Painting the New York trio School of Seven Bells into a dream-pop corner would be a mistake as the band includes more than its fair share of electronics bells and whistles on debut Alpinisms.

Lou Reed’s 1973 studio album, Berlin, a follow-up to the widely acclaimed Transformer, failed to capture the same praise and accolades as that gender-and-music-bending endeavor. But 25 years on, Berlin is now recognized as one of Reed’s finest, most ambitious, and under-appreciated efforts.

This is The Pretenders’ first release since 2002’s Loose Screw, and the band’s second for an indie. Chrissie Hynde recruited a new band here, including famous session drummer Jim Keltner.

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan’s first album-length collaboration, 2006’s Ballad of the Broken Seas, seemed almost too good to be true—a chance long-distance pairing of the ex-Belle & Sebastian siren and the grizzled Screaming Trees/Queens of the Stone age rocker, with a sound deeply reflective of Campbell’s old Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra records.

The Postmarks love paper-thin John Barry arrangements and this stop-gap covers album continues that trend. As the album’s title hints, Numbers’ track titles successively ascend.

Originally conceived as a solo vehicle for the songs of Versus guitarist James Baluyut, +/- has gradually evolved into a more cohesive band unit with each succeeding effort.

Despite the bad name and the horrendous album title, this Denver 11-piece’s debut is an exuberant slice of experimental indie-pop.

In 2007, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello reinvented himself as a Woody Guthrie-esque acoustic guitar strumming protest singer and rechristened this new self The Nightwatchman.

Megapuss is one bizarre decision after another. This shouldn’t surprise people who have followed Devendra Banhart’s career.