Strict Joy
While a couple no more, the Oscar-winning Once duo of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová still can make dreamy alt-folk. But you keep wishing they were Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan.
WOLFMOTHER
Cosmic Egg
Singer Andrew Stockdale could have easily laid the wrong kind of egg breaking in all new band members. Instead, this Aussie rocker does Sabbath and Zeppelin proud.
TEGAN AND SARA
Sainthood
With help from Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and Jason McGerr, the Canadian identical twins pump up the rock thump in their pixie pop.
HARPER SIMON
Harper Simon
You can hear echoes of father Paul Simon in this singer-songwriter's airy alt-country debut, which features Dad himself lending a hand on four tunes.
