White Magic, 'Dark Stars' (Drag City)
This New York indie-folk group, built around keyboardist Mira Billotte's keening, haunting voice, have never quite reached their full potential, issuing but one album, 2006's mixed-bag Dat Rosa Mel Apibus. With Dirty Three drummer Jim White again sitting in, White Magic opt for a second EP, featuring more of their well-worn but still spectral songcraft.
SHARE THIS:
Xasthur, 'Defective Epitaph' (Hydra Head)
California black-metal loner Xasthur, a.k.a. Scott Conner, emerged from relative obscurity with 2006's Subliminal Genocide, releasing an opus whose weird, shoegazey atmospheres impressed hipsters while its intensity earned the United States cred in a scene dominated by Europeans.
SHARE THIS:
Biffy Clyro, 'Puzzle' (Roadrunner)
Though they formed in the late '90s, this Glaswegian postgrunge band finally became Britain's next big thing when Puzzle, their fourth LP, debuted at No. 2 on the U.K. album charts in June. It's easy to see why: The trio has an effortless, if colorless, knack for penning solid, accessible guitar anthems à la Foo Fighters.
SHARE THIS:
Soulsavers, 'It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land'
"There's gonna be a revival tonight," intones Mark Lanegan, accompanied by members of the London Community Gospel Choir, to open the second Soulsavers album from British producers Rich Machin and Ian Glover. Enveloped by a lush organ and dusty, looped beat, Lanegan sounds, if not reborn, then hopeful, which is a fresh look for the grunge-scarred meth-blues crooner.
SHARE THIS:
Charalambides, 'Likeness' (Kranky)
This Texas duo have churned out spectral, psych-infused folk since 1991, when Tom and Christina Carter first trolled through the Anthology of American Folk Music and began perverting and reinventing classic American memes. Likeness features lyrics plucked from the public domain, layered over heavily manipulated guitars.
SHARE THIS:
Sightings, 'Through the Panama' (Load)
A decade into a career spent deconstructing the rock-power-trio format, Sightings continue to excavate the same noisome hole. On their sixth album, the band drill even deeper, abetted this time by pomp-rock motivational speaker Andrew W.K. at the boards.



