Months ago I agreed with Indie Mom that I would stay with her son, He Might Be Giant, this weekend while she and her husband are out of town at a wedding. You would think I was moving in permanently, I brought so much stuff. Even if her computer were working (sadly, it is not), I probably would have brought mine anyway.

So here I am, “baby-sitting” a child who is now taller than I am! He’s really fun to be with too. I am a lucky grandma to have such a close relationship with him.

Concrete Circles introduces us to Chapel Hill band North Elementary. Check out the earlier post called Your New Band; I tried these directions too, and my band is 2nd Parachute Brigade. I have definitely seen worse!

Its’ Hard to Find a Friend gives notice of the release date of David Bazan’s new album, Curse Your Branches, and a live version of the title song.

Agnes latest post at It All Started With Carbon Monoxide ponders what everyone is listening to when they’re out in public with their iPods and earbuds.

Marcy at Lost In Your Inbox features some new artists today too. She’s beaten me to posting Dan Mangan’s “Robots” and the Botticelli’s “Old Home Movies” but those tracks by Nuuro and Lalory are new to me, and the title of the Severed Limb’s track, “Are You Loathsome Tonight?” remixed by Lalory, made me LOL!

Vic at Muruch has a well-considered opinion regarding treatment of women in celebrity news, notably the lack of censure for Chris Brown’s battering of Rihanna. Sometimes the public would rather pretend such things don’t happen.

I have to agree with Can You See the Sunset that Kittens Ablaze is a band to watch. He’s also taking name suggestions for the new addition.

Here are a few notable highlights from my overflowing mailbox:

This oddly-named duo (plus your sister) from Vancouver deliver some amazingly infectious thrash.
Japandroids: Young Hearts Spark Fire from Post-Nothing (April 2009)
MySpace

Burning Codes is Paul Archer of Belfast, Ireland, whose soothing vocals contributed to Snow Patrol’s last album. He’s been opening up some shows for them.
Burning Codes: Cloak and Dagger from Burning Codes (2009)
MySpace | Website | Label: Indiecater Records | Buy

The title song of this MGMT-like Seattle band was recently a KEXP Song of the Day.
Dept of Energy: Faster from Faster (2009)
MySpace | Website | Label: Roam Records | Buy

In winter your bedmate often brings their dreaded “popsicle toes,” relatives of “icicle fingers.” This Chapel Hill, NC, artist releases his sophomore CD shortly.
Nathan Oliver: Icicles For Fingers from Cloud Animals (March 10, 2009)
MySpace | Website | Label: Pox World Empire | Buy

Dubious Ranger are San Francisco’s answer to Franz Ferdinand, with a wild west twist.
Dubious Ranger: Weapon from Uneasy Truce At The Watering Hole (2009, official release)
MySpace | Website | Label: The Nothing Room
Buy at Store, Amazon

Photo by alt-gramma: old, dead town

Filed under: blogs, finally friday, Burning Codes, Dept of Energy, Dubious Ranger, Japandroids, Nathan Oliver

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