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Neko Case, "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" (Anti-)

On her fourth solo LP and first studio record in four years, the Chicago chanteuse has delivered her finest and most intriguing disc ever. Impressionistic in scope and execution, Case eschews verse-chorus-verse in favor of an almost stream-of-consciousness outing. And it doesn't hurt that this batch of songs was inspired by Ukranian fairy tales.

Her distinctive, stark and unadorned vocals possess an echoey timbre that imbues the songs; when she opens her mouth you definitely know it's her. And her amalgam of Americana - which she refers to as "country noir" - is a rich mix of classic country, indie pop and mucho gospel. She also gets by with a little help from her friends, including The Band's Garth Hudson, Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico, and alt-country thrush Kelly Hogan, who proves to be an equal vocal foil for Case (the harmonies on "Star Witness," "Maybe Sparrow" and "Lion's Jaws," which has the feel of a '60s girl-group confessional).

The gothic neo-gospel "Margaret vs. Pauline" opens the disc with a song about sibling rivalry. Along this line is the funky, up-tempo gospel spin on the traditional spiritual about John the Baptist, "John Saw That Number."

One of the most beautiful songs is also one of the most spare: "A Widow's Toast" is just two guitars and a voice, lyrics in English and French, with Case harmonizing with herself. The title track, which features Giant Sand's Howie Gelb on electric guitar, is an ominous experimental sound collage, while the music and lyrics of "That Teenage Feeling" capture teenage listlessness as adult nostalgia.

Case also serves up her most autobiographical tune to date. Co-written with Canada's the Sadies, "Hold On, Hold On" is a country pop/western song about romantic love, where she starts: "The most tender place in my heart is for strangers"; and concludes: "In the end I was the mean girl. Or somebody's in-between girl. Now it's the devil I love. And that's as funny as real love."

Combined with its thought-provoking imagery, Case is making some of the most challenging music around today. . . at least when she isn't rocking out with the New Pornographers.

Neko Case brings the Fox Confessor to the Sunshine Theater, 120 Central Ave. S.W., for an all-ages show at 7 p.m. Sunday. Jon Rauhouse, who contributed banjo on some of her new tunes, brings his quintet. Tickets are $20, plus service charges, at Ticketmaster outlets. Call 883-7800 or go to www.ticketmaster.com. Smoking and alcohol service in segregated areas only.

Blacktop Mourning, "No Regret" (Tyrannosaurus Records, out May 15)

Eighteen-year-old guitar prodigy Max Steger leads this Chicago quintet, which is the first group on Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz's newly formed label. He discovered the band on MySpace.

Duritz says it's a "Rock/Pop Punk band," but I beg to differ: It's poppy emo with punk lyrics and a rock 'n' roll soul. The vocal harmonies don't hurt, either.

"6AM" is the disc's piano intro before cascading into "Halfway to Midnight," a charge of emo pop. Likewise with "Another Day."

The music and vocals remind of Taking Back Sunday mixed with The Academy is . . . (the straight-forward rock of "My Only Heart") and a little bit of Blink-182 (the pop punk of "Future's Gone" and "Buried in My Eyes").

Steger's guitar prowess is on full display throughout, either with killer riffs or solos (the hard-rock guitars with a punk-rock feel on "Your First Crime"). The gritty, screeching guitar parts on the punky emo tune "These Times Call" seal the deal.

Sick Puppies, "Dressed Up As Life" (RMR Music Group/Virgin Records)

This two-parts Aussie, one-part Yank hard-rock group puts the power back in power trio, with thumping bass lines; aggressive, pummeling drumming; and guitar parts that alternate from blasting squalls to atmospheric fills and six-string chiming. This is melodic and zooming no-stasis modern rock.

Stinging guitar lines enhance the menace on "My World," an indictment/paranoia about these modern times, while "Cancer" accelerates on a thundering bass and a stop-start dynamic propels "Pitiful."

The muscular "The Bottom" gets the full power trio treatment, complete with a heavy bottom and blaring backbeat. "What Are You Looking For" has a wall-of-sound immediacy and soaring vocals; while the love song "All the Same" is a power-pop ballad that begins with acoustic strumming and goes electric.

Thematically, these guys are some sick puppies, venting with splenetic lyrics. "Howard's Tale" is a harrowing song about child abuse, including sex and drugs; "A*** Father" contemplates recovery and breaking the cycle; while the female stalker in "Deliverance" keeps the protagonist in "her mental prison."

"Issues" sums it up rather nicely: "I like to blame my parents. I'm sure you'd do the same."

This is loud, bombastic and fun-feeling rock 'n' roll, if you don't dwell too much on the lyrical content.

On a side note: The homemade video for first single "All The Same" is a viral sensation on the Internet. It has garnered more than 10 million views on YouTube, making it the site's 10th most viewed video of all time.