If the starry-eyed American psychedelic bands of last century saw what their movement had fostered across the Pacific in Japan, they might be a little frightened. A band like Acid Mothers Temple might scare them square, while even a more subdued, earthy group like Ghost would seem unusually alien.

Since when did Elton John come back into vogue? Now that the Scissor Sisters are salivating all over him, a younger generation is being exposed to Sir Elton’s shiny ’70s rock. One might see this as the coming of the apocalypse, but not Baby Teeth’s Abraham Levitan.

It’s hard to imagine what the songwriting process is like for a band like Deerhoof. Their collaborations of inconceivable guitar riffs, Greg Saunier’s chaotic drum patterns, orchestral organs, and child-like keyboards underneath singer/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki’s adorable vocals suggest that Deerhoof have created their own version of music theory in their pajamas.

The Amber Gatherers (Drag City), the fourth solo record by Scottish folk singer/guitarist Alasdair Roberts , contains many elements from his extensive catalogue of past work. The combination of his honest lyrics and voice is effortless.

Spoken word poetry greets us when we open the doors to Vietnam, the first full-length release by the band with the same name. The music gives off an air of 60s and 70s protest music, which is fitting given the band’s name.

On his third solo LP, True Magic (Geffen), Mos Def returns to rhyming and showcasing some of his soulful crooning. Mos Def makes what he feels and, while that may discourage his early fans, he continues to make socially important music.

The popular saying goes “venture adventure,” as should any footnote that accompanies this beautiful new sound from Ethiopia. It is an adventurous sound that incorporates ethnocentric rhymes, funky horns, lively percussion, and booty-shaking beats.

Who needs southern or ’70s rock credibility when you can grow thick hair on every square inch of your head and face? On the self-titled debut from Buffalo Killers, these mountain men open with a spacey mix of White Album melodies and blues-heavy guitar work. And that’s before the Buffalo Killers figure out what they do really well.

Polemics is a little noisier, a little more avant-garde than 31Knots’ previous album, Talk Like Blood, but it is definitely accessible. “Sedition’s Wish” is the EP’s best song, and with its catchy vocal and guitar melodies, it is sure to please any indie rock fan.