The Lobo threesome

Damien Rice

9

Available Now

After releasing his debut, O, Damien Rice became the first folk rock star since James Taylor used to coo into the ears of lonely women and even lonelier men back in the '70s. In keeping with his penchant for bafflingly minimalist titles, Rice released 9, the long-awaited follow-up to his critically lauded debut.

While O matched its more lovelorn moments with scenes of desperation and fear, 9 is disturbingly coffee-shop ready. "Dogs" comes appallingly close to Jack Johnson territory as Rice professes his love for "the girl who does yoga" with an acoustic backdrop begging for a bonfire and some cargo shorts. "Grey Room" sounds oddly like something Carole King would blandly chirp to her adoring fans of boring people. Rice has apparently studied his demographics, and he's knocking it out of the park for the Gap-shopping, Volvo-driving set. Among the few bits of respite is the single "9 Crimes." The song hosts a brief visit from the old Rice, who uses the song's pristine piano accompaniment to mourn his own loss of emotion.

Boring folk albums are a dime a dozen, but 9 is frustrating, because Rice has already demonstrated that he can do better. But alas, now the Irish troubadour is available at a Starbucks near you.

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Just Like the Fambly Cat - Grandaddy

Supply and Demand - Amos Lee

Continuum - John Mayer

The Game

Doctor's Advocate

Available Now

The Game has lost his mind.

After a highly publicized fallout with 50 Cent's G-Unit squad, Game was advised by his mentor, Dr. Dre, to lay low for a minute while the beef died down. But, to the surprise of no one, he did exactly the opposite. In the ensuing media blitz, Dre has all but washed his hands of Game. However, loyal as his Blood membership would imply, Game has titled his sophomore release Doctor's Advocate, despite no beats from Dre and no distribution from the good doctor's Aftermath imprint. Despite this, the album is mysteriously loaded with shout-outs to Dre and Aftermath.

Ignoring his delusions of allegiances, Doctor's Advocate finds Game's lyrical skill in top form. While his first release, The Documentary, found him doing a whole lot of rapping about rapping, this album sees Game more comfortable in his position, addressing actual topics. In "Wouldn't Get Far," Game teams up with Kanye West to sing the plight of the models who star in rap videos. While occasionally degrading, Game spits a bit of sympathy with, "All these new video bitches trying to be Melyssa Ford, but they don't know Melyssa Ford drives a Honda Accord." Though two famous rappers discussing a subject only famous rappers can relate to is more than a bit esoteric, Game and West make strides in humanizing some of the most objectified women in the world. In what is likely Game's finest moment, he emotes all over "Why You Hate the Game" with the aid of Just Blaze, Nas and Marsha of Floetry. As Blaze takes listeners to church with a soulful, hand-clapping backdrop, Game imagines a heaven where Biggie, Tupac, Big Pun and Jam Master Jay lounge around listening to his records. He even admits to wanting to call 50 every so often and apologize. The doctor's advocate is all grown up.

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Kingdom Come - Jay-Z

Hell Hath No Fury - Clipse

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment - Snoop Dogg

... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

So Divided

Available Now

Apparently no one told ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead that indie rock is now the soundtrack to prissy teen dramas and commercials for chewing gum.

So Divided finds the band partying like it's 1999, jamming like Pavement and Mudhoney still exist. In fact, the Austin, Texas, band even puts a new spin on "The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory," a relic from the 1994 incarnation by Guided By Voices.

But So Divided isn't all teary-eyed indie nostalgia. The title track finds the band screaming about lovers who think they're in love and children who fall out of the sky, all to the tune of blaring guitar stabs and Rush-worthy drum fills. "Wasted State of Mind" layers Peanuts-worthy piano over shards of guitar and a surprisingly fitting bongo section, before breaking into a big-drum arena-rocking chorus. The band makes valiant attempts at progress without ever stumbling into the progressive mediocrity that is Coheed and Cambria.

So, dust off your horn-rimmed glasses and lace up your New Balances, Trail of Dead wants to take you back to a time when the OC was a county and the Killers committed murders.

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Boys and Girls in America - Hold Steady

The Crane Wife - Decemberists

The Letting Go - Bonnie "Prince" Billy