Each Friday, we bring you 10-word reviews of 10 recently-released CDs:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Up From Below — Rotating cast of musicians creates hippy-happy vibes on debut.

Various Artists 500 Days Soundtrack — Regina Spektor, Wolfmother, The Smiths, Feist and a handful more.

New Roman Times On the Sleeve — Combination of indie rock with splash of ’80s thrown in.

Children Collide The Long Now — Australian band offers its own brand of guitar-driven rock.

Ballyhoo Cheers! — Latest from Baltimore rockers was mixed by 311’s Chad Sexton.

Ghostbird Ghostbird — Seven songs from indie duo have plenty of pop sensibility.

Roy Jay Lucky Guy — Entrepreneur’s debut album sounds like a poor man’s Jimmy Buffett.

Nuke the Soup Make Waves Not War — Indie veteran Mark Davison’s latest project has political, simple lyrics.

Pterodactyl Worldwild — Art rockers consist of an interesting conglomerate of sonic layers. (At Snug Harbor on 7/29)

Chocolate Thunder Ear Candy — Greenville, S.C., native Linda Rodney releases sophomore r&b disc.

Each Friday we bring you 10 reviews of recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

Billy Boy On Poison Drama Junkie Queen — Not over yet — the latest entry in retro rock movement.

Cass McCombs Catacombs — Acoustic troubadour keeps things slow and simple on latest disc.

Kate Schutt The Telephone Game — Slow jazzy style showcases her vocals, songwriting and guitar abilities.

Big Pete Pearson Finger In Your Eye — 72-year-old continues his bluesy ways on latest disc.

Michael Johns Hold Back My Heart — American Idol finalist releases soon-to-be-forgotten debut album.

Cheap Trick The Latest — 13 songs, 40 minutes… I’m surprised they released anything new. (Aug. 8 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre.)

Big Bill Morganfield Born Lover — Son of Muddy Waters has many ties to North Carolina.

The Dear Hunter Act III: Life and Death — Third chapter of genre-hopping rock opera by Casey Crescenzo.

Mae (M)orning — Band’s first in collection of three EPs due this year.

Ed Hale Ballad on Third Avenue — Lots of pop/folk is starting to sound the same.

Each Friday, we bring you 10 CD reviews done in 10 words each:

Cletus T. Judd Polyrically Incorrect —Kind of like country music with bad singing, cheesy humor.

Leslie Mendelson Swan Feathers — Her easy-going style kind of sounds like ‘adult contemporary.’

Sons of Bill One Town Away — A good bit of swagger and twang on this disc.

Enter Shakiri Common Dreads — Band’s sophomore album continues hardcore and drum ‘n’ bass combination.

Steve Meckfessel Under Beautiful Skies — Average, mellow folk singer/guitarist focuses on songwriting and storytelling.

Various Artists Public Enemies Soundtrack — Artists include Otis Taylor, Billie Holiday, Elliot Goldenthal … good stuff.

Escala Escala — All-female pop string quartet were on Britain’s Got Talent.

Placebo Battle of the Sun — Alt-rock band gets new drummer for its sixth album.

The Darkest Hour The Eternal Return — Band offers up own brand of growling vocals, speed metal.

Lemming Malloy The Return of the Norfolk Regiment — Newborn Chapel Hill quartet combines elements of Flaming Lips, Genesis.

Each Friday, we bring you 10 reviews of recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

The Higher It’s Only Natural — Sophomore album of pop rock will appeal to the youngsters.

Tom Brosseau Posthumous Success — I honestly thought it was a woman singing. Folk-y stuff.

Michael Johns Hold Back My Heart — ‘American Idol’ finalist releases debut album of bluesy/soul pop.

Christina Courtin Christina Courtin — Julliard grad has unique vocal style that’s both mellow, calming.

The Lemonheads Varshons — Album of covers produced by Gibby Haynes shows different side.

Shane Dwight Gimme Back My Money — Why release two debuts and not just one double-CD?

Shane Dwight Plays the Blues — While other shows range, this one focuses on the blues.

Greg Koons and the Misbegotten Welcome to the Nowhere Motel — His acoustic style sounds like a country-fried Tom Petty.

Al B. Sure Honey I’m Home — R&b singer releases his first studio album in 15 years.

Patterson Hood Murdering Oscar (and other love songs) — Drive-By Truckers frontman releases a solo disc of similar music.

Each Friday, we bring you reviews of 10 recently-released CDs done in 10 words each:

Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet Soul Monster — Standard blues album’s focal point is Rod Piazza’s harmonica virtuosity.

Candye Kane Superhero — Soulful blues tunes show her strength after battling pancreatic cancer.

Violent Kin Bitter Blood — Brother/sister team offers rock with a splash of techno.

Big Star #1 Record/Radio City — Two ’70s albums reissued on one release with new tracks.

Jill Hennessy Ghost in My Head — Debut album from actress sounds better than most Hollywood efforts.

Daryle Singletary Rockin’ In the Country — Plenty of twang on this country album, Charlie Daniels guests.

Hoots and Hellmouth The Holy Open Secret — Band’s second album continues on path of revival Americana music.

Eugene McGinnis Eugene McGinnis — 22-year-old Brit’s debut is full of catchy pop.

Butterfly Boucher Scary Fragile — Pop-rock melodies combine with soothing vocals on second album.

Hanne Hukkelberg Blood From A Stone — Grammy-winning Norwegian singer offers mellow indie rock over soundscapes.

Each Friday, we bring you 10 reviews of recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

Tracy Lawrence The Rock — After 17 number-one songs, country singer releases inspirational music.

Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey Here and Now — Duo's newest is 17 years in the making, worth wait.

Hatcham Social You Dig the Tunnel, I’ll Hide the Soil — English quartet’s debut full of pop-rock typical of Brits.

The Aggrolites IV — 21 tracks of the band’s brand of funky soul reggae.

The Blackouts The Best In Town — Combination of pop and screamo is perfect for Warped Tour.

Teena Marie Congo Square —Singer mixes soul, r&b for her 13th album, Stax debut.

Busdriver Jhelli Beam — It’s unique rap… not bad, but not really good either.

So Many Dynamos The Loud Wars — Band’s indie style has hints of math rock, dance punk.

Trailer Choir Off the Hillbilly Hook — Someone please tell me that this trio is a joke.

Del-Lords Based on a True Story — One of three band reissues by gritty rock-and-rollers.

Each Friday, we bring you 10 reviews of recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

Drop Dead, Gorgeous The Hot N Heavy — Third disc full of screamo, but the kids love it.

Girl in a Coma Trio B.C. — Texas rock trio releases sophomore disc on Joan Jett’s label.

Iggy Pop Preliminaires — Punk legend tries his hand at French, romance… enough said.

Vitamin String Quartet performs Radiohead’s In Rainbows — Violins, viola and cello tackle one of indie rock’s greatest.

Vitamin String Quartet Per_Versions — Classical takes on indie rock — Spoon, Portishead, Decemberists among them.

The Tyrants in Therapy High Class Trash — Kinda like a poor-man’s Eurythmics with splash of humor.

Dave Schulz Connect — Session and touring musician tries to establish a solo career.

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Queen — The latest in long line of re-done tunes for toddlers.

Elvis Costello Secret, Profane and Sugarcane — I’ve tried, but I’m no fan of his nasally voice.

The Sounds Crossing the Rubicon — European pop rock band has an ‘80s feeling to it. (Opening for No Doubt on June 6 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)

Each Friday, we bring you 10 reviews of recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

Bachelorette My Electrical Family — New Zealand singer unleashes 11 tracks of pyschedelic, electronic pop.

Sir Richard Bishop The Freak of Araby — Instrumental album is full of mellow, guitar-focused, Arabic songs.

Anjulie Anjulie —R&b is all starting to sound the same these days.

The Features Some Kind of Salvation — Nashville band’s sophomore rock disc out four years after debut.

Viva Voce Rose City — Portland alt-rock duo becomes a quartet for sophomore disc.

Gary Lewis & The Playboys The Complete Liberty Singles — 1960s pop band releases 55-song collection of its hits.

Passion Pit Manners — Pop music with lots of falsetto soaking in over top.

Jenny Owen Youngs Transmitter Failure — Sophomore album from pop-folkster is full of catchy tunes.

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women — Roots rocker teams up with seven women for diverse album.

Nakia Water to Wine — Soulful singer from Austin has caught eye of Sharon Jones.

Each Friday, we bring you 10 CD reviews done in 10 words each:

Bellini The Precious Prize of Gravity — Husband/wife noise rockers release first CD in four years.

Ear Pwr Super Animal Brothers III — N.C. natives blend indie pop bits with heavy electro anthems.

Mike Herrera’s Tumbledown — MxPx frontman brings some punk flavor to rockabilly side project.

Settle At Home We Are Tourists —Band’s rough indie-rock sound is new for Epitaph label.

Jason Lytle Yours Truly, the Commuter — Former Grandaddy frontman releases 12-track indie-rock solo debut.

Stephaniesid Warm People —Indie pop group out of Asheville keeps on getting better.

Two Man Gentleman Band Drip Dryin’ — Neo-vaudevillian duo known for giving out free kazoos at shows.

Mat Kearney City of Black & White — Sophomore album from singer featured on handful of television shows.

The Crystal Method Divided By Night —Pioneering electronic duo gets help from a handful of lyricists.

Joey DeGraw Say Something Strong — Gavin’s big brother to release his roots-rock sophomore album. (At the Evening Muse on May 23.)