It's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!1. Rex Aquarium - "Alicia"
If you like Kings of Leon, but kind of sort of wish they were much more indie -- and decidedly less southern (what's left, right?) -- here's the band for you.
2. Pollen - "Caramel"
Pop punk gets a bad rap when you consider songs like this. The rest of the time, though, that "rap" is 85 percent** accurate.
3. Atmosphere - "RFTC"
Hey, remember when Atmosphere opened its current nationwide tour with a two-night stand at Pizza Luce in Duluth? That was awesome. (p.s. Does anyone else hear a sample from the "Grand Theft Auto" series in this track -- perhaps the theme to "San Andreas" in its entirety?) (p.p.s. "Sunshine," another excellent track from the "Sad Clown Bad Summer" EP, is available for free at Rhymesayers.com.)
4. Aqualung - "Somebody to Love" (Queen cover)
Great song, fairly note-by-note reading. (p.s. "Baby Goodbye," a "Still Life" bonus track -- that wasn't actually on the album -- is available for free at Aqualung's official site.)
5. Rogue Wave - "Chicago X 12"
It's reassuring that Rogue Wave hasn't changed a bit from Album No. 1 -- few bands sacrifice growth for consistency ... while this isn't always a good thing (rarely, in fact), it just works. (p.s. Another new track, "Lake Michigan," available at Spin.com.)
6. Death in Vegas - "Ein for Die Damen (This One's for the Ladies)" (listen here)
The best example of a "wordless sound poem." Ha ha ha....
7. Beulah - "Waiting for Sunset"
Why was this cut from "The Coast is Never Clear"? Makes no sense: A perfect addition to an otherwise-perfect album (which was probably the only ray of sunshine on 9/11).
8. Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers - "4th Street Moon" (listen here)
Listen, if my wife likes this band, you probably will too.
9. Of Montreal - "She's My Best Friend" (Velvet Underground cover)
I miss the '60s ... oh, wait.
10. Matthew Good Band - "Everything is Automatic"
I love The Onion, but a recent A.V. Club feature on Canadian rock failed to mention the Matthew Good Band and all of its frontman's genius output.
11. Donovan - "Riki Tiki Tavi"
I like the silliness, I do.
12. Fleetwood Mac - "That's Enough for Me"
"Yeah-uh, yeah-uh, yeah-uh, yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"
13. Arcade Fire - "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" (live at First Avenue)
Excellent show. Wish I had been there....
Oh, well, we can all live vicariously through free MP3s and How Was the Show's review.
14. Ashley MacIsaac - "The Devil in the Kitchen"
I don't know about the kitchen, but the devil* was certainly ... at Pawn America this weekend. (I really didn't have a joke to go here, so I'm linking to something I posted on Perfect Duluth Day. Copout, I know.)
15. Battershell - "Bee Song" (listen here)
For fans of the Kelley Deal 6000, a million-odd female-fronted mid-'90s "alternative" bands and, to a lesser extent, Syrup USA.
16. The Spitfires - "Hooligans"
I can't honestly remember where this song is from, but I will say fans of the Dropkick Murphys probably won't be disappointed.
17. The Enkindels - "Just Another Sell Out" (listen here)
Who, me? I will have you know that the Budgeteer's upcoming "Discover Duluth" ad campaign featuring yours truly was not my idea!
18. Spirit of the West - "Home for a Rest"
Forget what I said about the Spitfires -- this jubilant track sounds practically tailormade for DM fans worldwide.
19. The Blue Aeroplanes - "Anti-Pretty" (listen here)
A little dated, but enjoyable nonetheless.
20. Cole Marquis - "The Landing Lights are Always On"
America's answer to Sondre Lerche? Not quite, but you can do a lot worse than Cole Marquis.
21. The Candy Skins - "Black and Blue"
Hey, remember the early '90s? This one'll bring you right back!
*Or at least a few of those pesky gremlins....
**At least -- but I'm certainly no betting man.
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