'Madvillainy' is a collaboration between rapper MF Doom and producer Madlib.

'Misery' is the first 4AD release for the noisy, experimental indie rockers, who have mellowed/refined their sound a bit to fit their new label.

The Los Angeles-based indie rapper's second Def Jux disc was produced by 9th Wonder.

Miami, Fla. singer-songwriter Sam Beam (who moonlights as a cinematography professor) returns with his second album, recorded with Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Red Red Meat) at the helm.

This self-titled effort marks the full-length debut for the Brooklyn-based shoegazers.

They may sound like Brit rockers (Oasis comes to mind), but this four-piece led by singer Adrian Barrera comes from Atlanta. Owen Morris (Oasis) produced this debut disc.

The Canadian collective (who wowed critics with 2003's 'You Forgot It In People') offers a compilation of B-sides and previously unreleased tracks.

This instrumental hip-hop disc marks the solo debut by the longtime producer for Aesop Rock and other Def Jux artists.

The indie singer-songwriter's fourth solo album, produced by Danielson Famile's Daniel Smith, follows on the heels of his critically-lauded 2003 effort 'Greetings From Michigan.'

This is the second group album (as cLOUDDEAD) for three of the founders of the indie hip-hop collective anticon: Why?, Doseone and Odd Nosdam.

This is the sixth album for the Vancouver, Canada indie rock outfit led by Dan Bejar (also of the New Pornographers).

21-year-old Norwegian pop singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche returns with his second U.S. release.

The San Francisco noise-rockers' latest is a concept album about the Pied Piper-esque title character, who is based on the drawings of illustrator Ken Kagami.

The most hyped band to come out of the UK in early 2004 is Glasgow, Scotland's Franz Ferdinand, an art-rock quartet who make their full-length debut with this self-titled release, the winner of the UK's coveted Mercury Music Prize in 2004.

Michael Stipe and Conor Oberst guest on this sophomore disc for the Athens, GA outfit led by producer Andy LeMaster (Bright Eyes), with vocals from Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor (Azure Ray).

The Detroit garage rockers make their major-label debut with this sophomore album, which was produced by Jerry Harrison.

Brooklyn art-rockers TV On The Radio make their full-length debut with this release. The trio consists of vocalist/animator Tunde Adebimpe, multi-instrumentalist/producer David Andrew Sitek (who produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs debut) and guitarist Kyp Malone.

"The Smiths" is a phrase you often see in descriptions of the Seattle three-piece Aveo, as their catchy, guitar-driven rock does sometimes recall Moz, Marr & co. This is their second album, produced (like the first) by Phil Ek.

The Boston-based singer-songwriter's second studio album features songs written by Nick Saloman (aka the Bevis Frond), as well as covers of Pink Floyd's "Fearless" and Pete Ham's "Baby Blue."

The former Anti-Pop Consortium member's second solo release is a nine-song EP, with six new tracks and three remixes by Kings, Prefuse 73 and El-P.

This is the fourth album for the Kansas City (Mo.)-based emo band.

The third full-length for the Chicago-based art-rock four-piece was produced (like its predecessor) by John Congleton.

The English trip-hop outfit led by vocalist Louise Robinson (nee Rhodes) and producer Andy Barlow return for a fourth album.

This is the fourth solo album for the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter (and occasional Gilmore Girls actor) formerly of the group Grant Lee Buffalo.

The New York punk outfit moves even further away from the mainstream on this sophomore effort (a concept album about witch trials), which also sees them with a new rhythm section.

All Night Radio is the latest (and most psychedelic) incarnation for Beachwood Sparks' Dave Scher and Jimi Hey.

This self-titled disc marks the debut for the quirky Austin/Brooklyn indie-rock trio, whose guitar-keyboard-drums sound is sometimes reminiscent of Spoon.

Recorded at the same time and released on the same day, 'Aw C'Mon' and 'No, You C'Mon' are actually intended as separate albums, rather than two parts of a double album. The Nashville String Machine lends strings to each.

The Washington, D.C. band's seventh album finds the band in a more political mood, even sampling President Bush (the newer one) on one track.

Recorded at the same time and released on the same day, 'Aw, C'Mon' and 'No, You C'Mon' are actually intended as separate albums, rather than two parts of a double album. The Nashville String Machine lends strings to each.

This is the fourth release for the all-female Japanese rock band fronted by Yoshimi P-We of the Boredoms.

