1. PPT, Denglish
(Call this one of the most unexpected delights of the year so far: a Dallas ensemble crafting catchy soul and R&B, with a special nod to the U.K. "Denglish" may mean Dallas + English, but PPT is on their way to having one of the most inventive underground releases of 2008.)

2. Nine Inch Nails, The Slip
(Trent Reznor one-upped Radiohead and just put this latest LP online for free, don't-pay-what-you-want. And, better yet, this is a proper album with frenetic industrial rock songs and plenty of atmospherics. No gimmick here, just a great way to hear a very good recording.)

3. The Black and White Years, The Black and White Years
(Austin buzz band gets a hand from producer Jerry Harrison for their debut LP, and the results are infectious. Polished and produced rock, with thick and hearty hooks.)

4. Santogold, Santogold
(Despite the lazy buzz, she's not that much like M.I.A. Maybe one or two songs recall that sound, but the rest of this impressive debut is a sweet-and-sour blend of Top 40 pop and club-ready dance anthems. Think of her as less like M.I.A., and more like a NYC version of Gwen Stefani.)

5. No Age, Nouns
(L.A. noise-rockers toss up short bursts of feedback-drenched punk poetry. Undeniably talented, short and not so sweet, this is the soundtrack of any neighborhood coffee shop from here until September.)

hey matt, have you heard Eastern Conference Champions? They've played SXSW the past few years and I think you may dig them. Their drummer, Greg, also acted in The New Year Parade. http://www.myspace.com/easternconferencechampions