Dizzee Rascal

Sounds Like: Dirty Bastard having a panic attack.

See Also: Ghostface Killah, Tricky

Boy in Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal, the 19-year-old rapper and breakout star of the UK's up-and-coming Street Garage sound, is being hailed by music critics as the 50 Cent of Britain. This comparison should not fool listeners into thinking Dizzee's debut album Boy in Da Corner will offer anything akin to Fiddy's fun, danceable Spring Break hits. Boy in Da Corner is instead a frantic, frustratingly scattered, mix of pirated samples and beats constructed of video game sound effects and ringtones. While Dizzee Rascal is difficult to digest, he is refreshingly indefinable.

÷ Elizabeth Thompson

Missy Elliott

Sounds Like: PG-13 user friendly hip-hop

See Also: Timbaland, Aaliyah

This is Not a Test

Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott is back, and her new album, This Is Not a Test, is chock-full of club worthy tunes but fails to deliver substance.

This Is Not a Test fails to provide Missy fans with the groundbreaking hip-hop we expect. It seems Missy's motivation to revitalize the commercialized industry was lost right after she did the Gap commercial with Madonna.

A positive aspect of the album is its infectious blend of thick bass lines and superstar collaborations.

÷ Jessica Lewusz

Stereolab

Sounds Like: What really bothers George Bush about the French

See Also: Air, Boards of Canada

Margerine Eclipse

Instead of writing a somber elegy after the death of member Mary Hansen, Stereolab made a solid record of dreamy synth-pop gems. Singer Laetitia Sadier's subject matter evokes the memory of Hansen without compromising the joy and beauty expressed by the music. Much has been made in recent years of the art of songcraft being lost to the "tricks" of electronic instruments and production techniques. Margerine Eclipse and Stereolab's work as a whole testifies that the two ÷ songcraft and electronics ÷ are not mutually exclusive.

÷ Mark Sussman

Sons and Daughters

Sounds Like: Scotland's answer to the Pogues

See Also: Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Morphine

Love the Cup

I listened to this CD on my stereo. I listened in my car, on my computer. I even put it in my Teddy Ruxpin, and it was still awesome. Sons and Daughters have a volatile energy emphasized by a steady tribal groove. The group also pays tribute to country music with it's track "Johnny Cash," which starts off with a solid drum-heavy groove and explodes into battle cries and broken bottles. Vocals are split between the sexy, Scottish voice of Adele Bethel and the Gregorian voice of Scott Paterson, creating beautifully articulated harmonies.

÷ Gabe Joselow

Kids of Widney High

Sounds Like: Late Î80s underground rock for kids

See Also: Raffi, The Violent Femmes

Act Your Age

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Raffi wrote the lyrics for the Violent Femmes? Or if the cast of Barney joined forces with the Pixies?

In this heart-filled album, a group of disabled high school students create songs that admittedly exceed expectations, with topics ranging from Fidel Castro to social acceptance, incorporating a range of styles, instruments and singers.

Will this album change your life? Not likely. But it will tug on your heartstrings and make you smile.

÷ Celeste Meiffren