T.S.O.L. | Every Time I Die | Fall Out Boy | Blood Junkies | The Distillers | Dead Low Tide | The Strokes | My Morning Jacket | The Wednesdays | Billy Talent

Nitro Records
Ladies and Gentlemen the finally tally is in. Gubernatorial candidate and T.S.O.L. front man Jack Grisham tallied up 1,980 votes in the legendary Californian total recall. Dexter didn’t sign him to be a politician though. T.S.O.L.’s latest Nitro release “Divided We Stand” is thirteen tracks of Jack and family doing what they do best. Today’s psuedo-punks need take note. Still just as savvy and strong jawed in political propaganda, T.S.O.L. can still hang with the best of ‘em. Suggested listening: Serious, Fuck you tough guy, American Loaded.

Ferret Records
In a world where hardcore is all about the "breakdown" or "bringing the mosh," it's refreshing to see a band like Every Time I Die. HOT DAMN is an album that is accessible, has plenty of energy to move a crowd, and can still impress even hard-core aficionados. Jacob Bannon (of Converge) called the band's lyrics "the most intelligent thing in hardcore in a long time." With song titles such as, "Off Broadway," "Romeo A Go-Go," and "Elaborama," these Brooklyn boys are all about originality. With vocals like a melodic torture session, and guitar parts that are so shrill they will send chills down your spine, Every Time I Die has definitely found their niche. -Chris Mounts

Fueled By Ramen Records
Chicago Pop-punkers Fall Out Boy had hardly existed a year before signing to Fueled by Ramen and releasing “Take this to your grave.” Funny thing is, the band sounds like a hornless version of their label owners band. You do the research. It’s a solid release with the poppy tinge that the masses have come to fall in love with. If you’ve been to the warped tour anytime between 1997 and now, you should probably own this album. Suggested tracks: Homesick at Space Camp, Dead on Arrival, Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy.

Evil One Music
The first haunting release from the sextet featuring three members of punk band Damnation strikes a spooky cord. This ominous and unearthly spaghetti-western/goth mutation is melancholy and savagely delivered. Vocalist/acoustic guitarist Shaun Kama’s passion for music is evident in his chillingly sensitive and moody songwriting style and the band has the forte to do it justice. - Poizen Ivy

Hellcat / Warner Bros. Records
A new record label and a new last name for punk rock’s favorite debutante, Brody Dalle, means things could have gotten ugly. But instead of releasing a polished album of boring pop, they’ve released a well written collection of biting rock songs, occupying the void left vacant since Hole’s debut album. A female fronted band that actually rocks…not bad. (But by no means life changing either…)

Tiger Style Records
It's Murder City Devils meets Shellac with Dead Low Tide's posthumous self-titled debut. 1/2 of MCD (Spencer Moody, Nate Manny, Coady Willis) and former Godhead Silo bassist Mike Kunka make a blistering rock record that's less melodic than their collective previous work, but more Albini-esque than most releases on famed Touch and Go Records. It sucks when a band breaks up and THEN releases an album this incredible

RCA Records
The backlash is bound to be brutal: the sophomore release from the band the hip kids love to hate. But much like Is This It?, Room On Fire manages to make something brilliant out of the familiar. Pulling on all the same influences that made the debut sound so invigorating, the new album builds on that same foundation while also injecting new tricks like the occasional subtle reggae beat or new found guitar effects that you’d swear were keyboards lifted right off of a Cars album. A solid follow up guaranteed to put the doubters in their place.

ATO
Imagine, for a moment, if the dudes from Interpol grew up listening only to Lynard Skynard. Imagine what that might sound like if the results did not suck. What if the results were amazing? This is the sound of My Morning Jacket. Their necks have a thicker shade of maroon than Wilco, and they take you higher than Television. The music of My Morning Jacket is warm and lush- right up to the album’s climax, “Steam Engine,” a sweet-piece-of-Southern-fried Transcendentalism. It Still Moves is the ideal soundtrack for getting lifted and milking cows. -Jason Parker of Jr. Anti-Sex League

Reservation Records
These three brothers from the deep South sound like Modey Lemon jamming with an Appalachian church choir. “Mystery” is full of tempo changes, whereas “Sixteen Eighteen” echoes a children’s hymn. Expect lots of screaming, banging drums, sizzling guitars and an occasional sprinkling of keyboards from this strangely enlightened garage-rock band. - Poizen Ivy

Atlantic Records
Extreme jockish aggro rock with mean melodies super-whiney screaming vocals. But, surprisingly it's really fucking good. This band is cool like System of A Down is cool - you love it but you're embarassed to tell your friends. That's what I've got for now. I've got more coming from my boy in L.A. tomorrow or Thursday. Ryan...I mean, Lenny