I met Sharon Van Etten at a party one time, long before I'd heard any music from her. Some friends of mine gushed afterward that she was a phenomenal songwriter and had a pained voice that's a rarity to encounter. Months later, and still skeptical, I checked out Epic. I am happy to admit that my friends were right; she's great. Her songs are straightforward, sparse and simple without lacking and her voice is burdened, honest and alluring. There's a particular pain to her voice; likely stemming from the songs being born of actual experience, and there's a powerful human connection that comes with that. [www.sharonvanetten.com]

This shows you how far behind I am in my music reviews. I've been listening to this since the leak first hit and absolutely love it. I realize it's probably pretty predictable for someone my age to find so much right with this release, but James Murphy is absolutely influenced by all the right people. This is supposedly the final release from the band and while that would be absolutely unfortunate it's a fine note to go out on. Their sound has matured perfectly from the first record to this incarnation. [lcdsoundsystem.com]

I missed the boat on Superchunk during my college years. Either I'm a little too young or just a little too ignorant (or both) but we just never crossed paths. So, with that in mind, I can't really say how this fits into the bands overall career or how it's a return to form or how majestic it is for them to put this out. I just simply don't know. What I do know is that if you like catchy rock songs there really isn't a better cure for what ails you than this. I can't help but hear major mid-90's execution here but, at this point, that's no longer a bad thing but more of an uplifting nostalgic feeling. [www.superchunk.com]

I assume most people checked these guys out because they were mentioned in an interview with Steve Albini about their recording methodology and how they were doing things the right way. I respect them for that right out of the gate but still wanted to see what was going on with the actual music. Turns out, it's reminiscent of a lot of music with a darker, tension filled edge. I can think of plenty of Dischord comparisons that would be apt without being the least bit insulting. I tend to prefer the first half of the record where the energy of the songs is released immediately and relentless moving forward. The second half tends to build much more slowly before exploding. On the whole, worth checking out and keeping an eye on them.. they are, after all, doing things the right way. [grandfathermusic.com]

Deerhunter will never top Microcastle in terms of instant appeal and personal appeal to my heart. Comparing one record to another is totally unfair but I had to get that out of the way. Halcyon Digest is farther out there - slower builds, more atmospheric, less direct but still captivating. Much of that, for me, has to do with the believability of the forelorn and detached vocals. Deerhunter is one of those bands, like Arcade Fire or LCD Soundsystem, that seems like there is indie judgement for liking them - as if it is too obvious of a choice but, frankly, it's damn good and worth every ounce of praise it receives. Heavy rotation. [www.halcyondigest.com]

I don't care what backlash may be involved in the following statement: I Like Sufjan Stevens. I can totally understand, and sympathize, with the feeling that he's more than a bit dramatic at times and has had way too much stock put into his career as being The Savior of Songwriting or The Next Big Hope for whatever bizarre reason... But he has consistently written interesting songs to my ears. I like that he's tackled some electronic base to this album and that he continues to embrace an epic platform from time to time (the album has a 25 minute song - it's not always great but it's 25 minutes.. so it certainly has some moments). Long story short, he's not my favorite artist of all time ever by any means but I don't see any reason not to let your Sufjan Love show through; he's making music worth listening to. [www.sufjan.com]

Not the style of music I typically queue up but occasionally you encounter an artist with the perfect voice to express a forlorn state of mind. These songs are sparse and full of legitimate heartbreak; the type you can't fake. Or, if she's faking the expression, she's doing a damn fine job of it. Great for a quiet night. []

Short run 7" recording of Conan doing what he does best, talking ridiculously. It's pretty much the perfect Halloween companion as he takes on the role of Dr. Frankenstein, speaking to his creation and explaining why he must act the way he does. I suggest picking this up before the season has passed. [store.thirdmanrecords.com]

Honestly one of the most un-Google-able band names I've encountered in a long long time but well worth it if you stumble across it. This Nashville duo is creating some excellent bedroom pop without relying on the tricks of the "chill wave" crowd. I can't tell if these are somber songs wrapped in a pop vibe or vice versa but it's a great balance. Here's to hoping they don't get overlooked in town.. it'd be a damn shame. [actionsongs.bandcamp.com]

I'll be honest, this album has a little bit of a gimmick to it. The recording process was done entirely without the aid of computers. All recording, mixing and mastering was done with tape machines. So, there's a sound and warmth to it that is automatically associated with that process. An almost nostalgic vibe for something brand new. The pop songs contained within are quite enjoyable on their own - nice harmonies, light rolling tempos and an overall pleasantness to it all. The production value gives it an extra little timelessness to it. Hopefully people give this one a whirl; it seems nice for any time of year. [www.myspace.com]

There are very few bands that I would describe as Hardcore or Metal that fit into my preferred musical repertoire. The Sword is one of them. Sometimes you need songs about Norse Gods, huge guitar riffs and a brutal onslaught of sound. Every good musical diet needs a dose of actual legitimate Hard Rock - no tongue in cheek maneuvers here. There's also a refreshing lack of aggro bravado to this that makes it even more enjoyable - the music is certainly masculine but unlike a lot of music in this vein there isn't an unbridled attack at you. Recommended. [www.swordofdoom.com]

In all honesty, I heard the title track from this and was so enamored I picked up the whole thing. The organ sound, the languid build, the sweet sound with macabre lyrics and Elson's voice are pretty much undeniable. I find the rest of the record enjoyable.. and it covers a lot of musical territory without over extending itself but, man, that first track is too good. [www.karenelson.com]

What can you say about The Books? They absolutely exist in their own genre. There are plenty of bands doing field recordings and found audio with beats... maybe even mixed with their own lyrics and vocals but the catch with The Books is that the two principle members are massively nerdy. Obviously, I say this with absolutely zero negativity - as it creates a sound and execution in their music that no one else comes close to. This album isn't my favorite of theirs but I can still easily say that its a record I enjoy listening to repeatedly; even if its just for pure fascination. [www.thebooksmusic.com]

Artsy electronic music courtesy of Anticon. Lots of beats, atmospheric sounds and glitches combined with faux falsetto vocals. While it sounds great there's also a slight bedroom production vibe to it with lots of enjoyable expletives left in from mastermind Will Wiesenfeld. This record has an odd balance between being lazily present and drivingly upbeat. I recommend it highly.. it's a record I listen to over and over. [www.myspace.com]

Nashville band that has been getting some good local press as of late. Their full-length debut is pretty much the kind of straightforward rock that has mostly been missing from my incoming music as of late. It's got a nice dark edge to it, the overall sound is huge and it's got an enjoyable driving energy to it. Reminds me of the kind of rock I listened to in the later part of the 90's but that's not a slight.. it's a familiar sound that I don't get enough of these days. [heartbeater.net]

Yea, that's right.. I bought the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack. And you know what else? I bought the SCORE too. Songs by Beck, Broken Social Scene, Nigel Godrich and a host of other quality bands. Why wouldn't someone get this? Even if you hated the movie - a entirely baffling concept - the soundtrack (and score) is a worthy listen. I realize this was created with someone like myself in mind - nerdy, into "indie" music and a sucker for effectively bridging gaps between worlds (graphic novel to movie, british director to american movie success, etc) - but I don't care. It worked. I really enjoy it. [www.amazon.com]

I will forever have a soft spot in my heart for the first DoE record for its off the cuff style and humor combined with heartfelt songs. This archive of the years between their official releases shows the band letting go of the humor and focusing in on the style that would define them with In Ear Park. It is incredible that a batch of demos and rejected songs are easily better than so much of the music that I subject myself to. I recall stealing 'Deadly Disclosure' off their myspace page years ago and listening to it obsessively.. I'm glad it, and its similar kin, have a proper home now. [www.departmentofeagles.com]

Did you hear the previous Budos Band releases? Yea, it sounds exactly like that: Bad. Ass. [www.thebudos.com]

Thanks to Postal Service there is a whole host of bands that embrace beat making and electronics to back up their pop songs; usually with stomach wrenching results (Owl City, I'm looking at you). Fortunately, there are bands like Jogger that break that stereotype and show how an electronic pop/rock record should be made - with layers of sound to discover and a smart usage of acoustic sounds peppered throughout. The lush harmonies are a nice touch but the duo isn't afraid to tear the vocals down into a distorted chaotic mess; a quality I highly appreciate. This is one of those gems that might go undiscovered by the indie rock masses but, if you're smart, you'll grab it and keep songs like Biss and Falling on repeat for days. [www.myspace.com]

I don't care if it's overly contrived or obvious or predictable but I completely agree with anyone that says this album is phenomenal. Much like Neon Bible it is best listened to as an entire piece but like Funeral it's got more of a fusion of upbeat songs with dark / macabre themes. Some have judged the subject matter of The Suburbs as being too adolescent but I feel like it's something that a large stock of people can relate to. These guys are three for three as far as I'm concerned. [www.arcadefire.com]