By Gregg Shapiro

Contributing writer

Stephin Merritt is not one to sit still for long. Between the release of his new Magnetic Fields disc, the fittingly titled “Distortion” (Nonesuch) and the previous one (“i”), he put out both his “Showtunes” disc and one by another of his numerous bands, The Gothic Archies. It would also seem that he’d been listening to his share of Jesus and Mary Chain discs during that time, because that’s what “Distortion” most resembles. Of course, it’s the crunchy and distorted J&MC guitar sound as synthesized through The Magnetic Fields. How else could you get the surf rock of “Three-Way,” the stinging slap of the Beach Boys antithesis, “California Girls,” the modern drinking song “Too Drunk To Dream” and the potentially controversial “The Nun’s Litany.” The feedback feast is made more because of Merritt’s trademark wordplay.

Renaissance man LD Beghtol was part of The Magnetic Fields lineup for the legendary “69 Love Songs” set. On his own, like Merritt, Beghtol is involved in more than one musical project, including The Moth Wranglers and Flare. “Amoral Certitudes” (Acuarela), the follow-up to 2005’s “Tragic Realism,” is the new EP by LD and The New Criticism. Over the course of six irresistible and accessible tracks, Beghtol and company deliver, dare it be said, some downright radio- and iPod-friendly tunes that encourage singing along and unselfconscious dancing. Cases in point—“AKA Paradise” and “What You Will,” featuring Dana Kletter.

LD can also be heard performing on the “Ukelear Winter” (benlerman.net) disc by queer comedic songwriter and ukulele player Ben Lerman. Lerman is so adept at writing parody lyrics that the Kinsey Sicks better watch their crinolined asses. Examples include “Anderson,” about Anderson Cooper, sung to the tune of Elvis Costello’s “Alison,” “Not A Cub,” based on Britney Spears’ “Not A Girl,” and “Asian Baby,” a new approach to “Santa Baby.”

Ana Egge has been making a name for herself writing and recording her own songs, occasionally tossing in a few cover tunes. On her new disc, “Lazy Days” (Grace/Parkinsong), Egge turns her complete attention to the music of others. If the sheer variety of the material (with its “wasting time” theme) wasn’t enough to urge you pick up this album alone, than Egge’s graceful interpretations would certainly warrant recommendation. From Egge’s takes on Gene Autry (“It’s My Lazy Day”) to the Arcade Fire (“In The Backseat”) and from Le Tigre (“Much Finer”) to Belle and Sebastian (“Summer Wastin’”), you’d be wise to make “Lazy Days” your favorite waste of time.

On his new CD, “Night and Day” (patrickarenamusic.com), Patrick Arena divides his time, like night and day, between standards and originals. His stripped-down interpretation of the Cole Porter title tune makes its sound like a jazz lullaby. He has a good time with “I’m Always Drunk in San Francisco” and gets the appropriate emotional mileage out of “What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life.” Arena gives Biello & Martin’s “In My Body” a jazzy polish, and when it comes to his own compositions, “Barefoot Boy,” “Belvedere” and “Where Have You Been All My Life?” are worth a listen.

Evil Beaver is crouched at the opposite end of the spectrum from Arena. Their queer punk-metal is the driving force behind “Enlightening Without Dazzling/2 Berne Live” (evilbeaver.us), a disc that combines studio tracks with a live set from a 2006 concert in Berne, Switzerland. Prepare to be rocked. Like Evil Beaver, the Toilet Boys rock hard and heavy. Led by trans vocalist Miss Guy, who sang a duet with Deborah Harry on his her most recent disc, the Toilet Boys return with their own glam brand of metal-punk on “Sex Music” (Dead City Records), best exemplified by “Drug of Choice.”

Queer Klezmer punk—is it a mitzvah or meshuggah? Vote for the former and you’ll be backing a winner such as The Shondes. The three-quarters kosher quartet recalls Sleater-Kinney on their memorable debut disc “The Red Sea” (shondes.com). Radical and rocking tunes such as “Let’s Go,” “At The Water,” “What Love Is” and “The Start of Everything” make for required listening.