Alkaline Trio “Agony & Irony” (Epic)

Alkaline Trio have long moved past the raw, drunken rants of their past and into a more polished, considered approach that adds more pop to their pop-punk attack. Even knowing that and despite the presence of quite a few catchy and enjoyable songs, their sixth full-length album Agony & Irony may be just a bit too slick and contented sounding to make the same impact fans of the band have come to rely on.

Earlimart “Hymn and Her” (Shout! Factory)

After taking three years to create 2007’s Mentor Tormentor, Earlimart whipped through Hymn and Her in a quick 12 months. But don’t expect such a speedy approach to replace quality songwriting; bandmates Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray have simply tightened their grip on lush, textured indie pop, which lends focus and mellow immediacy to this record.

John Mayer “Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles” (Columbia)

Recorded live at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles finds the singer-songwriter/blues guitarist performing in three different musical settings: acoustic trio, electric trio and large ensemble. Essentially designed to showcase Mayer’s ability to move from melodic soft rock and pop to soulful rockin’ blues, the concert, while somewhat overly ambitious and sprawling, does shine a light on Mayer’s virtuosic musical chops.

Los Lonely Boys “Forgiven” (Epic)

Roots Rock, Tex-Mex, Rock & Roll

My Chemical Romance “The Black Parade Is Dead!” (Reprise)

Emo, Punk-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock