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

This is the fourth album for the Washington-based indie group led by Ben Gibbard (also of the Postal Service) and Chris Walla.

This Grammy-winning follow-up to their smash 2000 hit 'Stankonia' is an OutKast album in name only, as it is structured in the form of two solo discs: one each for Big Boi (Speakerboxxx) and Andre 3000 (The Love Below).

Still going strong at 57, the Grammy-winning artist offers 12 new tracks, with some A-list backing from the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Jill Cunniff, Jane Siberry, and Kate and Anna McGarrigle.

The hardcore rapper returns with his fifth studio album, hoping to duplicate the #1 success of each of his four previous LPs.

The roster of this Los Angeles outfit (who make their debut with this self-titled release) includes members of Beck's touring band (Medal-Johnsen and Joey Waronker).

Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan's side project returns with a second LP on which he's backed by Jeordie "Twiggy Ramirez" White (Marilyn Manson), Billy Howerdel (Tool's guitar tech) and Josh Freese (Guns N' Roses).

The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter (who is frequently compared to Dave Matthews) attempts to duplicate the unexpected success of 2001's 'Room for Squares' with this third album.

The Southern rockers make their major-label debut with this 12-track effort.

Never one for original album titles, Seal returns with just his fourth LP in his 12+ year recording career. Trevor Horn produces.

He's nothing if not prolific. Black's fourth album in two and a half years features 13 new tracks and appearances from some of his usual cohorts (Stan Ridgway, Joey Santiago).

The indie rockers took four years to record this third album.

The London-by-way-of-Los-Angeles-by-way-of-San Francisco rockers known as JAMC--er, make that BRMC--return with their second LP, which actually finds the group distancing themselves (at least a little) from the Jesus and Mary Chain-influenced sound of their debut.

The fifth album from the Nebraska-born singer-songwriter is indeed influenced by the music of 1972 (the year Rouse was born).

This is the third album for the Winnipeg, Canada-based group led by former Propagandhi member John K. Samson.

This is just the second full-length recording for the Birmingham, England experimental pop outfit founded in 1995. Included here is the track "Pendulum" from the recent EP of the same name.

This is the third album for the Los Angeles alt-rock trio led by singer Max Collins (who lately is best known for an indecent exposure incident in a Pittsburgh hotel lobby).

The Boston-based trio has developed a devoted following over the course of three albums and ten years of touring. This fourth album, produced by Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo), adds additional elements such as bass and drums to their ususal mix of two acoustic guitars and bongos.

The quirky, Portland, Ore.-based indie rock trio recorded this highly-regarded genre-twisting debut album with the aid of a homemade software program.

The Southern rock band led by Patterson Hood follow up their 2-disc concept album about Lynyrd Skynyrd ('The Southern Rock Opera') with this less conceptual but equally rocking LP.

Don't let the title fool you; the Glaswegian instrumental post-rockers are just as dour as ever on this fourth studio LP.

Not quite the return to the "rock" side of Radiohead as originally believed (although pretty close), the band's sixth album (produced again by Nigel Godrich) retains some of the experimental electronica elements of its predecessors Kid A and Amnesiac. Note that each of the tracks on the album has an alternate title, as does the album itself (aka 'The Gloaming').

The best indie rock band to come out of Modesto, California in quite some time (well, ever, we'd think) returns with a long-awaited fourth LP, arriving a full three years after The Sophtware Slump thanks to worldwide tours and a lengthy recording process.

The third album for the radio-friendly San Francisco-based alt-rockers is almost a concept album about breaking up with Charlize Theron, which--lest you think the band was getting wacky all of a sudden--band leader Stephan Jenkins actually did do recently.

The veteran Britpop outfit's first new album in four years is the result of tumultuous recording sessions in Morocco with producer Fatboy Slim, which saw a growing dispute between co-founders Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon culminate in Coxon's departure from the band. Fatboy Slim only wound up producing two tracks, with William Orbit handling some of the others.

If you prefer your Fleetwood Mac songs written by Lindsey Buckingham, your 16-year wait is over. Joining Buckingham on this brand-new, 18-track album are Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

The UK glam-punk band returns with their fourth album.

The third album for the Scottish rockers is already a big hit with UK music fans, helped by the success of lead single "You Held the World in Your Arms."

The second solo release for the former Pavement leader (although it is credited to "Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks"), 'Pig Lib' features 11 new tracks.

A former member of the San Luis Obispo, Calif. trio Rodriguez, singer-songwriter M. Ward gained a bit of a following while supporting Bright Eyes on tour in 2002, and has drawn comparisons to Giant Sand, Tom Waits, and Grandaddy. This is his third solo release.

Jason Molina rocks out a bit more on this latest offering, which finds the singer-songwriter backed by the same musicians on the 'Mi Sei Apparaso Come Un Fantasma' live album. Steve Albini produces, and to quote the official press release, "This is the first Songs: Ohia record with more than one song that could be played at a strip joint or monster truck show."

The veteran prog-rock outfit led by guitarist Robert Fripp returns with their first full album of new material in thee years.

This breaktrhough sixth album for the German band combines a variety of disparate elements, most notably moody indie rock and glitchy electronica (think Hood's Cold House), to great effect.

