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The Cringe, "Tipping Point" (Listen Records)

This 3-year-old New York City quartet is led by John Cusimano, aka Mr. Rachael Ray. And like his cooking guru dynamo, he was involved in all aspects of this project: He wrote all the songs and produced his band's sophomore effort. A lawyer by trade, Cusimano is the group's singer and guitarist.

This is straight-forward rock that deals with politics ("Someday"; "In God We Trust") and emotions (the bad relationship gone badder of "Blame"). It has a '70s rock vibe to it — cowbell(!) on the rocker "Coming Home" — possibly because the album was recorded live to and mixed on analog tape without use of computers or digital effects.

Standout tracks include the pop-punkish rat-race tale "Undone"; "California," a love/hate letter to the Sunshine State with the chorus sung through a megaphone; and the anti-war diatribe "Freedom Ban," an MOR rocker that gets epic/anthemic heft with the addition of keyboards.

Cusimano has a pleasant enough voice and vocal style that sounds like Maroon 5's Adam Levine ("Patient Man") or Train's Pat Monahan ("And Then I'm Gone"), especially on the ballads and slow jams.

Rabbit in the Moon, "Decade" (South Beat Records)

Rabbit in the Moon is a Miami dance music collective, led by main instigators Bunny on vocals and performance art, and knob-twiddler David Christophere on samplers and beats.

As the name of the disc implies, this is a 10-year CD/DVD retrospective featuring previously unreleased and remastered songs, as well as music and live performance videos. They deal in techno, electronic dance music that's ambient, rave-ish and repetitive with endless beats. When there are vocals, they are disembodied, or snippets or outtakes from some B-movie.

And true to rave/DJ prowess, the CD seems like one long song as it segues from one to the next. It begins with the ambient techno of "Timebomb" (sex through electronics) and ends with the trancelike "Out Of Body Experience."

The industrial "Alphatron" sounds even more futuristic, if that's possible, thanks to an otherworldly, operatic female voice singing an aria. It flows into the funky electronic beat of "Omegatron." A slap beat accentuates the electro rhythms of "Metropolis," while "Star Shine (Come Alive)" is fueled by a skittish rhythm and disco beats.

If you're not a raver or techno aficionado, you might recognize David Bowie's "Let's Dance." However, it's a deconstructed and dementedly funky electro version, where the lyrics become menacing threats.

An RITM show features live instruments and a cast of rotating performers, as well as costuming (Bunny in his LED suit-of-lights), fire dancers, pyrotechnics and interactive video. Bunny is also known to put on his iron mask and shoot sparks off it with a hand grinder.

Rabbit in the Moon performs on Aug. 10 and The Cringe performs on Aug. 11 at the Santa Fe Muzik Fest at the Downs of Santa Fe, 27475 W. Frontage Road, just off I-25 in the City Different.

Other featured performers during the three-day festival include RDB, Blue October, George Clinton & P-Funk, Shiny Toy Guns, Wu Tang Clan, Public Enemy, Dark Star Orchestra, Blues Traveler and Everclear.

Tickets are $59 for one day, $105 for two days or $135 for all three, plus service charges, at In Ticketing and Ticketmaster outlets. Call 883-7800 or go to Ticketmaster. For more info, daily lineups and set times, go to Santa Fe Muzik Fest.