devendra banhart

just one song, but it's so good it could be a whole album.

maybe that's lofty.  oh well.

Devendra Banhart - Little Boxes

it's devendra banhart's rendition of the theme song to the show weeds.  it's really cute because they have a different artist do the theme song each week.

no age - nouns (2008)

tracklist

1. miner

2. eraser

3. teen creeps

4. things i did when i was dead

5. cappo

6. keechie

7. sleeper hold

8. errand boy

9. here should be my home

10. impossible bouquet

11. ripped knees

12. brain burner

genre: noise rock, experimental

sounds like: health, japanther, deerhunter, black dice

download

this album is really fucking amazing.  even pitchfork media got it right.  it's noisy, but undeniably artistic; it's experimental, but the chaos only builds up to coherence.  trust me, you will (probably) like it!

zeigeist - the jade motel (2008)

tracklist

1. humanitarianism

2. tar heart

3. wrecked metal

4. room 25 (interlude)

5. bunny

6. black milk

7. cuffs

8. the lake

9. pressurized chamber

10. fight with shattered mirrors

11. 4th floor (interlude)

12. dawn // night

genre: swedish, electronica, electro-pop

sounds like: the knife, the tough alliance, the embassy, le sport

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there is nothing better than swedish pop music.  this is like the knife, but a little less weird.  it's super catchy and has cool electronic effects and is just something that's enjoyable.  a lot of current music takes itself WAY too seriously. :)

wolf parade - at mount zoomer (2008)

tracklist

1. soldier's grin

2. call it a ritual

3. language city

4. bang your drum

5. california dreamer

6. the grey estates

7. fine young cannibals

8. an animal in your care

9. kissing the beehive

genre: indie rock

sounds like: sunset rubdown, clap your hands say yeah, islands, the arcade fire, modest mouse 

download

ADVANCE.  this comes out june 17th.  i really like it, thought it's not as immediately catchy as apologies to queen mary.

algernon cadwallader - demo (2006)

tracklist

1. second-rate machines

2. breath wish

3. look down (because the ground is easier to understand and doesn't take so much work to figure out but i'd rather not know where i'm standing and have an idea of what life's all about)

4. sailor set sail

sounds like: cap'n jazz, joan of arc, braid

genre: emo, indie

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this is just their short demo; i've had a few people ask for me to put it up.  if you want an introduction to the band or just want more after hearing their album, it's great!

the kills - midnight boom (2008)

tracklist

1. u.r.a. fever

2. cheap and cheerful

3. tape song

4. getting down

5. last day of magic

6. hook and line

7. black balloon

8. m.e.x.i.c.o.c.u.

9. sour cherry

10. alphabet pony

11. what new york used to be

12. goodnight bad morning

genre: garage rock, indie rock

sounds like: yeah yeah yeahs, black rebel motorcycle club, pj harvey

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the kills rock really, really hard, and despite comparisons to the white stripes (girl/boy duo automatically = the white stripes?), they have a bluesy, rugged sound that i can't really compare to anything else.  this is their newest album.  don't believe what pitchfork media tells you-- it is far above and beyond average, and one of my favorite new releases of the year.  super recommended!

oh, and the song "sour cherry" from this album is currently in the OMFG gossip girl is returning commercial.

my bloody valentine - loveless (1990)

tracklist

1. only shallow

2. loomer

3. touched

4. to here knows when

5. when you sleep

6. i only said

7. come in alone

8. sometimes

9. blown a wish

10. what you want

11. soon

genre: shoegaze

sounds like: slowdive, the jesus and mary chain, ride, sonic youth

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this is the most important and most flawless album ever made.  i'm posting this because if you don't have it you need it, and if you do have it i hope you listen to it again and appreciate it's dark, beautiful, intricate sounds.  maybe i'm getting too into adjectives here.  JUST LISTEN TO IT!

ghostface - the pretty toney album (2004)

tracklist

1. intro

2. biscuits (feat. trife)

3. kunta fly shit

4. beat the clock

5. metal lungies (feat. sheek louch & styles p.)

