A few things I've been treating my ears to (with some singles highlights for your downloaders):
--And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, World's Apart. I was pleasantly surprised to see these guys pop up in MVP 2005. A very good album, although not as good as their last. Fuses the energy of punk with the structure of Pink Floyd, down to the "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" female vocals. The title track and "The Rest Will Follow" are particularly good.
--Interpol, Antics. This is what 80s retro rock is supposed to sound like. "Evil" and "Slow Hands" mesh drum beats and guitar riffs perfectly.
--The Mobius Band, City vs. Country EP. One of the best music tips I've ever gotten from Entertainment Weekly. Bloopy electronic pop like The Postal Service, but with guitars that give the tracks an extra bite. Check out the title track and "Starts Off With a Bang."
--Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I heard "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone" and downloaded a bunch of tunes from their Web site. Very energetic, a bit raw in parts, but also very melodic in a Clash sort of way. You should definitely check out the Rude Boys track and the sweeping "Biomusicology."
--The Jam, boxed set. The Ted Leo discovery got me back into a Jam kick (thanks to a cover of "Ghosts."). After The Clash, I think these guys were the greatest band to come out of the UK punk scene. They were the only ones who completely changed and expanded their sound without losing their edge or running up against musical limitations. I am enough of a fan to own the boxed set, but check out "That's Entertainment," "In the City," and "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight."
