Mew

There's a great dichotomy in Mew's approach: so obviously retro, yet so refreshing. Soaked in epic, dreamy '70s prog rock, it'll set off your nostalgic nerves like fireworks. Just check out the full album title -- that won't look nearly as good scrolling across an MP3 player's screen as it does on an album cover. Then play "New Terrain." Notice the jumbled waves of disorienting drones -- play it backwards and you get another song, "Nervous." So what's in it for digital consumers? Serene falsetto harmonies, crooked beats and bubble-pop synths, like nothing you've heard before.