Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!

Brilliant immigrant gypsy punk. I also hear they put on as great a live show as is humanly possible. Good times.

Patsy Cline - Why Can't He Be You

Seriously, people. Patsy Cline. I was just listening to this song, sort of idling along with the pleasant description of her faithful, caring, perfect-husband-and-father man. It culminates in "He loves me too / His love is true" before pausing to deliver the gut punch of the title: "Why can't he be you?" And the delivery is absolutely top-shelf fucking brilliance.

It may be the case that my intense love of Neko Case stems in part from her position as the closest approximation of Patsy Cline to exist in my lifetime. I should study this more closely.

The Magnetic Fields - Distortion

There's a very Stephen Merritt-ish (typically trivial?) play between album cover, name, and noisy album sound.  But after a few times through at half volume (sleeping baby), I conclude this album is quite listenable.  I think it's going to grow on me.  Immediately, my fav song is "Drive On, Driver".

Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

I know that many of the regulars here both owned and loved this album before I even heard it, but I had to recommend it this week. I've had it awhile, but it never really grabbed me until I began last week to wrap my head around the fulfillment of my life goal of being a roller derby announcer. I've decided that 'Entertain' needs to be on any Derby mix ("Don't drag me down / I'm not falling down"), and 'Modern Girl' is such a fun, bitchy song that I actually WANT it to be in my head for six hours every day.

Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Accordion/violin/horn small-European-tavern indie-gypsy greatness.  You won't want to mosh, but you might want to twirl.

They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123s

Technically, children are the primary audience, but some of these songs stand on their own as well as any other album.  Upon a few listens, probably not as good as Here Come the ABCs, but I've had "Seven" in my head all day.

Also, this doesn't seem to be available on streaming services, but Rhapsody & Amazon sell DRM-free mp3s.  I'll go out on a limb and blame Disney.

Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

I saw Dan Deacon at First Avenue a few nights ago.  He set up his kit on the floor, a yard or two away from the stage, and was surrounded by people hovering over him and waving their arms and dancing around like freaks.  My friend Liz said, "It was like being at the Rec Center, where there are a lot of kids just running around just to freak out.  Sometimes there's a ball or something, but mostly they're just there to jump around." 

(A few pics from the balcony: http://picasaweb.google.com/pvanhaaften/DanDeaconShow )

Electronica.  The track "Wham City" is worth listening to at max volume.

Los Campesinos - International Tweecore Underground

"and the last time that you tried listening to music
and reading fiction at the same time,
you never finished the chapter,
but you finished the song with your chin on your knees like you belong"

This cd is a single.  That lyric is from the title track. Also, from the second song, "C Is The Heavenly Option" (which is a cover of another band, Heavenly, whom I also adore),

"My girlfriend's getting sick of me,
Should I A: change your personality
Should I B: put her love to the test
Should I C: kiss her until she is obsessed
If you’re an A you will see you get chucked and end up unhappy.
If you’re a B you will find that’s cool but hey don’t be too unkind.
If you’re a C will end up like me, and love will ball you over"

The first song is good, the second almost had me dancing on my sketchy bus this morning.  Also seek the single for "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG72H5PcGg0 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbj0Wyx12Q

Jim Sturgess - Across The Universe: Music From The Motion Picture

Soundtrack to the film featuring all Beatles songs -- the film isn't bad but the music's the highlight. Lots of good covers here, I like 'Come Together' (Joe Cocker), 'I Am The Walrus' (Bono), and 'Let It Be' the best.

Brand New Immortals - Tragic Show

"Immortals" were a group from Atlanta that got some play before I left in 1999. Every now and then I'd wonder what happened to them -- until I came across them on Yahoo. Turns out they release a fairly compelling record and then called it quits. 'Kalifornia', 'Ill Conceived' and 'Blacksun' are among my favorites, hard rock with some varied melodies and bit of funk.