Funny how 401k’s are called ‘savings’ plans when in fact they are ‘investment’ plans. Savings are meant to be ‘safe’ and investments come with a degree of, high, medium or low, ‘risk of loss’.
How Much Tax Have You Really Saved When You Withdraw Your Retirement Income From Your 401(k) 30 years later?
First we will look at the restrictions your money has been placed under within this financial vehicle, assuming a 30 year accumulation period.
(If you start contributing at say age 25 and you live to say age 90 that = 65 years. There is only an 11 year period between the ages of 59 1/2 and 70 1/2 where you are not in a penalty phase. So that means for 83% of the life of your 401k plan, your money is subject to penalties if you do not follow the restrictions placed upon the use of your money by the government. Ever wondered why that is?)
* Defers taxes to future uncertain tax rates. (You are paying an unknown amount of fees so someone can keep track of your money for govt. tax tracking purposes so they can charge you an ‘as yet unknown to you’ tax rate during your non-penalty withdrawal phase of 11 years.)
* Trapped Assets – Defeats ‘Velocity of Money’ – Your money is in jail in a 401k (for you the owner of the money, not the manager of the money though who makes money moving your money whether you take a loss or not).
– 30 year investment Pre-tax contribution produces $600 per year tax savings each year for 30 years, for a total of $18,000 in tax savings.
30 years later, were the initial tax-deferred savings worth it? Assuming the investment grew to $600,000 in 30 years, and assuming the investor’s tax rate is still 30% . . . What will the taxes be on a lump sum distribution of $600,000?
Our Qualified Plan investor will pay taxes equal to almost as much each year as he saved in taxes during the first 30 years of accumulation!!!
So I ask you again – How Much Tax Have You Really Saved When You Withdraw Your Retirement Income From Your 401(k) 30 years later?
If you are interested in learning about a different way of financing your retirement please contact me today;
Disclaimer – This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as professional tax advice. Consult with your tax advisers before deciding on your retirement plan of action.
Below is a half hour video comparing investing in 401k to utilizing specially designed whole life insurance. It may take some minutes to download.
WARNING: Don't read after 10 pm. I don't want you calling or texting me at 2 am due to your uncontrollable excitement.
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How many times can we be taxed on the same dollar and how long are we going to put up with this highway robbery?
This information is taken from a report given at the New York State Senate Republican Conference. Source:SFY 2009-10 Enacted Budget; Analysis of Senate and Assembly Democrat Budget Resolutions; and A Better Choice Budget Campaign – Revenue Raising Options.
If they tax big business, do you think Big Business is going to pass that extra cost to them on to their customers? Of Course.
These are just the newly proposed/enacted taxes for New York State for one year. So many want the government to pay for everything but, who is really paying? Just because something is given any one of the following names or any other name for example, does not mean that it is not an outright TAX:
Look below at all the new ways foods and vehicles are being taxed. Who knows what other taxes are already in place! Please think about WHO ENDS UP PAYING ALL OF THE TAX INCREASES listed below?
The following 125 Taxes are just one states enacted/proposed changes to increase their tax laws in one year, 2009.
I have categorized similar taxes into like categories as the original document had them spread out so it was less recognizable just how many taxes were being charged for the same thing.
Taxes with a ‘P’ were PROPOSED in 2009 for 2010 so If They Have Not Yet Been Enacted, Then I Am CERTAIN They WILL Be In The Future.
Tax 1. Personal Income Tax. A W2 wage earner is taxed before they even see their pay check, then on top of all that, every after-tax dollar that they spend is taxed again, multiple times.
Tax 25. Increase Real Property Transfer Fee. Real Property includes all lands, buildings, fixtures, improvements, improvements on leased land and cabin trailers and mobile homes not registered for highway use but utilized like a building. Real property also includes mines, minerals, quarries, mineral springs and wells, oil and gas wells, overriding royalty interests, and production payments with respect to oil or gas leases. Lastly all real property includes all privileges pertaining to the real property. Do you think taxing any of these Real Property assets might affect you? If it is going to cost more for the oil and gas companies to produce their oil and gas, who do they pass those extra taxes onto? YOU.
Tax 44. Establish Tax Preparer Fee. Wonderful. Not only are we robbed in the form of taxes, but the tax laws are made so complicated (so they can be easily miscontrived) but we now have to pay a tax for having to use someone else to do our taxes for us. And if they happen to make a mistake, we are still the one’s taking all the risk because we are held responsible even though we went to the tax preparer because we don’t know or understand all the complex taxation laws.
Tax 11. Limit Itemized Deductions for High Income Earners. Because the dollar is worth less, we have to earn more dollars to try to be able to stay at the same quality of life, but, by having to earn more dollars, even though they are worth less, we are in a higher tax bracket and so more people are going to be in the High Income Earners tax bracket, even though they are not really earning any more. The number of pieces of paper with $1 written on it may be more but we are really earning less because each dollar buys less and the government takes more because we earned more pieces of paper, and so more people are considered High Income Earners and so will be taxed in a higher bracket, even though they are worse off than before.
P Tax 95. Add New $1M bracket to the Personal Income tax. Same holds true for this new Tax Bracket. Because the dollar is worth less, we have to earn more dollars to try to be able to stay at the same quality of life, but, by having to earn more dollars, because they are worth less, we are in a higher tax bracket and so more people are going to be in the new $1M personal income tax bracket, even though they are not really earning any more. The number of pieces of paper with $1 written on it may be more but they are really earning less because each dollar buys less and the government takes more because we earned more pieces of paper, and so are in a higher tax bracket but our lifestyle has been reduced.
Tax 21. MTA Auto Rental 5% Surcharge. I experienced this just last week, while I was having the brakes fixed on my car.
Tax 43. Taxi and Bus Registration Fee Increases – 1 year. How many times can we be taxed? That is the game those in charge of the government are playing. When are we going to have had enough and stop this ludicrous stealing of our wealth?
Tax 20. Driver License Renewal Increase of 25% (8 years). It will be less noticeable by increasing it over a period of time rather than all at once.
Tax 23. Impose Sales Tax on Transportation-Related Activities. I suppose that means any motorized toy one has the pleasure of using in their spare time like four-wheelers, jet-skis, boating etc.
Tax 30. Increase Scofflaw Termination Fee. The scofflaw termination fee is the fee required to end a suspension resulting from a failure to answer a ticket or pay a fine.
Tax 91. Postpone scheduled reduction of DMV Application and Registration fees for dealer or transporter from 2010 to 2016.
Tax 35. Auto Rental Tax. We felt this recently when we rented a car while our cars brakes were being re-done.
Tax 36. Trailer Registration Fee Increases. My husband uses a trailer for his remodeling business. Do they mean the semi trailers?
Tax 42. Highway Use Tax Fee Increase. Who drives on a highway? We do. The trucks delivering all the foods and goods to the different locations for us to purchase do. Do you think the price of these goods will increase because the cost of delivery will go up? Who pays in the end? We do.
Tax 51. Custom Vehicle Registration Fee Increase – 2 year If you have enough money to customize your vehicle, you have enough money to share it with Uncle Sam, right!!!
Tax 58. Motorboat Registration Fee Increases – 3 years. OK, so now there is a Sales Tax on Transportation-Related Activities, the Boat Registration Fee itself and the Trailer carrying the boat. Also, the use of the road to get the boat the water, anything else? Don’t forget the fish you catch must be taxed as well, because you need a license to be able to fish. Don’t forget also the tax you already paid for the purchase of the boat and the fishing gear and fuel to drive the boat and all that is after you paid your income tax. How much tax does one pay for a relaxing day of fishing? The best answer is TOO much. Now add camping and the increase in Park Fees and you might as well just hand over your wallet.
Tax 24. Commercial Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Increase per 500 lbs. I suppose my husband’s business utility truck falls into this category or the trucks that carry our foods and goods are included in this.
Tax 6. Tax on Family and Individual Health Insurance Policies (Enacted in DRP). Hmm. I wonder why they (the government) are going to force every person to be health insured in a system that only produces sickness. Do you really think it is because they want to look after everyone’s health? Of course not, it is so we can all be taxed more.
Tax 12. Hospital Surcharge Tax. The hospitals don’t pay for this, we end up paying for this. If you think your health insurance pays for it, then who pays for the health insurance? It comes out of your pocket in the form of less wages.
Tax 56. Increase Lifetime Sportsman Hunting & Fishing License fees. How many different names can one give the same sportsman’s tax?
Tax 61. Parks Camping Fee Increases. Gosh, if you want to take your boat with you and do some fishing while camping, how much more tax will that be? If you brought any food with you, you must add the tax cost of that also. If you want to stay in a cabin, there is Tax # 66 to consider also now.
Tax 78. Increase Food Warehouse Licensing Fees. Another tax related to increasing the price we pay for our food.
Tax 83. Increase Feed Tonnage Fees. Another tax related to food. Costs increase to feed the animals that become food or that produce food, like milk for all the dairy products.
Tax 53. Double Food Processor Licensing Fees – Biennial Fee. Increase in food costs forwarded on to us again. We have increase in pesticides, using a road, fuel, water, processing of …. how many more times will they increase the cost of our food?
Tax 40. Increase Pesticide Fees. OK, so rather than stop allowing our food to be poisoned by pesticides, increasing the tax on the actual pesticide actually increases the cost to grow the food, which in turn increases the price we pay for our fresh fruit and vegetables that have been poisoned by the pesticides that are allowed due to the tax revenues collected, not from the producers of the pesticides, but from US, you and I.
P Tax 111. Repeal Sales Tax Exemption for Vending Machines. O.K., now I am not into drinking soda at all, however, if we just take the 4 new taxes above, we can see that if one purchases a soda out of a vending machine, they will, on top of the taxes that were already in place before 2009, also pay more tax for the bottle, the actual soda, and for the use of the vending machine. But, if the soda was bought in a grocery store instead of a vending machine, one will pay extra tax for the plastic bag. Now look over the transportation added taxes and add those into the scenario, oh, and if this all happened while away camping? Get the picture. This is just one item purchased.
Tax 29. Increase Beer/Wine Tax. Why did prohibition end? So taxes could be collected. Not because it is everyone’s right to put into their bodies what ever they choose. So many people where making it illegally they were missing the taxing opportunity big time.
Tax 49. Increase SPDES Fees: GP for PCI & Industrial. In case you were wondering – Bureau of Water Permits.
Tax 75. Increase State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Fees. They couldn’t just not allow the pollution, that would not be enough extra fees/taxes that way I suppose.
Tax 50. Increase Nuclear Power Plant Fee. Hopefully, seeing as they have allowed these to be built, the fee would be only to pay for the improvement of the plant to increase safety in case of disaster. But I bet not.
P Tax 116. Expand Tax on Cooperative Insurance Companies. Insurance issued by a mutual association such as a fraternal society, an employee association, an industrial association or a trade union.
Before we buy any food, how many tax dollars has the government earned, whoops sorry, taken, before it gets to your plate?
“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.” – Warren Buffett
I would go one step further and suggest we half the number senators and other government officials over a period of ten years, especially if taxes are not reduced and they keep creating more and more ways to hide how they tax us.
We are paying them all to sit around figuring out as many ways as possible to tax us with as much obscurity as possible. How LUDICROUS is that?
I consider voting today only as an avenue that allows one group to legally plunder another, and a process that fully legitimizes a corrupt political system. Those who vote are obviously supportive of the political process and the political actions taken in this country, and are responsible for those they elect, and for what they do in office. This is why I think the old adage that “those who do not vote have no right to complain” is backward. Those who vote to allow the political carnage are the ones responsible for the problems, while those who don’t vote have nothing to do with electing criminal politicians. Therefore not voting is in and of itself a political statement denouncing the system, while voting shows favor of that same nefarious system. http://infinitebanking.org/BankNotes/Banknotes.pdf At least if you are going to vote, vote for someone who agrees our taxes are way too high and whose goal is to get rid of the IRS.
Some people keep saying that 50% of the country don’t pay any tax. I don’t know how one can get away with not paying any tax in this country.
2) If you buy food, you pay for all the taxes that were paid in the producing and delivery of that food. Just think about how many people and how many products in the food have been taxed before you buy the finished product to eat. The cost of all that is in the final product you are paying for.
3) If you buy clothes, you pay tax. Was any tax paid by the makers of the fiber used to make the thread? Was any tax paid on the machines or people that turn that fiber into thread? How many people, machines, vehicles, fuels, were needed to create each piece of clothing, all of which were taxed before you were taxed when you purchased it? Was anything imported? There is also the import tax.
4) If you pay rent on the place where you live, you pay tax. Your rent covers the property taxes of the owner. Each material used to build the house was taxed. Each person involved in any way of manufacturing materials, delivering materials, making plans for the structure, building the structure, the town fees etc. were all taxed before the renter pays rent that cover the property and school taxes.
5) If you take public transportation or drive a vehicle you are paying multiple taxes. Fuel, vehicle manufacturing, mining the metals or creating the plastics etc. How many people once again have paid taxes from their wages for all the different processes and jobs. It is endless, and the government wants more????
6) If you own a phone, cell or land-line, you are paying taxes. Look at all the parts needed to make a cell phone? Look at all the services needed to be provided so you can communicate through the cell phone, or regular phone.
There is not one thing you can purchase that the government has not earned multiple taxes on, on top of the tax you pay when you purchase the item or use a service.
The PRICE of each item you buy already includes the cost to produce that item. The cost to produce that item includes taxes that those producing it had to pay for. So the final purchaser of every good or service in this country is actually paid for by YOU, the purchaser. You are paying for all the taxes paid to anyone in the long line of people or businesses used to create what you are purchasing. And you are paying taxes on top of that when you purchase the item with AFTER income tax dollars, as well.
