The first number, "On Your Knees," begins with that funky, oft-played sharp ninth chord, which immediately brings to mind Hendrix. And sure enough, the song continues in that vein, so much so that you'll feel bands of gypsies whirling around your head. Following that is "Presence of Mind," which has a smoky, slinky groove to it, and might have you thinking of the Black Crowes. And the familiarity of '70s rock, a mix of acid rock, southern rock, Texas blues, and just a dash of hippy sentimentality like CSNY, hits home. This is rock and roll that fits like a pair of old blue jeans, comfortable, the kind of sound that sticks with you for a long time. Music you first heard in the park, drinking beer and leaning on your friend's Trans Am. Sure, maybe times have changed, maybe now it's a Mountain Dew while you're leaning on an Accord, but the feel of the music is deep in the heart of the seventies, when the country was reeling after a long war, drugs began to go mainstream, and the musicians said, let's rock. On the dozen songs here, you'll do just that. www.theholygoats.com.

Time and again a disc will cross this desk with talent that jumps right out of the speakers and knocks me upside the head. Needless to say, Kate Fenner's disc does this. And while I am reeling from the lumps about my ears, I take solace in the purity of her voice, which is undeniably seductive. Though her vocals are strong and powerful, she does not push hard. Rather, she gives you the feeling she's on the verge of belting it out. I suppose it's that tension that entrances me, though the PR photos don't hurt either. "In Your Good Name" is a fine example of her work. With a nice driving beat and dynamics, it's almost like an acoustic selection from a female Bruce Springsteen. And just as the Boss sings his songs with grit and conviction, so does Fenner. Her songs are of love, loss, and pain. They cut through via their simplicity and honesty, both lyrically and musically. Another beautiful release worth picking up. www.katefenner.com

This NY rock group takes its name from its attitude toward living, and the fact that the band is not, as they say, "angry rockers." And the music proves the point. While energetic and gritty at times, their sound maintains more of a pop sheen to it, which perhaps comes from maturity. That said, though the first song on the disc is a peppy number, featuring shimmering guitars and evoking the Smashing Pumpkins, the next few tunes lay a bit flat for me. And I can't explain it, but even after several listens, I can't get into them. Yet by the time "Flight Delay" comes on, I am again a fan. The hooks are there and the song pulls me in. The number "Perfect Fool" grabs me as well. It builds nicely and has a solid rhythm section, which holds down the fort. The band tackles the softer side of music with some jangly acoustic guitar numbers, though I think their strength lies on the rock side. "Lighten the Load" is a mix of acoustic and electric, and while pleasant, it doesn't have the punch or staying power of some of the electric numbers. Check them out for yourself at www.damnglad.com.

From the softer side of things comes J. Armen, with a blend of Latin, folk, and soft-rock numbers. The son of Arthur Meschian, the Armenian poet and composer, J. came stateside in 1989. After playing in Boston bands for a while, he arrived in New York, and long story short, we have this disc. As for the music, initially, his voice bothered me. Then I realized its strength is quite possibly disguised by its lack of power. Often a listener expects a powerful set of pipes to equate with talent, and while that may be the case, the reserved and laid back approach of Armen has a soothing, penetrating quality. Maybe it's just this caffeine buzz I'm coming off of, but his music has a calming effect, and that in turn is aided by his vocals. At times, sure, he wavers on notes, or I think he should be pushing more, but the combination of the music and the vocals is like a gentle set of hands on your shoulders telling you to relax. And though you may feel like its background music at a restaurant, the musicianship is quite good, the lyrics tell stories, and you're rewarded with music that though may be off the beaten path, is nevertheless worth the listen. www.jarmen.net

This six-song EP from the current Brooklynite showcases her soulful pipes. Case in point is her rendition of Leon Russell's "A Song For You," where she belts it out so hard you get chills up your spine. Well, I did anyhow. It's a tough field too, since so many listeners can easily get confused between the vocal histrionics that have dominated popular music and the vocals of those that really put their hearts into it. Dobson is clearly the latter, as there is no screeching, no dancing between notes, nor staccato note drills simply for attention. In the songs here, the notes count, and the emotion plays through. If there is a knock to be had against the disc, it lies in the production and arrangement area. The former is a bit weak, and the latter seems hastily or cheaply thrown together. My guess is money was an issue (the CD liner looks homemade, for one) as studio costs can add up quickly. Should Dobson get some major backing, however, a full-fledged production might just blow the laser out of your player. www.liquidsoulradio.com

While I am not familiar with his previous release, Curve, this disc makes a good case for doing some research. Casabianca is an energetic guitarist, presenting a dozen tunes here that range from sides of folk to jazz to bluesy rockers. So how does it all hold together? Quite well, actually. Casabianca is a solid acoustic guitar player and it sounds as if he has played plenty of open mike nights. Notes are clean and punch through, and coincidentally, his vocals have the same qualities. "Firecracker Love" – which showcases his slide playing – starts as if it were spawned in the Delta and then picked up steam along its travels. Meanwhile, "Landscapes" displays his instrumental side. "Fool for Lesser Things" has a Latin jazz tinge to it, and then "Whitestone" is a straight-ahead rocker. The success with which Casabianca attacks the different styles reveals a confident performer well at ease with a variety of material. An amalgam of stylistic turns all on one disc for your listening consumption. www.cdbaby.com/cd/casabianca.

Like evolution, the continual fusion of musical styles produces some interesting species – some good, some bad, some horrid. ODL seem to have escaped the latter, and their amalgam of rock, rap, hip-hop and hardcore styles gel together seamlessly. Sure, it's a low-budget production, but the life of the songs is there. The tough, gritty feeling of the streets is evident in a song like "Home," where the refrain of "My soul is home" produces a heartfelt, yet melancholy feel. "Dying in America" is a vicious, relentless, driving number, one of the heavier tunes on the EP, with ear-catching lines such as "like we really need that fucking tax cut in the hood." And sure, some of the dialogue may be a bit predictable, or at least, familiar. Yet the arrangement, including piano, provides a sound that's different from what you may be used to. That, and the alternation between the heavy, distorted guitar of the chorus with the calmer, pounding of the piano in the verse, gives the band a fresher sound than most. Here's hoping they can get more than an EP out soon.