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Being a Bad Seed has rarely been so good. Like some nasty Leonard Cohen alter ego, the veteran bard plays blues-folk as something dark and gruff on "Back to the Cat." The trade of melancholy for something more bitter and less ambiguous is, after all, what rock is all about.

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"My best friends are all listening to crunk" has to be among the best recent articulations of indie-folk despair. What could make a Saddle Creeker more apt to throw in the towel? Dev Hynes shouldn't give up just yet: He's letting Team Omaha escort him straight to Oberst-dom.

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Which is the better reason to listen to Galactic--the impossibly groovy funk-jazz jams, or the A-list MCs rhyming along to them? The combination is almost unfairly good, but we'll keep quiet. With artists from Juvenile to Mr. Lif on board, it's a utopian redefinition of "instrumental hip-hop."

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If you were into the Cardigans in the '90s and have a soft spot for Italo-leaning dance-pop, chances are good that you'll appreciate Sally Shapiro. The exaggerated, childlike innocence in her treated vocal (like Freezepop, Annie, etc.) is fused through spacey disco beats, and while it comes off as pretty campy, it's undeniably pleasant.

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You know Peter's name via the two that usually accompany it: Bjorn and John. The same terrific mix of melancholy and whimsy that catapulted the Swedish trio's "Writer's Block" fuels Moren's lovely solo outing, "The Last Tycoon." Wounded, self-conscious vocals swoon over pristine folk-pop sketches.

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Although "emo rock" may be more of a '90s term, contemporary bands such as Fall Out Boy, The Maine, and Dashboard Confessional have revitalized the genre. To avoid a style debate, it's safer to call them "punk-pop" or simply a "popular rock band." (Even Paramore's Hayley Williams questions whether they're even an emo band.) Whatever you prefer to call 'em, we can all agree that these talented young acts all share a common emo-tional quality to them. With that in mind, listen to and enjoy our Finding Emo playlist below.

Straight-ahead just wasn't enough. Now Gnarls Barkley is offering its latest album, The Odd Couple, in the revolutionary new 'backwards' format. Yep, that's right: the whole album in one file, all running back to front. On top of that you don't even have to pay for it, as it's available right on the spot as a totally free download (the registration is quick and simple). Unlistenable? Or...better than the original?

Instrumental hip-hop's other 5--the Jurassic one--makes a helpful reference point for this supergroup. Not only is Chali 2na in on both, but also Dino's bouncy beats and wisecracking rhymes are squarely J5. They're also ideal for the project's goal: rap that's suitable for children but credible for adults.

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There are plenty of Bluetooth hands-free speakerphones for the car out there, but the Gold Lantern VisorTalk distinguishes itself with a caller ID display--all the better to screen calls while you're on the road. Otherwise, the VisorTalk--so named because it clips to the sun visor--has all the standard features covered: It sports Bluetooth 2.0 (for pairing with any compatible cell phone) and a full duplex speakerphone, and the rechargeable battery is rated at 8 hours talk time and 200 hours standby (a car charger is included). And that "H" button centered below the display is a &… Read more