Tags: 2009 enacted tax increase, 2009 NYS Tax Increases, 2009 proposed tax increases, aid, assessment, custom, duty, excise, expand, FEE, gabel, impost, license, new york state tax increases, permit, subsidy, supply, surcharge, tallage, TAX, TAXES, toll, tribute · Posted in: 2009 Tax Increases NY, TAXES	
[…] it, save it, or invest it. He is an interesting link from 2009. So there are even more taxes now: How many times can we be taxed on the same dollar or item? | DEBT DIAGNOSIS . There's what people want to hear. There's what they want to believe. Then there's the truth. […]
Nonesuch offers an expanded reissue of this 1981 near-masterpiece, a record that's both a milestone of sampled music and a peace summit in the continual West-meets-rest struggle. [Nonesuch; 8.5]
German lap-pop group follows its excellent 2002 album No P. or D. with this melancholic release. [Morr; 5.4]
This pair of reissues highlights these early 1970s recordings, which could reasonably lay claim to the oft-used tag "teenage symphonies to God." [Water; 8.7 / 8.8]
This three-song EP features contributions from Brian and Roger Eno, the Hafler Trio's Andrew McKenzie, and film composer Carter Burwell (Being John Malkovich, The Big Lebowski). [Die Stadt/Janet; 7.6]
Organ-and-drums duo gingerly lift the moratorium on six-strings and explore a more varied sonic palette, resulting in their best album to date. [Barsuk; 7.8]
Subtitled "Songs for Kids of All Ages", this Paper Bag compilation features indie artists such as Sufjan Stevens, Broken Social Scene, and Junior Boys performing children's songs. [Paper Bag; 6.6]
Not unlike Robert Lowe's fine Lichens project, this oddly glorious record conjures "new American ethnic music" with guitar, pedals, and sampler. [K-RAA-K; 8.0]
Jagjaguwar artist's third LP manages to reconcile the tensions between pop and post-punk. [Jagjaguwar; 7.1]
Julian Curwin's project uses Astor Piazzolla's intoxicating creations as a starting point, drawing in electronic elements as well as snatches of free jazz, cool jazz, and soundtrack music. [Ipecac; 7.4]
Second Loose Fur collaboration between Jeff Tweedy, Jim O'Rourke, and Glenn Kotche is more musically traditional than not only its predecessor but some of Wilco's recent output as well. [Drag City; 7.3]
The follow-up to the excellent 3:16 may not inspire the devotion enjoyed by myspace hero Slug or blogger's fave Ghostface but it will appeal to fans of both. [Record Collection; 7.0]
This long-awaited album features a mix of hushed beauty, dense melodies, and soft, co-ed vocals. [The Kora; 7.8]
As exemplified by the excellent "Trains to Brazil" single, this UK band takes a detour away from everyday pub-rock pabulum toward something more adventurous. [Verve Forecast; 7.4]
Breezy summer indie pop stuffed with wispy male/female harmonies, strummed guitars, and airily recorded drums. [SideCho; 7.0]
On his latest release, the rock legend betters his work on comeback album Musicology, crafting a record that's more varied and contains higher peaks than its predecessor. [Universal; 6.0]
Kemado collects the cream of the hipster metal crop on this compilation, which features Pelican, Wolfmother, High on Fire, Dungen, Black Mountain, and the Sword, among others. [Kemado; 7.9]
This NYC quartet eschews conventional structure and keeps the line between song and improv blurry. [Social Registry; 7.4]
Wedding the elemental, earthworn rock of My Morning Jacket to the atmospheric pop of the Shins or Red House Painters, this debut from Sub Pop signees Band of Horses is immediately, invitingly familiar. But if its roots are recognizable, the music is anything but commonplace. [Sub Pop; 8.8]
This self-released 3" CD-R features four tracks recorded in April 2004 as elevator music for the French Ministry of Culture building, and adds some miscellaneous material from the duo's extensive sound library. [self-released; 7.2]
This Swedish group's blurred creations are rooted deep in the inexact memories and perceptions of distant childhood. [Western Vinyl; 7.1]
On his latest Rough Trade release, the New York eccentric and former Moldy Peach at last fully immerses himself in the scummy bilge water of language and culture. [Rough Trade; 6.9]
Solid collaboration between the British folk singer and Californian performer/composer. [Tompkins Square; 7.4]
Debut album from an indie rock band that already has a commanding grip on its sound. [Hard Soul; 6.6]
Magnetic Fields leader presents an oddly sequenced collection that jumps between songs from his three musical theater collaborations with director Chen Shi-Zheng. [Nonesuch; 7.5]
L.A.-by-way-of-Okinawa pop enchantress Caroline (last name Lufkin) follows on the heels of her 2005 single "Where's My Love". [Temporary Residence; 7.8]
Oddly compiled record draws on the Scottish post-punk band's live recordings and sessions. [Domino; 7.3]
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Latest record of new material from the firm of Shelley & Diggle finds the punk veterans still trading in both effortless hooks and hard-luck romanticism. [Cooking Vinyl; 7.2]
Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis gets behind the drum kit for this metal record, a collaboration with two members of Vermont octet and Devendra Banhart cohorts Feathers. [Tee Pee; 7.6]
Epitaph band offers quick-moving songs that will send you digging into the crates for your old Locust records. [Epitaph; 6.8]
First proper solo album from the Kinks legend finds him flirting with confessional singer-songwriter material and tapping into the sounds of the Southern U.S. [V2; 6.7]
One of the forerunners of Darkness/Ark-like 70s rock revivalism returns with their 10th album. [Liquor & Parker; 5.5]
Former Belle & Sebastian and Screaming Trees members make an unlikely duo on this ramshackle, whiskey-soaked, Nancy and Lee-like outing. [V2; 7.2]
Subtitled "Music From Memphis Industries Vol. 2", this iTunes-released label compilation features contributions from the Go! Team, Dungen, the Pipettes, and Field Music, among others. [Memphis Industries; 7.4]
Recorded at the Parkteatret in Oslo, Norway, in 2004, this live DVD finds the Rune Grammofon band to be more focused and aggressive than on its previous concert album, 5. [Rune Grammofon; 8.3]
Techno shapeshifter Roman Flügel-- the man behind recent singles "Gehts Noch?" (released under his own name) and "Rocker" (issued with Jürn Elling Wuttke as Alter Ego)-- teams with vibraphonist Christopher Bell on this jazz-tinged release. [Laboratory Instinct; 7.8]
Soundtrack to a film documenting a 2004 Brooklyn show curated by Dave Chappelle features appearances by the Roots, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Jill Scott-- but not the Fugees or Kanye. [Geffen; 7.1]
Asthmatic Kitty artist continues to explore sugary pop, often here with the help of the Omnichord, a vintage synthesizer. [Asthmatic Kitty; 7.0]
Latest collaboration between roommates and Brooklyn music linchpins Avey Tare (Animal Collective) and Eric Copeland (Black Dice). [Paw Tracks; 6.7]
Polyvinyl reissues a trio of early records from Kevin Barnes' indie pop group-- The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy, and Early Four Track Recordings-- all of which were previously issued on Kindercore. [Polyvinyl; 7.5 / 6.0 / 7.1]
Yet another compilation from the punk-pop greats, this adds a Doors mashup, a few remixes, and, more importantly, a DVD. [EMI; 8.0]
New album from the Boston art-rockers, as well as a solo turn from their lead singer. [Robotic Empire / Tzadik; 7.7 / 7.3]
Secretly Canadian issues this 12"-only, lo-fi side project from Impossible Shapes' Aaron Deer. [Secretly Canadian; 7.3]
This 5xCD charity album, co-curated by David Tibet, benefits Doctors Without Borders and features contributions from Devendra Banhart, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Thurston Moore, Coil, Angels of Light, Six Organs of Admittance, Isobel Campbell, and Matmos, among others. [Jnana/Durtro; 7.7]
Picking up on the sound and palette of 2002's Playthroughs, the laptop hero presents a 41-minute piece recorded live during an October 2005 performance in the Portuguese capitol. [Kranky; 8.6]
This Paper Bag-issued debut album is a case study in making the most of a limited musical vocabulary. [Paper Bag; 7.7]
Former Q and Not U guitarist Chris Paul Richards is accompanied by Tim Hecker on this on his electroacoustic solo debut. [Academy Fight Song; 7.0]
Veteran band's 10th full-length makes clear that there is an extremely thin line between revealing your essence and revealing nothing at all. [Too Pure/Beggars Banquet; 6.6]
Like his underrated Happiness in Magazines, the latest from the former Blur guitarist is more accessible guitar pop than art-rock. [Parlophone; 7.0]
Japanese minimalist issues his first solo album after a number of collaborations with like-minded Tokyo improvisers. [Kranky; 8.1]
After a slew of cassettes and homemade CD-Rs this is the first CD release for the volcanic post-hardcore trio. [Gulcher; 7.2]
Norwegian singer/songwriter Even Johensen is the latest in the long line of The Bends/Coldplay worshippers. [Filter; 4.1]
The gifted singer's musical ambitions continue to evolve and take shape; here she removes herself from David Lynch-like narratives and embraces the role of omnipotent storyteller. [Anti-; 7.7]
On its anticipated debut Secretly Canadian LP, this indie band embraces a reverent, recondite, and stylistically consistent sound. [Secretly Canadian; 7.6]
UK folk-based guitarist fits nicely alongside exceptional talents such as Ben Chasny, Jack Rose, Matt Valentine, and Richard Bishop. [Important; 7.7]
Imagine the Reid brothers and Wayne Kramer uniting to form JAMC5, but hoping for radio play in the 90s. [Jive; 5.8]
San Francisco band's sophomore album sheds the subdued shoegaze of its debut for a hodgepodge of classic rock flavors. [Underpop; 5.4]
Scottish post-rock band embraces restraint and shorter song lengths on its economical yet still sometimes powerful new album. [Matador; 6.8]
Prolific freak-folk band gets help from Daniel Carter and builds its latest from mosaics of broken jazz and experimental, acoustic guitar. [5RC; 8.4]
Queercore band gets the compilation treatment with this collection of the best from its 15-plus year career. [Alternative Tentacles; 7.8]
San Francisco musician's self-contained Sub Pop debut is a tightly wound bundle of familiar pop ideas. [Sub Pop; 6.3]
Hasidic reggae star and frathouse favorite follows last year's star-making SXSW performance and a successful live album with his highly anticipated major-label debut. [JDub/Or/Epic; 4.9]
Hailing from a West Virginia coal-mining family, this singer/songwriter finds lyrical inspiration in Biblical foreboding. [Fictitious; 7.9]
The title track and Elephant Eyelash single is accompanied by three previously unreleased tracks on this anticon release. [anticon; 6.8]
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Secretly Canadian debut from this Chicago-based indie band is full of tuneful, passionate singing and lucid songwriting. [Secretly Canadian; 7.6]
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Darla band taps into the spirit of spiritlessness, recalling mid-90s slacker-rock artists such as Guided By Voices and Polvo. [Darla; 4.8]
Underrated and now sadly defunct Welsh band collects its A-sides onto an impressive career-spanning record. A 3xCD version of the comp, complete with one disc of B-sides and one of rarities and live tracks, is also available. [Too Pure; 8.4 / 6.1]
Label collection features new tracks from Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, Half-Handed Cloud, and Denison Witmer, among others. [Asthmatic Kitty; 6.0]
Former Meat Puppets leader shows his country-rock influences on this austere acoustic record. [Little Dog; 7.2]
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Kneeling before Pavement, Wire, Beach Boys, and Pixies at rock's canonical altar, this scrappy Minneapolis four-piece proudly wear their influences on-sleeve, shunning hipster malaise and manic experimentation for hook after addictively anthemic hook. Their total lack of pretentiousness is a breath of fresh air: The Loon brings something for everyone. [Ibid; 8.3]
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Third album from the full-time project of Broken Social Scene's John Crossingham is the trio's most expansive to date. [Sonic Unyon; 7.6]
Occasional Keiji Haino and Oren Ambarchi collaborator presents an academic study in found sound and digital manipulation. [Plates of Sound; 6.7]
Striking while the double-album iron's hot, Eels follow last year's Blinking Lights with this intimate string quartet-backed recording of recent material and covers. [Vagrant; 6.7]
Atlanta-based metal mavericks leave Relapse Records for the majors, but remember their roots with this remastered offering of their earliest recordings. [Relapse; 7.3]
On their finest release yet for prestigious Swedish experimental label Häpna, admired post-rock trio Tape breathe new life into a long-exhausted genre. [Häpna; 7.8]
Temporary Residence issues this debut collaboration between Pinback singer/guitarist Rob Crow and Hella drummer Zach Hill. [Temporary Residence; 7.2]
Second full-length from Thrill Jockey's cheeseball indie R&B duo fares only marginally better than Har Mar. Maybe there's a reason this stuff usually gets left to the majors? [Thrill Jockey; 4.4]
Latest EP from the raw, claustrophobic side project of Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug is a teaser for the forthcoming full-length, Shut Up I Am Dreaming. [Global Symphonic; 7.8]
Warp reissues the first two EPs from its latest guitar-based signees, which features Don Caballero's Ian Williams, Tyondai Braxton, Helmet drummer John Stanier, and David Konopka of Lynx. [Warp; 8.0]
2xCD collection gathers 40 Wailers ska tracks recorded between 1963 and 1966 for Clement Dodd's incomparable Studio One label. [Heartbeat; 8.0]
Two years after 2004's They Were Wrong So We Drowned turned dance-punk's brightest trio into impressionistic noise-rockers, Liars return with an even bigger surprise: Drum's Not Dead actually tops their groundbreaking, beat-heavy debut through an evolution of the sound that turned much of their fanbase against them. [Mute; 9.0]
On this comeback album the veteran indie band's iterations coalesce convincingly into a psychedelic quirk-pop summary. [Manifesto; 7.4]
Debut from the well-selling UK buzzsaw guitar band is stylistically a close cousin to the work of the Arctic Monkeys. [Virgin; 5.9]
Bad Seeds leader and his occasional bandmate create music that ranges from the intimate to the epic, from the understated to the overblown, to a film based on Cave's screenplay about bushrangers in late 19th century Australia. [Mute; 6.0]
The first official full-length collaboration between Four Tet and the veteran avant-jazz drummer. [Domino; 6.8]
Debut LP from one of techno's poster boys delivers on the promise of his singles. [Border Community; 8.4]
First record with new singer Chuck Bettis work well with the group's ambitious soundscapes, which have become lengthier and more expansive. [Doubling Cube; 7.9]
Longtime Queens-based hip-hop producer's official debut is an efficient album full of downbeat, soul-laced instrumentals. [Nature Sounds; 6.9]
Warp's first rock signing caps a successful 12 months with this collection of B-sides and demos, most of which originally appeared on UK singles. [Warp; 6.4]
UK record store spreads 50 underground favorites from last year over two discs, including tracks by Sleater-Kinney, Boards of Canada, Low, Herbert, and the Long Blondes. [Rough Trade; 7.2]
Promising indie rock band comes at you with blustery post-rock and easygoing Peach State twang all at once. [Two Sheds Music; 7.9]
Thrill Jockey band gets assistance from Tony Conrad on its sixth album, the group's most vigorous and diverse collection to date. [Thrill Jockey; 7.2]
After a move toward live-band instrumentation, Kristian Robinson returns to the sounds and themes of his breakthrough LP, Island Row. [Faith & Industry; 6.7]
Seventh album from Dan Bejar encapsulates and elevates the best of his back catalog, serving as a potent reminder that the intelligence of his songs has never obfuscated their emotional weight. [Merge; 8.5]
Playhouse compilation collects tracks from the German tech-house producer's vinyl-only 12" releases. [Playhouse; 8.2]
Norwegian duo offers the best from its previously released remixes and tracks from small-run EPs and singles. [Melektronikk; 8.0]
Three-piece indie band concocts a nostalgic blend of acoustic balladry and fuzzed-out guitars. [Monitor; 7.4]
Toronto-based indie rockers follow an impressive EP with their debut Paper Bag full-length. [Paper Bag; 7.1]
Sophomore album from Philly-based Waits/Zappa/Beefheart obsessives asks us this time out not to merely delight in its sounds, but in its songs as well. [Ace Fu; 8.3]
Andy Votel-created compilation is a follow-up of sorts to Folk Is Not a Four Letter Word and features contributions from artists based in Poland, Italy, and Turkey, among other nations. [Delay 68; 7.5]
Second album from Chicago's backwoods balladeers features a contribution from Kelly Hogan and shares the same spirit as the work of Jeffrey Lee Pierce. [Flameshovel; 8.1]
Broken Social Scene guitarist's latest features contributions from his Arts & Crafts mates Leslie Feist, Amy Millan, and Kevin Drew. [Arts & Crafts; 7.6]
Curiously humorous and bold debut album from UK native Alisdair Stirling and Bergen-based composer/producer Jorgen Traeen was created using instruments designed for children. [Smalltown Supersound; 7.2]
Much-hyped debut album from the Montreal no-wave revivalists and Wolf Parade compatriots seems designed to sell chaos as a lifestyle. [Lovepump United/Skin Graft; 3.9]
With the For Screening Purposes Only album getting a recent U.S. release we round up the band's trio of EPs and singles. [Domino; 7.7 / 4.2 / 6.0]
Hip-O-Select releases the British Invasion band's 1966 album of mostly covers, on which the group indulges its white-soul jones more heavily than at any other time in its career. [Hip-O Select; 7.5]
Jazz great's latest is split between wild improvisation, abrasive textures, and intensity, and pieces offering a more lyrical, traditional perspective on his group's interplay. [Atavistic; 7.3]
This live album was recorded at an arts festival in the genre-hopping Alien8 band's hometown of Montreal. [Alien8; 6.6]
More than a year after sweeping Europe, this charming, cheeky dance record-- house music as Saturday-morning cartoon, all bold lines inked in bright, primary colors-- finally gets its U.S. release. [RCA; 8.4]
Londoners aim to build on their exceptional "You Are the Generation..." single with a record of politically informed indie pop. [Wild Kingdom; 5.2]
David Sylvian follows his excellent Blemish with an album that, likes its predecessor, reflects the state of the war-torn world and the crisis in its creator's personal life. [Samadhi Sound; 7.7]
Slight return to form combines death metal's speed and vocals, powerful guitar harmonies and melodies, and rapid time changes. [Ferret Music; 7.3]
English trio is the latest group to earn buzz for its bubbly, youthful guitar pop. [Sire/Warner; 6.6]
Co-organized by M. Ward, this 13-track collection pays homage to the folk legend and his brilliant, eccentric creations, and features contributions from Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart, and Jack Rose among others. [Vanguard; 6.9]
Former NYC buzzband offers a digital release of its sophomore album roughly two months before it's available in stores. [Kemado/Hollywood; 3.6]
Collaborative mini-album between photographer-cum-poet Gerry Mitchell and the rustic-yet-dark band Little Sparta. [Fire; 7.0]
Paul Sevigny and co. follows their much-hyped debut with, for better or worse, a more mature second effort. [Defend Music; 6.0]
Ditching the springy Europop of 2004's Deep Cuts, Sweden's the Knife here pits dark, ghostly electro backdrops against elastic vocals, which they mash through a wringer of digital manipulation. A far cry from the duo's friendly first singles, Silent Shout gorily births the Knife's mutant twin. The result is creepy enough to warrant its own genre: haunted house. [Rabid; 8.6]
Freestyle Fellowship veteran teams his typically likable, big-hearted style with star indie hip-hop producer Rjd2. [Project Blowed/Decon; 3.2]
Latest from one of the crop of distortion-loving, snarky Minneapolis MCs, DJs, and producers features contributions from Slug, Craig Finn, and Bouncing Souls singer Greg Attonito. [Rhymesayers; 6.2]
Second solo covers EP from the Decemberists leader, this record collects interpretations of traditional folk songs arranged and recorded by 1960s folk troubadour Shirley Collins. [self-released; 7.1]
Also known as "The Gun Album", the Scott McCaughey-centered group's latest features contributions from members of Wilco, R.E.M., and the Decemberists. [Yep Roc; 6.7]
Swedish group follows its underrated, melancholic Long Before Daylight by turning toward jagged country-rock. [Universal; 7.5]
Tribute record to the late Elliott Smith features contributions from Oregon-based artists such as the Decemberists, the Thermals, and Eric Matthews. [Expunged; 7.2]
Jay Dee continues to update soul music by paying homage to the selfsame sounds he's modernizing. [Stones Throw; 7.9]
Carpark issues this acrobatic electro-acoustic record, which teems with whispered field recordings, pretty experimentalism, and sunny pop. [Carpark; 7.8]
After MOR disappointment Daybreaker, the English chanteuse teams with Jim O'Rourke on this mellifluously voiced collection of songs. [Astralwerks; 7.2]
Strongest record yet from the adventurous post-rock band, which features the National guitarist Bryce Dessner. [Brassland; 8.2]
Debut full-length from the influential production team is, unfortunately, not a compilation of their frequently exquisite singles but an album of mostly new material. [Eskimo; 6.8]
Latest from Scott Herren features guest appearances by Four Tet, TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, and Mobb Deep's Prodigy, and finds the producer regaining some of the focus he lost on last year's Surrounded by Silence. [Warp; 6.9]
Former 4AD mainstay Warn Defever relocates to Reincarnate and creates a winning record of slurry, ghostly pop. [Reincarnate; 8.4]
After a handful of CD-Rs, this is the proper debut from a prolific Scottish free percussionist who has played alongside Will Oldham, Richard Youngs, and Jandek. [Secret Eye; 7.5]
Chaotic release from a band who's earned support and endorsements from Comets on Fire's Ethan Miller and Six Organs of Admittance's Ben Chasny. [Holy Mountain; 5.5]
Spanning glam, soul, country, and '70s AM rock, the latest from the indie pop group is a deceptively wry, wickedly tuneful testament to the fragile beauty of faith, in deities as well as in pop. [Matador; 8.5]
Up-and-coming singer/songwriter follows his increasingly popular debut with this five-track EP, which features a Kylie Minogue cover. [Hidden Agenda; 6.0]
Four more Rhino-issued 2xCD reissues, these include the glam band's final three albums and a collection of tracks that were unfinished at the time of Marc Bolan's death. [Rhino; 8.3 / 5.9 / 6.7 / 7.0]
Rising Chicago emcee and could-be disciple of Rawkus primes for his debut LP with a series of sharp mixtapes, including an EP that only uses beats from Gorillaz's Demon Days. [mixtapes; 7.8 / 7.0 / 6.8]
This companion piece to Kieran Hebden's 2005 album features film shorts commissioned for each of that album's 10 tracks as well as a 35-minute bonus CD of new material. [Domino; 5.8]
Another tremendous reissue from Chicago's Numero Group, this is the third in the Eccentric Soul series, this time collecting the best from Miami's Deep City label. [Numero Group; 8.7]
This D.C. band wraps its tales of modern life-- office supplies, airport security, long-distance correspondence, and dayjob malaise-- in constantly shifting arrangements. [Hometapes; 7.2]
Clever song titles and intertextuality color the latest from this Secretly Canadian indie band. [Secretly Canadian; 6.9]
Pair of releases from the Finnish producer, one glacial and melodic, the other a bit too smooth jazz. [Huume; 2.4 / 7.4]
Twenty-track compilation repeats most of frathouse standard Legend and includes a new track cobbled together from 1979 acoustic recordings as well as remixes from Ashley Beedle and will.i.am. [Island; 7.0]
Latest from the Chilean producer, one of the central figures in minimal techno, is technically an EP, but its four percolating tracks stretch to nearly 50 minutes. [Cadenza; 8.9]
Soul Jazz release features the first studio collaborations between the veteran jazz drummer and Four Tet. [Soul Jazz; 7.8]
Solo album from former Dirty Projectors member is an idiosyncratic take on rustic Appalachian folk. [Secret Eye; 7.6]
1980s new wave hits remixed by producers such as Richard X, Tiga, and the Crystal Method. [Rhino; 3.9]
Teaser for the The Cult Is Alive finds the black metal group covering Siouxsie & the Banshees and creating the most crisp music of their career. [Peaceville; 6.2]
Astralwerks EP features remixes from first-tier producers such as Vitalic, Anders Trentemøller, and Jacques Lu Cont. [Astralwerks; 7.6]
The once-abrasive Hydra Head band continues to work with catchy melodies, infectious riffing, and smooth vocals. [Hydra Head; 7.3]
Alien8 collaboration between these Downtown-approved artists: Canadian everything guy Glen Hall, "loft scene" free jazz'er William Hooker, and Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo. [Alien8; 6.7]
Two records-- one a Chocolate Industries release featuring appearances by Beans and Seba, the other a self-released remix project-- from the hotly tipped Quebecois. [Chocolate Industries / self-released; 7.9 / 7.5]
Best of four albums released last year from Irish jazz guitarist O'Leary documents a five-year-old session with trumpeter Tomasz Stanko and veteran drummer Billy Hart. [Leo; 7.7]
Latest Thirsty Ear release often resembles the early 20th century piano studies of Ravel or Debussy as closely as it does modern jazz. [Thirsty Ear Blue Series; 7.3]
Former Guided by Voices leader starts the next phase of his voluminous career with this, his debut solo album for Merge. [Merge; 7.1]
Seattle singer-songwriter retools and finally issues this Barsuk release a year after his rough draft started making the file-sharing rounds. [Barsuk; 4.2]
C. Spencer Yeh's latest batch of ambient drone features contributions from members of Wolf Eyes, Hair Police, and Eyes, among others. [Thin Wrist; 7.0]
Melodramatic Yep Roc band builds a quiet tension between guitars, pianos, and Tim Putnam's terse yelp. [Yep Roc; 5.8]
Early work from the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, this record collects the best from an indie-folk band he fronted during his days as an undergraduate in Montana. [Kill Rock Stars; 5.7]
English band unveils its third album of sleepy, sylvan pop, which harmoniously meshes fiery guitars and ostentatious instrumentation. [Domino; 7.4]
Appropriately titled EP deals with holding off the heartbreak and daunting logistics of moving on after a breakup. [Kora; 7.6]
Idyllic bedroom psychedelia takes pop orchestrations to previously unimagined levels of insulation. [The Social Registry; 6.5]
Indie greats team for a covers album, which features interpretations of songs by Bruce Springsteen, the Minutemen, Devo, and Elton John, among others. [Overcoat; 5.4]
Drag City power trio are another in a line of indie bands re-discovering the joys of classic rock. [Drag City; 5.8]
Kranky reissues the debut LP from English bard Mat Sweet, originally released as a CD-R in 2004. [Kranky; 7.0]
First issued on City Centre, this ambient techno LP is expanded to a 2xCD set for its U.S. bow. [Domino; 6.9]
Their LP was only released two days ago but these Sheffield teens are already considered the UK's biggest new band since Oasis. [Domino; 7.4]
Anthemic indie band goes for expertness in place of pure exuberance on its Frenchkiss debut. [Frenchkiss; 7.8]
Debut album from the Chicago art-rock trio is full of unpredictable, volatile compositions. [Leaf; 7.4]
Odd yet striking work from Brendan Fowler, who has been referred to as a motivational rapper, a comedian, and a performance artist. [5 Rue Christine; 6.4]
Rilo Kiley leader steps out on her own with an indie-yuppie soul/country record released via Conor Oberst's Team Love label. [Team Love; 6.1]
Blake Sennett creates a modern pop simulacrum of traditional country, devoid of the electro accents that pocked his most recent record. [Sub Pop; 6.8]
Kawabata Makoto's group, now backed by the Cosmic Inferno, continues to be as prolific and awe-inspiring as ever. [Ace Fu / Acid Mothers Temple; 7.9 / 6.7]
On her seventh album, the enigmatic singer-songwriter aims to make her Chan in Memphis, employing veteran soul musicians and splitting her record between visiting their sonic space and inviting them into hers. [Matador; 7.9]
Second album of covers of classic video-game music from the 5RC-signed quartet. [5 Rue Christine; 7.9]
Now a quintet, the Bay Area band follows a handful of well-received demos and EPs with this LP of atmospheric rock. [Beggars Banquet; 6.9]
Third release from the incomparable Atlanta label Dust-to-Digital compiles 131 tracks from Joe Bussard's Fonotone Records, "the last of the 78 rpm record labels," over five discs, and adds a 160-page book, 17 color postcards, three record label reproductions, and a nickel-plated pop-bottle opener. [Dust-to-Digital; 8.8]
Belated compilation celebrating the Matt Groening-curated festival features Modest Mouse, Sonic Youth, the Stooges, and the Shins, among others. [ATP; 8.0]
