Fellow NH writer xtiandc and I have a minor disagreement about the seasonal place of Pet Sounds. I think it’s the perfect summer record…he thinks it’s a soundtrack best in winter. So if two people can hear the same album with complete opposite feelings of season, then it seems kind of dumb to try and [...]

Introducing a new column, where I have to sheepishly request a late pass for an artist, album or song that I slept on even though seemingly everyone else knew it was great. You think I would have learned my lesson with Lily Allen that a chart-pop lead single doesn’t always indicate an album of filler [...]

More new stuff from JoyOrb. His new EP is floating around. The London, grime/dub/bass (whatever) sound has not always done it for me, but…this guy is quite the beat-artist. I would post off the new EP, but his label is sensitive. If you are into electronic anything, check him out. Also, in the spirit of [...]

For all my snowed in DC people: some psychedelic surf rock.Real Estate, “Beach Comber” (2009)

Ohio-based blues/rock band The Black Keys teams up with a slew of hiphop artists to bring us Blakroc. Bit late to the game on this one, but I love the sound. Something in the realm of the Gorillaz. Enjoy. Blakroc, ‘What You Do To Me (feat. Billy Danze, Jim Jones & Nicole Wray)’, (2009)

Camera Obscura, “Tougher Than The Rest” (2009)find it on The Sweetest Thing single On first listen, this is a pretty straightforward cover of a beautiful song. Tracyanne Campbell’s lilting Scottish accent replaces Bruce Springsteen’s gruff twang, turning his gruff “don’t know” into a sweet “doon’t knoo”, and the breathy reverb and brushed snare take the [...]

The Drums, “Submarine” (2009) find it on Summertime! Here we are in the weeks when we all try to frantically listen to the music from last year to find what we missed before the new year starts distracting us. And this new year should be a banger right off the bat. The new Beach House [...]

If you’re anything like me, as the calendar comes to its yearly close, productivity has a way of screeching to a grinding halt. Sure, the holiday season can have that kind of effect on us all. But I have to admit to another culprit: the year-end list craze. I may not be the most committed [...]

Flight Of The Conchords, “Carol Brown” (2009)find it on I Told You I Was Freaky I’ve wanted to post this song for a while now, but it always seemed kind of…odd? unsurprising?…to give up a comedy song. Yes, Flight Of The Conchords have some good hooks, but it’s still mostly the funny that takes us [...]

Sleigh Bells, “Crown On The Ground” (2009) Get to the 0:23 mark? It’s supposed to sound that way. It’s been a long time since a song irritated me in the way that this one does. Maybe it was “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” that last had me reaching for the back button as [...]