This tongue-in-cheek Canadian duo mixes 70s and 80s electro, funk, rock, and dance sounds on this debut.

The Americana collective founded and led by fronted by Robert Fisher returns with a fifth LP. Co-founder/guitarist Paul Austin is no longer a full-time band member, but he appears on some tracks, as do Kristin Hersh, Chris Eckmen (The Walkabouts) and a variety of other guests.

The band's sophomore disc includes guest appearances by Wilco and Scott McCaughey (Minus 5).

This is the third full-length album for the challenging, intensely personal Bay Area post-punk outfit led by Jamie Stewart.

One of the more attention-grabbing British bands to emerge in the last few years--their fun, genre-jumping debut album landed them a Mercury Music Prize nomination--The Coral returns with a more coherent, '60s-influenced sophomore LP.

Although lumped in with the New York garage-rock scene, The Walkmen (which includes members of defunct bands Jonathan Fire Eater and The Recoys) stand out by incorporating a wider range of influences and instrumentation. (Plus, they own their own New York recording studio, which puts them about as far from an actual garage as you can get). This is the band's second LP, which follows their acclaimed 2002 debut 'Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone.'

Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett is the mastermind behind this collective, which includes contributions from members of Azure Ray and Ozma and production from Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and Jimmy Tamborello (DNTEL, Postal Service).

The experimental/psychedelic Japanese collective returns with their first album in five years, with co-founder Taishi Takizawa re-joining the group as a member (in addition to continuing to serve as the band's producer).

John Darnielle's fifth Mountain Goats disc in the past two years was produced by John Vanderslice.

The all-female indie-rock band from Brighton, England (who in the past have crossed Stereolab's love for vintage electronics with a more raucous sound) worked with producer Steve Albini on this second full-length, which incorporates vocals into the mix for the first time.

Mice Parade is the solo moniker adopted by Adam Pierce (drummer for the east coast indie rock band The Swirlies) for his forays into electronica and post-rock. Although he has expanded Mice Parade into a full-band effort on some previous releases, Pierce recorded this fourth studio LP mainly on his own.

'Margerine Eclipse' marks the London-based band's first LP since the death of long-time member Mary Hansen, as well as the once-prolific group's longest-ever gap between albums (2 1/2 years).

The veteran Illinois-based college-radio favorites offer up more new wave (or is that post new wave or new new wave?) tunes on their eighth studio LP.

This limited edtion 11-song low-fi mini-album was recorded with producer Ian Broudie over the course of a week.

Brooklyn's Oneida has been around a bit longer (since 1997) than some of their fellow bands in the New York neo-garage/punk/new wave scene, and 'Secret Wars' marks their sixth LP.

'Punk Rock' is just that, combining new recordings of some of the band's edgier late-70s output with live performances culled from their 25th anniversary tour in 2002.

'Underachievers' is the first U.S. release for the Glasgow, Scotland-based band, who mine some of the same musical territory as fellow Scots Belle & Sebastian (as well as drawing more than a few Nick Drake comparisons).

This electronic-rock effort marks the full-length solo debut for Omaha, Neb.-based Denver Dalley of Desaparecidos.

Known for her work as half of the 4AD group Dead Can Dance, as well as more recent efforts scoring such films as Gladiator and Whale Rider, Lisa Gerrard here unites with Irish classical composer Patrick Cassidy for ten new tracks, including songs sung in Aramaic, Latin and Gaelic.

The latest LP from the Chicago-based experimental indie-rockers returns the same four-piece lineup (led, as always, by Tim Rutili) from 2003's Quicksand/Cradlesnakes.

Popular San Francisco-based indie producer and former MK Ultra frontman John Vanderslice returns with his fourth solo album.

The Songs: Ohia leader offers seven new tracks on this completely solo release, the first he has recorded under his own name. It is the result of a single session in Omaha with engineer Mike Mogis (who worked with Molia on the 'Ghost Tropic' album).

Adams' 'Love Is Hell' 2-part album concludes with seven more tracks.

The eclectic Mexican five-piece returns with a sophomore LP.

Rjyan Kidwell's second release of 2003 (third, if you count his all-instrumental alternate version of 'Being Ridden') features 8 new songs that run the gamut from rap to industrial rock to glitchy electronica.

Stephin Merritt's soundtrack to the film "Pieces of April" includes previously released tracks from his bands The 6ths and Magnetic Fields, as well as four brand new songs from the latter.

