In a land where corporate media is king and prefab puppets are littering the airwaves in the name of music, indie owned and operated WDST stands as one of the last sentinels of unique, thinking man's rock. World-class rock, that is. If live is what you love, then Radio Woodstock's latest two-CD gem, in honor of their silver anniversary, is for you. And it's for a good cause, too. One hundred percent of net proceeds are being donated to the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Hospital in Poughkeepsie (they've raised more than $10,000 so far).

There are 34 local concert recordings here, which were captured by the DST gang at venues large and small all over the Hudson Valley. The collection spans multiple genres, class act performances from artists that have stood the test of time: Ani DiFranco, Spearhead, Natalie Merchant, Warren Zevon, Jewel, moe., Tori Amos, The Jayhawks, Aimee Mann, Jeffrey Gaines, Dar Williams, Crash Test Dummies, Joan Osborne, and many more. Now being distributed nationally by Universal, you can pick this one up at larger retail outlets, or donate $20 directly at radiowoodstock.com.

Pop start! Enter The Mammals' two-legged, instrument-holdin', song-creatin' creatures. Long touted as a bluegrass/old-timey band, the first track doesn't sound like bluegrass at all. "Follow Me to Carthage" moves like '80s pop, with synthesized vocals and head-bobbing riffs. The bluegrass bending continues as the songs weave and mix genres well, from blues to country to rock'n'roll. This CD is an easy-listening treat for most music lovers, one to keep on random.

I had the pleasure of seeing Ruth Ungar, one of the Mammals' main creative forces, perform recently at a private party. She was great—calm, assured, and talented. Listening to Departure, I hear her influence, her familial knowing of working with other musicians to create a unified, creative sound. Her intuitive, striking harmonies add to that mix with passionate perfection.

The Mammals' third CD release is well produced, smooth, musically varied, and attractively packaged. As well, it's aptly named. With covers of Morphine and Nirvana, The Mammals are not afraid to be themselves. "I love that Departure could easily get put in the rock section of a record store," laughs Mammals member Tao Rodriguez-Seeger. Have The Mammals gotten more rock'n'roll, or has rock'n'roll gotten more country? Perhaps both. www.themammals.net.

Rambling his way from the Northern Pacific to Ireland, Mark Brown has lived the life of an iterant laborer and musician. Now back in Kingston, he and his band cover the musical journey on the gritty trail from youth (with songs like "Sex in Cars" and "Gravel Pit Girl") to the drinking years of young adulthood in "PBR," an ode to Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. The musicians are Hudson Valley homeboys—Brown sings and plays guitar, John Hughes provides bass, Fooch Fischetti works the pedal-steel guitar and the fiddle, and Dean Jones supplies percussion and everything else.

"Gravel Train" touches on the difficulties that forge one's character, and Brown sings it as if Tom Waits went bluegrass. There are several musical poems that are under two minutes, one being "Paper Thin," a hillbilly punk twang that makes fun of itself with the lyrics ("just a cheap little song, maybe a little too long.")

Uncle Buckle performs at Mezzanine Café and Wine Bar on Friday, May 26 at 8pm. www.unclebuckle.com.