Yep Roc issues the latest from the former Jam leader and current elder statesman for Britain's trad-rock community. [Yep Roc; 7.2]
Former Spacek head offers his solo debut, highlighted by a J Dilla-produced single. [Sound in Color; 6.0]
Two Gimme Fiction EPs-- one superfluous thanks to an LP bonus disc; the other more rewarding and featuring a John McEntire remix. [Matador UK / Merge; 3.4 / 6.3]
Reissues of two of the lo-fi New Zealand band's LPs, one of which is boosted by the addition of the Dogma EP. [Cloud; 7.0 / 6.9]
Subtitled Pre-War Revenants (1897-1939), this exquisite collection of classic folk was the final record curated by John Fahey. [Revenant; 8.6]
Microindie-released space-pop odyssey from a band led by Architecture in Helsinki's Gus Franklin. [Microindie; 7.1]
Former Swans leader drafts Low's Alan Sparhawk, Chris Connelly, Blixa Bargeld, and others to assist with this 20-track, 2xCD release. [Atavistic; 4.8]
6xCD set contains six sets recorded at Washington D.C.'s tiny The Cellar Door, including material that was rearranged and issued on 1971's Live-Evil. [Columbia; 9.4]
Soul Jazz follows its 2003 collection of Big Apple late-70s/early-80s no wave and post-punk with a sequel featuring Sonic Youth, Glenn Branca, and Arthur Russell. [Soul Jazz; 8.1]
What looks like a small transistor radio, complete with two AA batteries, turns out to be an ambient machine programmed with nine continuous loops. [Staalplaat; 8.2]
New record from the prolific Howe Gelb features contributions from M. Ward and members of Grandaddy and the Arcade Fire. [Thrill Jockey; 7.3]
Limited-edition mixtape blends Shadow's typical production style with sections devoted to grime, mainstream hip-hop, crunk, and Miami bass. [Obey; 8.0]
Second volume in this Crammed Discs series is a comp that reveals the depth of the unique, vibrant Kinshasa music scene. [Crammed Discs; 7.9]
Mars Volta star takes a rewarding solo turn that mixes guitar solos, spasmodic drumming, and computer and tape effects with traditional jazz elements. [Willie Anderson; 7.1]
Sixth volume in the avant-rock band's SYR series was recorded live (with help from Tim Barnes of the Silver Jews) at the Anthology Film Archives in 2003 as a memorial tribute to experimental filmmaker Sam Brakhage. [SYR; 7.0]
This collection was assembled from the late Jhonn Balance's final recordings and earlier, uncompleted material originally recorded at Trent Reznor's New Orleans studio. [Threshold House; 7.9]
Intricate digital disco, squishy laptop house, and fabulous left-field pop delivered with warmth and intimacy, humor and whimsy. [~scape; 8.5]
Originally self-released in 2004, this LP-- chockablock with ideas, encompassing an impressive breadth of styles and sounds-- is given a welcome reissue. [Skybucket; 7.8]
On her latest Drag City release, the singer-songwriter crafts a country-folk tribute to co-dependency. [Drag City; 5.8]
Out of print for three years, Trent Reznor's debut is reissued by Rykodisc with neither bells nor whistle [Rykodisc; 5.6]
Acoustic, Porteguese-langugage covers of David Bowie songs, as heard in the Wes Anderson film. [Hollywood; 6.8]
Veteran rapper breaks from Mannie Fresh and grows up quickly, displaying a flexible flow and more layered lyrics. [Cash Money; 8.1]
Rhythmically adept Beans backup band aims to create the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques-- looping, splicing, programming. [Dependent; 6.9]
iTunes-only charity album was recorded as part of ATP's Don't Look Back Series and presumably released in part to finally match the Scottish band's best set of songs with a proper recording of their arrangements. [iTunes; 9.1]
Mancunian duo follow its underrated 2003 cult-fave The Magic Lantern with another record of rain-soaked indie pop. [Pickled Egg; 7.9]
As indicated by its title and dissolute Parisian artwork, here the former Flying Saucer Attack member has created an album steeped heavily in spirits, both alcoholic and otherwise. [Ici d'Ailleurs; 7.2]
Debut from the post-rock supergroup-- it features members of Don Caballero, Storm and Stress, and Antioch Arrow-- swells with fluid improvisational riffs and dizzying rhythms. [No Quarter; 6.9]
Next in a line of NYC retro-fetishists, Morningwood's LP reads like their AudioScrobbler, systematically tallying new wave and glam ingredients with the utmost clarity. [Capitol; 3.9]
Steven Stapelton attempts to sum up his prolific career of gothic song titles and experimental tape loops in a mere two discs. [Castle; 8.2]
Pop/alt-country duo issue their third LP and first created via the ever-popular tapes-through-the-mail technique. [Heatstroke; 7.3]
Japanese sludge trio unleash their most melodic, conventionally structured, and aggressively addictive LP to date: Flirting with shoegaze and ambient, Pink is a 47-minute frenzy that welcomes 2006 with open arms, bludgeoning fists, and a call to arms against MOR complacency. [Southern Lord; 8.7]
The composer's first new work since 2002's Three Tales finds him working with choral and orchestral elements, but is as rhythmically driven as anything he's done in years. [Nonesuch; 8.0]
An attractive disjunct between spazz rock, rhythmic linearity, and a surprising touch of tenderness. [Lovitt; 6.8]
Floor burners, sonic experiments, and punchy, dubby techno from the artists also known as Soul Center. [Max Ernst; 6.6]
Download-only, band-selected set features 28 live tracks recorded on the group's wildly successful comeback tour. [eMusic.com; 8.2]
3xCD set features work by the Upsetters, Augustus Pablo, and Tapper Zukie, among others. [Trojan; 7.0]
Narnack issues a 26-track collection of the best from the 50s rock'n'roll- and punk-obsessed Japanese band. [Narnack; 7.0]
Selections from a film score are oddly paired with more traditional singer/songwriter work on this solo record from the AMC leader. [Cooking Vinyl; 4.0]
Poorly executed and ultimately unnecessary odds'n'sods compilation from the industrial legends. [Sanctuary; 2.0]
Recently reissued and expanded 3xCD set-- now with the addition of a DVD-- collects three generations worth of electronic music landmarks. [Ellipsis Arts; 9.0]
Proggy metal riffed on keyboards and organs and operatic vocals color this Finnish band's latest release. [No Quarter; 6.4]
Following Universal's 2004 T. Rex reissue campaign, the first of two runs of Rhino's expanded, 2xCD Marc Bolan-led releases is highlighted by the glam-rock classic The Slider. [Rhino; 9.8 / 5.8 / 7.9 / 7.0]
A short collection of covers in the most stouthearted folkloric tradition, this EP features re-interpretations of works by Nico, Durutti Column, and Blue Öyster Cult. [Locust; 7.9]
Heavy and abstract, this Alien8 band plows the increasingly popular territory between slow metal and staticy ambiance. [Alien8; 7.5]
Subtitled "A Tribute to Those Great 80s Films" this release features Frank Black, Kristin Hersh, Matthew Sweet, and more covering tracks from two-decades-old teen flicks. [American Laundromat/Face Down; 6.2]
Shameless holiday cash-grab recycles old Biggie verses in new songs that feature contributions from Jay-Z, Just Blaze, and, um, Korn. [Bad Boy/Atlantic; 4.2]
Bill Holt's brilliant, odd one-off-- inspired by John Cage and the Beatles' "Revolution 9"-- is given a reissue. [Wilmington Studies; 8.7]
Kranky pairs a new record from the dream-pop duo with a previously released pair of tracks written in honor of a lost pet. [Kranky; 7.3]
Deranged, abrasive beatscapes and densely detailed and riotous mini-compositions from Alien8. [Alien8; 7.1]
