The third album from guitar-and-drums duo the Black Keys was recorded in a cavernous former tire factory in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. The result, Rubber Factory, is high-impact scuzz-blues that aims for prime Hendrix and almost gets there, thanks mostly to Dan Auerbach's thick-ass guitar lines. A great cover of the Kinks' "Act Nice and Gentle" highlights what's missing -- tunes, namely -- but the Keys remind us that there are crossroads in East Akron, too. (CHRISTIAN HOARD)

Chuck Prophet Age of Miracles (New West)

Chuck Prophet's a walking contradiction. A streetwise city kid with an eye for the country, Prophet's a West-Coast Jim Carroll, an urban John Doe. Prophet's seventh solo album, Age of Miracles, presents so many sides to his personality that it?s a musical Rubik's Cube. The former member of Green on Red leads off with a blues ("Automatic Blues"), detours through hip-hop with the G-Funk inspired "You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)" and hits the hard country for "West Memphis Moon" -- all the while running his mouth like he's starring in a Kerouac novel. The verbiage and hipster pose keep things entertaining; but there's no substitute for the raw emotion that makes "You Got Me Where You Want Me" endearingly sad and "Solid Gold" ultimately hopeful. Because no matter how many tricks you've got up your sleeve, it's wearing your heart on it that gets 'em every time. (ROB O'CONNOR)

Panda Bear Young Prayer (Paw Tracks)

Unlike his complex noise/pop compositions for Animal Collective, Panda Bear (a.k.a. Noah Lennox) presents a decidedly stripped-down side of himself on Young Prayer. Written in response to his father's death, the album has an innocent, childlike quality that runs throughout. Young Prayer is a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts: the songs themselves are sparse, tempo-less and meandering; the individual tracks seem incomplete and wanting. Taken as a whole, however, the album works -- and that's the point. With the songs left untitled, lyric-less and sans beat, Lennox manages to sustain a sense of loss and confusion, optimism and catharsis, throughout the record's twenty-eight minutes. It's a modern, deconstructionist collection that won't appeal to the standard pop fan, but that's not who this was made for. (LESLIE HERMELIN)

Jason Ringenberg Empire Builders (Yep Roc)

Riled by his nation, country-punker Jason Ringenberg uses his album as a platform on election-year issues. Addressing foreign policy, he comes up with a bluesy critique ("American Question"), a polka ("New Fashioned Imperialist") and a poem ("American Reprieve"). He weighs-in on endemic racism with "Tuskegee Pride" and speaks to exported bigotry in "Rebel Flag in Germany." He remains fiercely proud of America's rebels, whether they're rockers ("Link Wray") or everymen (the twangy "Half the Man" is dedicated to his father). Merle Haggard's eco-anthem, "Rainbow Stew," is the perfect cover for the outlaw singer. Just as onetime punk mecca CBGB?s initials stand for country, bluegrass and blues, Ringenberg's got roots with punk-rock attitude. Though his broad Southern accent, his honky-tonkin' melodies and his Opry-inspired outfits can make it tough to take him seriously, Empire Builders is no joke. (DENISE SULLIVAN)

Mark Rae Into the Depths (Grand Central)

Manchester DJ and songwriter Mark Rae made a name for himself in the heyday of the electronica movement, working with partner Steve Christian to help the rave kids come down after a night of clubbing -- with hip-hop and Northern Soul. Rae has since taken that passion for bass beats and shimmering vocals to new heights. While his first solo disc, Rae Road, was a stripped down ode to hip-hop, Into the Depths, recorded entirely with vintage instruments, draws Sixties R&B through a postmodern lens. From the funk-heavy, breakbeat-fueled "Mind, Body and Soul" to the sheer heft of "Clip My Wings" -- with its immediately unforgettable, brassy refrain, "I wanna get high . . . wanna clip my wings" -- Rae appears comfortable in the driver's seat. Longtime vocal collaborator Veba appears on both the latter track and the brilliant "Without You Now," but Rae is clearly the artist behind Depths' curtain. (ANDREW STRICKMAN)

Senses Fail Let It Enfold You (Vagrant/Drive-Thru)

Whatever faults exist on Senses Fail's EP From the Depths of Dreams -- including instruments played in a faster tempo and different key than the vocals were sung -- they've been corrected on their full-length debut, Let It Enfold You. Whether frontman Buddy Nielsen's new vocal approach is thanks to lessons or digital tomfoolery, the band's brand of hardcore prog-punk are the perfect vehicle for his vitriolic lyrics. On "You're Cute When You Scream," Nielsen belts out lines like "You know that you are worthless/And I am better than the games that you play, princess/We played and always win/I'll take my time to slowly plot your end." It's just one example of how Senses Fail are ready to toss away political correctness to push their music into an emotional frenzy. Even as their hard-edge approach assails, it's easy to dive in. (DAVID JOHN FARINELLA)

Fiona Renshaw Alone in a Bubble (Laws of Motion)

Cutting a swath through the blah passing for vocal records these days comes Fiona Renshaw. The twenty-eight-year-old Brit's debut, Alone in a Bubble, is a dark blend of soul-tinged balladry and soft jazz. Renshaw?s voice is at once sultry, androgynous, and cryptic on cuts like "Rough Trade" -- which brings together wonderful, sardonic phrasing and a hooky chorus -- and a vivacious rendition of Gil Scott-Heron's "Home Is Where the Hatred Is." Renshaw even co-wrote and arranged most of the songs. Let?s hope this newcomer isn?t shy, because Alone in a Bubble is sure to get plenty of attention. (ADRIAN ZUPP)