Here’s a few discs I’ve been listening to this past month.

Vena Sera - Chevelle

I first became a Chevelle fan after hearing them on the now-defunct Webrock.net, which I listened to regularly back in 2000-01. Their sophomore disc, 2002’s Wonder What’s Next, really launched their career and would eventually go platinum.

This new album - their fourth disc - hit stores a few weeks ago, and I can’t stop listening to it. It doesn’t really plow any new ground, but it probably has more songs with single potential than any album thus far. And after nearly a month of listening, it is also my favorite Chevelle album to date. My favorite tracks are “Saferwaters”, “Straight Jacket Fashion”, the first single “Well Enough Alone”, and my favorite on the disc, “Brainiac.”

If you’ve never heard Chevelle, check them out if you like hard music. I’ve heard them compared to Tool and Helmet (neither of which I’ve ever listened to.) They have a grinding, kind of angry, sound. As one who loves this type of music, it’s no surprise they’ve become one of my favorites over the last several years. Obviously, I recommend it. (Also, check out “The Clincher” from their last disc, which is my all-time favorite Chevelle track.)

The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

I’d heard of MCR, but never heard them until recently. I came across The Black Parade a couple of months ago, and then later a friend had recommend it. After listening to to several songs from the album on purevolume and youtube, I decided this was very good. After buying it and listening to it further, I was right.

There’s nothing more cheerful than a concept album about death (a dying cancer patient looking back at his life.) But, despite the dark and depressing subject matter, MCR pulls off a great album with some great music. The band has cited various influences for the album, with Queen being a “major influence.” This is evident right away. I’ve read several reviews that really detail the music and the story much better than I have space for here, so you might search for those, you know, if good music about death interests you.

My favorites are “This Is How I Disappear”, “Dead!”, “Famous Last Words” and “Welcome To The Black Parade.”

Deja Entendu - Brand New

A few months back, I read a magazine review of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, the newest disc by an alternative band called Brand New, and thought it sounded like a good album. Alas, I do not yet have that album, but I did download this album - their previous effort - from eMusic. (And if I haven’t mentioned it enough, eMusic is great. I’ve already found several really, really good albums there.)

Ironically titled (Deja Entendu = “Already Heard”… by a band called “Brand New”) with interesting song titles, this is a very good album. Some of my favorite tracks include “Glory Fades”, “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows”, “Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t”, and album closer “Play Crack The Sky.” And I’m very much looking forward to getting The Devil… as soon as possible.

Leaders Of The Free World - Elbow

Speaking of great finds on eMusic, next up is British band Elbow. Released in 2005, this is their third album, and I believe it’s the first album I’ve found via eMusic and downloaded without any other previous influence (such as recommendations of others, hearing them or reading about them elsewhere, etc.) I just came across it one day, having never heard of them, and listened to the clips.

And I really love it. Vocalist Guy Garvey’s voice is not really unique or outstanding, but there’s just something about it that I really like. They’ve been compared to Coldplay, and it seems are considered the better band among critics despite less chart success. I really liked Coldplay’s X & Y from a couple of years ago, but I might, with a little more time, be willing to say I like this disc more than X & Y. I definitely recommend it. Check it out if you have a chance. My favorite tracks are “Station Approach”, “Forget Myself”, “Mexican Standoff”, and my very favorite, the title track.

Their next disc is scheduled for release sometime this year, so I look forward to it as well.

Michael McDermott - Michael McDermott

I’d never heard of McDermott until I read Scott praising him sometime last year. Once I subscribed to eMusic, I downloaded his album Last Chance Lounge and loved it. Then Scott recommended this self-titled disc as his best, so I managed to find my copy on eBay for a few bucks.

In reviews I’ve read of his various works, his songwriting skills are compared to the likes of Springsteen and Dylan, which is pretty good company. Words like “genius” and “brilliant” are used. This album is a great example of those skills, and as Scott has said just last week, “it’s a crime that he’s not a household name.” (I sort of feel guilty for not discovering him until this year.) My favorite tracks are “My Own Little World”, “Say Hey Charlie Boy”, “Summer Days” and “Wounded”.

If you haven’t heard McDermott, it’s time you do. Check out this album, and pretty much any of his other albums that you can get your hands on (I’m working on that now), especially his newest, which was released last week. I’ve already downloaded it (you can do that here) and it’s outstanding (but more on that one another day.)

All The Stars And Boulevards - Augustana

Augustana first appeared on my radar after a visit to the Facebook page of one of my nephews, who had them listed among his favorite music. I was looking for something new in several of my nephew’s lists, so I listened to a few songs from the album online. I liked what I heard, and when I found it for $7, I decided to take a chance. I will say that it’s nothing all that special, but I do like it and have been listening to it a lot. It is somewhat reminiscent of The Fray’s debut, also from last year. It’s pretty standard radio rock, and the single “Boston” seems to have been pretty popular. Other tracks I really like are the title track, “Hotel Roosevelt” and the opener, “Mayfield”.

In brief - more from eMusic

World Through Your Eyes - Reuben Morgan
I like a lot of songs that come out of Hillsong church in Sydney, Australia. Darlene Zschech is well-known, in part because of the success of her song “Shout To The Lord.” But Reuben Morgan writes many of the Hillsong songs that are sung in churches around the world. Some of those songs are offered here with Morgan’s own recording of them. I like his take on the songs better than other Hillsong recordings.

The Jelly Jam - The Jelly Jam
I love King’s X, and Ty Tabor in particular. This album is one of the side projects Ty has been a part of over the years. Thanks to eMusic, I now have a copy. I think his solo work is best, but this is as good as his Platypus stuff and a must-have if you’re a King’s X/Ty fan like myself. I plan to get Jelly Jam 2 next month.

Come Somewhere - Jerry Gaskill
After years of notable solo and side projects by his fellow band mates, Gaskill, the drummer for King’s X, released a solo album a few years ago and I’d never gotten it until this month from eMusic. I don’t put it on par with Ty or Doug’s solo/side project work, and certainly not with King’s X, but it’s still pretty good.

That’s it. That’s the list.

I’ll probably do this again later this month in order to comment on a few other new albums I’ve acquired just in the last several days, including the newest from McDermott and Derek Webb, The Crane Wife by The Decemberists, The White Stripes’ Elephant and, most likely, more eMusic finds.