This five-song EP from the NYC-based quartet shows promise, and is begging for big studio production. It's not that the work of producer Terence Dover and the band is sloppy, not that at all. It's more like you hear money in the songs here, and you think, if they had a string section in this spot, or a wall of guitars there, that kind of thing. Tiffany Randol's voice is sweet with just enough of an edge, and she doesn't look too bad in the press photo either. The songs lend themselves to an early '80s new-wave sound – kind of Divinyls, Missing Persons fare – though on a song like "China Doll" the band ventures into a hip-hop funk area (where the clean, minimalist production really shines). And though "Please Me" starts out with big-pop potential, the chorus seems a bit fractured, like they haven't found the groove yet. In any event, this sounds like a diamond in the rough, and with a bit of polishing, it could really shine. www.tiffanyrandol.com

If you want to talk about a disc that provokes a pensive mood in the listener, this would be it. By the third song, I'm thinking of looking through old photographs, remembering old friends, your basic crying-in-your-beer experience. How these lads from Houston accomplish this startles me; though they quote influences like Counting Crows, they sound more like an American Radiohead sans keys. And while it might be difficult to pin down their sound (right now I'm thinking Goo Goo Dolls, for example, as "Good Thing You're Young" plays in the background), there's no denying the superb sound and completeness of the disc. Sure, some might say there's a bit too much similarity in the pacing and drone-like quality of the songs, but I never found that to be the case. To me, it always seemed like the music just melted over me, as if the songs just disarmed me, left me helpless. A real stunning disc from an up-and-coming band. www.pilot-radio.com

As the opener "Lettuce and Coffee Diet" comes out of the speakers, I swear I'm hearing XTC. And for fans of melodic rock (and you know who you are), this release definitely sails those waters, with bits of Matthew Sweet, Graham Parker, and others. Each song is dripping in hooks, although minor chords are not afraid to rear their melancholy heads. And you just keep smiling as the songs pass by. Frontman Matt Schwartzer formed the band in 2001 with drummer Derek Landel, adding bassist Fredi Meli and keyboardist Jeff Gillard to round things out. There's a lushness to the sound, a fullness that brings to mind the better Brit-pop stuff, making the songs sound bigger than the three minutes of time they take up. Simply put, the sound is huge. And the way Schwartzer sneers his lyrics – as in the song "Brainless Starlets," for example – well, it had me laughing out loud. www.thehousepets.com.

You know, the goth rock or goth-influenced metal (call it what you will) doesn't spend too much time on my CD player here, because it's just not my cup of tea. But these guys from Frail have done their homework, at least as far as the studio is concerned, because this music is as clear as a bell, and the separation is wild. This is one disc where you can actually hear the keyboards, and not just read about them in the liner notes. And while guitarist Martin Amidon can shred and wail with the best, he also understands restraint (or the producers do), not overplaying, and playing notes that matter. Thus, the disc is balanced; there aren't any parts that overshadow others. Singer Chris Berardi doesn't screech or wail (though he can), he sings (you can make out the words), the rhythm section of bassist Vern Nickerson and drummer Pat Swift is solid, and the songs have more punches and kicks than a kung fu movie. Hey, there's even a cover of Bowie's "Space Oddity." What more do you need? www.frail.tv

There's a brashness to the six tunes found here, a rawness that reminds me of early Who. Maybe it's the sound of Jonny Dubowsky's guitar, which is jangly, like it's turned up loud without a lot of distortion. Whatever the reason, the lo-fi production has an intense live sound to it, with a minimal amount of overdubbing. The band, from Philadelphia, has been showing well in band competitions (Nokia Opportunity Rocks and Coca-Cola New Music Best New Band), so what you hear on the disc must translate well live. On later songs, Dubowsky's guitar does find distortion, providing a heftier sound to the melodic pop rock. Bassist Brian Boland and drummer Claudio Rocaht-Felix provide a strong and interesting backdrop, with the result a much bigger sound than you would expect from a trio. And again, the song styles are varied, from the Brit-pop sound of "Breaking Down" to "Something About It," which has a tinge of Strokes and hues of Who. Good stuff. www.jonnylives.com

Hey look, not everything that comes out of Orange County is speed pop. Beyond 7 is made up of two former members of Psychic Rain, a group that dissipated after Warner Brothers kept the band's disc on the shelf. So singer-guitarist Greg Stoddard and guitarist Brian Stewart teamed up with drummer Rulu Hinojosa and bassist Lenny Spickle. The result? A pleasing mix of melodic pop rock that should find acceptance in a variety of venues and radio stations. It's edgy enough to be found in an alternative bin, slick enough for adult contemporary, and the more I listen, the more I like it. At first, Stoddard's vocals grated on me a bit, as they're high and nasally in spots, but after subsequent listens, I have no objections, and kind of like the quirkiness. Their pop sound is big, kind of a mix of Dishwalla and Counting Crows, a happy, jangling sound that keeps driving forward, and will have you tapping your foot. The addition of a live cut ("A Whole Lot Better") proves the boys can do it on stage as well. www.beyondsevenmusic.com.

