[Updated: 6:14 P.M.]

SPIN is sponsoring Hex-Fest, a night of music, on November 28 featuring many local bands and a few from across the country. The festivities are taking place at three adjacent venues: Cake Shop, The Living Room/Googies, and Pianos, all on Ludlow Street in NYC's Lower East Side.

When he's not commandeering the stage as the boisterous bassist for SoCal punks Blink-182, Tweeting wisdom to more than 1.4 million followers, or handling album production duties for bands like Motion City Soundtrack and New Found Glory, you'd think Mark Hoppus would turn down the music.

[Updated: 6:17 P.M.]

Here's a rundown of the essential albums available online and in record stores today:

[Updated: 6:42 P.M.]