First up is the Australian band Cut Copy with their song "Going Nowhere" from their new release Bright Like Neon Love (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music), it's an album that sounds like a cross between Daft Punk and the best songs to come out of 80's new wave. In other words they sound like what VHS or Beta wish they sounded like. Then we enjoyed "Eros' Entropic Tundra" by Of Montreal from their latest release Satanic Panic in the Attic (Amazon, Other Music) which is one of my (many) favorite records of 2004. Next was Bill Withers' classic R&B tune "Use Me" which can be found all number of places, including his greatest hits (iTunes, Amazon). And finally on the show, an uncommon "sound in my head": Country Music. And I don't mean some classy old-school country or some quality rockabilly. I'm talking schlocky, over produced, "young country." But in this case, it's music for a good cause, and while I'm almost ashamed to admit it, I actually kinda like the song. After a few listens it really did grow on me (like a fungus no doubt). Check out Honky Tonkers for Truth and their song "Takin' My Country Back." Available on their website, and perhaps even heard on some mainstream country stations... I wouldn't know.

First up is the delightful return of Fatboy Slim with "Don't Let the Man Get You Down" from his brand new Palookaville (iTunes, Amazon). It's a really good new record that offers something for anyone who's ever liked a previous Fatboy Slim song. Next we heard "These Things Take Time" by the New Zealand act The Brunettes from their album Mars Loves Venus (website). Then Sweden's The Concretes did "You Can't Hurry Love" from their new self-titled album (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then Rilo Kiley did "It's a Hit" from their new album More Adventurous (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Normally that would be all, but since I liked it so much there's a bonus Fatboy Slim song from Palookaville, we heard "The Journey" which features Lateef. This episode is admittedly a bit Fatboy Slim-centric, but what can I say? I love Fatboy Slim. It won't happen again anytime soon, I promise. More diversity coming next week.This week show features a "news update" from The Majority Report with Sam Seder & Janeane Garofalo from Air America Radio, which you can download in full from Air America Place.

First up is Norway's St. Thomas with his great song "An Artist with a Brilliant Disguise" from his album Let's Grow Together - The Comeback of St. Thomas (Amazon UK, Other Music). Next up was former Belle & Sebastian member Isobel Campbell's old band The Gentle Waves with the incredibly great song "Falling from Grace" from their record Swansong for You (Amazon UK (cheaper than in the US), Amazon). Then we heard New York City's Mascott with her song "Martyr's Tune" from her recent album Dreamer's Book (Amazon, Other Music). And finally this week we heard the west coast's Inouk with a rockin' song called "James Bond" from their Search for the Bees EP (iTunes).

First up is Australia's folky-indie success story The Waifs with "Love Serenade" from their last album Sink or Swim (Amazon). They have a brand new album, and they're playing in the U.S. right now, so check 'em out. Then the Swiss band LiLiPUT did "Do You Mind My Dream" which can be found on their re-released Complete Recordings 2-disc set (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Next was Brooklyn's indie-Latin act Cordero with their song "Nacimieneto" from their most recent album Somos Cordero (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). And lastly we heard Autamata with his song "Jive County" from his new album My Sanctuary (Autamata's site, Amazon UK).

First up the UK indie darlings Saloon did their song "Happy Robots" from their 2003 album If We Meet in the Future (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Then one of my favorite 50's folk rockers Jimmie Rodgers did "Kisses are Sweeter Than Wine" which I got from his Rhino collection (Amazon). Next up was California's Call & Response with their great feel-good song "Rollerskate" from their 2001 self-titled album (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). They have a new album out, but it doesn't have the same great vibe that their first one did. Listen to it in iTunes and see for yourself. Lastly we heard Finland's legendary act The Leningrad Cowboys with their cover the The Turtles' "Happy Together", from their album Happy Together (Amazon).

(A SPECIAL CLASSICAL/ROCK CONVERGENCE EPISODE). First up Arthur Fiedler conducts the Boston Pops and does a glorious rendition of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" from the remastered Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Play The Beatles (iTunes, Tower). Then Dallas' Polyphonic Spree, who combine classical orchestrations and rock music in a most creative way on ever song, show off their skills with "One Man Show" from their new album Together We're Heavy (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Next was Elvis Costello with "Pluck One" from his debut album as a orchestral music composer called Il Sogno, which comes out next week. It features music composed by Elvis Costello, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the London Symphony Orchestra, you can download one track from it early from iTunes, or pre-order it from Amazon. Lastly we heard Steven Avila's classical version of Weezer's "Photograph" which he released on a CD of orchestrated Weezer songs. Mysteriously, this CD has vanished from the internet making it hard/impossible to obtain. You can find the weezerclassicalcd.com website in the wayback machine, and perhaps if you email the address on that site (deadytes@cs.com) you can still buy it directly from him or something. In the meantime, I'm just posting the song so you can download it. It's a 192k MP3 file.

