First up, Berkley, California's Brendan Benson did "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" from his new album The Alternative to Love (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then the least folky song off Josh Rouse's new album Nashville (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) is probably "Winter in the Hamptons", which I also happen to like best. Next was a New Orelans' rock outfit named for an R.E.M. song that sounds more like Radiohead than R.E.M. called World Leader Pretend with "Punches" from their Rubble-Rousing Misspent Bouts EP (iTunes, Amazon) but it is also on the upcoming album, also called Punches (Amazon). And finally Finland's best musical export since The Leningrad Cowboys -- tho nothing like them at all -- Husky Rescue did "Summertime Cowboy" from their hit-or-miss-but-worth-looking-into debut album Country Falls (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).

(SPECIAL EXTRA-LONG, ONE YEAR ANNIVERSIARY EPISODE!) First up, Doug Martsch (of Built to Spill) and Calvin Johnson's (of Beat Happening) side project band The Halo Benders resulted in the greatness that we heard, called "Your Asterisk" from their 1998 album The Rebels Not In (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then Belle & Sebastian did "Desperation Made a Fool of Me" from the Step into My Office, Baby single (Amazon, Other Music). Then Sounds in My Head favorite The Concretes did "Seems Fine Shuffle" from their Warm Night EP (Amazon). New Zealand's The Brunettes were next with their song "Boyracer" from the 2003 EP by the same name (buy from their website). (They are playing a show TONIGHT at the Mercury Lounge in NYC for $8.) Next was Australia's Cut Copy did "Going Nowhere" which is (by far) my favorite song from their debut album called Bright Like Neon Love (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then Canada's The Hidden Cameras did "I Believe in the Good Life" from their latest album called Mississauga Goddam (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Next was Brighten's The Go! Team with "Junior Kickstart" from their fantasticabulous debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike (iTunes, Amazon). And finally we heard Liverpool's Clinic with one of my favorite of their songs called "For the Wars" from their 2002 album Walking with Thee (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). This episode features a string of clips from one of my favorite people, Bill Moyers, speaking at the Free Press' 2005 National Conference for Media Reform in St. Louis, May 20th. You can listen to the whole thing here, and see it here.

First up, The Tourettes are (supposedly) coming back, so to celebrate, we check out their classic "Yer Inappropriate" from their awesome Life is Pretty (buy from them). Then Montreal's Stars did "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" from their respectable new album Set Yourself On Fire (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Next up, another fantastic classic, The Langley Schools Music Project and my favorite song from their album, 9-year-old Shiela Behman's amazing version of the otherwise horrid song "Desperado" by The Eagles. The whole album is worth owning for sure (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). And finally, Ben Folds has a new record out (iTunes, Amazon), but since my favorite song on it is also the radio/mtv/promotion-out-the-ass song ("Landed"), I'm opting for less new, less heard song. We heard "Wandering" from his first of three EP's last year called Speed Graphic EP (iTunes). This episode features a clip from an NPR Weekend Edition interview by Scott Simon with Hans Fenger about The Langely Schools Music Project which can be heard in full here. Watch a video clearly inspired by The Langely Schools Music Project, the kids at Oak Knoll Elementary School, under the direction of John Ashfield covering The Polyphonic Spree's "Light & Day".

First up, Sacramento's Low Flying Owls did "Georgie Shot Johnnie" which is BY FAR the best song on their 2003 album Elixir Vitae (iTunes, Amazon). Then Brighton England's Electrelane did "Bells" from their new album Axes (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon), which isn't quite as good as their previous The Power Out (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon), but is worth looking into. Next, Norway's young'en Sondre Lerche did his song "Stupid Memory" from his album Two Way Monologue (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon), which came out last year. And finally, an oldie-but-goodie from a band I recently noticed I had never put on The Sounds in My Head, Quasi did one of my favorite songs off my favorite of their albums. That is, they did "Smile" from their most excellent record Field Studies (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).This episode features a clip of Michael Medved, the right-wing talk radio jack-ass, being served by Hans Riemer of Rock the Vote. In the show, the clip is trimmed for time, but you hear it all here.

First up, New York City's Ivy did "Edge of the Ocean [duotone mix]" from the Chillout 2002 album (iTunes, Amazon) The non-remixed version is on their 2002 album Long Distance (iTunes, Amazon). And they have a brand new album out called In the Clear (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then, to celebrate today's nice weather, we heard Jonathan Richman's seasonally fitting "Springtime in New York" from his 2001 album Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow (Other Music, Amazon). Next was Montreal's The Stills doing their song "Yesterday Never Tomorrows" from their debut album Logic Will Break Your Heart (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). And finally Australia's Architecture in Helsinki did "Wishbone" from their brand new album In Case We Die (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).

First up Canada's The Russian Futurists with "Paul Simon" from the just-released album Our Thickness (Amazon, Other Music). Then Australia's The Lucksmiths did "The Great Dividing Range" from their 2001 album Why That Doesn't Surprise Me (Amazon, Other Music). They've got a brand new album out, called Warmer Corners (Amazon, Other Music, iTunes), so pick that up too!. Next was the great Club 8 (who were an awesome indie band out of Sweden before it was the trend) with their song "Cold Hearts" from their most recent album Strangely Beautiful (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). And finally, from a new iTunes exclusive album put out by Björk which features 20 versions of her awesome song "Army of Me" (iTunes). The songs were chosen from over 600 submissions by Björk and the song's co-writer Graham Massey. The two I like most are both by bands from the UK, first 50 Hertz (feat. Haxor Och Porr) and an old-timey country rendition by The Messengers of God. I played them both. Note to Mac users: If you should be so lucky as to have updated to the sweet sweet world of Tiger, you'll be pleased to discover that The Sounds in My Head website supports the snazzy new RSS browsing feature of Safari v2.

First up the UK's Libertines did "Horror Show" from their 2002 quality-rock album Up the Bracket (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Then the Grand Rapids twee-poppers The Icicles did "Margie" from their Pure Sugar EP (Other Music). They have a brand new album, A Hundred Patterns (Poppolar), which was recorded at The Ladybug Transistor's studio, so you know it's gotta be good. Next was Scotland's Dogs Die in Hot Cars who have been heard on The Sounds in My Head before, but are good enough to be heard again, and they are with the song "Godhopping" from their 2004 Please Describe Yourself (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). And finally, another favorite band of The Sounds in My Head, Los Angeles' Rilo Kiley did their song "Plane Crash in C" from their first album Take Offs and Landings (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon).