Singer Cerys Matthews of Welsh rockers Catatonia has been putting the boy toys of Britpop to shame for several years now, and with Paper Scissors Stone, an album she describes in an online interview as "psychological warfare," she may as well declare victory. Unlike Radiohead' excessively hyped releases of the past year, or the tedium of Oasis' and Stereophonics' latest, this album actually lives up to its expectations, proving itself artistic while avoiding pretentiousness. Check the Beatlesesque craftsmanship of "Change My Friends" or the in-your-face fury of "Is Everybody Here On Drugs?" Verdict: If rock'n'roll were still revolutionary, this would be the battle cry.


DEEP DISH / Yoshiesqhue Two
(React)

With the tsunami of DJ mix CDs washing the world's shores these days, one has to be a bit suspicious of yet another. But the care that Washington, DC duo Deep Dish (who recently played Yellow) put into each and every one of their releases makes them an exception to the banality of most slapdash record company "product." Yoshiesque Two sees Ali and Sharam once again exploring a spectrum of sounds in search of something greater than the sum of its (electronic) parts, with elements ranging from a jaw-dropping Chemical Brothers remix of Spiritualized's "I Think I'm In Love" to Deep Dish's own mix of Dusted's "Always Remember To Respect And Honour Your Mother." Also represented on this tour de force are dance music heavyweights Danny Tenaglia, Roger Sanchez and Tom Middleton.


MANU CHAO / Proxima Estacion: Esperanza
(EMD/Virgin)

Manu Chao is back this summer with a sequel to 1998's Clandestino, which has been playing in cafes all over the world ever since its release. On his new album, Proxima Estacion: Esperanza, late-80's punk/reggae/hip-hop group Mano Negra's ex-leader brings back sounds from Clandestino and explores them further, this time with lighter themes. This album is, like the previous, mostly in Spanish but also has songs in English (like "Mr Bobby," a tribute to Bob Marley) and French ("Le Rendez Vous," in which he reveals fantasies of his native Paris). For those yet unfamiliar with the variety of international sounds that Manu Chao has to offer, think jazzy, reggae flavored guitar and trumpets with electronic beats and samples of revolutionary cheers. If it won't refresh them, this fiesta-injected album will certainly give a beat to your hot summer days! Patrick Benny

PRE_SHRUNK / Soundpimp
(Gianormous)

If what this unusual Australian three-piece (two bassists and one drummer) mean by their album title is selling other people's sounds, then they've got it right. Signed to Tower Japan's indies label Gianormous, Pre_Shrunk pimps others' sounds in the sense that they are highly derivative, stealing a bit from the early '90s alt-rock of Primus here, and a bit from late '90s techno there. But despite it all, they manage to come off sounding rather original, perhaps a result of the obsessive personalities you sense in the three members, and oddball lyrics like "Relaxation is just a diagnosis away." Pre_Shrunk may not be tearing up the charts anytime soon, but they certainly have carved out their own unique slice of the musical pie.

TARAF DE HAIDOUKS / Band of Gypsies
(Nonesuch/Warner)

Having never before heard the music of this band of 12 gypsies from the small Romanian village of Clejani, I find hard to say how their new album compares with previous work. Suffice it to say that Taraf de HaEouks - who will be performing in Tokyo in late August and early September - are formidable. Blending skirt-swirling gypsy melodies with a manically mad rhythm section, the group has been a staple of the world music circuit since blowing minds at the Montreux International Jazz festival in the early '90s. Band of Gypsies captures them live, and from the consistently polished performances they give on all 14 songs, it's clear that the Taraf de HaEouks - despite any negative stereotypes of gypsies - are disciplined virtuosos devoted to their craft.