What? With the Strokes on an unofficial hiatus, ragamuffin rhythm guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has turned efforts inward, developing into quite the self-determined songwriter. And less than a year after the U.S.

What? Over the last decade, Chicago's death-obsessed emo outfit Alkaline Trio have progressed from a youthful, angst-powered outfit churning gruff-throated shouters to a slightly -- dare we say!

What? After toiling in obscurity for nearly a decade, indie hip-hop B-girl Jean Grae is ready for her close-up with Jeanius, her long-delayed fourth full-length and fifth release overall, set to drop next week via Talib Kweli's Blacksmith Records.

What? Since the lo-fi eclecticism of 2003's breakthrough effort Everyone Down Here, Los Angeles-based outfit Earlimart have developed a gloriously depressing sound that has become more polished with each successive release.