First impressions of area album releases

Eastwood

Details: After building a following on the strength of its 2005 debut album Die Tryin', this Dallas country band has made a couple of changes to its lineup and released the sophomore CD Everything's Personal. Like its predecessor, Personal was recorded at Salim Nourallah's Pleasantry Lane studio.

How it sounds: Eastwood's shows should become a destination for fans of Pat Green and Texas country at large. With the exception of a couple of tunes (one about a prison break and the other a downhome cover of the Beatles' "Come Together"), the lyrics focus on the ups and downs of love. Sample lyrics: "Two passionate hearts are great in the bedroom/But they're not so great together in the rest of the house." Songwriters David Heidle and Kevin Minihan have sharpened their skills since the debut album, tightening up arrangements while keeping the melodies easy and breezy. The guitar playing's strong throughout, but these guys could stand to have a fiddle in the band – they are, after all, in Texas.

Best enjoyed while: Knockin' back too many Lone Stars with those guys your girlfriend doesn't trust.

Key tracks: "Right Place Wrong Time,"

"I Can Only Remember the Good Times," "Come Together"

Buy it: On the band's Web site, eastwoodband.com.

See them live: Acoustic show Friday at Opening Bell Coffee's South Side on Lamar location. CD-release show Dec. 5 at Barley House.

Details: No Scope is a Fort Worth hard-rock band that's gotten some airplay on KDGE-FM (102.1); Hindsight 2012 is its sophomore effort, released last month.

How it sounds: [Guttural scream that lasts for several seconds.] ... The screams are abundant in this collection of angry, political nu-metal rants. And we don't mean political in the sense that the band is shredding to support universal health care or lower taxes. These guys just think the system sucks. There's even a song that repeats the line "this world is doomed" several times. Yeah, they paint with pretty broad strokes.

Best enjoyed while: Raging against the machine. Or against your dad, who grounded you for secretly getting your tongue pierced.

Key tracks: "Pale and Blue," "Brainwash"

Buy it at: amazon.com or myspace.com/noscopetheband

Details: It's the debut EP from Halperin, a Fort Worth singer-songwriter who plays for coffeehouse and college crowds.

How it sounds: Halperin's timing as an up-and-coming piano pop artist couldn't be better. Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson and others have had hits in recent months that are similar in tone and arrangement to the five songs on You Are the Moon. Halperin also sounds a little like a younger brother of Ben Folds, slightly more sloppy but just as poppy.

Best enjoyed while: Staring out the window of a Starbucks, wondering what it all means.

Key tracks: "You Are the Moon," "Just Can't Get You," "Nice to Be Free"

Buy it at: iTunes, Amazon and Napster. Hear tracks and find out more at myspace.com/timhalperin.

For the week ending Nov. 17.

1. Jenny Lewis (left), Acid Tongue

2. Flaming Lips, Christmas on Mars

3. Little Joy, Little Joy

4. Ryan Adams, Cardinology

5. Of Montreal, Skeletal Lamping

6. Secret Machines, Secret Machines

7. New Order, Technique (deluxe edition)

8. New Order, Power, Corruption and Lies (deluxe)

9. New Order, Movement (deluxe)

10. Danielson, Trying Hartz