Mix a pop sound with an industrial DJ attitude and what do you get? A broad-sounding disc, bordering at times on the weird, avant-garde edge of the envelope. There's a lot going on in the 24 cuts here, but one thing that continually grates is a hellishly annoying distortion, provided either by synthesizers, or by clipping the vocals, instruments, or whatever. It's not always there, mind you, but when it surfaces on the first cut, it has the same effect as nails on a chalkboard, and you just want to run screaming. On a cut like "Over," with the guitar and vocals bathed in reverb, it's almost reminiscent of old, old Genesis, like "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." The Beach Machine is similarly a big, thematic portrait. It'll take you to some strange places if you'll go along for the ride. www.thebeachmachine.com

Imagine the big and swoopy psychedelic love songs of the late '60s written instead by guys who weren't so bright eyed, perhaps more misogynist, or just plain pissed off and bitter about chicks and busted relationships. Seconds on the hookah pipe, anyone? Albany-based Brodeur has composed 11 intricate, yet hooky, pop tunes that musically bounce right along, though the lyrical aspects can be somewhat darker. "Dying For Me" begins, "You had your chance to give me up, but now too much time has passed, and you are stuck." Not the stuff teenage girls swoon over, though older folks (and cranky critics) smile wistfully. Some of the slower acoustic stuff like "Kitten" sounds a bit baroque, but it's still good. A nice piece of work. www.tigerpop.com

At first listen, there's nothing remarkable about this disc from the NY artist – no screaming guitar solos, no intricate fingerpicking, no glass-shattering vocals. But now I realize I've just sat through the disc without nitpicking, or finding faults, and that makes Elza worthy of a listen. Her voice is pure and strong, with a hint of a young Joni Mitchell but more robust. Her songs are good, folk oriented, and though there's nothing stratospheric about her guitar playing, there doesn't need to be. There's nothing pretentious about the disc as a whole either. You get a feeling of music for the sake of music, and that honesty conveys to the listener, paying dividends with repeated listening. A nice breath of fresh air. www.elzamusic.com

Hey, who would have thought a slick rock outfit would hail from Sweden? I don't see any hands out there. Well, they do (and the little sth at the end of their name is for Stockholm). Their sound is heavy, yet melodic, with some real keen production. The heavier stuff is exemplified by "I Don't Envy You," a throbbing number that shows you the beauty of a minor third. Their sound comes together on "I'm Stupid (Don't Worry About Me)," a big melodic number with a fat chorus you'll hear in your head for days. It has that Bon Jovi twang to it, but without giving you the urge to mousse your bangs straight up in the air like a Jersey girl. Rock on Sweden, nice work. www.primesth.com

This solo effort by Johan Edlund, singer of the Swedish metal rockers Tiamat, has an '80s Depeche Mode feel. That is, if you replaced the latter's keyboards with guitar. But that's what Edlund set out to do, as he said, "No deep messages, no special meaning… only straightforward rock songs that entertain and serve all the usual rock cliches." And that's pretty much what you get, as his low, accented voice drones over the 11 cuts, including a cover of ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man." The bulk of the tunes are medium-paced numbers, heavy on bass and chunking guitars. There's a definite Euro feel (go figure), and though the guitars are distorted, you still get the sense that you're in a disco someplace across the pond. www.lucyfire.com

The cover of this demo shows the two rappers behind bars, heads hanging down. Lighten up guys, I say, since as I peruse the liner notes, I see words like "cello" and "flute" next to people's names. What?!? A rap disc with cello and flute?!? Yo G, straight up. Perhaps it's surprising because I've never really heard rap over classically infused music, and I have to admit, it's pretty interesting. Sound Liberation have been at it a few years now, and if this disc is any indication, they seem to be in peak form. The juxtaposition of rapping over classical or jazz with hip-hop beats opens doors to improvisation; further, the band isn't saddled with a DJ scratching noise to muddy up the mix. The only confusing thing here is why some A&R person hasn't picked up on them yet.

This aggressive folk trio is spearheaded by Nikki Maoz, whose powerful voice dominates the disc. The music is happy, earthy, crunchy, with a mid-eastern influence popping up from time to time. And that's not surprising, since Maoz came to NYC via Israel, stopping off at Cambridge long enough to get a law degree. Perhaps as impressive as her travels is her voice, which belts you with all the ferocity of a Mike Tyson punch. Her guitar work is clean and quick, despite the angry attack at times. Backing her up is Ken Hashimoto on cello and bass (where are all these cello players coming from?) and John Clancy on drums. An impressive debut from an impressive singer/songwriter/guitarist. www.angelfire.com/ny4/whirl

