Gotye

This tune is actually a few years old, but Gotye lives in Australia, and like many awesome Australian things, it never seemed to make it off the continent. So here it is, along with its adorable video.

The Avett Brothers

Not only do I love sharing tunes, but I also love having tunes shared with me. This one was recommended to me by MLS, and I promptly started seeing The Avett Brothers all over the place. I predict that they will be huge. Ok, maybe not, but I bet you'll hear them on a show or two this fall.

I And Love And You - The Avett...

Julieta Venegas

It's hard not to love a girl who plays the accordion, and sings in Spanish to boot. Thanks to CS for introducing me to Julieta. She's pretty awesome.

Limón Y Sal - Julieta Venegas

Au Revoir Simone

These ladies kind of remind me of The Like (without guitar), but their music is a little airier and more background music-y. This song was apparently used in the Grey's Anatomy episode when Izzy and Alex got married (gag me), and it would've gone perfectly in Marie Antoinette.

Another Likely Story - Au Revo...

The Magnetic Fields

These guys have been around for years, and this tune off of their latest album is pretty hilarious.

Too Drunk to Dream - The Magne...

Malajube

Somehow I think you're dooming yourself when you name your band something like Malajube. If I knew how to speak French would I have an idea of how to pronounce that, because right now all I can think of is jujubees?

Montreal -40C - Malajube

Real Ones

The Redwood Plan

This song makes me think of Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You and her inclination toward angry girl music of the indie-rock persuasion. I mean, it's no Bikini Kills or The Raincoats, but it's not bad.

Something to Prove - The Redwo...

The Very Best

It seems a little ambitious to name your band The Very Best, but I suppose if you're talking about bands that sing in Chichewa (the national language of Malawi -- you learn something new everyday) then perhaps they are the very best.

Their album has quite the collection of tunes, which I guess is what you'd expect when you combine two DJs from England and a guy from Malawi, but I like this tune the best. Mainly because it features the lead singer of Vampire Weekend and pretty much sounds like Vampire Weekend, and since their album doesn't come out until next year, this will have to do for now.

Warm Heart of Africa (featurin...

Little Red

Like the rest of Australia, these guys seem a little behind the rest of the world. Granted Australia only runs a year or two behind and Little Red is a few decades behind, but whose counting. This little diddy is about Coke (Coca Cola that is, or Coca Coaler if you're an Aussie), and as an Atlanta girl I would love it even if it sucked. Gladly though, it does not.

Coca Cola - Little Red

Air Traffic

I have nothing witty, smart-assed (which is actually a real word btdubs), or interesting to say about Air Traffic or this song except that it is really good, and -- big surprise -- Brit pop/rock. But that's not even really interesting, much less witty or smart-assed. Oh well.

Listen: Never Even Told Me Her Name

The Hidden Cameras

I have one other The Hidden Cameras song called Awoo, so my first impression of them was that they are not a band for complex lyrics. But then I found myself wondering what the NA might be -- in the not applicable, or is it not available? in the National Archives? or perhaps in the Narcotics Anonymous? There are so many options. Clearly this song is way more complicated than I thought.

Be forewarned. The real song (i.e., something other than lamaze-esq breathing) in the linked video doesn't start for almost 2 minutes, but the video is hilariously random (if not slightly disturbing) and totally worth watching. Considering the lead singer of The Hidden Cameras once described their style as "gay church folk music," that's not totally surprising.

Listen: In The NA

fun.

I have mixed feelings about bands with punctuation in their name. Is it really necessary to add symbols to come up with a creative name? But, despite my general disdain for unnecessary punctuation (except the Oxford comma), I still saw Panic! At The Disco (who later decided they were too cool for the !) and have several Stellastarr* albums.

fun. is a new band formed by the lead singer of The Format. I suppose this song is pretty fun period. Is if Fun.? I don't know. You tell me. Either way, it's pretty damn catchy period.

Listen: All The Pretty Girls

The Lovell Sisters

I'm going to take a detour today into the bluegrass/country world. These Georgia girls are sisters (go figure) who have been playing together since they were really young. They're still pretty young and apparently really talented.

Listen: Time To Grow

The Maccabees

Here's another British band for ya. This tune is off their first album, not their most recent, and I think it has some of the oddest lyrics I've heard in a long time.

Listen: Latchmere