Bran Van 3000 Glee (Audiogram)

Bran Van 3000 has become a band over the two years that video-maker, DJ and remixer James DiSalvio has had this studio project swirling around him, but Glee is bigger than any mere pop group. And that's not just because some 20 local heroes contributed to this rave-up--from Jean Leloup to John Kastner to soul divas to beat masters. No, Glee is Montreal's answer to the new electroculture, and it's a resounding "Yes!" to lacing the backbeat with breakbeats, to finding the kinship between lo-fi and downtempo, to the rapprochement of indie rock and hip hop. Take the money from that unbought Beck ticket and lay it down for the Montreal pop album of the year. Hands down. 9.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)

Gus Gus Polydistortion (4AD/PolyGram)

This should be big. Iceland's next art-house offering, Gus Gus, have taken Massive Attack's torch of eclecticism and set it to all things Sugarcube-y. This predictable modern blend straddles a wholly unpredictable CD-scape, though: cowbells frame songs about Jesus, acid jazz sits with intelligent techno. Sometimes vocals evoke a certain '80s pop-ism, but breathy female trip hop tracks are thankfully few and far between (only "Cold Breath '79" and "Why?"). Decent remixes by LFO and 16B, too. 8/10 (Mireille Silcott)

Ultra Violet Booze Catastrophe Electric Honky (Man's Ruin)

Endorsed by the Jesus Lizard, now an EP for poster god Frank Kozik's vanity label, is there a punchline to this joke? Formed on a lark by Big Daddy and guys from Popper, Doughboys and Tinker, U.V.B.C. is a BIG stinking blast of evil and booze that has (near) single-handedly blown the lid off the idling Montreal scene. Replete with murder, mayhem and some almighty "gospel," U.V.B.C. takes the blues and turns 'em into suicide perfectly. 9/10 (Lorrie Edmonds)

Dinosaur Jr. Hand It Over (Blanco Y Negro/Warner) Take A Run At The Sun (Blanco Y Negro/Warner)

On the soundtrack of last year's Brill Building flick Grace Of My Heart, J Mascis sounded like he just might enjoy being a quirky '60s pop god. Those songs are collected, thoughtfully, on the Sun EP, but their influence on the new album is limited. There's flute and piccolo trumpet on a couple tracks, but mostly this is yet another J/Dino/solo workout on the Music Master. Or is that Butt Master? Hand 6.5/10, Run 9/10 (Chris Yurkiw) more discs...