(SPECIAL EGYPT EPISODE!!) I'm on vacation in Egypt right now, so you know what that means... First up, New York DJ Nickodemus did "Cleopatra in New York" from his album Endangered Species (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Next England's original new wave standard bearers The Cure with a really early track from their second album Boys Don't Cry (iTunes, Amazon) called "Fire in Cairo". Then Egypt's own Ali Hassan Kuban did "Mabruk" which can be found on, among other things, From Nubia to Cairo (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Next cult-favorite 60's girl-group The Tammys did "Egyptian Shumba" which an be found on a collection of theirs called Egyptian Shumba: The Singles and Rare Recordings 1962-1964 (Amazon). Then Canada's Hot Hot Heat did "In Cairo" from their 2002 album Make Up the Breakdown (iTunes, Amazon). Next UK physicist and didgeridoo street busker Dr. Graham Wiggins aka Dr. Didg did "King Tut" from his album Out of the Woods (iTunes, Amazon). Then Michigan's indie folk hero Wally Pleasant did "Cleopatra" from his 2nd-most recent album Hoedown (internets). And finally the UK's Phil Thornton and Hossan Ramzy did "On the Road to Alexandria" from their album Enchanted Egypt (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). This episode features clips from the movies Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Marie Antoinette.

(SPECIAL SEASON 4 PREMIERE, EXTRA-LONG, MULITi-SONG-BY-EACH-BAND EPISODE!) First up, two songs from the self-titled debut album by Kentucky's Ideal Free Distribution (eMusic, Amazon). We heard "Saturday Drive" and "Elegant Sunbeam". Next up, my new neighbor here in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (by way of Albuquerque, New Mexico), and a very exciting new band: Beirut. We heard two versions of the same song, "Scenic World." The first being the version from the debut album Gulag Orkestar (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon), and the next from the Lon Gisland EP (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon), which is much more representative of their David-Bern-meets-Eastern-Europe sound. Then we heard the only two songs I actively like from Georgia natives and TSiMH favorites Of Montreal's new album Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). We heard "A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger" and "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse". And finally we heard three of my favorite songs from the debut album Belles & Missiles (iTunes, CD Baby) by a new band (also from Athens) whose name is as good as their music: Ice Cream Socialists. First "Zagnut's Revenge", then the Paquabell-esque "Luv Dem Cannonballz", and finally "Day of the Danny".This episode features clips from comedian Jeff Caldwell, comedian Tom Mabe, and the movie Bulworth (Amazon).

(SPECIAL BONUS F-TRAIN/PARK SLOPE EPISODE!) With Daniel and Kelli moving from their lovely brownstone abode in Park Slope (right off the F-Train) to a new loft in Williamsburg, it's time for a special F-Train/Park Slope episode. First the outstanding nearby old-timey western/bluegrass outfit known as The Cobble Hillbillies (an awesome name for a western band based in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn) did their ode to our shared connection to the world: the "F-Train" from their self-titled debut EP (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Next another local band who plays a lot on the F-Train and various platforms around Brooklyn called The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn did an old favorite standard of mine "I'll Fly Away" from their album Good Night Harry. Then Park Slope and Williamsburg based, TSiMH favorites The Might Be Giants did "Brooklyn" which name-checks both the F and the L trains, as well as the Gowanus Canal (respek!), from their Venue Songs album (TMBG digital store). Next the late great Elliott Smith did the song "Bled White" about riding the F-Train from his album XO (iTunes, Amazon). Then ex-Soul Cougher Mike Doughty did "Thank You, Lord, for Sending Me the F Train" from his double-album Skittish / Rockity Roll (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Then Ben Kweller (who lives down the street) did a song called "My Apartment" about his, well, apartment, and taking the F to and from it, found on his album On My Way (iTunes, Amazon). And finally my favorite Death Cab for Cutie song and one of the most listened to songs in my iTunes circa 2001-02, about the final destination of Brooklyn-bound F-Trains "Coney Island", from their The Photo Album (iTunes, Amazon). This episode features a clip from Bill Hicks talking about his apartment in NYC from his album Love, Laughter, and Truth (iTunes, Amazon).