My guess is the "voices from the satellite" are telling them to get the website back up, since at the moment, it's down. I'm sure by the time you read this, the glitch will be fixed, and you can find out more info on this Canadian band that plays an interesting version of progressive rock. They're heavy, but not overtly so, as more times than not the guitars are doing single-note stuff with a bunch of delay, while the vocals pipe out front. And the songs are big, like rock-opera stuff. There are more dynamics than you can shake a fist at, but there doesn't seem to be a big theme tying everything together. In any event, the sound has something entrancing about it. At first I was a bit put off, but as they kept playing in the background, thoughts of Rush disappeared, and the wash of the music just calmed me down. True, this is more contemplative rock than stomping stuff, but my guess is they'll grow on you if you give them a chance. www.drivechannel.net.

Tartalia is to pop music what granola is to cereal. That is to say, she is complex, loaded with surprises and textures, and more than filling. I could go on, but I think you get the point. Her vocals – which can be breathy, scattered, sultry, sexy – veer around like a mouse on speed caught in a maze. At times frenetic, but always interesting, the stylings of the songs take elements of pop, jazz, funk, folk, et al, crumple them up, and spit them back out the speakers. And if her band were any tighter, they wouldn't be able to breathe. Sax player Mike McGinnis weaves lines in and out, bassist Lori Bingel plays thoughtful and introspective lines, and drummer Mark Dodge uses the kit as more than just a timekeeper. Tartalia herself is no slouch on guitar and keyboard, whether fingerpicking, doing that coffeehouse strumming, or plinking the keys. Together, the players meld in a wildly interesting way, as on "Out of Eight," which begins slowly, then goes into a jazzed-up chorus, or "Dorothy's Reply," which is as interesting rhythmically as the story is humorous. No matter how you slice it, a sparkling debut. www.allisontartalia.com

Another moody entry this month, and Fimm's pipes, like her name, are angelic. Somewhere in the area of Tori Amos and Sarah Mclachlan, her voice positively floats from number to number, in that ethereal way that female voices can do. I find myself enthralled with listening to the disc, despite a throwaway cut like "Seti," which features snippets of conversation superimposed over instrumentation (the other tunes show the band capable of so much more). And it's not all slow, wispy stuff, as "Spit Trap Ghetto" shows, an up-tempo, jazzy number that sounds like a cut from the film Swingers. Yet when Fimm does apply herself in that slow mode, and the syllables just ooze out, a mixture of emotions drawling along, you can't help but be captivated. On "Be Like Water," for example, Fimm sings of a difficult relationship, ending with the question, "Why can't I be the answer you want?" But it's how she gets there that you need to hear, with her voice bending and aching from note to note. Wow, I say. The disc is a stunner. www.sarahfimm.com

It's not often that bluegrass-tinged music comes this way, but it has here, and Thorne and crew don't take the approach that you'd expect. Sure, the movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou spurned a minor bluegrass rising, but I don't think Thorne is trying to ride those coattails. Reason? Well, though the genre may be bluegrass, it's not mainstream bluegrass. There's the odd chord here and there that sets it off, making it seem more like that half-crazy cousin that lives up the road apiece. And Thorne's voice doesn't have that Virginny twang to it, more of a Pete Seeger storytelling ramble that cracks at times when in the high country. And, yeah, he's no Tony Rice on leads (when they occur), but once you get past that, you just sit back and relax. Assisting Thorne are Motoki on bass, Zachary Herigodt on banjo, Roland Benedek on violin, and Hary Gangleberger on snare. What, no dobro, you say? No, and the mesh of the instruments works just fine. If you're looking for traditional, you'd best look elsewhere, but if you'd like a peek at another approach, then Thorne's is a pleasant place to start.

Imagine, if you will, the mixture of a jam band and a coffeehouse singer. Chances are, you'll be thinking close to what I'm listening to here. Todd Pasternack is the spearhead of this outfit, and you might remember him from the band Ominous Seapods. Now he takes a different yet similar approach, melding storytelling songs with a bigger and bolder sound that a band provides. The resulting disc is a lively, upbeat mix of songs. "(Do You Want To Fall) In Love" has that Van Morrison groove to it, while a number like "Wonder If She'll Ever" gives more of a driving, jam flavor with just a hint of funkiness. Pasternack deals with subjects that are not too cheery, as on "How Many Times," a difficult piece about mental illness and fractured relationships. And he's not afraid to use the electric either, as on "What Would It Take," which has a bluesy undertone to it. What gives the songs an edge is Pasternack's guitar work, which shimmers and adds breadth, giving the songs a more complex flavor. A very refreshing disc. www.marlowmusic.net