6. bathtub (skit)

7. save me dear

8. it's over

9. keisha's house (skit)

10. tush (feat. missy elliot)

11. last night (skit)

12. holla

13. ghostface

14. be this way

15. the letter (skit)

16. tooken back (feat. jackie-o)

17. run (feat. jadakiss)

18. love (feat. musiq & k. fox)

genre: rap, hip hop

sounds like: wu-tang clan, method man, nas, mobb deep, raekwon

download

everybody should have this.  if you're one of those rap haters, i guarantee that this album will change your mind if you give it the chance to.  if you listen to this and you still "hate rap," i hate you.

algernon cadwallader - some kind of cadwallader (2008)

tracklist

1. casual discussion in a dome between two temples

2. some kind of cadwallader

3. the stars

4. horror

5. motivational song

6. yo soy milk

7. i've got piano

8. katie's conscious

9. serial killer status

10. in response to irresponsibility

sounds like: cap'n jazz, joan of arc, braid, more cap'n jazz

genre: emo, indie

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tim kinsella, is that you?  no? ...are you sure?

this band sounds like cap'n jazz and is really rockin' and shit.  i'm probably going to listen to it more times than is physically healthy, so i thought i'd share it so you can, too.

i have their 2006 demo also so if you want it just holler.

yael naim - selftitled (2007)

tracklist

1. paris

2. too long

3. new soul

4. levater

5. shelcha

6. lonely

7. far far

8. yashanti

9. 7 baboker

10. lachlom

11. toxic (britney spears cover)

12. pachead

13. endless song of happiness

genre: singer-songwriter, indie pop, folk

sounds like: feist, cat power, basia bulat, cocoon

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yael naim is a french-israeli singer who writes beautiful songs in both french and english.  her song "new soul" is currently in the macbook air commercial, so she's been gaining much well-deserved recognition lately.  her music sounds a lot like feist, and she covered a britney spears song in a serious manner.  clearly, she's awesome.

dodos - visiter (2008)

tracklist

1. walking

2. red and purple

3. eyelids

4. fools

5. joe's waltz

6. winter

7. it's that time again

8. paint and rust

9. park song

10. jodi

11. ashley

12. the season

13. undeclared

14. god?

genre: indie rock, indie pop

sounds like: death cab for cutie, sea wolf, office, sufjan stevens

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before i listened to this album i assumed it was going to be enjoyable, but generic, indie pop; it really exceeded my expectations there.  it does sound a bit like death cab at points, but throughout the album this band's sound develops into something more than just a pop record.  so this is highly recommended. :)

it was also brought to my attention that the hercules and love affair link was not working, so i've fixed that a few posts back in case you didn't get a chance to get it before.  if you ever come across a dead link that is something you want please leave me a comment on a recent entry and i'll fix it. :)

deerhunter - turn it up faggot (2005)

tracklist

1. n. animals

2. adorno

3. tech school

4. ponds

5. language/violence

6. oceans

7. basement

8. young layer

9. death drag

genre: experimental, psychedelic, shoegaze

sounds like: atlas sound, liars, six organs of admittance, no age

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this is deerhunter's first lp, and it's very good (although not as widely acclaimed as 2007's cryptograms).  i've found myself listening to it a lot lately, so if you're like me and have been playing cryptograms on repeat for just a bit too long, this is a refreshing change without having to listen to something other than deerhunter.  haha.

head of femur - hysterical stars (2005)

tracklist

1. elliott gould is in california split

2. ringodom or proctor

3. manhattan

4. percy

5. skirts are takin' over

6. the sausage canoe

7. oh you're blue

8. song for richard manuel

9. born in the seventies

10. easy street

11. sometimes friends

12. jack and the water buffalo

genre: indie rock, experimental

sounds like: saturday looks good to me, destroyer, architecture in helsinki, fruit bats

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this is a really good band from chicago that i recently discovered.  they're accessible and easy to get into while still maintaining a quirky sound that sets them apart from other bands.

hercules and love affair - selftitled (2008)

tracklist

1. time will

2. hercules' theme

3. you belong

4. athene

5. blind

6. iris

7. easy

8. this is my love

9. raise me up

10. true false, fake real

genre: electronic, synthpop, experimental

sounds like: sally shapiro, hot chip, chromatics

download (new link)

alright, so i love this.  and i never thought i would hear antony hagerty (of antony and the johnsons) crooning over dark disco beats and like it.  it's fresh, it's innovative, and it inexplicably works.  i guess operatic house music is the new frontier?

