The Darkness

Sounds Like: A 2004 Queen-like hair band

See Also: Any '80s band that thanks Aquanet in their notes

Permission To Land

If you can understand sarcasm without a NASA diagram, you could enjoy The Darkness.

Like "Green Eggs & Ham," it'll take more than a cursory taste to get hooked. And you will get hooked. Yes, they may appear like some trashy version of Van Halen-meets-Spinal Tap, but these Brits have recorded 10 very strong tracks for Permission.

A combination of Freddy Mercury and David Lee Roth, front man Justin Hawkins brings something completely new: originality. No, they are not rehashing glam-metal; they are reinventing it with a sense of humor. Read the lyrics. And check out the cheesed-out video for their single, "I Believe In a Thing Called Love."

Even if they were straight-faced, I'd still rather a band take such extreme chances than voyage to another vintage emo-whinery.

It's just more fun that way.

- Kevin Smith

Incubus

Sounds Like: Rap metal with some lighter moments

See Also: Limp Bizkit, Deftones

A Crow Left of the Murder

With a graduated, yet seemingly similar sound, Incubus' sixth album, A Crow Left of the Murder, is music that will attract fans, old and new.

While the first single, "Megalomaniac," offers the band's recognizable explosive and catchy sound, Incubus still comes through with the more melodic ballads. "In My Room" balances the album's darker sound with simple piano chords.

As usual, Brandon Boyd's voice is stellar, demonstrating his remarkable range in "Made for TV Movie."

Incubus, intelligently, doesn't mess much with its sound, ensuring repeated success on the radio and MTV. But it does show us that it has become one of the few sure-fire rock hit makers. If we don't look out, we'll soon have another Red Hot Chili Peppers on our hands.

- Lauren Hillery

Mason Jennings

Sounds Like: Spending the summer with Johnny Cash

See Also: Neil Young, Jack Johnson

Use Your Voice

This album was recorded live in the studio, so there isn't any overdubbing and the sound hangs onto a raw energy throughout.

With this stable, well-organized collection of songs, Jennings does not stray much from his folk and country roots. He continues to demonstrate his ability to create poignant narratives on almost every track, with the highlights "Empire Builder" and "Ulysses."

The whole thing has a mellow groove; it's neither extremely sad nor happy at any point. It simply rolls along, relying almost entirely on Jennings' robust voice and acoustic strings. Few artists are this unafraid.

This album is Mason Jennings, and there's nothing wrong with it.

- Gabe Joselow

The Peacemakers

Sounds Like: Four chord alternative rock from AZ.

See Also: Tom Petty, The Wallflowers

ÁAmericano!

Someone should tell these bands that making their songs four minutes long isn't going to make me listen to the whole thing, especially when they repeat the songs four times every minute instead of thinking up new lyrics.

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers' ÁAmericano! album sounds like a fourth-grader trying to write a rhyming poem. Their lyrics are tacky, awkward and void of emotion.

On the other hand, some of their songs have fun, catchy tunes and a unique rhythm. The album is a mix between rock, country and folk music, with a Southwest sound all its own.

After the third or fourth listen, I found myself bobbing my head. I would call this a good car CD. If you blast Clyne's sexy voice while driving down the highway, you'll almost forget how awful the lyrics are.

- Tali Israeli

Jonny Greenwood

Sounds Like: A fifth of Radiohead creating jazz

See Also: Trey, Anastasio, Surrender to The Air

Bodysong

You probably know what to label Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood: genius. His first dip into film scoring, however, is harder to tag, especially for a film that 99 percent of North America has yet to see.

Perhaps seeing the celluloid for Bodysong with the tunes together would make more sense, since these songs seem to call out for a visual accompaniment.

As it stands, this instrumental collection of violins, pianos, guitars, drums, synthesizers, beeps, buzzes, ticks, distortion and just about every other aural sound in existence leaves the listener with occasional thrills, but mostly underwhelmed.

We can all be grateful that Greenwood kept it vocal-less, however, as most guitarists (Dave Navarro?) usually use any kind of solo project as a chance to display deep and poignant lyrics that have been gnawing at their muted soul since their first gig.

And then we all learn why they are guitarists in the first place.

- Kevin Smith