Like a more accessible, poppier version of Matmos, UK electronica artist Matthew Herbert likes to record concept albums with instrumentation derived from real-world objects. 'Scale' (which again features Dani Siciliano on vocals) samples 723 items (including coffins and fuel pumps) in its 11 politically-charged dance tracks.

'Soldiers' marks the debut for the new band consisting of the White Stripes' Jack White, fellow Detroit musician Brendan Benson, and members of the Greenhornes.

This is the fifth solo album of anti-folk ditties for the former Moldy Peaches member.

M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel's latest Matmos album includes contributions from Bjork and Antony. Each of the ten tracks focuses on a specific person who has influenced the group in some way, such as William S. Burroughs and Valerie Solanas.

This is the first solo release for the leader of The Psychedelic Furs (and, for those with a really good memory, Love Spit Love).

An early candidate for Album Title of the Year, 'Sexy' marks the second outing for Josh Homme's rockin' side project.

Tony Visconti (David Bowie) produced the suddenly prolific Moz's third release of the past two years.

The New York trio's short but highly anticipated sophomore set--which features a mellower, more polished sound--was produced by Squeak E Clean and mixed by Alan Moulder.

This is the third album of 60s-influenced tunes from the Brooklyn-based indie-pop band.

This is the first album in 11 years for the English band led by the troubled Dan Treacy.

'Skeleton' is the U.S. debut for the four-piece indie-rock group from Denmark, who have drawn comparisons to Built To Spill and Modest Mouse.

This is the 70-year-old singer-songwriter's first studio album in nearly a dozen years.

Dan Bejar's seventh Destroyer record is as lyrically dense as ever, but marks a shift to a full-band, guitar-oriented sound after 2004's more eclectic 'Your Blues.'

The San Francisco-based psych-rock solo artist returns with a third full-length.

The first album in four years for Warn Defever & co. is also the band's debut for new label Reincarnate (after multiple releases on 4AD).

Before he was in The Decemberists, singer-songwriter Colin Meloy fronted a Montana alt-country/alt-rock outfit known as Tarkio. This set collects that band's entire output of 27 tracks.

This is the second album for the Pennsylvania stoner-rock outfit.

The Strokes have abandoned longtime producer Gordon Raphael (well, for all but three tracks) in favor of David Kahne (Sugar Ray) for their third album.

This is the first album for London's 24-year-old, one-man-garage-band Tom Vek.

The trio's seventh studio album is its first to include vocals, which are provided by guests Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and Sally Timms (The Mekons).

This debut LP from the guitar/drums duo of Mike Conte and Adam Bennati is defintely harder and heavier than your typical Matador release.

Three years after their sensational debut (and we don't use that adjective in the way that means "outstanding"), it turns out that they aren't schoolgirls, and they aren't lesbians. But what the Russian duo does have on this second album is Sting. Now that's edgy!

Norah Jones guests on the second (and most straight-ahead country) of a planned three 2005 releases for Adams, who is once again backed by The Cardinals. Tom Schic produced.

Thom Monahan (Pernice Brothers) co-produced the singer-songwriter's fourth album, which finds him singing in Spanish on a few of the disc's 22 tracks.

The veteran "nutty" ska band's first album since their 1999 reunion disc 'Wonderful' is a collection of 13 covers, including their takes on classics "Lola" and "Israelites."

The country singer-songwriter follows 'Fate's Right Hand' with an 11-song set that includes a collaboration with Emmylou Harris and John Prine on Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm."

Rob Schnapf and Jon Brion produced the for the Los Angeles band (and by "band" we really just mean Evan Slamka).

The duo's second album is far more vocal-oriented, and darker, than their debut.

Stephen Street produced this more ska-oriented sophomore release for the Brighton, England outfit.

Plagued by numerous delays, the Chris Martin-led band's third album finally surfaced 3 years after the hugely successful 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head.' The band co-produced with Danton Supple (Elbow) and Ken Nelson (Kings Of Convenience, Badly Drawn Boy).

This is the third album in three years for the newly-reunited Australian duo of Grant McLennan and Robert Forster.

Fugazi drummer Brandon Canty produced this third solo disc for ex-Helium leader Timony, who is joined here by guitarist Devin Ocampo.

'Morning' marks the U.S. debut for the Swedish four-piece, who originally formed in 1997.

After both rapping and producing on other artists' records, double-threat Blueprint finally combines his talents on his first solo disc. Aesop Rock, Illogic and Vast Aire guest.

The legendary soul singer reunites with longtime producer Willie Mitchell for the second time in three years.

The fifth album for Eef Barzelay & co. includes contributions from members of Lambchop and Crooked Fingers. Barzelay himself produced the entire disc.

The fourth solo disc for the former Stone Roses singer includes a collaboration with Noel Gallagher.

This debut LP for the New York quartet has drawn numerous comparisons to Spoon.

This is the second full-length for the Seattle-based band which consists solely of David Terry (and his drum machine) and has drawn comparisons to Grandaddy and the Flaming Lips.

Q-Tip and Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) guest on the UK dance duo's fifth full-length.

This is the seventh release under the Six Organs name for Ben Chasny, who in recent years has also been a member of Comets On Fire.

This is the fourth album for the critically-acclaimed Texas-based band.

This is the debut LP for Stephen McBean's Black Mountain project, which shares members with Jerk With A Bomb and Pink Mountaintops.

What happens when you team Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard with a cutting-edge electronica artist? Sure, you have the Postal Service, but you also have this new full-length from Arne Van Petegem's Styrofoam, which features multiple contributions not only from Gibbard, but also from Valerie Trebeljahr (Lali Puna), Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set), Markus Acher (The Notwist) and rapper Alias.

