What's the Deal? In the 16 years since shoegaze gods My Bloody Valentine graced American shores with perfectionist overdubs of crashing, beautiful noise from one of the most revered albums of the '90s, Loveless, no official new material has been released by the group. But that hasn't stopped the ballooning hype.

Poor Boris Yeltsin's message could have been as plain and simple as the band who still love him: "We want to make you very happy," songwriter and drummer Philip Dickey said last night (April 22) as the Springfield, MO five-piece celebrated its second date of New York City dictatorship to a sold-out crowd at Mercury Lounge.

What's the Deal? This Bay Area outfit cross-references bluegrass guitar, mandolin, vast percussion, and orchestral arrangements into a mildly freaky yet no less tangy folk salad. The exciting twist: All this sound comes from just two people.

What's the Deal? Casey Dienel's vocals have, at first, the depth and phrasing of Jolie Holland and the chirpiness of Regina Spektor. But what makes her band's debut such an impactful listen are the instrumental counterparts, dissonant strings, and warm piano tones.

Who? Formed in Ottawa in 2003, the indie-folk quintet the Acorn consists of songwriter Rolf Klausener (also on vocals/guitar), guitarist/visual artist Howie Tsui, bassist Jeff Debutte, drummer Jeffrey Malecki, and on board from Montreal since 2006, Keiko Devaux on keys.

Who? Norman, Oklahoma-bred psych rockers Evangelicals features singer/guitarist Josh Jones, bassist/keyboardist Kyle Davis and drummer Austin Stephens (Guitarist Todd Jackson joins 'em on the