Does being a well-respected writer, having appeared in the LA Times, Men's Health, and on NPR, help you write better music? In the case of The Airborne Toxic Event ($11), the answer is yes. Formed in 2006 by Mikel Jollett, the band's impressive, self-titled debut album is filled with straight-forward rock, with piano and strings added in just-right amounts. In a word, promising. Standout Tracks: "Sometime Around Midnight," "Innocence," "Gasoline."