beirut - lon gisland ep (2006)

tracklist

1. elephant gun

2. my family's role in the world revolution

3. scenic world

4. the long island sound

5. carousels

genre: indie, folk, world music

sounds like: andrew bird, final fantasy, sufjan stevens

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sorry i haven't been around in a while, i've been sick and then in las vegas and busy with various things.  this is THE BEST ep ever.  this version of "scenic world" is the most beautiful and amazing thing in the world.  i want you to download this unless you already have it, regardless of what type of music you normally listen to.

babyshambles - shotter's nation (2007)

tracklist

1. carry on up the morning

2. delivery

3. you talk

4. unbilotitled

5. side of the road

6. crumb begging baghead

7. unstookietitled

8. french dog blues

9. there she goes

10. baddies boogie

11. deft left hand

12. lost art of murder

genre: indie rock, garage rock

sounds like: the libertines, dirty pretty things, the paddingtons

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regardless of what you may have heard about pete doherty, he is one of the most brilliant songwriters i have ever heard.  this album makes me really nostalgic about the libertines days, and it's much better (in my opinion) than the first babyshambles release, down in albion.  the lyrics are perfect and the songs are catchy and it's all so completely british.  pete will always be my favorite.  i hope you like it.

she & him - volume one (2008)

tracklist

1. sentimental heart

2. why do you let me stay here?

3. this is not a test

4. change is hard

5. i thought i saw your face today

6. take it back

7. i was made for you

8. you really gotta hold on me

9. black hole

10. got me

11. i should have known better

12. sweet darlin'

13. untitled

genre: folk, indie pop

sounds like: m. ward, beach house, hello blue roses

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this is the project of actress zooey deschanel and the wonderful m. ward.  unlike many other actress-turned-singers today, zooey deschanel has a great voice that totally works with m. ward's to produce cute, enjoyable music.  i was pleasantly surprised by this leak; i like it a lot.  the album hits stores on march 18th.

beirut - the flying club cup (2007)

tracklist

1. a call to arms

2. nantes

3. a sunday smile

4. guyamas sonora

5. la banlieue

6. cliquot

7. the penalty

8. forks and knives (la fête)

9. in the mausoleum

10. un dernier verre (pour la route)

11. cherbourg

12. st. apollonia

13. the flying club cup

genre: indie, folk, world music

sounds like: andrew bird, final fantasy, sufjan stevens, grizzly bear

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this is the second breathtaking full-length album from beirut, otherwise known as zach condon. like his first album, gulag orkestar, it sounds like a full-blown orchestra of horns, violins, ukuleles, mandolins, glockenspiels, organs, congas, and tambourines, except it's really just one guy recording the majority of the music at home.  the music has a very gypsy, eastern-european feel to it despite zach condon being american.  highly recommended!

hella - total bugs bunny on wild bass (2003)

tracklist

1. your dj children

2. magixburg

3. in the meantime, in between time

4. koko b. ware

5. electric guitar

6. post-ivy league depression

7. who ray

genre: math rock, experimental

sounds like: black dice, lightning bolt, don caballero, holy smokes

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this is my favorite hella release, even though it's only an ep.  hella is the band that basically got me into math rock, so if you're not familiar with the genre this is a really great, (relatively) accessible place to start.  it's noisy and clever and hella crazy, haha.

ted leo and the pharmacists - hearts of oak (2003)

tracklist

1. building skyscrapers in the basement

2. where have all the rude boys gone?

3. i'm a ghost

4. the high party

5. hearts of oak

6. the ballad of the sin eater

7. dead voices

8. the anointed one

9. bridges, squares

10. tell balgeary, balgury is dead

11. 2nd ave., 11 am

12. first to finish, last to start

13. the crane takes flight

genre: indie rock

sounds like: spoon, built to spill, the shins, the decemberists

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this album is kind of one of my own personal classics.  it's often overlooked in critical circles in light of tyranny of distance, but it's amazing nonetheless.