This retrospective of the Detroit natives takes a whack (via the title) at the PMRC (Parental Music Resource Center), who, during Tipper Gore's witch-hunting days, called the band's music "porn rock." Aural pornography? Geez, I miss those days. Anyhoo, the rock is fast and furious, kind of what you might expect Wayne and Garth would listen to in their basement. An interesting cut is the Psychedelic Furs' "Sister Europe," (weird to me, since I just unearthed that cassette during a move). Most of the tunes were cut in the '90s, recorded in Atlanta, and though the distance in time and studios makes for some uneven spots, if you feel the need for speedy porn rock, give 'em a listen. www.swillproduct.com

From the town of Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania (one of the few hyphenated towns in America, mind you) comes Lifer, a heavy outfit that sounds like Alice in Chains ran smack into Limp Bizkit. Well, sure, it's not that simple, but for these winners of an MTV unsigned band contest, it could be worse. They have a heavy, dark, almost Seattle-grunge overtone to their music, which ranges from metal funk to hardcore, often in the same song. Personally, I like their music better without the screaming, angry vocals, since the heavy melodic stuff works better and is more interesting to listen to. But I guess you need the rage for the kids today. There's a bit of a Tool sound as well, a kind of creepiness that surfaces on some cuts that's worth listening to. Oh, production is by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, and is spot on. www.liferonline.com

Ah, punk rock. Real punk rock. No sign of melody anywhere to be found. Listening to the guitars and drums, bass and vocals, you think, how the hell did they get a CD made? I could play that easy. I suppose that's part of the mystique about authentic punk, that maybe technically you could play better chord changes, play in time, play melodies, but you'd be missing the point. You wouldn't have the energy, the raw sound, the anger – and that would be real anger, not just some studio screaming. Iron Cross have been out for some time, forming back in April 1981. Some interesting stuff is found inside the liner, with shots of old posters of punk's heyday, when Iron Cross used to open for Black Flag. Anyway, if you want the real deal, here's the disc for you. Pure punk, nothing more need be said.

It's hard to pin down the sound of this Boston band. They're poppy, no doubt about it, and I'd like to go fishing with the hooks they have, big and sharp. There's a bit of an influence of, well, somebody, you think, as a song plays, but then it's not there seconds later. And each song is different from its predecessor – a slow beat yields to rock, giving way to ballad, well, you get the picture. The good news, though, is all you need do is sit back and listen, and bathe in the glory of the twelve songs here. The opener, "Loved One" has a George Harrison taint to it, while others are three-chord romps, like "Baby Gap," which gives way to a big-sounding, Beach Boy bridge. "Enemy" has a Monkees "Auntie Grizelda" twang to it (and that's going way back). Think NRBQ meets the db's, and you'll be kinda close. A great disc by any measure. www.thegravelpitband.com

Yes, it's the same Lloyd Cole of the Commotions fame, dating back, sheew, to the early eighties? Has it been that long? Cut me in half and count the rings. Well, when his record company rejected his release and instead wanted to put together a collection of his work and asked for two sure hits, Cole told them no, formed a bar band, and began playing out. Lucky for us. The first cut, "Past Imperfect," shines as pure pop genius, and damn near had me crying like a little girl. The rest of the tunes may not have had me sobbing, but all stand as well-written, hook-filled songs that sometimes nod to his past work, and others just lay out nicely. Cole is set to release two other discs this year, and the pop world couldn't be happier. www.lloydcole.com

Imagine a clash between Oasis, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd. Sounds weird, but that's what I'm hearing here. And it's beautiful. Oh yeah. Big, swoopy harmonies on the choruses. Jangly guitars, a Brit sound, but hey, these guys are from Atlanta! If the first cut doesn't get you, the second, "Washed Away," which begins with a minute of build up before cutting loose with a stellar slide solo, is sure to hook you. The mix of Floyd-like ethereal space and slide guitar over the acoustic guitars, big Oasis-like choruses, and slightly Lennon-like vocals proves to be irresistible. Did I just kind of repeat myself? All right, busted. I'll admit, I was having trouble getting their website for info, and the only press I got was a postcard. But this is true – the CD rocks, is fresh sounding, and if you only buy a dozen discs this year, make this one of them. It's just that good.

Let's start with the weirdness. Thimren, from Sweden, is releasing what appears to be a three-song EP, pressing it in orange vinyl, and limiting it to just 500 copies. Ahh, 'scuse me? Now, honestly, I tried to get more information via the web site, but his English is not so good, or my intellect is slipping (or both). What I do gather is Thimren toured with Johnny Thunders in the early '80s. Although, again, it's not too clear to me if he played with or opened for JT with his band Teneriffa Cowboys. As for the three tunes, they're in the style of mid to late '70s rock, along the lines of the Dolls, T. Rex, or Montrose. The third cut, "Just Another Girl," was penned by Thunders, and it took me back in time. Thimren is a good guitarist for the style of music he plays. Let's just hope he can clear up the web site so we can know what's going on.