Lil' Indie Round-Up 2

Album: Twilight by the Baskervilles
What Does The Cover Make Me Expect??: I don't get why it says 'apartment' and 'mcues' (??) on the cover. Otherwise, I expect either a psych/folk sound ala Love or Devendra Banhart or something more sinister and misleading, like a Velvet Underground throwback.
What Does It Actually Sound Like??: I was just thinking to myself the other day about how there haven't been many good indie pop bands lately. There's Belle and Sebastian and The Shins, sure, but...well, anyway, the Baskervilles craft expert-level indie pop that recalls those two bands while putting their own little spin on it. The hooks stick in you on first bite while the melodies and surprisingly sophisticated arrangements reward repeat listening. This is the kind of album my friend Pat might like, and he's usually very discerning and contradictory with his taste.
Album: Premonitions by Bella Noir
What Does The Cover Make Me Expect??: This reminds me vaguely of the cover to Wire's 154, all impressionistic 80s lines. Except this cover is black and white, and that album wasn't released in the 80s. Err anyway, I expect something gothic and/or 80s synthpop.
What Does It Actually Sound Like??: It's only an EP, but this band's sound is remarkably well formed. Sounding like Radiohead as fronted by PJ Harvey--or maybe Interpol as fronted by Chrissie Hynde--the songs have a deliciously deep atmosphere, dark, enticing feminine moans echoing out of alleyways while a taut rhythm section pounds the pavement in search of the guy making with the ghostly electronic flourishes and stinging guitar howls. Here's hoping they find a sympathetic label and producer for their album.
Album: Take The Whole Midrange And Boost It by Oppenheimer
What Does The Cover Make Me Expect??: If you went to the woefully understocked 'Dance' section of your local Best Buy and pulled out a compilation at random, it would look like this. A meaningless swirl of neon that is distinctly European and something our kids will probably make fun of someday.
What Does It Actually Sound Like??: Honestly, I was surprised by this one. Imagine that the New Pornographers were a synthpop band from Ireland instead of a power-pop band from Canada. I actually can't stand synthpop but it's impossible to resist the spoonful of sugar sans medicine that is Take The Whole Midrange And Boost It. I still wish they'd get a better album cover, but whatever.
Album: 1985 by Riddle of Steel
What Does The Cover Make Me Expect??: Frankly, a terrible hair metal tribute album.
What Does It Actually Sound Like??: Riddle of Steel are like a ultra-slick, ultra-boring combination of Weezer (that is to say, modern day god awful Weezer), Wolfmother's 70s festishism/plagiarism, and Van Halen-by-way-of-wanna-be-prog-rock guitar riffs. So, you know, bad.
Album: The Grand Hooded Phantom by Your Highness Electric
What Does The Cover Make Me Expect??: This looks like one of those flavor-of-the-moment screamo/post-hardcore/metalcore bands that I ended my subscription to Alternative Press 7 years ago over. I can only listen to so many bands who want to be, I don't know, Killswitch Engage or Atreyu with god awful names like 'Fear Before the March of Flames' and 'Creation Is Crucifixion' (I kid you not, those are real) before I want to scream(o).
What Does It Actually Sound Like??: I've given this a lot of thought, and I think I have the recipe for you. Take Rage Against The Machine minus rapping; add Red Hot Chili Pepper basslines (on some songs); add the chunky guitar riffs and funk-less drum groove of ZZ Top worshipping Queens of the Stone Age; finally, stir with a mixture of some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard, and some of the lamest "awesome" song titles ever ('Le Titout', seriously??). Once solution has settled, serve directly in toilet bowl.