Each week, the spotlight will be on...

Each week, the spotlight will be on buzz-worthy unknown or still-emerging musicians, whose albums hit stores Tuesday.

Chris Lee

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The Grabs

“Sex, Fashion & Money”

The Grabs Records

Artist info: Local indie heroes -- singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell and Steven Gregoropolous (guitarist for several groups including Wild Stares and W.A.C.O.) -- formed the Grabs to record and perform light-hearted, pop-driven post-punk, an about-face from their previous work. They later recruited Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison and Elvira Gonzalez, drummer for the Silversun Pickups.

Back story: “Sex, Fashion & Money” was recorded and produced in under a week by Sheldon Gomberg (Beck, Warren Zevon, Ryan Adams) at his Los Angeles studio.

Influences: the Fall, Joy Division, X, Buddy Holly

Trivia: Gregoropolous came across the audio sample of Chairman Mao Tse-tung (heard on the title track) while surfing a Chinese-language website. He located the one thing on the page he could understand -- the icon of an ear -- and clicked it.

Tarantula AD

“Book of Sand”

Kemada Records

Artist info: The New York art rock trio -- a classically trained cellist-violinist, drummer-multi-instrumentalist and guitarist-bassist -- play epic movie soundtrack-like songs full

of abrupt melodic change-ups. Think Motorhead meets Miles Davis circa “Sketches of Spain.”

Back story: The band recorded “Book,” its first full-length album, on an isolated island off the coast of Washington state in a small wooden lodge overlooking the Pacific.

Influences: Godspeed You Black Emperor, Ornette Coleman

Trivia: Tarantula AD landed

guests Devendra Banhart and Sierra Casady of CocoRosie by catching them on tours and

laid down their tracks in locales such as the Paris Metro and hotel bathrooms.