First up Norway's Kings of Convenience start us off with "I'd Rather Dance with You" from their new album Riot on an Empty Street (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) which is a little more Belle & Sebastian than Simon & Garfunkel. Then, what sounds like a modern day Nico, the band Midnight Movies did "Blue Babies" from their debut album which is self-titled (iTunes, Amazon). Next up was Liverpool's Clinic with the song "August" from their new album Winchester Cathedral which is good, and sounds a lot like other Clinic records (Amazon, Other Music). And finally Monty Python's Eric Idle with his new "FCC Song" which has lots of F-bombs, but is fantastic... AND it's a FREE download. So go get it now! ... or, listen to this episode, and then go ge it!

(A SPECIAL POLITICAL EPISODE) The RNC has come to NYC, and on Wompedy Day no less! What better way to celebrate than with A special political episode of Tthe Sounds in My Head? With the Republicans spewing their sanitized-for-prime-time bile out of our fare city, and with the 8th anniversary of Wompedy Day (a sanctioned day for the activist club with which Daniel is affiliated) it seems like a good week to devote an episode to political songs. So first up from the brand new compilation The Future Soundtrack for America (all proceeds of the disc go to progressive causes) we heard OK Go's cover of the Zombies song "This Will Be Our Year" (iTunes, Amazon, MoveOn.org, McSweeny's). This disc also includes songs by David Byrne, Death Cab for Cutie, R.E.M., Elliott Smith, They Might Be Giants, Tom Waits, Blink 182, Laura Cantrell, Ben Kweller, The Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Old 97's among others. As you can see, this is a MUST BUY. Then Billy Bragg and Wilco paired up for the RNC appropriate song "All You Fascists" from their Woody Guthrie covers album Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2 (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). This song is heard nightly on The Majority Report with Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder on Air America Radio, which you can listen to at your leisure by downloading mp3s from Air America Place. Next we heard the awesome feminist indie greatness that is Le Tigre with their song "Get Off the Internet" (a fitting tune for this week of protesting) from their EP From the Desk of Mr. Lady (iTunes, Amazon (new & used), Other Music). And finally Ben Folds' from his new-but-not-quite-newest EP Sunny 16 with his most political song to date "All U Can Eat" about, among other things, republicans (iTunes).

(A SPECIAL LOUISIANA EPISODE!) First up the under heard indie band The Essex Green with their catchy little ditty "New Orleans" from their out-of-print Fabulous Day EP. Since you can't get that EP easily, check out their great new album The Long Goodbye (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then, born and raised in Ruston, Louisiana, Jeff Magnum's rightfully lauded low-fi band Neutral Milk Hotel hasn't released anything in a while, but we feature "The King of Carrot Flowers (Pt. 1)" from their awesome 1998 album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Going back to 1986 for a song hardly obscure enough to warrant being on The Sounds in My Head, if it weren't so great and so perfect for listening to in Louisiana. That's right Paul Simon's "That was Your Mother" from his classic album Graceland (iTunes, Amazon). Then another oldie-but-goodie, this one even older. The near perfect Fats Domino and his "Walkin' to New Orleans" which is available on many Fats' collections (Amazon). It should be noted that no record collection is complete without at least one Fats Domino collection. And as a special bonus in this week's show, since all the songs were short, and it seemed lame to have such a short show, there's a special bonus rarity featured. One half of Brooklyn's Musical Ambassadors of Love, They Might Be Giants, singer / song-writer / accordionist / horn player / keyboardist / etc. John Linnell released a disc called State Songs (iTunes, Amazon) in 1999, and along with it a die-cut green record single for the song "Montana." The b-side was "Louisiana." As far as I know this track is not available anywhere anymore. I feel bad putting things in the show that you can't actually obtain, but if you want it, I'm sure you can find it on eBay or something.

First up New York City house DJ Armand Van Helden has a new mix cd out called New York: A Mix Oddessy which is where we find the song "Hear My Name" which features Spalding Rockwell (iTunes for the EP, Amazon for the album). Next up Brooklyn's own One Ring Zero did a typical Klezmer influenced song called "The Wandering Dance" from their album Memorandom (iTunes, their website). Then singer/songwriter/rapper Don McCloskey did his very funny — if offensive — "The King of Discount Ho's" from his album Bombs Over Bristol (CD Baby). And finally we finished up this episode with a Bossa Nova tune called "This is Where We Live" by Washington, DC's Camping (aka Chessie) from their newest album Suburban Shore (iTunes, Amazon, or Other Music).

