This month's New Strokes. Disappointing

Follow-up to MTV-friendly Gran Turismo

Bob Mould alter-ego gets heavy on the dancefloor

Powerful debut after a decade's tough luck from hard-bitten New Jersey singer-songwriter

Doom-laden noodling from NYC's latest press darlings

With NYC's bright new hopes (Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) openly worshipping at the altar of scratchy early-'80s UK punk-funk (PiL, Gang Of Four), it now seems doubly outrageous that Department S were denied the release of this like-minded debut at the time—"Whatever Happened To The Blues" alone is 20 years ahead of Radio 4. An even greater shame that singer Vaughan Toulouse (who died of AIDS in 1991) isn't around to savour the overdue recognition this should grant him.

The Big Star flew solo, jumped back to his Southern roots, then went live in London

Tear-streaked wonder from Abba's pop-rock progeny

Pretty, discreet indietronica from Oz

Australia's next big thing unleash experimental mini-album debut