Health: Get Color

Artist: Health
Album: Get Color
Date Released: September 8, 2009
Genre: noise rock, alt-rock, indie-rock
Rating: 7.1

Health is an American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band has collaborated with Crystal Castles and toured with Nine Inch Nails -- and it's fair to say that their sound is firmly situated between the two. Health's dark, noisy and experimental flair is offset by its predilection for synthy, high-energy and upbeat music.

On Get Color, the band is once again loud, noisy and digitally distorted in surprisingly beautiful ways. The tracks are fun, inventive and highly listenable -- though you have to have the patience for this kind of music. Track highlights include "Die Slow," "Before Tigers," and "We Are Water."

Japandroids: Post-Nothing

Artist: Japandroids
Album: Post-Nothing
Date Released: August 4, 2009
Genre: indie-rock, noise-rock
Rating: 9.0

Review: Post-Nothing, the debut from Vancouver duo Japandroids, is one of those albums that could be easily overlooked and passed over as another effort in the suddenly over-crowded noise-rock scene. But closer inspection reveals catchy riffs, shockingly good performances and no shortage of excellent melodies and grooves. And with lyrics like, "We used to dream, now we worry about dying," along with song titles like "I Quit Girls," it's a no-brainer: Post-Nothing is truly one of the best albums of 2009.

Wavves: Wavves

Artist: Wavves
Album: Wavves
Date Released: March 17, 2009
Genre: noise rock, lo-fi
Rating: 7.3

Review: Surprisingly listenable noise rock that'll satisfy even the most ardent non-conformists, anarchists and surfers.