(SPECIAL NICK DRAKE-LIKE EPISODE!) First up we took a listen to a classic Nick Drake song, "Road" from his Pink Moon (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) album to set the mood. Then probably the closest thing to a current Nick Drake, Neil Halstead, did "Sleeping on Roads" from his album by the same name (Amazon, Other Music). What's the deal with 'roads' anyway? Then British folk singer Vashti Bunyan did "Just Another Diamond Day" from her 1970 by the same name (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) which had string arrangements by the same guy who did some of Nick Drake's. Next was Samuel Beam, better known as Iron & Wine who must be the second closest thing to a modern day Nick Drake, with the song "Naked as We Came" from the 2004 album Our Endless Numbered Days (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then Philadelphia's Matt Pond PA did a cover of Lindsay Buckingham's National Lampoon's Vacation theme "Holiday Road" (again with the "roads!") from their new Winter Songs EP (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). And since you shouldn't listen to that version of the song without then listening to the original, it's included too!This week's episode features a clip of George W. Bush's most offensive nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, explaining his views of the UN. See the video of this audio and more here.

First up Omaha's Tilly and the Wall did "Fell Down the Stairs" from their 2004 album Wild Like Children (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then San Francisco's The Aislers Set did "Chicago New York" (NO, it wasn't Belle & Sebastian, it was The Aislers Set I tell you!) from their 2000 album The Last Match (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Next was New York City's mellow-rockers The Occasion with one of their better songs "A Dulcimer’s Fancy" from their self-titled 2004 album (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Next we heard the NYC-Transplant-from-West-Philly band Cheese On Bread and their two songs "I Like Cheese" and "Modern Art Gallery" both from their delightfully low-fi, (think The Moldy Peaches) record Maybe Maybe Maybe Baby (antifolk.net). And finally one of my favorite bands Luna (who sadly played their final shows back in February) did "Still at Home" from their final, quality album Rendezvous (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).This week's episode features a Freudian slip from George W. Bush addressing his real objectives for the United States of America. It is NOT edited together. Watch the video. Notice how no one listening to him even acknowledges his amazingly stupid mistake as they are all very accustom to his dumbass Bushisms.

(SPECIAL EXTRA LONG MY-FAVORITE-JAPANESE-CHICK-BANDS EPISODE!) First up Tokyo's trend-setting wonder-act Pizzicato Five did two songs: "Happy Ending" from their 1997 record Happy End of the World (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) and "Baby Love Child" from their 1994 album Made in USA (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then we heard New York's amazi-crazy-fun faux-Japanese band Gaijin a Go Go with their song "1-2-3 (Un-Deux-Trois)" from their 2003 record Happy-55-Lucky (Amazon). After that, New York's defunct Cibo Matto (which is Italian for "food madness") had three songs to show off all their awesomeness: "Spoon" from their 1997 Super Relax EP (Amazon); "About a Girl" (a Nirvana Cover) which was never released; and "Flowers" from their mega-great final album Stereo Type A (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) from 1999. After a go-go break, we returned to Gaijin a Go Go for "1-2-3 (Un-deux-trois) the Konishi Remix" (a remix of the song we heard before) that can be found on their 2003 Merry-55-Round (Amazon). Apparently "55" is Japanese for "Go" which makes their album titles clever. And finally we finish with one of my favorite Shonen Knife song's, the Osaka band's cover of The Carpenters "Top of the World", most easily obtained on their 1996 Birds & the B-Sides release (iTunes, Amazon).

First up Sweden's Suburban Kids with Biblical Names did "Rent a Wreck" (you can download it here) from their first EP by the same name. You can order Rent a Wreck from Poppolar.com or from Parasol Records. Next was Portland, Oregon's M. Ward who did the foot-stompingly good, if not album-representative, "Big Boat" from his new Transistor Radio (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Then Melbourne, Australia's Architecture in Helsinki are back (well, they are on April 12th anyway) with a new release called In Case We Die (Amazon). So to get people all psyched up for their new release, which promises to be better than their last, they have released the first single "Do the Whirlwind" (iTunes has just the one track, there is a CD single that is hard to obtain in the US). Oh, and explore their cool flash-site. And finally, New York City's transplant bother/sister-duo Astaire did the Cardigans-circa-Gran-Turismo-esque song "L-L-Love" from their debut EP Don't Whisper Lies (iTunes, Amazon).

