Zooey Deschanel

More like zomg. Zooey plays She to his Him (or something) in the band She & Him. Below is a link to their video for Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? It might be the best video of 2008.

She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?

Sophisticated Disco

I may be way late on this but better late than never... Hercules and Love Affair dropped their eponymous debut album last March and it's the best disco I've heard since The Avalanches' Since I Left You. If you haven't heard, Hercules and Love Affair is a music project from New York's DJ Andy Butler. Nomi Ruiz, Kim Ann Foxman and Antony Hegarty (lead vocalist in Antony & The Johnsons) provide amazing vocals over Butler's uptempo disco beats. It is interesting to note that Butler, Hegarty and Foxman are gay and Ruiz has undergone gender reassignment surgery. Butler says of the project and its namesake,

"There were myths in classical times that told stories about [Hercules'] various love affairs. He was reputed to love both men and women. I took the name after a story about Hercules and one of his specific lovers. I mean, I was just fascinated by the fact that, in classical times, the strongest man on Earth might have also been in love with a man and be heartbroken by a man, y'know? I thought it was an interesting detail."

Below is a link to the video for the second single from the album, which happened to be Pitchfork's "Best Song Of 2008".

Hercules and Love Affair - Blind

Lo-Fi

OK, so I recently discovered Bee Thousand, the breakout album by Lo-Fi pioneers, Guided By Voices. This is probably the best Indie Rock album you've never heard. They put out several albums during the 80's and 90's however, it wasn't until the release of Bee Thousand in 1994 that the band really got any critical attention. The album has since been hailed as a masterpiece, and is considered among the most important alternative rock albums of the 1990s. But don't take my word for it, go buy this album. You will not be disappointed. Check out Tractor Rape Train.

Math Rock

So, I'm now obsessed with female guitar virtuoso, Marnie Stern. She plays a unique blend of pop, punk, and math rock that I can't stop listening to. Her latest album, This Is It & I Am It & You Are It & So Is That & He Is It & She Is It & It Is It & That Is That (yeah, its that long) was released in late 2008 but I just now got around to listening to it. Apparently she has tons of accolades for her guitar skills but either way, this album rocks. Below is my favorite track off the album.

Marnie Stern - Simon Says

Endtroducing.....

In a few moments you will have an experience which will seem completely real. It will be the result of your subconscious fears transformed to your conscious awareness. You have five seconds to terminate this tape. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.