Bisbee’s unflinching romanticism and grandiose sampler symphonics beg for a John Hughes soundtrack to call home.
Jolie Holland
Backwater country blues performed with a weathered sophistication that makes it all the more tempting. Think Billie Holiday in overalls.
Tortoise
Tortoise’s latest track cuts to the chase with a tight, driving dose of spacial jazz. While you still won’t hear them on commercial alternative radio anytime soon, it’s as close to a “single” as you’ll ever get from these cats.
Havergal
Prairie drawl and bug zapper glitches = campfire music for the computer age.
Variable Unit
Sinewy, smokey grooves bob and weave to Azeem’s verbal left-right combos. Major league hip hop at home in the underground.
Mahjonng
Mahjongg is an ancient Chinese tile game responsible for the academic downfall of countless college students. The band Mahjonng has similar powers with their frenzied pop disarray (a la the supremely underrated Beatnik Filmstars). Be strong.
Guitar Wolf
Is Guitar Wolf a Japanese homage, pastiche, or caricature of U.S. garage rock? As with “Iron Chef,” does it really matter? Guaranteed to be the best 2:27 of your otherwise dull day…
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter
Like Cowboy Junkies after a few drinks, Jesse Sykes and her all-star band swing the heartache with equal parts grit and beauty.
Oddjobs
While their older material was oddly bouyant conscious hip-hop, Oddjobs’ latest (“Hypnotize”) turns down a dark alley toward straight-up griot poetry.
Division of Laura Lee
Meet the Swedish offspring of Blur and the Stooges. (I meant that musically, you perv.)