Wow And Flutter - Equilibrio! (Mt. Fuji)
These guys remind me of recent sounds from Washington DC; their herky-jerky, structurally complex, but still quite melodic music isn't exactly like Black Eyes, Smart Went Crazy, or the Dismemberment Plan, but it would surprise me if fans of those bands didn't enjoy Wow And Flutter as well.
House Of Bread - Superhuman Tomb (Self-released)
A guitar-driven, droning, yet melodic album of noisy pop jams, reminiscent of The Jesus And Mary Chain circa Honey's Dead on even more psychedelic drugs than usual. Keyboard interludes and other weird moments keep the mood from stagnating, but the album works well as a whole. An enjoyable listen.
Dirty Tactics - It Is What It Is (Say-10)
There are some folk-punk touches on this album, and some moments where the anthemic punk choruses of Dillinger Four are sought, if not attained. But in the end, Dirty Tactics don't have the songwriting chops necessary to make more than a mediocre version of the sound they aspire to.