Welcome to one of the most engaging rock albums of this or any year. You may already know the back story, but THE WHITE STRIPE's JACK WHITE got together with his Detroit pal, BRENDAN BENSON, and then recruited the rhythm section from Cincinnati's THE GREENHORNES.

Gnarls Barkley So who is Gnarls Barkley? The rumors fly in every direction and remain unverifiable, but with links to underground hip hop artists Danger Mouse

Well, anytime you combine two XPN favorites like MARK KNOPFLER and EMMYLOU HARRIS, there's bound to be more than a little bit of interest. Almost seven years in the making, these two distinctive singers and songwriters have produced a very solid album.

Ever since the Nebraska album in 1982 (and probably earlier for astute Bruce-heads), we've known that Springsteen has has more than a healthy dose of respect for the folk idiom. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is not only a salute to the stylings of PETE SEEEGER, but also an acknowledgement of the American tradition of storytelling through song. It's a lovingly detailed album from an artist who understands his roots more than most musical superstars.

On his third solo album - and his first in twenty years since About Face - PINK FLOYD's DAVID GILMOUR doesn't dissappoint those enamored with the Floyd-ian "wall of guitar" sound or his lovely, plaintive vocal stylings. On An Island is a pretty satisfying venture that - while not really breaking any new ground - certainly will fill whatever cravings you have for the classic rock juggernaut that was the Floyd.

The Animal Years is JOSH RITTER's coming of age album. The 29 year old Idaho native has been troubadour-ing it for several years now, and all of his experience and songwriting know-how have been brought together on this new release.

WAYNE COYNE and company - the endlessly endearing FLAMING LIPS - continue their strange and beautiful musical/psychological journey on At War With The Mystics, an album that undeniably rocks, makes you laugh, and provides a musical soundtrack for the proverbial "wonder of it all".

Anyone who's seen or heard James Hunter perform is already hip to his remarkable talents as a singer, guitarist and songwriter. This includes Van Morrison

For his third solo album, DONALD FAGEN continues the patented STEELY DAN sound while exploring some new territory. Morph The Cat is a concept album of sorts that concerns itself with endings of all kinds and retains the cerebral, but biting, lyrical attack that Fagen is so expert in executing.

Nobody thought that combining orthadox Judaism and reggae would result in such an exciting sound. With the release of Youth, MATISYAHU and his band have produced the first big story in music for 2006.