| Glaswegian four-piece Snow Patrol finally see the North American release of their second full-length Final Straw (Universal). Although not as immediately infectious as their debut, this album is full of thick, mid-tempo (if overproduced) rockers, making them sound a lot like Nada Surf’s kid brothers.
For fans of the new wave of intelligent hip-hop, Volume III (Def Jux), the third compilation from underground label Definitive Jux, is a must. Produced by, and featuring, EL-P (known for his work with the Blue Series Continuum) the album features hip-hop vets like Phase 2 along with the dexterous wordplay of Aesop Rock and the cut-and-paste style of RJD2. Comes complete with smooth grooves, tight rhymes and a bonus DVD (if you buy the right version). It’s also worth checking out The 9th Edition (Def Jux) the latest from Murs 3:16. Like label mate Aesop Rock, there are some great rhymes and more geeky sci-fi references than you might expect.
You might wonder why Make A Sound (Island) the latest from rockers Autopilot Off, sounds so much like Sum 41. Apparently producer Greg Nori’s time behind the boards for both bands brings more than a few similarities – though the Sum are a bit goofier and Autopilot Off are a lot more generic.
Finally a question: According to the cover, It Came From The Garage (Sony) features "30 garage rock classics." I don’t doubt the classic nature of The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and the MC5, but can The Raveonettes and The Moony Suzuki really be called "classic" already?
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