on her recent stop in NYC. MORE>>
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Taken by Trees, 'Open Field' (Rough Trade)
After four albums with the Concretes, Swedish gamine Victoria Bergsman departed for the inevitable solo project; instead, her hollowed-out, achin'-to-be vocals added a rueful drone to Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks." Now, with minimalist production from Bjorn and John, Bergsman's new work has




