Philly six-piece Audible recently released their latest EP “Isolette”, which as of this writing you can still download for free here – but move fast, as I’ve been assured that’s only temporary. In fact, you might want to do that now, and have these great new tunes as a companion for the review. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.

Have a little music group and can’t decide on a name? Lucky for you, we’ve thought up a bunch of ORIGINAL BAND NAMES just for you. To take one of our fabulous free monikers, just write in the “Comments” and tell us why you deserve it and where you’re from. Rock On!

Cursive

The pride of Omaha is back and Tim Kasher’s voice has never sounded better. Beautiful!

Download: “From The Hips” [MP3]

Website: www.cursivearmy.com

Vally Lodge

Heaping helping of power pop served with a side of awesomeness.

Download: Baby It’s a Shame [MP3]

Website: www.valleylodgemusic.com

Lukestar

Highly-inventive and super catchy indie rock from Oslo, Norway.

Download: White Shade [MP3]

Website: www.lukestar.com

What are your music guilty pleasures? Best Comment wins a book. Please comment on website. Every so often something sneaks through that many might consider “odd,” “not what I expected,” or “okay, this is so weak!” In the spirit of sharing, here are some chinks in my rarely-battered platemail armor (I got hit points to spare, my friends).

The average life span of a song on my Nano’s “Heavy Rotation” playlist is about a week, then I clean house and load up some more goodness. (Gotta keep my cardio-funk-tae-bo workouts fresh, am I right, ladies?) A few fantastic tunes did manage to avoid the old heave-ho due to their brilliance and I’d like [...]

Blake is Back, Jawbreaker Fans Rejoice

Guest: Beer talk with John Ceccatti. Topics: Beer, What’s in Beer?, Cheap Beers vs. Quality Beers, Head Soccer, Czechs LOVE beer, Todd’s Wrong Beer Info, Session Beers, Beer Flights, Philly Breweries and Bars, Jeff’s blackout in Belgium, Eating bags of Barley and Malt. Playlist: The Actual Facts, Parts & Labor, Shugo Tokumaru, Auxes, Passion Pit. [...]

Jesse Malin has been a part of the New York alt-rock music scene for just about twenty years, beginning as a teenager with the hardcore band Heart Attack. In the 90’s, he gained widespread notoriety as front man for the glam-punk band D Generation. These days he has a fresh new sound and has just [...]

Stressed? Anxious? Angry? Calm down, Sweetie. Enjoy some hypnotic electronic gold by our favorite protean German band, The Notwist. The new CD “The Devil, You + Me” out now on Domino Records.

Go forth and download:

MP3: “Good Lies” (Enter email and click link to download Zip file).

Video: Here’s a brilliant and touching vid for “Pick [...]

The best-reviewed band of the past ten years, The Hold Steady, has a new album coming out next week, but you lucky folks can hear the whole thing right now on MySpace. It’s called Stay Positive and it sounds quite fabulous.

Back in 2004, I called the band an “acquired taste,” but their sound has grown [...]