YOUNG BUCK, ''DO IT MYSELF''
The Nashville G-Unit rapper trounces rivals with a self-motivational track that Bob Vila could love. Well, maybe not — infamous for stabbing a man at 2004's Vibe Awards, Buck lives up to his tough-guy rep here with brutally violent rhymes that recall vintage gangster MCs like Scarface. Keep the kids away. Buy the track on iTunes.

SNOWDEN, ''ANTI-ANTI''
On their recent debut album, this Atlanta-bred group shows off a rawer take on a lot of the vapid dance-rock that's so fashionable nowadays. Thing is, Snowden lace their upbeat, catchy guitar stomps with thoughtful lyrics diametrically opposed to mindless hipsterism. ''We are anti-movements, we are anti-anti,'' sings leader Jordan Jeffares in a mocking tone, ''One time we believed but now we don't even try.'' It's a brilliantly masked wake-up call. Download the track for free at Snowden's official site (in the media section).

THE THEATER FIRE, ''KICKING UP THE DARKNESS''
A dusty mystery of a song from this well-worn country group finds the narrator awaiting a shadowy stranger. ''Should I wear a flower or a gun?/ Should we stay to greet or should we run?'' he wonders as a lonesome slide guitar adds haunting pathos. With its ambiguous messianic themes, ''Kicking Up the Darkness'' questions the unknown with honest wonder. Download the track for free here.

CATFISH HAVEN, ''DOWN BY YOUR FIRE''
Certain singers whose voices seem to date back to vintage '60s rock are often said to be ''old souls.'' George Hunter, leader of this Chicago three-piece, has such a voice, one seemingly borne out of an inscrutable amount of pain and anguish. ''Down by Your Fire,'' featured on the group's upcoming debut LP, Tell Me, is a great showcase for his wails as Hunter laments an especially difficult break-up from somewhere deep. Download the track for free here.