Elbow

The Seldom Seen Kid (Universal)

The fifth album of ponderous and brainy modern pop from these U.K. vets. Too often compared with Coldplay, Elbow prevails because of infinitely better lyrics and singing, as well as the absence of a frontman you want to kick in the balls.

> Adrian Mack

The Weepies

Hideaway
(Nettwerk)

On their fourth album, the Weepies’ Deb Talan and Steve Tannen stick pretty closely to a standard folk-pop template of easy acoustic-based arrangements, soothing harmonies, and quietly strong melodies. What it lacks in edge or adventurousness, Hideaway makes up for in bittersweet optimism. That makes it sound yucky, but it’s really not.

> Shawn Conner

Devotchka

A Mad & Faithful Telling (Anti- )

Devotchka’s fourth release is aural moonshine, a brilliantly blended and highly intoxicating distillation of classical music, postpunk indie rock, East European klezmer, Mexican mariachi, and more. Charismatic lead singer Nick Urata’s songs are permeated with nostalgia yet have a keen contemporary edge that makes for something intelligent, innovative, and darkly beautiful.

> Tony Montague

Joe Satriani

Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock (Epic/Sony-BMG)

Even though opener “Musterion” includes wee bits of scratching and “I Just Wanna Rock” verges on cheesiness, everything else on the Bay Area guitarist’s 11th studio album is so mind-blowingly awesome that it doesn’t matter.

> Steve Newton

The Long Blondes

Couples (Rough Trade)

The Brits are going nuts for the Long Blondes, even though there were countless Vancouver bands serving up this kind of synthy, vain, fashion-magazine nonsense five years ago. Yay! Who says we’re “backwards”?

> Adrian Mack