(SPECIAL DAMN-I-MISS-THE-SQUIRREL-NUT-ZIPPERS EPISODE!) This week we take a look back at the band Squirrel Nut Zippers and some of their member's solo projects. I loved the SNZ and was sad when they petered out in the early part of this millennia. Thus, this episode is devoted to them, and some of their songs, that, as I like to say, you might have missed. First up, only released on their 2003 Best of album, their cover of "Under the Sea" from the Disney animated movie The Little Mermaid. It was recorded back in 1997 but had been shelved by Disney and was never released prior to this collection (Amazon, (the album is in iTunes listed as complete, but, mysteriously, does not contain this or the other unreleased track which should be on it). Next, an ultra-rare remix by the Dust Brothers (most famous for their great soundtrack to the movie Fight Club, not for their embarrassingly bad website) of the SNZ's song "Suits are Picking Up the Bill." This was only released on as single-track radio promo CD (and at $36 it has the enviable status as the most money I've ever spent on 1 song, by the way). Then SNZ auxiliary member Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire did "A Woman's Life and Love" (which, incidentally, features SNZ Katharine Whalen on vocals) from his 1998 album Thrills (iTunes, Amazon). Check out his new album, Mysterious Production of Eggs (Amazon), released last month. Next, we hear Jim Mathus who has his own solo project called Jas Mathus & his Knock-Down Society which has three albums to date. We heard "I Got Mine" from his 1997 album Songs for Rosetta (Amazon). And finally we heard the magnificent Katharine Whalen with her most excellent version of one of my favorite standards "My Baby Just Cares for Me," from her jazzy 1999 solo effort Jazz Squad (Amazon). This week's episode features a snippet of audio from NPR's This American Life episode First Day (which, like many episodes, is excellent and you should listen to) and the segment Squirrel Cop.

First up, Los Angeles' old-timey infused Ditty Bops did their song "Sister Kate" from their super good self-titled 2004 album (iTunes, Amazon). Next was San Francisco's Mates of State doing "Starman" from their All Day EP which also came out last year, and is some of their best I've heard (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then we go back in time for a great track by Nancy Sinatra... well, it's by Lee Hazlewood, it's performed by Nancy Sinatra, but regardless it is awesome. The song is "Sugar Town," and I pulled it off her Greatest Hits album, but is also on other releases (Amazon, Other Music). She also has a new self-titled album which you can check out in iTunes. And finally from the shadow of Belle & Sebastian come Scotland's Camera Obscura with their song "Happy New Year" from their not-as-heard-as-Underachievers Please Try Harder-album Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). They have a new EP called I Love My Jean coming out next week (Amazon), so watch for that, it's quality.This week's episode features an edited clip from the February 18th, On the Media from NPR. In it, co-host Brook Gladstone interviews Renita Coleman who conducted a large-scale study of people in various profession's ethics and found surprising results. Download the whole show as an MP3 and check it out.

First up Germany's Stereo Total did "Mars Rendez-Vous" from their solid new album Do the Bambi (iTunes, Other Music, Amazon). Next was Portland's The Decemberists with part IV of their new V part, 18 minute, song "The Tain" from a new one track single by the same name (Amazon, Other Music). Then Manchester, England's 80's underrated group Stockholm Monsters did their great song "Terror" which can be found on their 2003 re-release Alma Mater (Amazon, Other Music). And finally Norway's classic-rock-wannabes The Jessica Fletchers did their appropriately titled "Bloody Seventies Love" from their 2003 album What Happened to The? (iTunes, Amazon). This week show features a clip from the Cohen Brothers' awesome film Fargo. Why? How about: Why not?