First up Dallas' ex-pop-punk Lucy Loves Schroeder did a awesome cover of "Then He Kissed Me" from their terrific album Lucy is a Band which can still be ordered (from Amazon) despite the band's break-upage. Lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Sara Radle has some fun solo stuff to check out, so you can continue getting your fix of girl-rock-quality. Then New York's own I am the World Trade Center did "Going Underground " from their new, not very good, album The Cover Up (note: there's no evidence in the lyrics that they are making reference to the 9/11 Commission's report) which can be had via iTunes of at Amazon or Other Music (they also have an exlusive EP in iTunes). Next was the not-officially-dead Moog Cookbook with their cover of "Sweet Home Alabama" from their quirky Moog Cookbook Plays All Your Classic Rock Favorites album which is at Amazon. And lastly we heard San Diego's Pinback with "Tripoli" from their self-titled, and best album (which is in iTunes or at Amazon).

First up Ann Arbor Michigan's Dykehouse with their song "Lost Holiday" which sounds like it belongs on the Lost in Translation Soundtrack, but can actually be found on their new album Midrange (which you can get some of in iTunes, or the whole thing from Amazon). Then we heard the musical perfection that was Combustible Edison with their song "Cat O'Nine Tails" from their final album The Impossible World (which is in iTunes, or at Other Music or Amazon). Next was the shout-singing charmers DQE with their two, short songs "Go Bananas" and "Cigarette Song," both from their 2001 album Queen of Mean (which Amazon carries). And finally Koufax did "Bright Side" from their hit-and-miss-but-best-to-date effort Social Life (which is all up in iTunes, and also at Amazon and Other Music). They have a new album coming out August 11th, so if you dig "Bright Side," be on the looky for that one.

First up Iceland's Apparat Organ Quartet with their song "Stereo Rock & Roll" from their new self-titled debut album, which sounds more like Daft Punk or VHS or Beta than Sigur Rós or Múm, you can order this album from Amazon. Then we heard New York City's The Hong Kong with "Galaxies" from their debut EP Rock the Faces which you can get at Other Music or from Truthflies. Next was California's Dios with "Starting Five" from their self-titled album which you can get from Amazon. And finally Sweeden's Club 8 did "A Place in My Heart" from their self-titled album, which is easy to find, in iTunes or at Amazon. They also have a newer album, Strangely Beautiful, which is quite good, and can be gotten in iTunes or from Other Music or Amazon.

As promised a few weeks ago, we open with Amelia Fletcher's new band Tender Trap and their song "That Girl" from their album Film Molecules (which you can get at Other Music, or of course on Amazon, the lone song, sans album, is available in iTunes). Next new wave infused Nebraskan's The Faint with "Glass Danse" from their intriguing album Danse Macabre (which you can get from iTunes, Other Music, or Amazon). Then long-time quality output duo They Might Be Giants John and John dished out "Museum of Idiots" which is my favorite song from their hot off the presses new album The Spine, which should not be missed. You can get it in iTunes or you can download high quality mp3s for .99¢ a song from their artist owned and operated mp3 store, or the actual CD can be found at Amazon or other fine retail establishments. Lastly Los Angeles indie country band Rilo Kiley with "The Execution of All Things" from their album The Execution of All Things which can be found in iTunes, Other Music, or Amazon. And be on the look out for a new album coming out in August.

First, classic reggae/ska artist Phyllis Dillon does her take on the even more classic "Perfidia" which is on a number of albums, namely Midnight Confessions. You can get the import album I have from Amazon, or you can pay .99¢ and download the track from a compilation in iTunes, where they have many other good versions of "Perfidia" as well. Next was London's Hefner with their song "The Day That Thatcher Dies" from their great 2000 album We Love the City which you can get in iTunes, at Amazon, or from Other Music. Then we heard East Lansing Michigan's Wally Pleasant with the song "I was a Teenage Republican" from his incredibly great 1992 album Welcome to Pleasantville which can be attained by sending monies to Wally's Miranda Records. Lastly The Incredible Moses Leroy (featuring Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto) played "The Color of Sky" from his latest album The Soft.Lightes (iTunes, Amazon), which is good, but not as good as his Electric Pocket Radio (iTunes, Amazon).Due to the passing of Ronald Reagan, this weeks episode features a special Bill Hicks interlude.

