Black Star: "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star" (Rawkus Records)
This album is a breath of fresh air (OK, maybe there's some blunt wafting through too) in the endless stream of '80s-hooked, designer-tagged, gangsta-this and bitch-that rap hits. Rising stars Mos Def and Talib Kweli, also known as Black Star, are already big names on the local independent hip-hop scene and, as this album demonstrates, talents to watch in the future. The Black Star duo displays impressive skills in both the lyrical complexity and variety of topics in their rhymes, as well as their ever-shifting but always smooth flow. The full review.

Chocolate Genius: "Black Music" (V2)
One of the year's most complex and original albums, "Black Music" blends rock bombast, R&B atmospherics, indie collages, jazz interplay, and a gifted songwriter's eye for detail. Mr. Genius, a.k.a. Marc Anthony Thompson, also has soul; his voice moves from a Bowery bum's sandpaper snarl to a churchlike croon, conveying a range of emotions, from vicious former paramour to bereft son. The full review.

Deftones "Around the Fur"
The Deftones have unfortunately and inexplicably been tossed into the same bin as Korn, Limp Bizkit, and all those other Cali rap-metal bands. But they're smarter and subtler than the rest—and more vicious too. Their sound is tight and rhythmic, mixing elaborate, low-end riffing with vast, black walls of sound that crash over your head. Not to mention that their lead singer has one of the best voices in rock today, reeling between tormented, from-the-gut screech and soaring, unbroken wail. The full review.

The Interpreters: "Back In the U.S.S.A." (RCA)
Because sometimes the simple ways are the best. Sometimes rock albums should be made by kids barely out of their teens wearing matching outfits. Sometimes all the songs should be three minutes or less and consist of a lot of hooks, hollering, and major chords. Still, this isn't a dumbed-down record—it's just the sort of album that you used to crank up until the speakers gave static and jump around your bedroom to when you were a kid. The full review.