The Dead Weather isn't the only supergroup to emerge this year. Here are the other big ones, all from widely different musical genres, but with one weirdly similar trait: bad monikers. MONSTERS OF FOLK

This long-simmering, coyly named supergroup actually features three giants of indie rock: Omaha song bard Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James and multifacted guitar-wiz/tunesmith M. Ward, along with Oberst's regular producer/bandmate Mike Mogis. The core trio showed their camaraderie at the Pantages Theatre on an acoustic tour in 2004, but it took them this long to make a record together. It's due Sept. 22. The first single, "Say Please," is available for free at monstersoffolk.com (but type "Please" into the request form). An Oct. 29 concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis was just announced Thursday. WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION

The name, in this case, comes from FDR's New Deal-era community work programs, and the twangy/Americana ensemble itself was born out of Los Angeles' communal musicians' hangout club Largo. Its core trio comprises Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins, Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Glen Phillips and renowned fiddler Luke Bulla (Lyle Lovett, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas). Auxiliary players include Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Elvis Costello & the Attractions drummer Pete Thomas, Watkins' sister Sara Watkins and Camper Van Beethoven's Davey Faragher. Their debut disc is due Sept. 15, produced by Jim Scott (Wilco, Replacements). Tour dates have been set for the fall, but nothing in Minnesota yet.

TINTED WINDOWS

All the guys in this band have sat behind plenty of limos' tinted windows, except maybe guitarist/singer Adam Schlesinger (co-leader of "Stacy's Mom" pop band Fountains of Wayne). The group is fronted by the undeniably talented Taylor Hanson, the middle brother in "MMM-Bop" teen band Hanson. Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos and ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha round out the lineup. Power pop is their main objective, but instead of the edgy, jaggedly sweet sounds of Carlos' and Schlesinger's bands, their debut album is full of slick, polished, girl-baiting tracks heavily geared for Top 40 radio play (which has yet to arrive). They're playing a handful of scattered gigs this summer.

CHICKENFOOT

There's no real explanation for the name chosen by these monsters of hard rock, but their backstory is well-known. Singer/guitarist Sammy Hagar was cast aside by the brothers Van Halen before they opted to tour with original frontman David Lee Roth, and then bassist Michael Anthony got the boot because he did a tour backing Hagar. The two ousted chums gathered two other guys who could match their ex-bandmates' musical skills: guitar god Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Unfortunately, their album doesn't come close to matching Van Halen's or any of their other bands' legacies. Their tour hits Myth in Maplewood on Aug. 10. The only song from their pasts on set lists is Hagar's Montrose anthem "Bad Moto Scooter."

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER