1.  Humanoid [10/6] (CD) ~ Tokio Hotel (Artist)
Eyeliner-heavy, German teen pop quartet Tokio Hotel's third (and second English language) full-length is a significantly louder and considerably darker affair than previous outings. While there's little doubt that screaming teenage girls will still stand front and center at the foot of the stage, this time around the band has set its sights on the "First Person Shooter" male demographic, baiting the hook with enough generic sci-fi imagery and Depeche Mode-meets-Fall Out Boy melodrama to fuel one hundred angry bike rides home from work.

2.  Humbug [Digipak] (CD) ~ Arctic Monkeys (Artist)
The Monkeys still favor angular riffs and clenched rhythms, constructing tightly framed vignettes not widescreen epics, but they're working with a darker palette and creating vaguely abstract compositions.

3.  Monsters Of Folk (CD) ~ Monsters Of Folk (Artist)
Oberst, Ward, and James trade lead vocals on a few tunes and weave haunting harmonies throughout, but it's not difficult to discern who the lead actor is on each cut.

4.  Revolution (CD) ~ Miranda Lambert (Artist)
With her third record, Miranda Lambert remains country's most refreshing act....'Airstream Song' is a string-band dropout fantasy.