Sylph Hiroshima (NE)

More brave francos take on rock in the language of John Grisham. There's some nice restraint and attendant tension in these dirges, built on a spare, fuzzy guitar and a taut bass. You wanna say gothic but singer Marie-Sissi Labrèche snuffs that--her voice is best when she whispers over wails. These guys don't remind me of anyone else and that's a good sign for a local outfit. 7/10 (Chris Yurkiw) At Backstreet with Lesbiennes d'acide Friday, Mar. 21

Various DJ Kicks: Nicolette (!K7/Cargo)

Nicolette isn't a DJ. The Massive Attack-launched singer has only selected tracks for this very original--but questionably successful--idea for a compilation. Björk-producers Plaid have concocted "connecting passages" between songs instead of the standard DJ mixes, and the result is a collection of "that's just my taste!" picks (rave-core Mark N.R.G. to crusty ambient) that Nicolette would listen to at home, with fluffy talking about mountains and fairies in between. I'd rather hear her sing. 7/10 (Mireille Silcott)

Red Red Meat There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight (Sub Pop)

Welcome, once again, to Red Red Meat's dusty den, where six fat walls of grainy blues guitar, greasy mean-slide glide and gutsy distortion support porch-side twang, Doo Rag-style clang and strumming so darned cozy you won't want to leave. 9/10 (Ilana Kronick)

Various The Tarantino Connection (Universal)

All those "oh, yeah, that scene" songs from Quentin's various flicks, punctuated by nuggets of dime-store wisdom from the world's most popular video store clerk himself. It's scary how some of these tracks have become inseparable from the on-screen antics they accompanied. One nice surprise: Combustible Edison's brilliant "Vertigogo," from Four Rooms, the one Q.T. film nobody saw. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) more discs...