Up first the Auckland, New Zealand indie outfit The Brunettes with "The Record Store" from their brand spankin' new Mars Loves Venus, which you can and should order directly from the label. Next up Detroit's low-fi specialists Slumber Party were remixed in all the right ways resulting in "Electronic Boots Remix: Brown Rice vs. Young Soul Rebels Sound System" from the Kill Rock Stars (less than stellar) compilation Tracks and Fields which is at Other Music or Amazon (the non-remixed version is from their album 3, which is all up in iTunes Music Store and at Amazon or Other Music). Then Dallas' 24 member, sight-to-be-seen, gown-clad, super-group The Polyphonic Spree dropped "Hold Me Now" from their soon-to-be-released (July 11th) Together We're Heavy which is a much better "album" than their previous The Beginning Stages Of..., and is a *must buy* as soon as it comes out (Amazon is taking pre-orders). Lastly Dean Wareham's band Luna with "Astronaut" from their 2003 EP Close Cover Before Striking which is at Amazon and Other Music. They have a new album coming out in September, so watch for that.In celebration of Independence Day, this weeks episode features a special David Cross interlude.

(Special all soundtrack episode) This episode features songs you can only easily attain on soundtracks for good movies! We start with Happy End's song "Kaze Wo Atsumete" from the marvelous Lost in Translation soundtrack, which also features Air, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain and other great bands (Amazon, Other Music). Then Beck does a great cover of Korgis', "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometimes," thus far only out on the soundtrack to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which has some other great eclectic selections as well as the score by Jon Brion (Amazon). Thirdly Nancy Jacobs & Sisters did "Meadowlands" from the awesome Amandala! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony documentary soundtrack that has incredible stuff by Vusi Mahlasela as well as other vital South African acts (Amazon). And finally Marty & Elaine from the L.A. night club The Dresden did their lounge cover of the Bee Gee's "Stayin' Alive" from the Swingers Too soundtrack (Amazon) which isn't as good as the first Swingers soundtrack but does has some gems by Willie Nelson and Paul Anka among others.

We start with Britain's Heavenly and their twee classic "Mark Angel" from their 1996 Operation Heavenly; which you can get from Amazon, or Other Music. They have since split up, but Tender Trap (who will likely at some point be heard on The Sounds in My Head) has sprung up in their stead, and is great. Then Norway's classic rock influenced The Jessica Fletchers did "You Can Have Japan" from their American-debut album What Happened to The?, which is an inspired record worthy of purchase... from, say, Amazon or and you can listen to samples and download it via iTunes. The third slot is a new group from, not Finland, but Australia called Architecture in Helsinki (just to be confusing), who did their song "Fumble" from their album Fingers Crossed, which you can pick up from Amazon, Other Music, or from iTunes. And lastly the all-but-Top-40-at-this-point New Mexico act The Shins did "Saint Simon" from their second (and most recent) album Chutes Too Narrow, which I would HIGHLY recommend buying from Amazon, Other Music or iTunes either before or after you buy their first amazing album Oh, Inverted World.

First up Britain's Electrelane with "Only One Thing is Needed" from their album The Power Out, which you can get at Amazon, Other Music, or the iTunes Music Store. Then another British band Cornershop and their song "Sleep on the Left Side" from their album When I Was Born for the 7th Time, which is available in the iTunes Store, as well as at Amazon and Other Music. Next was New York's own Yellow Note, with their new song "Naked, Drunk, and Horny" from their 2003 debut album We Love Everyone, which is all up in Amazon. And we finished out this batch of sounds in my head with another New York artist, in many ways the polar opposite of Yellow Note, it was WFMU's Radio Thrift Shop host and satin voiced Laura Cantrell with her song "Do You Ever Think of Me" from her 2000 album Not the Tremblin' Kind (Amazon or Other Music), check out her newer album which is even better, called When the Roses Bloom Again, at Amazon or Other Music.

Canada's The Russian Futurists with "Precious Metals" from Let's Get Ready to Crumble, which you can buy on Amazon, or you can try to get this Spanish two-albums-on-one-disc release from somewhere like Other Music. Then another Canadian act, The Hidden Cameras did "Ban Marriage" from their most recent album The Smell of Our Own, which can be bought from Amazon or Other Music. Then Chicago's Bobby Conn did "Never Get Ahead" from his 1997 self-titled album, and is available at Amazon. And we ended the show with German art-rock super group Stereo Total's song "L'amour á 3" from their 2001 album Musique Automatique, which can of course be bought from Amazon (used), Other Music, or conveniently from the iTunes store.

The Magnetic Fields with “I Don’t Believe You” from i, which you can get from Amazon, Other Music, or iTunes. Then, A Band of Bees did “No Trophy” from Sunshine Hit Me, buy their reggae/indie/jazz quality action from Amazon or Other Music. We also played Of Montreal's song “Disconnect the Dots” from their new album Satanic Panic in the Attic, which is well worth the purchase from Amazon or Other Music. And finally, we played Erlend Øye's new song “The Black Keys Work” which can be found on the 12” single or on the iTunes (only) EP. A (worse) remix can be found on his just out DJ Kicks (Amazon, Other Music).