p>Back in 2005, Blood on the Wall were elected best local band by drooling New York critics, who championed their adept riff on alternative-rock noise.

Though Christine Fellows' fourth solo disc appears prim, even haughty -- a page of acknowledgements cites numerous artists and poets -- an impish impropriety pervades her music.

Rivers Cuomo may be a wimp, a delight, or a sociopath guiding us like Sims through his own personal four-chord experiment -- we just can't be sure. As our most reticent rock star, he's transitioned from nebbish savant with scraped knees and frayed synapses to professional dispatcher of blank, soaring melodies.

It's easy to remember Madonna's vivacious side, but she was desperate, too, a theme that the best of this indie tribute captures neatly. Apollo Heights' Bowie-ish "Dress You Up" broods, and Jonathan Wilson's rootsy "La Isla Bonita" positively gasps. "Material Girl," by Mountain Party (featuring Devendra Banhart), feels spacey and standoffish, giving the song a renewed meaning.

Drive-By Truckers always cut deepest when Patterson Hood takes the lead. Unfortunately, the brooding songwriter cedes too much of the spotlight to competent but less distinctive mates Mike Cooley (the Stonesy "3 Dimes Down") and Shonna Tucker (the Neko Case-lite "I'm Sorry Huston") on a majority of the 19 tracks on the band's seventh studio album.