(LAST NORMAL EPISODE OF THE YEAR!) First up New York City-based Asobi Seksu (a name that is Japanese slang for 'playful sex') did "New Years" from their fantastic album Citrus (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Then a flash-back from last year this time, New York City's Nellie McKay's new album Pretty Little Head (iTunes, Amazon) is FINALLY out having been back-burnered for a year, and we heard "Food" from it. Next we heard a great Eugene Chadbourne cover by TSiMH favorite Luna called "Happy New Year" from their recent covers collection Lunafied (iTunes). And finally we heard a couple of tracks from the forthcoming, totally awesome album from Portland's The Shins called Wincing the Night Away (iTunes, Amazon). First we heard "Australia" followed by "Phantom Limb", the ladder being the first single (iTunes, Amazon) which is available now.

(SPECIAL EXTRA-LONG, CHRISTMAS EPISODE!) First up a fantastic christmas vs. Depeche Mode mashup by DJ Tabernacle called "Enjoy the Silent Night" from a 35 track free christmas sampler from Michigan's Suburban Sprawl records. Download the whole glorious thing here. Next the UK's The Late Greats did a version of probably my favorite xmas song "Sleigh Ride" from another great new compilation called It's Not Like Christmas (iTunes). Then from TSiMH favorite, Sweden's Jens Lekman did "Run Away with Me" from his extremely limited release USA October 2005 tour EP. Next novelty songster Bob Rivers did a great parody of The Carpenters rendition of 'Sleigh Ride' called "Flu Ride" from his album Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire (iTunes, Amazon). Then the UK's Holly Golightly did "Christmas Tree On Fire" from her new EP by the same name (iTunes). Next Ingo Star Cruiser (feat. Gaby Fröden) did a quality cover of another of my favorite xmas songs, Low's "Just Like Christmas" this version found on the afore mentioned It's Not Like Christmas (iTunes). Then another TSiMH favorite, DJ Rx did "Happy RxMas and a Whole Lotta Love" from his free totally awesome album thepartyparty, which you used to be able to download for free from his site, or buy in physical form, which I hope you did. And finally, yet another TSiMH favorite, Belle & Sebastian did "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" which can be found on their single for it in eMusic.

First up Brooklyn's poptacular The Ladybug Transistor did "Here Comes the Rain" from their new EP by the same name (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Next Stephin Merritt's The 6ths did "Just Like a Movie Star" (feat. Dominique A) from the great all-guest-vocalist album Hyacinths and Thistles (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon). Then Norway's Royksopp did the original version of thier very first hit "Eple" from the album Melody Am (iTunes, Amazon). Next Denver's Dressy Bessy did "Who'd Stop the Rain" from their album 2005 album Electrified (iTunes, Amazon). Then Los Angeles' hip-hop/mashup masters The Arbiters did a mashup of 'Fame' and 'Walk on the Wild Side' called "Sure Side of Fame" it's on their They are Biters EP which is awesome and free to download from their less-than-awesome site. And finally a second track from The 6ths' Hyacinths and Thistles (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon), it was "Kissing Things" (feat. Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne).

(SPECIAL EXTRA-LONG, GUEST-HOSTED EPISODE WITH RITMO LATINO'S NEIL HOHMANN!) First up San Francisco's amazing DJ Shadow with "This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)" from his latest, The Outsider (iTunes, Amazon). Then Los Super Elegantes did "Sixteen" from Channelizing Paradise (iTunes, eMusic). Next Pepe & The Bottle Blondes did "I Want Some Lovin'" from Late Night Betty (Amazon). Then just in time for xmas we got Kay Starr doing "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Stuhr Remix)" from the most-excellent Christmas Remixed - Holiday Classics Re-Grooved (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic). Next Superaquello did "La Emergencia" from their album La Emergencia (iTunes, Online). Then El Perro del Mar did "Here Comes That Feeling" from their record El Perro del Mar (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic). Next Quiero Club did "No Coke". Then The Sea and Cake did "The Biz" from their album by the same name (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic). Then Pink Martini did the title-track from their Sympathique album (iTunes, Amazon). Next Bishop Allen did "Corazon" from their January EP (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic). And finally Maria Peszek did "Moje Miasto" from Miasto Mania (buy here if you can read Polish, or here). They weren't on the show, but Neil also recommends NYC's Mosquitos' self-titled album (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic).For more about Neil Hohmann, check out his show Ritmo Latino at it's website!