Well, here's a good way to start off an otherwise dreary month – Alice Lee's vocals sonically waver between the likes of Joni Mitchell and Ani DiFranco. And though the first cut, "Could This Be Love," has a dreamy, jazzy, coffeehouse feel to it, the next number, "Not An Exit," smacks you upside the head with some real funk. On this second cut, Lee's voice goes from the light and lilting to an in-your-face, almost psycho angry quality, like someone who has been pushed over the edge. And should you doubt it for a second, check out the opening lyrics: "Open my box baby, And take a look inside, Stick your head in and I'll swallow you alive." Shades of Lorena Bobbitt? No matter, there is something about Lee that is attractive, as her vocals dart about, going from breathy to furious, and points in between. You get a real feel for sensitivity, as delicate or harsh as Lee can be (oh, and her bandmates are no slouches either). A remix at the end clips too much and seems a distraction, but the other numbers are just grand. www.alicelee.com

Here's another five-song EP that features some phenomenal vocals. Yewande (pronounced e-wan-day) has a voice that positively bellows. It's difficult to describe what she sounds like. Well, okay, there is a deepness, like Joan Armatrading, but also a real sexy snarl, like Eartha Kitt. The point is she'll connect with your ears in a good way. Classically trained (read opera), Yewande has also done backup singing for the likes of Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. The songs presented here tend to fall across genres; "Blues Song," the opener, for example, has that Delta Bayou feel, but there is also a heavy, distorted bass thumping (that's real annoying) that you'd expect in a hip-hop or rap number. "Rapture" features a heavy '70s soul sound to it, while "Dream" is kind of a funk rock number. And while it may be hard to find an appropriate moniker to define the style of Yewande, there's no doubting the power of her voice. Let's hope we get to hear more soon (five songs just ain't enough). www.yewande.com

Though it's only February, I can easily see this disc as being one of the best of the year, if not the best. With a melodic rock sound, Malin's songs sound like an amalgam of Springsteen and the Replacements, with a punk sensibility hovering in the background. The songs are so accessible that they sound both new and familiar at the same time. And even if that last sentence doesn't make sense, believe me when I say this cd is a gem. Malin's voice may be a bit nasally, perhaps prone to whining, but it never gets in the way. The production by Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown) is great, as guitars are lush and layered, keys are present but never wash out the sound, drums and bass are booming and solid but not overpowering. You might remember Malin from the D Generation, but if not, that's okay. This disc is a shimmering collection of Americana rock that pleases from the get go, and gets better with each listen. www.jessemalin.com.

As I write this it's about 3 degrees outside (no fooling), and I mention that only because the opener on this disc had me thinking of a nice warm place. It has an upbeat, reggae/ska tinge to it in spots, and for a second, I forgot I was freezing. The song also has a healthy influence of the Kinks to it, and you'd swear it was an outtake from a Kinks session. But alas, it is not. In fact, several of the songs have a Brit slant to them, whether shades of classic rock like Yes, new wave bands like the Smiths, or newer stuff like Coldplay. On the downside, though the tunes have a good sound, and the songwriting is nice, there's just a hint of, well, how to say it without sounding insulting, hmmm, not amateurish, but perhaps unpolished in spots. There's a coolness to be sure, as on "Stay Up," an old-time number that could have been on the soundtrack to Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? But there are also spots where you hear something just ain't right, but you can't put your finger on it. At least I can't. A good disc though. www.darkmatters.net

Guitar slingers will no doubt be turned off by this collection of interpretations of the music of Jimi Hendrix. Instead of a blazing, liquid guitar throughout, you're more likely to find a wash of electronica, sampling, and assorted noises. And while I may not listen to this disc too much, I do appreciate the interesting take on the covers. Nothing is more annoying than a band or artist doing a cover that sounds just like the original (witness, for example, the Dixie Chicks doing a Fleetwood Mac cover). What's the point? At least that's my beef. But CoolNerd, producer/programmer here, doesn't even come close to the originals, and in that respect, I am glad. Perhaps the least electronic sounding of the bunch is "Angel," sung by Martha Redbone. Her delicate and soulful vocals over the minimal accompaniment makes this the best cut, for me at least. For guitar slingers, the closing cut, "Ode to Jimi," features some smoking fretwork courtesy of Bobby Bell, but for the most part, it's more dance party than acid rock. Interesting though. www.exilerecords.com

Perhaps the strangest disc to cross my path in some time, not because it's odd (it's a soundtrack to a musical), but, jeez, based on a story written in 1904 by Paul West and W.W. Denslow (who had worked with L. Frank Baum on children's books, including the "Wizard of Oz"), it's kind of hard to rate it. I mean, sure, the singing is great, the music sounds like what a typical Broadway play should give you. But getting a soundtrack to a theatre play without seeing the play (and, no, I'm not begging for a free ticket) is kind of a rough deal – sure, you can kind of pick up the story line, but you miss the meat-and-potatoes part of the production. I would say, though, that if you have kids, this would be a good disc to spin for them – the songs are short, the singing clear, good, clean, upbeat fun across the board. I'd have to pick "Nothing Like a Pie" as my favorite song title (for reasons that remain with me), though the "School of Fish Ballet" comes in a close second. Headbangers might want to steer clear of this one (unless, of course, they have kids). Check the details at www.pearlandthepumpkin.com.