New Alice Cooper a tad tame

Alice Cooper

"Along Came A Spider": Let's take a minute to idolize Alice Cooper, shall we? After 25 albums, almost 40 years on the rock scene and six decades on the planet (not to mention one heck of a memorable "Wayne's World" appearance), Cooper maintains his "Feed My Frankenstein" metal rebel image with an album-opening sample about a serial killer's diary. Yep, there's that effortless, anti-hero allure we love. It all makes Cooper's 25th album feel a tad tamer than anticipated, trading in whips for backup singers and metal edges for chorus harmonies. Is he looking for a new notch of fans to add to his bedpost? Maybe so.

Dr. Dog

"Fate": Who knows how stuff like this gets started, but there you have it: Someone touted this Philadelphia psychedelic rock group's fifth studio effort as the "album Dr. Dog were destined to make." You know what? They're right. "Fate" comes across crackling with unwavering feeling and bouncing, flapper-era class, utilizing swooning keys and heartbreaking crooning (reminiscent of The Walkmen's Hamilton Leithauser) to surpass genres and time periods alike. Straighten your suspenders, grab your beer mug and get ready to sing along.

The Vines

"Melodia": If any band can identify with rock 'n' roll's roller-coaster criticism, it's The Vines. After all, these Australia grunge rockers' debut album gained them international recognition and comparisons to Nirvana before their sophomore effort drowned them in angry backlash. Thankfully, they've only continued to rally, producing a third and now fourth disc and hammering home just how resilient gritty guitars and jungle-screaming anthems can be. "Melodia" doesn't trump "Highly Evolved," but it just might put The Vines on the map again.