The second album from Micachu & The Shapes is "Never" and it's on Rough Trade and wow, is it weird? A lot. The other night, I was channel surfing and I kept returning (for obvious reasons) to a Suicide Girls movie with all this weird music, none of which I could identify - weird like this, weird like the Firesign Theatre's classic observation, "Gas Music From Jupiter." All I know, it's electronic and propulsive rock and one cut, "Heaven," could've been a Love & Rockets song. It's all good driving music but you will be risking a speeding ticket of you're not careful.

Howler has a new album, it's called "America Give Up" and it's on that indie heavyweight

label, Rough Trade. Howler are peerless purveyors of pop punk rock who seem to be channeling the Jesus and Mary Chain now and again as the recording is sort of muddy but this band succeeds on a purely visceral level. It kicks off with "Beach Sluts," maybe Rush Limbaugh's dream date at the seashore, but who could resist the raucous rocker, "Pythagorean Fearem," then they switch gears for the greaser friendly, rockabilly rocker, "Told You Once." Assaulted on every side, America cannot give up, but every vote for Next Gingrich shows they already have. In any case, Howler is worth a listen.

It may or may not be the response when your grandma gives you a Barry Manilow CD for your birthday, but rather The Unthanks is a band - two sisters in fact - Rachel and Becky Unthanks - who create most heavenly harmonies on these low-fi, low tech Lillith Fair-friendly sad girl medieval sounding tunes. The album is called "Diversions Vol. 1" and it's on Rough Trade. It's a live performance as they channel the songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & the Johnsons, whoever they are. Exceptional vocals - too mellow for me, but maybe not for you...