Nas co-produced this double album along with Salaam Remi, Q-Tip and L.E.S. Also stopping by to lend a hand (or a voice) are Busta Rhymes, Kelis, Ludacris and Maxwell.

The singer's fourth album features the same producer (Marius deVries) and backup musicians as his previous outing, 'Want One.'

The veteran singer's first completely self-produced album is his first studio recording since 2001's 'Songs From The West Coast.'

'Love Songs' is the first new studio album in ten years for a reunited Mark Eitzel & co.

The Northern California band's fifth album in ten years includes a cover of Bread's "Guitar Man."

Nino Rojo, the eccentric singer-songwriter's second release of 2004, was recorded during the same sessions that produced 'Rejoicing In The Hands.'

The UK rapper follows his Mercury Music Prize-winning debut 'Boy In The Corner' with this sophomore release.

The veteran singer jams through covers of songs by the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and, er, Sister Sledge.

Mike Mogis produced this fourth album for the dance-inducing Nebraska indie rockers. Azure Ray's Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor add vocals on several tracks.

The singer-songwriter (who also appears in the group The Thorns) releases his first official solo disc since 1999's 'In Reverse.' Van Dyke Parks guests.

George Drakoulias produced this sophomore release for the singer-songwriter, who garnered praise for her 2002 debut 'Bramble Rose.' Here, she adds some Muscle Shoals-style soul to her roots and country repertoire.

'The Hard Way,' co-produced by Kanye West, is the first disc for the trio of Snoop Dogg, Warren G. and Nate Dogg.

After 15 years and six albums, the brothers Hartnoll are calling it quits with this final release. Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) guests on one track, with The Sparks collaborating on another.

This is the second album for the French synth-rock outfit, who attracted some international acclaim with their 2000 debut 'United.'

The former Tricky collaborator was nominated for the UK's Mercury Music Prize for her solo debut 'Quixotic,' which arrives in the U.S. a year later re-sequenced, re-designed, and re-titled (as 'Anything'). Included (as on the original version) is a collaboration with Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan, as well as tracks recorded with Tricky and David Holmes.

The Norway-based indie-folk duo of Erlend Øye and Erik Glambek Bøe reunite for a third album, following some detours by Øye into more electronic-based music.

The third album for the all-girl Canadian metal band was produced by Steve Thompson (Anthrax, Korn).

Now together over 20 years as a band, the duo of Johns (Linnel and Flansburgh) return with their 10th studio album (their first for adults in three years), reuniting with producer Pat Dillett (who worked on the pair's 1990 album 'Flood').

'Contraband' marks the debut LP for what basically amounts to Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) fronting Guns N Roses (including Duff McKagan and Slash).

The Texas noise-rock trio led by John Congleton returns with a third LP.

Patience is indeed a requirement for fans of the former Wham! member, as this is just his fourth solo album of original material and first in eight years.

This is the sophomore disc for the Texas five-piece featuring former Bedhead co-founders (and current brothers) Matt and Bubba Kadane. The album was recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini.

'Three Things' marks the third disc for Argentina's Juana Molina, who gained fame in her native country as a sitcom star before venturing into the realm of indietronica (where she draws comparisons to Beth Orton and Lisa Germano).

The DFA produced this full-length debut for the unconventional rap outfit consisting of MC Jesse Levine and a live five-piece backing band.

'Inches' compiles A- and B- sides from nine different singles (originally released on nine different labels) dating back to the Rhode Island band's inception in 1995.

The latest LP from Steven Tyler & co. includes just one original ("The Grind") with the remainder of the tracks occupied by covers of blues standards.

The seventh album for the hip-hop outfit introduces Latin and reggae elements into their sound. Guests include Prodigy (Mobb Deep) and Tim Armstrong (Rancid).

Vienna's Christian Fennesz, who creates ambient electronica based on processed guitar sounds, returns with his first solo studio effort in four years. David Sylvian guests on one track.

The modern-jazz trio stick to the formula of their well-received 2003 debut on this sophomore effort, working again with producer Tchad Blake on a mix of originals and unlikely covers (this time out including Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and The Pixies' "Velouria").

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

The former member of *NSync makes his solo debut with 'Schizophrenic,' working with a range of producers including Basement Jaxx.

Voodoo Child is the electronic dance music alter-ego for Moby, and this is his first full album under that name, after a series of singles released during the 1990s.

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.

Skull Ring marks Iggy Pop's first appearance with his original band The Stooges in 30 years, as they provide backing on four tracks here. Also guesting are members of Green Day and Sum 41.

The third album for the house duo of Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton features contributions from Dizzee Rascal, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, JC Chasez and Siouxsie Sioux.

The veteran Scottish band's first album for Sanctuary (after a long run on Matador Records) is also their first without singer/cellist Isobel Campbell. The 12 tracks here were produced by Trevor Horn.

The British singer sticks to the successful formula established on her 1999 debut "No Angel" for this sophomore effort.

Denmark's Raveonettes--now including two new members in addition to founders Sune Rose Wagner, Sharin Foo and their drum machine--make their major-label debut with this 13-track effort produced by Richard Gottehrer (Blondie). As on their debut EP, all songs are restricted to a single key (here, b-flat major) and must be shorter than 3 minutes.

This is the fourth solo LP for the West Coast alternative rapper, who was a founding member of Freestyle Fellowship.

Manson's fifth album finds the shock-rocker turning to the glory days of vaudeville and burlesque for inspiration.

The legendary English band, now re-formed, reunited and reinvigorated, return with their first LP in over a dozen years, with a sound that recalls the punk energy of their 1970s albums while sounding completely modern. Note that 7 of the 11 tracks here are also found in some form on 2002's twin "Read & Burn" EPs.