Memorial Day Weekend Roundup.

The Squires of the Subterrain-S/T. Christopher Earl and friends are back with another trippy release of psych-pop. Unlike their previous release (Sandbox) which applied their psych-pop to Beach Boys-styled tunes, their self-titled latest finds them trading 60s California for 60s London, with Merseypop delights like "History" and "This Charming Place" and the so-goofy-you-know-what-it-sounds-like-by-the-title "Private Gherkin's Psychedelic Silly Mustache Band". Other highlights include the near-jangly (for them) "Attitude and Altitude", and the piano-based, Beatlesque "If Memory Served". But the real treat here is "From Getting High (to a Higher Power)", which manages to encapsulate the pop styles of the big 3 Bs of the era (Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds) in one track. This just might be their best album to date.

CD Baby | iTunes

High on Stress-Leaving MPLS. We've been following these Minneapolis rockers from almost the beginning in the middle part of the last decade, so it's sad to hear that Leaving MPLS is the last batch of their Replacements-meet-early-Wilco songcraft. But at least Nick Leet & Co. go out on a high note. "Windy City Endings" (with a chorus reminiscent of the 'Mats "I'll Be You") is a great, tuneful rocker, while "Gimme Truth" might be the closest they've come to a classic power ballad. And the wonderful country-folk-rock of the title track captures their spirit perfectly, ensuring we'll miss them down the line.

CD Baby

Mini-review Tuesday.

Acid-Acid. This Jersey band may be tough to Google, but their hard-driving Cheap Trick-meets-The Replacements melodic rock is easy to enjoy. There's also a touch of glam here as well as Strokes-like vocals, and their frontman goes by the name "Special K". What's not to like? Top tracks: "Dead", "Sheila", "Born to Stay".

CD Baby | iTunes

Dale Murray-Dream Mountain Dream. Murray is the former guitarist for the Canadian folk-rock-Americana band Cuff the Duke, and his return to solo recording is an excellent "Popicana" record chock full of Wilburyesque jangle. Those who enjoyed recent releases from the likes of Mike Barnett and Marco Joachim will want to have a listen. Top tracks: "Dream Mountain Dream", "Assess the Mess", "Now You've Been Warned".

CD Baby | iTunes

Brad Brooks-Harmony of Passing Light. Quirky popster Brad Brooks is back with his followup to 2007's Spill Collateral Love, and it's another effort that doesn't quite exactly sound like anything else in your collection. Brooks mixes various pop styles and puts his own spin on them, making each song a surprise from what came previously. Top tracks: the piano & sitar R&B-based "Calling Everyone", the George Harrisonesque "Steal My Disarray" and the Rufus Wainwright-style balladry of "Farewell to Folderol".

CD Baby | iTunes

The 88-Actors. "Actors" is an appropriate name for an EP by a band whose songs have found their way into numerous films & TV shows (including the wonderful "At Least it Was Here", the theme for NBC's "Community"). Their latest is a bit more subdued than normal but still highly melodic, and a must-have if you count their earlier releases among your collection. Top tracks: "Blue Skies are Black Again", "Do You Love Me", "My Friend John".

CD Baby | iTunes

The Squires of the Subterrain-Sandbox. The Squires are back with more of the XTC/Dukes of Stratosphear-meet-the-Beach Boys sunshine-y psych-pop we've known and loved from them in the past, and Sandbox fits right into their canon, with a bit more of a lean to the Beach Boy sound this time around (hence the title, I suppose). Top tracks: "Idling in the Sun", "Surfin' Indiana", "Woodrow Wilson".

CD Baby | iTunes

Monday Roundup.

Three discs to start the work week:

The Rollo Treadway-The Rollo Treadway. It's not every day you get an album about the kidnapping of a couple of children in what seems to be the soundtrack to some kind of film noir rock (pop) opera. But that's essentially what the self-titled debut from Brooklyn's The Rollo Treadway is about, and if you can get past the unusual subject matter, you've got a disc of beautifully realized Brian Wilson/Wondermints/60s-70s sunshine pop. Key cuts: "Kidnapped", "Dear Mr. Doe" (shades of The Association), "Charlie". Kool Kat | MySpace

Tim Morrow-Back to Delton. Back to Delton is solo debut of Californian Tim Morrow, who used to be one half of The Shamus Twins, a band that put out a fine disc in 2004 and have been featured on various Not Lame compilations. Here he offers up 22 - count 'em, 22 - tracks of Tom Petty-styled pop/rock, which also bring to mind artists like Rich McCulley and in the poppier moments, Bill Lloyd. Key tracks: "Yesteryear", "One Way Out", "You Better". CD Baby

The Squires of the Subterrain-Feel The Sun. Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and great psych-pop discs from The Squires of the Subterrain. The New York band's fifth disc is a must-get for fans of XTC/Dukes of Stratosphear, and just about any band that's appeared on a Nuggets compilation. Key tracks: The breezy "Concerning Helen White", the McCartneyesque "Mrs. Jones", and "Alexander Mannequin". CD Baby | MySpace