Say Hi - Oohs and Aahs - Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh

The rest of this album is pretty laid-back, and sounds like Pela, which is really pretty admirable. But this track is awesome.

"It's the shape of her legs,
It's the way that she curses."

You've never heard synth-horns used this well.

Metric - Fantasies

I can list off a string of previous Metric successes, but Fantasies is the best place to figure it all out.  The first song is perfect. The last song is perfect.  A couple of the middle songs are perfect, too. Electrogirl. Give it a chance. because, wow.

The Lonely Island - Incredibad

While I'm a little reluctant to post silly albums. . . this is awesome.  Andy Samberg  got a bunch of these songs on Saturday Night Live, and they're pretty amazing. He's got this sense of nerdy-guy-vs.-hiphop, and has some impeccable production.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/56632/saturday-night-live-digital-short-im-on-a-boat#s-p1-st-i1
http://www.hulu.com/watch/1397/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-lazy-sunday#s-p1-st-i1
http://www.hulu.com/watch/1404/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-natalie-raps#s-p1-st-i1

Bishop Allen

This band is pretty much what indie rock should be. Their first LP, "Charm School", is really great. I saw them at the Entry shortly after they released "The Broken String", which is just pretty much perfect. And on March 10, their new album "Grrr..." comes out, which is maybe even better. 

They're not a big-name band, but they believe in what they're doing, and they do it very, very well.  They've got kind of a higlight reel at http://www.bishopallen.com/ .

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Unapologetic old-style rock 'n roll. It's like it's 1994 on a Sunday afternoon in the summer and you're driving around and your radio starts to pick up a station from the future, but it all makes perfect sense and you just keep on driving west.

M.I.A. - Kala

I heard "boyz" a few times on the current, but thought it sounded like just some passing teen fad.  I became more intrigued when I independently ran across this amazon.com editorial review:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TJ6CM2/ref=dm_dp_cdp?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1234414132&sr=102-6#productDescription

Now, I think I'm hooked.  I was pleased also to hear "Paper Planes" in Slumdog Millionaire.

Imperial Leisure - The Art of Saying Nothing

Brit ska/hiphop/rock. Why can't more bands have horn sections?

"Weird Al" Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood - Close But No Cigar

I was listening to this song on an airplane ride, and it dawned on me that this song borrows so much (musical styling) from Cake, that it is clearly no accident.  I think I didn't notice at first because I listen to enough Cake that their sound is more of a genre to me than an artist's sound.

Oxford Collapse

Like Pavement, but a little more in control.  I'm not quite sure what it is, but I've listened to little else than their latest album "Bits" in the last few days.  Thing is, if this band is playing, you'll like it. Maybe you won't know why. That's why they're great.

P.O.S. - Never Better

I don't quite know what to say about this album -- it's pretty much everything that's right with hip-hop today.  The cd packaging is ridiculously complicated, and you can design your own cover art at the below link (as well as listen to the whole cd.) I recommend the tracks "Savion Glover", "Purexed", and "Low Light Low Life".

http://www.rhymesayers.com/neverbetter/