The Glaswegian guitar rockers emerge with their second full-length album, an even more intense affair than their 2001 debut 'Story In White.'

Chan Marshall's first album of new material since 1998 was recorded in Los Angeles with Adam Kasper (Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam), who in turn brought in friends such as Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder.

The first of two planned 2003 releases for the far-from-prolific Bristol-based electronica collective sees the group pared down to one original member: Robert "3-D" del Naja (although Grant "Daddy G." Marshall intends to return to the group for the next disc). Horace Andy returns to provide vocals on several tracks, and Sinead O'Connor also guests on two songs.

The fun-loving Britpop outfit, popular in the U.K. but unsuccessful to date in the U.S., returns with its fourth LP.

The new group led by Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins features a lineup including fellow Pumpkin Jimmy Chamberlin on drums and guitarists Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Skunk) and David Pajo (Slint, Tortoise).

The Toronto, Canada punk outfit returns with a follow-up to their successful 2001 debut, 'All Killer No Filler.'

Bobby Gillespie and co. follow 2000's widely acclaimed 'XTRMNTR' with a similar blend of Stooges-style rock and electronica, thanks to the production work of semi-official Primal Scream member Kevin Shields (formerly of My Bloody Valentine) and Andy Weatherall. Tracks include first single "Miss Lucifer," "City," a remake of a Gillespie-sung track on David Holmes' most recent album, and "Some Velvet Morning," sung as a duet with supermodel Kate Moss.

Not the true follow-up to 'Toxicity' that fans were hoping for, 'Steal This Album' instead consists of outtakes from that 2001 album, originally leaked on the Internet in rough versions and now polished up for release on CD.

Boards of Canada's very first release--once limited to just 100 self-released vinyl copies in 1995--has finally been reissued on CD. (So if you've been holding on to your 12-inch to sell on eBay, tough luck.)

The late Beatle's final studio album was produced by Jeff Lynne with Harrison's son, Dhani.

Still lowercase, the alt-rock band led by Rob Thomas (who is perhaps more famous for "Smooth" on Santana's 1999 album) returns with their third album, the first on which the band shared songwriting duties as a unit.

This is the debut album by the London garage (or in this case, bedroom) band, which consists solely of 21-year-old Mike Skinner. Whether or not this style of music (very English rapping over garage/house beats) will translate well overseas remains to be seen, but garage (and especially Skinner) is the current flavor of the month with the UK music press.

The Chicago indie band's fifth album is the first in a planned trilogy, and features a bit more electronics than previous outings. Members of Tortoise guest on the album, as does Rebecca Gates from the Spinanes.

The Los Angeles-based underground hip-hop outfit returns with a follow up to their 2000 debut, 'Quality Control.' Nelly Furtado guests on one track.

Which Beck is it? The party-loving Beck of 'Odelay' and 'Midnite Vultures,' or the more serious, singer-songwriter Beck of 'Mutations.' On this latest release, it is the latter, as Beck reunites with Mutations' producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead) for a set of darker, atmospheric, more acoustically-oriented tracks.

Written, recorded and performed entirely by Miami, Fla-based Samuel Beam, 'The Creek Drank The Cradle' is the debut album for Iron & Wine, a largely lo-fi, acoustic affair with a darker take on folk and bluegrass.

The Chicago alt-metal band follows their 2 million-selling debut, 'The Sickness,' with this sophomore effort, working once again with producer Johnny Z.

Alt-country singer-songwriter Neko Case returns with her third solo album, after last appearing on the New Pornographers' acclaimed 'Mass Romantic" album. Here, the moody, cinematic music is provided by members of Calexico and Giant Sand.

The Austin, Tex. indie rockers return with their fourth album, following 2001's critically acclaimed 'Girls Can Tell.'

The acclaimed indie-rock trio from Olympia, Wash. return with their sixth album.

Prolific 22-year-old Nebraska singer-songwriter Connor Oberst returns to his Bright Eyes guise for this 13-track effort, following a stint fronting the band Desaparecidos.

2001 gave us The White Stripes and The Strokes; 2002 gives us The Hives and The Vines. This Australian four-piece outfit is the latest rock band to be hyped to stratospheric proportions (and an instant major-label contract) by the UK rock press, who compared the Vines to Nirvana (the band, not the concept). But although the Aussies did indeed get their start as a Nirvana cover band, there is a bit more to their debut album 'Highly Evolved' than Grunge, Part 2.

The Oklahoma band finally returns with a follow-up to perhaps their strongest effort to date, 1999's 'The Soft Bulletin.' Here, the Lips venture even more into electronic territory, working once again with producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev). Yoshimi of Japanese band The Boredoms guests on vocals on one track and lends her name to part of the album's title (the "Yoshimi" part, not the "Pink Robots" part).

The St. Louis rapper follows up the massive success of his 2000 debut LP 'Country Grammar' with 19 new tracks cut from the same cloth, including the Neptunes-produced single "Hot In Here." Justin Timberlake guests on one track.

The Minneapolis underground hip-hop duo of rapper Slug and producer Ant offer up 18 new tracks.

Fresh off the Roxy Music reunion tour, Bryan Ferry resumes his solo career with this 13-track effort, a mix of Ferry originals and covers (including two Dylan tracks). Ferry has actually been working on this album for parts of the last eight (!) years, and it includes contributions from former Roxy Music partner/nemesis Brian Eno, the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood.

One of the first Next Big Things of 2002, Sweden's The Hives follow last year's media darlings The Strokes and The White Stripes in bringing the rock back to alternative rock. The only catch is that the band has been around for over a decade, with this particular album actually dating back to 2000, when it gained a limited U.S. release on a tiny Epitaph imprint. However, the Swedes were able to benefit from the rush to capitalize on the neo-garage/punk-rock movement by scoring a major label deal in early 2002 and a rerelease of this, their second full-length. (They've got The Strokes beat on length, though, managing to release an even shorter album, at just 27 minutes.)

This is the Cincinnati, Ohio band's major label debut.

This is the fifth album (and a return to English-lanugage songs) for the well-regarded Welsh indie band, now signed to a major label (Epic). It is the first album ever to be released simultaneously on DVD and CD (with the DVD containing a movie and a remix for each track on the album). Paul McCartney and John Cale have cameo appearances on the album.

Over two years in the making, 'After Everything' is the twelfth album from the Australian band, still best known for their 1988 hit "Under The Milky Way."

These 14 new tracks from the Los Angeles punk band mark the 20th anniversary of the group's first LP.

The follow-up to 'Return of Saturn' finds Gwen Stefani & co. working with a variety of producers (Sly and Robbie, Ric Ocasek, William Orbit) in a variety of styles.

This 30-track, 2-disc set from Richard D. James is his first Aphex Twin album in five years.

The Los Angeles-based funk-metal band returns with a follow-up to 1999's 'Make Yourself.' Scott Litt (R.E.M.) returns as producer.

Though Washington D.C. hard rockers Fugazi have been together for almost 15 years, this is just their eighth full-length release.

What started as a series of HBO shorts has turned into a full-fledged band, featuring actor Jack Black ("High Fidelity") and Kyle Gass. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Steve McDonald (Redd Kross) are among the guest musicians on this, the D's debut album, produced by the Dust Brothers.

Picking up where 1997's resurgent 'Time Out of Mind' left off, 'Love And Theft' finds the 60-year-old Dylan self-producing the album's 12 tracks.

Singer-songwriter Ben Folds has ditched the other two members of his band (Ben Folds Five) for this 12-track solo album, on which he plays every instrument himself.

The now-legendary Brooklyn rapper follows 2000's 'The Dynasty Roc la Familia' with this 13-track disc.

San Francisco's Beulah, part of the Elephant 6 collective of indie-pop bands, returns with a follow-up to their well-received 1999 effort 'When Your Heartstrings Break.'

This is the third album for Mark Linkous and Sparklehorse.

This is Laurie Anderson's first music release since 1994's 'Big Red.' Originally conceived as a studio verision of her recent theatrical production "Songs and Stories from Moby Dick," the thirteen-song album contains only three tracks from that show, supplemented with newer material. Guest musicians include Lou Reed, Dr. John, Bill Frisell, Mocean Worker and Van Dyke Parks.

Alison Krauss and her band have gained popularity in recent months, thanks to the success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack (which featured the band's version of "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" among other contributions). This is their first album since 1999's 'Forget About It.'

This long-awaited follow-up to the Los Angeles alternative-electronica band's 1997 debut, 'Vegas,' features guest appearances from members of Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots as well as Jon Brion.

The Detroit-based "brother-sister" (or, if you don't believe everything you read, ex husband and wife) indie duo of Jack (guitars) and Meg (drums) White continue their stripped-down sound on this, their third full-length.

This is the fifth full-length release from Tom Jenkinson (aka Squarepusher). "My Red Hot Car" is the lead single.

The follow-up to the Jaxx' critically-acclaimed 1999 debut album, 'Remedy,' 'Rooty' finds the British house duo adding to the party vibe with elements of pop and R&B thrown into the mix. The lead single is "Romeo."

Forget concept albums; this is a concept band. Formed by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Blur's Damon Albarn, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori, and the Tom Tom Club's Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz (with visuals by "Tank Girl" creator Jamie Hewlett), the Gorillaz are a "virtual" hip-hop outfit of cartoon characters based somewhere in the future. Hey, we don't make this stuff up; we just report it.

These eleven tracks were recorded during the same sessions that produced 2000's 'Kid A,' but are a bit more song-like and a bit less electronic.

Believe it or not, this is indeed a brand-new album from L.A.'s Go-Go's -- their first in 17 years, to be exact. The original lineup (including Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin) is intact for this 13-track outing, produced by Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade (Hole, Radiohead). Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong is featured on the first single, "Unforgiven."

This is the third album from London glam-rockers Placebo. The U.S. release adds two bonus tracks: a new version of "Without You I'm Nothing" with David Bowie guesting on vocals, and a cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You."

'Lions' continues to build on the sound established in 1999's 'By Your Side,' with this outing produced by Don Was.