Wussy, 'Left for Dead' (Shake It)

Niftily named Cincinnati band does relationship songs right.

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.

Jens Lekman, 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' (Secretly Canadian)

Spectacularly bombastic pop from Scandinavian crooner.

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).

Kanye West, 'Graduation' (Roc-A-Fella)

Is it still arrogance if you can back it up? Yes.

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.

Bruce Springsteen, 'Magic' (Columbia)

E Street still has undiscovered dark alleys.

For a minute there, it looked like Bruce Springsteen was acting his age.

Breaking Out: Kate Nash

British bird turns romantic tragedy into pop ecstasy

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE! Watch exclusive video of Kate performing her single, "Birds," plus a quick chat on her recent stop in NYC. MORE>>

Taken by Trees, 'Open Field' (Rough Trade)

Without the young and old folks, chanteuse lacks friends.

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

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