This post will be my clearinghouse for a bunch of releases that have caught my ear, and may catch yours, but which I don't plan to go too in-depth on.
Johnny Monaco-Breathe. The former Enuff Z'Nuff guitarist follows up his 2007 disc Overrated with this collection of demos. A bit rough around the edges but a few gems are in there, including "It's Not Right" and the title track. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic
Misfit Kid-EP. Back in June, we featured Mark Ivantich's first Posies-inspired EP, Hellway to High, and he followed that up with another EP that's a bit more odds-and-sods with an acoustic version and a Christmas song throw in but worth the price of admission for "Everlasting" and "My Wave". Put the two EPs together and you have a pretty darn good album on your hands. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic
Teenage Rasputin-Here Comes Irregular. Love the title, a pun on a classic Replacements tune. The tunes ain't too bad either, as this Long Island band's debut EP draws from the 'Mats as well as Guided by Voices and Husker Du for their raucous yet melodic sound. "Dust" snarls out of the gate, "Suburban Stars" rocks with grace, and the easygoing "399 BC" recalls solo Westerberg. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic
Third Rail Boot-EP. This band from my neck of the woods (Tampa) has put together a nice collection of Americana/roots rock on their debut, and it deserves a listen. "September" and "Pen & Paper" are the highlights here. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic