Lily Allen
It's Not Me It's You
(Regal/Parlaphone)
Lily Allen is one of MySpace's greatest success stories—her page boasts over 25 million profile views. With a past that's part failed slacker and part connected insider (she was raised in West London by semi-famous parents), Allen nonetheless remains absolutely charming. She sings in a blatant Cockney accent, writes dirty lyrics she probably thought of while taking a crap or changing a tampon, and hops genres almost as frequently as Ween. She lists her style as "ska/pop," so you could try to compare her to Gwen Stefani, but (despite some cheesy production) she's way cooler. Honestly, if you listen through all the keyboard muck, you'll hear some of the most original material I've heard in a long time. —Tom Sturm
Railroad Earth
Amen Corner
(SCI Fidelity)
The latest from bluegrass jam band Railroad Earth is an Americana mash-up of The Band, Old and in the Way, and The Grateful Dead. On the rockabilly "Waggin' the Dog" there's even a brief wink to Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks." There are classic bluegrass mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and flat-picked guitar breakouts on this album, but check out the blaring alto sax that rocks out "Hard Livin'." Frontman Todd Sheaffer is a vocal chameleon, country smooth one moment, wailing arena rock singer the next. Sometimes he rightly draws comparisons to Jerry Garcia. This hard-driving release is a welcome relief from overdone bluegrass/jazz fusion projects. Railroad Earth plays Keene's Colonial Theatre Feb. 21. —Rob Weir
Barcelona
Absolutes
(Curb Appeal Records)
Radiohead is a great band, and Coldplay has its dramatic moments (largely borrowed from U2). But the influence of these giants has prompted an upwelling of overbaked whining set to triumphant guitar. Barcelona will make you weep, but not for joy. Where the abovementioned bands seem driven by genuine emotion, Barcelona's stolid march of chiming guitar, soaring vocals and splatting drums seem driven only by the illusion of reaching such emotional peaks. "The room is cold now and it hurts like hell," they croon, and they're right. "Lesser Things" provides a momentary burst of rocking glory, but most of the CD (set for spring remastering) taps into the angst with minor key piano noodling and vacuous falsetto melodrama. —James Heflin
Fucked Up
The Chemistry of Common Life
(Matador)
The latest album from Fucked Up doesn't quite bottle the headlong manic energy of their live show, but it compensates by delivering a crop of excellent tunes spiked with unexpected flourishes. The Toronto five-piece are hardcore revivalists. But like frontman Pink Eyes, they're surprisingly nimble despite being so heavy. The Chemistry of Common Life opens with a flute and features choirs of classic rock guitars, melancholy but catchy backing vocals, nuanced lyrics about faith and science, and a female chorus. The melodic and instrumental variety keep the album from getting stale over 50 minutes, but it's the blistering riffs and anthemic refrains of songs like "Crooked Head" that ultimately earn the band their expletive. —Jeff Jackson