This is the third full-length for the Detroit garage rockers led by guitarist Mick Collins (ex of the Gories) and featuring a supersized rhythm section of two bass players and two drummers. Included in early versions are bonus covers of Brian Eno's "King's Lead Hat" and Robyn Hitchcock's "Executioner of Love."

'Ghosts' marks the debut of the latest band from Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters). Filling out the lineup are RHP drummer Anthony Koutsos, American Music Club drummer Tim Mooney, and bassist Geoff Sanfield (Black Lab).

This five-song album is the second release from the Austin, Texas instrumental quartet known for their fierce live shows.

Love Is Hell, Part 1 is one-half of the planned 'Love Is Hell' full-length that Adams had intended as his official follow-up to 2001's 'Gold' until Lost Highway refused to release it intact (instead encouraging the singer to record a more upbeat LP, 'Rock n Roll'). John Porter (The Smiths) produces.

Recorded in just two weeks after Adams (rather, his record company) scrapped plans to release 'Love Is Hell' as his official follow-up to 'Gold' (the former will instead appear as a 2-part EP), 'Rock'n'Roll' features guest appearances from Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Melissa Auf Der Mauer (Hole) and Parker Posey (every indie film in the last 15 years).

The Massachusetts-based trio's fourth album is their first for a major label. Dave Fridmann produces.

The Virginia band's sophomore disc has a more immediate sound compared to their trip-hoppy self-titled debut.

Exactly what the title says it is, this 16-track disc features songs from the Hedwig soundtrack (as well as new compositions inspired by the musical) interpreted by your favorite indie artists, including Yo La Tengo (with Yoko Ono!), Spoon, Robyn Hitchcock, The Polyphonic Spree, Frank Black, The Breeders, Bob Mould, and more.

This eagerly-awaited second LP for the heralded/hyped New York five-piece was produced by Gordon Raphael (who also produced their debut 'Is This It?') after aborted sessions working with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich.

Phil Ek produced this sophomore effort for the Albuquerque-based group led by James Mercer (also of Flake), who wowed critics in 2001 with their 1960s-flavored debut 'Oh, Inverted World.'

More "rocking" than recent LP 'Summer Sun,' this six-track EP includes four new songs plus alternate versions of "Cherry Chapstick" and the title cut.

This sophomore LP (and U.S. debut) for the English band was produced by the Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde.

This is the second album for the lo-fi indie-pop trio based in Montreal, Canada.

The London, England band's fourth LP finds them stripping away some of the layers (and extra musicians) found on previous outings for a more organic trip-hop approach.

The Brooklyn band's dance/punk/80s hybrid debut follows months of hype and anticipation fed by several years of touring. Included here is the single "House Of Jealous Lovers."

The Montreal, Canada-based quartet (basically, 2003's version of Interpol) follows its acclaimed, 80s-influenced EP "Rememberese" with this debut full-length. "Still In Love Song" is the only song from that EP to reappear here.

Picking up on the sounds of late 70s / early 80s post-punk and no-wave, this all-female Bay Area quartet drew positive notices for their debut 'Other Animals' and now return with a sophomore LP two years later.

The experimental collage artists combine samples, vocals (courtesy of Anne Doerner) and acoustic instrumentation on this second release.

The husband and wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks return with their sixth CD of dark, country-tinged folk-rock.

The first solo outing for Portishead's Beth Gibbons finds her teaming up with former Talk Talk bassist Paul "Rustin' Man" Webb on a largely acoustic, melodic collection of 10 tracks.

This self-titled disc (the band's fifth studio recording) was recorded in Arizona with Calexico/Giant Sand producer Craig Schumacher.

The Welsh band returns with 12 new tracks of indie rock mixed with folk, pop, and psychedelia.

This odds'n'ends disc compiles covers recorded by Mac McCaughan and his touring band in the studio, acoustic tracks recorded from college radio broadcasts, and one new song.

This final release from the now disbanded Washington, D.C. group is a remix album, but with a twist: all of the tracks were remixed by fans in response to an invitation on DP's website, with the best entries selected for inclusion on this disc.

Crooked Fingers' Eric Bachmann returns as producer for the third album from the duo of Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor.

This is the full-length debut for the Ohio-based duo of acclaimed hip-hop producer RJD2 and emcee Blueprint.

The Toronto, Canada-based quartet returns with a fourth LP of psychedelic post-rock instrumentals, divided, as the title suggests, into three movements.

This is the debut solo release from the former Belle and Sebastian / Gentle Waves vocalist and cellist.