Asher Roth
“Asleep in the Bread Aisle”
1.5 out of 5 stars

When Nas titled his 2006 album “Hip Hop Is Dead,” perhaps he was envisioning the rise of Asher Roth. But Roth isn’t killing hip hop. The white rapper’s road to prominence is more indicative of the decay of the music industry.

Roth was pushed as a legitimate rapper before he had even released “I Love College,” forced-fed to the media through a sort of contrived relevance.

He’s finally got a full-length to his name and well, his beats are pretty cool. The production on this release isn’t bad at all. As for rapping, Roth has been compared to Eminem, though his flow is completely listless and his lyrics are terrible, often evoking the sort of toilet humor one would think went out with Blink-182 in 1999. Look to the pointless pop culture references of “Lark on My Go Cart” or the completely asinine “Bad Day” if absolutely necessary.

Guest spots from Cee-Lo and Busta Rhymes only make you wonder how much they were paid by Roth’s label to continue the whole masquerade.

Key Tracks: None

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Camera Obscura
“My Maudlin Career”
4 out of 5 stars

It’s been three years since we’ve heard the sweet, sweet pop goodness of Traceyanne Campbell and the rest of the Camera Obscura crew. Long-time fans may have been worried that Obscura’s recent switch from Merge Records (a relatively small label) to 4AD (a somewhat bigger label based in Britain) meant the band would become all work and no play, but their fears were fortunately put to rest with the release of “My Maudlin Career.”

This album is admittedly quite similar to their last, “Let’s Get Out of This Country,” but one of the best things about Camera Obscura is their knack for consistency.

Campbell’s vocals are wonderfully enchanting (though gloomy) as usual and with an apparent abundance of instruments at their disposal from guitars to trumpets and a slew of strings, their songs are polished and shine as indie pop gems.

Of course no Camera Obscura review would be complete without some sort of reference to Belle & Sebastian, though if you ask me I think they’ve finally managed to outgrow that comparison.

Key Tracks: “French Navy,” “My Maudlin Career”

Tune in Wednesday at 8 PM to hear SMASH PALACE from Philadelphia perform live on Randy’s Show.

Metric
“Fantasies”
4 out of 5 stars

Metric, named for their metered method to musically structuring their songs, is a Canadian band that’s been rocking since 1998 and has had songs from previous albums (“Monster Hospital” “Police and the

Private” and “Front Row” from this album) on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “CSI: Miami.”

After putting out three other albums on various labels, they’re self-releasing their latest around the world.

As opposed to most indie bands releasing their own records, “Fantasies” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers charts when it came out.

Their singer Emily Haines, former member of also Canadian band Stars and the daughter of a poet, has a natural talent for songwriting and isn’t too bad at singing either. She has a sweet voice that really completes Metric’s sound and transforms their synth-powered music into solid pop songs.

Their slick hooks and catchy choruses will have you humming along in no time If you give it a chance, I think you’ll find it fits in nicely next to someone like Kelly Clarkson in your music library.

Key Tracks: “Sick Muse,” “Stadium Love,” “Gimme Sympathy.”

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Silversun Pickups
“Swoon”
4 out of 5 stars

With the Smashing Pumpkins down to one original member and bordering on irrelevance more than ever, it’s good to know their most distinguished not-so-secret admirers are better than ever.

Dangerbird Records has delivered Silversun Pickups’ long-awaited follow-up to 2006′s “Carnavas,” a 10-song collection titled “Swoon” with the potential to thrust the L.A. four-piece further into the public’s eye than most imagined. It seems the Pickups have come down with a case of ”bigger and better” syndrome, a condition that has made some bands and killed others. Everything that worked on their auspicious debut has been cranked up, like the sludgy guitars, the grumbling bass line and of course, the choruses delivered with singer Brian Aubert’s usual gravelly sneer.

The good news is that all of the above works. “Swoon’s” only drawback is the production, which is often too elegant for a mucky ’90s alt-rock revival of such proportions. But those proportions are great enough to vault this record into my Top Five of 2009 so far.

Key tracks: “Panic Switch,” “It’s Nice To Know You Work Alone,” “There’s No Secrets This Year.”

Here are a few choice picks of the best new jams on 91.3 as we speak!

Doves- “Kingdom of Rust”
It took them awhile, but Doves have returned with another fine record, centered around this elegant arena-indie rocker. The Manchester trio’s new single skips along at the pace of Last Broadcast’s “There Goes The Fear Again” and packs the chiming splendor of Some Cities’ “Snowden” Maybe if Chris Martin was less concerned with ruling the world his band would have the appeal of this heavily underrated trio of Radiohead followers.

www.myspace.com/dovesmyspace

White Lies- “To Lose My Life”
Looking for the hot new British post-punk band? Look no further than this trio, whose baritone-voiced angular stomp seems primed to be headlining Glastonbury within three years. Fans of Depeche Mode, Editors, and The Cure should be aching to hear this new TSR favorite.

www.myspace.com/whitelies

Lady Sovereign- “So Human”
Five-foot-one British rapper Lady Sovereign is back, free of the major label universe, and sounding more like Lily Allen than The Streets this time around. Here, she takes her new sound to the popular Cure track and adds a welcome twist.

www.myspace.com/ladysovereign

Bat For Lashes- “Daniel”

The lead single off the totally badass new Bat For Lashes record is a synthy 80′s space-out the likes of which would make M83 jealous. And to sweeten the deal, it’s loosely based on the character of Daniel LaRusso from Karate Kid. Prepare to see this on many, many year-end top songs lists.

www.myspace.com/batforlashes