Jeff Mangum - Two-Headed Boy (live at the Knitting Factory, NYC, in 1998)

Wow. The intensity that is Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel. No wonder people throw fits every time he appears to sing backup at an Olivia Tremor Control or Elf Power show. Come back Jeff!

Girls - Lust for Life

You have to hand it to San Francisco's Girls. With perhaps the least Google-able band name possible, they have nonetheless ascended to the top of the search results. This song is a good example of their retro sound. They most often get compared to the Beach Boys and are certainly as melodic but also much noisier. Right now the band is famous mostly for its frontman Christopher Owens' (right, above) having grown up in the cult Children of God.

Note: this is not an Iggy Pop cover!

Girls - Lust for Life (from 2009's Album)

Lou Barlow - Gravitate

Catchy single from Lou's new solo record. He is the bass player and writes the introspective lyrics for Dinosaur, Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion.

MP3 Lou Barlow - Gravitate (from 2009's Goodnight Unknown)

Here We Go Magic - Fangela

Here We Go Magic is the moniker of young singer-songwriter Luke Temple from magical Salem, Massachusetts, who also performs under his own name.

MP3 Here We Go Magic - Fangela (from 2009's Here We Go Magic)

The Antlers - Two

It's been TOO LONG since we've featured a new Brooklyn band, so here are the Antlers with the tune Sirius XMU's been playing off their 2009 LP, Hospice. Record gets an 8.5 from Pitchfork.

MP3 The Antlers - Two (from 2009's Hospice)

Holy Fuck - Lovely Allen

I know this is old (2007) and already a car commercial, but the song just keeps sounding better and better to me. From Toronto, these guys use real instruments and children's toys to make electronic-sounding sounds without using computers. Pretty cool!

Holy Fuck - Lovely Allen (from 2007's LP)

Vampire Weekend - Horchata

Because I just love it and can't wait for the new album! (Bert's birthday, January 12th)...

MP3 Vampire Weekend - Horchata (from 2010's Contra)