Tipsy Hard Petting EP (Asphodel/Outside) After close to five years, some wild new nonsense from these freako-suavé tiki techs. Album due soon! 9 (RB)

Dorothée Berryman self-titled (Guy Cloutier Prod./Select) A singer who comes as a pleasant surprise to these ears--try "You Fascinate Me So" for starters. 9 (LD)

Freeloader vs. the Band from Atlantis self-titled EP (Hombre/Vital) Freeloader built a break on the Barney Miller bassline that sinks those Atlantis jokers. 8 (SC)

Enya A Day Without Rain (Warner) Not much different from the hit that broke her back when, "Orinoco Flow," but sublimely beautiful nonetheless. 7 (RB)

Children of Bodom Follow the Reaper (Nuclear Blast) Old-school prog-metal à la Megadeth with an overbearing synth. Yech! 3 (JC)

Colin James Fuse (Warner) The glitzy House of Blues is bad enough, but Colin James is like a blues condo. 2 (JC)

Hampton the Hamster HampsterDance (Koch) Imagine the Chipmunks singing over tinny, country-tinged dance music. Then try not to lose your mind. 2 (LC)

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