'The Con'

Tegan and Sara

Canadian twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin twisted through the indie-rock circuit for years before gaining notice with 2004's crisp pop-rock album So Jealous.

The Con is a worthy follow-up, rich with the duo's distinct knack for pop hooks, dueling sugary vocals and confessional words.

The album's title song is a radio-ready jolt in layering, starting with an acoustic melody and building up to a smashing synth-and-guitar chorus.

The pair feed each other's strengths. Tegan wrote the bridge for the nostalgic zinger Nineteen, a heart-torn tune made explosive by drum solos. Like O, Like H proves Sara's lyrical prowess, and the words point to the group's maturing range.

-- Solvej Schou

Associated Press

'The Horseshoe Curve'

Trey Anastasio

Three years after the ceremonial farewell of Phish, guitarist Trey Anastasio has released The Horseshoe Curve, a token of happier times.

Drawing deeply from the wellspring of Nigerian Afrobeat, the album revels in roiling percussion, chirpy horns and extended, ecstatic solos. There are no lyrics, aside from the shouted title of Burlap Sack & Pumps. But words aren't really needed here; Anastasio's 10-piece band, stocked with aces such as bassist Tony Markellis and saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum, renders lyrics extraneous.

The 5th Round finds Anastasio in blazing guitar mode, and he sounds unstoppable. Then comes the title track, punctuated 2 1/2 minutes in by the cathartic blare of a passing train. It's a wild and serendipitous moment, the kind that jam-band audiences live for.

-- Nate Chinen

The New York Times

'Untitled'

Korn

Korn's latest songs are, as usual, about pain, alienation and a seething anger.

But with this album, Korn, a pioneer in connecting the bark of thrash metal to the declamation of hip-hop, changes its music.

The band's full-range crunch arrives only occasionally here. Instead, Korn opens up its production, making room for all sorts of things: sustained guitar lines, sparse piano notes, programmed samples, bits of percussion, vocal harmonies, even silences. There are also glimmers of change in the lyrics: a little more empathy toward "you" and a newfound fascination with God. For Korn, the album is downright experimental, and there are some ingenious moments, such as Love and Luxury.

In setting aside its trademark sound, Korn hasn't yet replaced it with something of its own, but at least the band is working on it.

-- Jon Pareles

The New York Times

'Mixtape Messiah 3'

Chamillionaire

Two years ago, when the loquacious Houston rapper Chamillionaire made his solo debut with The Sound of Revenge, some fans and critics (including this one) were disappointed.

But then came Ridin', a glorious hip-hop hit that stormed the pop charts, helping the album sell 1.4 million copies in America.

His new album, Ultimate Victory, is due out this year. Meanwhile, he has returned to the place where he made his name: the mixtape underground. Late last year he released Mixtape Messiah 2, and now comes the next chapter, Mixtape Messiah 3. (Both can be downloaded free at chamillionaire.com.) Delivering his carefully enunciated rhymes over other people's beats, he sounds vindicated but uneasy.

-- Kelefa Sanneh The New York Times