The New York band, once the supposed leader of a new rock revolution, follows its underrated second album by simultaneously settling into diminished expectations and ratcheting up its sound, trying new things, going for broke. [RCA; 5.9]
Originally self-released as a limited-edition CD-R, this 46-minute EP from Animal Collective's Panda Bear and DJ Scott Mou features two lengthy skeletal jams. [Psych-O-Path; 7.0]
Load artist offers a mix of distracted psych, gritty electronics, self-made machines that don't work half the time, and a mostly implied ultra-left politic. [Load; 7.7]
After a half-decade wait, the improvisational duo issue another LP of finely-textured ambient rock. [Strange Attractors; 7.2]
Indie band not only revives the 60s protest singer's songs on this covers album but studies and evangelizes them. [Hush; 7.2]
- Ryan Adams: 29 Prolific singer/songwriter issues his third full-length of the year, a conceptual work on which each track portrays the singer, now 31, at a different year in his twenties. [Lost Highway; 6.8]
Sixteen-track collection of Scott Herren work features remixes by Diplo and Adventure Time, among others. [Money Studies; 3.0]
Third and final entry in the DE9 series following 1999's Decks, EFX & 909 and 2001's DE9: Closer to the Edit. [Mute; 7.8]
Archival collection, originally sold on the Merge group's recent U.S. tour, compiles early demos recorded between 1991-96, when songwriting duties were split between current band leader Alasdair MacLean and former member Innes Phillips (the Relict). [self-released; 6.3]
The 25-year history of the influential 4AD label is compressed into this 18-track LP, which features the Breeders, Cocteau Twins, Throwing Muses, Mountain Goats, and Pixies, among others. [4AD; 7.4]
Latest from Jason Molina's band includes three new songs and a cover of "Werewolves of London". [Secretly Canadian; 6.7]
Sixth album from the doom metal duo nearly matches their ferocious live power, and features assistance from noise icon John Wiese and experimental guitarist and percussionist Oren Ambarchi. [Southern Lord; 8.9]
Seven tracks that develop ideas suggested on its parent album and introduce some new musical motifs. [Jagjaguwar; 8.2]
Ahead of the early 2006 U.S. release of Pink, we round up three recent releases from the prolific Japanese band, including a collaboration with Merzbow. [Conspiracy / Hydra Head / Southern Lord; 7.7 / 6.5 / 8.2]
Jack and Meg White cover Tegan and Sara, and add a handful of live tracks to pad out this stocking stuffer. [V2; 6.1]
On its sixth album the indie pop band explores wide-open, arid spaces and increasingly darker territory. [Aero; 7.8]
Now a duo, the band hides stacks of amplifiers and big guitar chords behind an extreme polish. [Troubleman/Megablade; 6.1]
Track-by-track Guero remix album features nine previously unreleased mixes and contributions from Air, Boards of Canada, Diplo, Islands, and El-P, among others. [Interscope; 6.2]
Live album collects 15 solo, often acoustic performances culled from a tour with Devendra Banhart. [Xeng; 7.7]
Portland-based collective builds on the lessons of The Sacred Harp and other traditional blues and gospel sources on this evocative yet deeply personal LP. [ATP; 8.1]
These Swedes' Fat Cat-released LP is reminiscent of the windswept Americana of Sun Kil Moon, Songs:Ohia, or pre-Z My Morning Jacket. [Fat Cat; 7.6]
Third volume in Hip-O Select's Motown series features every A- and B-side the legendary Detroit label issued in 1963. [Hip-O Select; 9.2]
Two EPs from the prolific former Guided by Voices leader, one of which was written for a Steven Soderbergh film. [Recordhead; 6.2 / 4.0]
Japanese singer's sixth album blends the emotional resonance of pop with the challenges of the avant garde. [Room40; 7.8]
Dipset member's latest studio album features highlights from his Back Like Cooked Crack mixtape series, plus previously unreleased material. [Def Jam; 6.9]
Double disc collects every UK A-side from the dance/indie/pop band's legendary career. [London; 8.3]
Second album from this Japanese artist is more song-based and less evocative than his intriguing debut. [Compare Notes; 7.0]
On this tour-only, self-released album, frontman Adam Selzer comes across like a mix of Colin Meloy and Mark Kozelek. [self-released; 7.5]
Post-rock band contributes the latest volume in Temporary Residence Limited's mail order-only Travels in Constants series. [Temporary Residence; 7.2]
Australian quartet plays tight, working-class rock, creating vocal-shredding songs crammed with crammed with drunkenness, night sweats, and suicide notes. [ATP; 8.3]
Ipecac's 2xCD compilation digs beyond western scores and 1980s digital experiments to his music for 1960s and 70s Italian crime and exploitation movies. [Ipecac; 8.0]
On his latest album, the German producer draws from the obsessed-over rock produced by his countrymen in the 1970s. [~scape; 8.0]
Swans co-founder and former La Monte Young drummer delivers his solo debut. [Strange Attractors; 7.1]
Hip-hop legend frustratingly collects the hits, saves some of his best work for a tack-on bonus disc, and adds a few mostly insignificant new tracks. [Interscope; 6.9]
Latest from Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale and Forcefield's Matt Brinkman is rawer and more cavernous than its predecessors. [Corleone; 6.0]
Fourth album from this Japanese band featuring Ruins' Tatsuya Yoshida, godfather of today's blossoming art-rock-noise-pop scene. [Skin Graft; 8.3]
L.A.-based band fold Ethiopian touches into a Cambodian style of pop heavily influenced by classic American surf rock and Nuggets-era garage-psych. [M80 Music; 7.7]
Swedish lo-fi indie pop group follows two singles of gritty heartache with a stellar debut for New York's What's Your Rupture? label. This is the first great band of 2006. [What's Your Rupture?; 8.7]
Debut LP from the prog-chamber trio combines classical instrumentation and techniques with elements of metal, flamenco, and various pan-global folk forms, and features appearances by Devendra Banhart and CocoRosie's Sierra Cassidy. [Kemado; 5.8]
Debut LP from one of Kompakt's more underrated producers is also the label's best artist album of the year. [Kompakt; 8.0]
Sly, quick-tongued Houston emcee and former partner with Paul Wall trades candy paint for more serious subjects. [Universal; 7.0]
Latest compilation from the teen drama features Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem, and Kaiser Chiefs, among others. [Warner Sunset/Warner Bros.; 3.5]
Venerable reissue imprint Soul Jazz collects the best from this 1980s Brazilian post-punk group. [Soul Jazz; 7.8]
Compilation of the most memorable releases from the famed 4AD duo, which moved between soft, ethereal ambience and intense, ritualistic vocalizations and Wall of Sound production. [4AD; 7.6]
New York poetess and singer's proto-punk classic is reissued with a live track-by-track recital of the LP, recorded this past June, tacked on as a bonus. [Arista; 9.4]
Long-awaited U.S. release from this at times perplexing electronic British outfit, who come across like a mellow, hip-hop-lovin' version of LCD Soundsystem. [Astralwerks; 8.0]
Latest collection of MF Doom instrumentals-- some previously-released backing tracks from his or other's albums, some unreleased beat sketches or stand-alone compositions. [Shaman Work; 7.0]
Promising EP from this Icelandic quartet and ancillary members of Sigur Rós. [The Worker's Institute; 7.0]