Disc Quicks

Robert Scott

The Creeping Unknown

(Thirsty Ear)

What it is

19 songs and instrumental sound experiments from Robert Scott, former head of New Zealand bands The Clean and The Bats.

Where you’ve heard this before

The Creeping Unknown embraces The Bats’ mossy pop chops and delves into the sonic texturing of, say, fellow countrymen The Renderers.

What you should know

Scott’s bellowing tenor, typically his calling card, is absent from 2/3 of the album but hardly missed on the hazily melodic instrumental tracks.

Mice Parade

Mokoondi

(Bubble Core)

What it is

65 minutes of electro/acoustic fusion from New Yorker Adam Pierce and friends.

Where you’ve heard this before

Mokoondi feels like synths and other more acoustic instruments (sax, dulcimer, cheng, gourd rattle) on a funhouse tilt-a-whirl.

What you should know

A little cookie-cutter post-rock here and there doesn’t dull this cavalcade of otherwise nicely arranged old world/ new school pastiche.

Nebula

Charged

(Sub Pop)

What it is

Balls to the wall grunge metal from Fu Manchu expats Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano.

Where you’ve heard this before

Hmm, big crunchy riffs and buzzy psychedelia… take your pick — the ’70s was a looong decade.

What you should know

Charged isn’t all head-banging, crazy-haired mayhem. These guys write songs between bong hits.

Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire

The Swimming Hour

(Rykodisc)

What it is

Former Squirrel Nut Zippers sideman/violinist Andrew Bird’s third record with his Bowl o’ Fire.

What it sounds like

There’s plenty of that over-earnest retro swing religion to get you over, but Bird and co. mix in rock, symphonic pop and a bit o’ gospel, too.

What you should know

See, something good did come from the swing craze.

Hasil Adkins

Poultry in Motion

(Norton Records)

What it is

Greasy white bluesman Hasil Adkins’ collected works on his favorite white meat — including "Chicken Hop," "Chicken Flop" and the irrepressible "Chicken Hunch 1999."

What it sounds like

Trust me, you’ve never heard anything like this before. Imagining that cartoon Colonel Sanders crossed with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is a good place to start, though.