MORCHEEBA Who Can You Trust? (Discovery) You can almost hear the bongwater bubble in the beats of this ambient soul album. Its hypnotic grooves are so intoxicating, you'll be getting the munchees halfway through. 0P8 OP8 (Thirsty Ear) You can almost taste the Jack Daniels in this bewitchingly seedy, ethereally folky collaboration between violinist Lisa Germano and the inventive boys of Giant Sand. JUNE OF 44 Anatomy of Sharks EP (Touch and Go) The first release to effectively capture the raw energy of this time signature-tricky four-piece. Smash your head on the art rock. CROWN HEIGHTS More Pricks Than Kicks (American) Former and current members of The Dust Devils, Nice Strong Arm, Pork and Sixteen Deluxe combine to kick out punk-pop with street cred and a little bit o' soul. RED RED MEAT There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight (Sub Pop) Chicago's plodding twang-rockers stumble across a little modern-day technology (aka computers and samplers) and show us how to deconstruct Neil Young's soul.

VERUCA SALT Eight Arms to Hold You (Outpost/Geffen) Just like their Willy Wonka-inspired band name suggests, you''ll be feeling puffy and blue after you realize that this quartet has forgone its love for Kim Deal and replaced it with a reverence for '80s schlock rockers like Heart and Pat Benatar. VELVET UNDERGROUND Loaded (Rhino) The Fully "Bloated" Edition: A re-release of VU's catchy, fuzzy classic with a new second disc of really really sloppy alternate mixes and demos. SILVERCHAIR Freak Show (Epic) These teenyboppers should remember that Urkel was also cute once, then he just got old and pathetic. Sure, Silverchair has plenty more bitchin' chops the second time 'round, but they still suck. FREEDY JOHNSTON Never Home (Elektra) And you thought it wasn't possible for Freedy to sound more WXPN-ready. CRANES Population Four (Dedicated) If you think Juliana Hatfield's nasal whine is annoying, steer clear of the Cranes' Alison Shaw and her kewpie doll soprano. It's enough to make even Kate Bush go ballistic.