Today is perhaps the best release day thus far in 2012; there are a pair of must-haves and some worthy mentions to boot.---

An offering of restraint, Dr. Dog’s Be the Void is less of a kaleidoscopic indie melting pot of sound and filled more with straight-ahead rock tunes. The addition of a new drummer/songwriter has only added a breeze of fresh energy to their infectious brand of tunes, rather than the reason for scaling back the sonic palate. Filled with gems like "Get Away," "Vampire" and "Heavy Light," Be the Void is the must-have album of the week.

Following in close second for the week is Sharon Van Etten’s Tramp. The dark, moody troubadour also does less with more: Her lyrics, although sparse, pack a wallop of emotion and imagery. This, her third album, showcases her craft at penning quality lyrics better than her other efforts, while simultaneously displaying her beaut of a voice.

Other releases include another Montreal drive down the artsy highway of indie rock with Paralytic Stalks and the cinematic French Le Voyage Dans La Lune from Air.