Do You Like Linkin Park?

Well, I don't! To me, they sound like the runner-up at the high school Battle of the Bands. They're not the band that wins the high school Battle of the Bands, as those are usually garage-y throwback bands where the lead singer writes faux-sensitive lyrics about his girlfriend of the past two months. Linkin Park is more of the sad bastard "industrial" band that's equally bad, but more navel-gazing and whiny, and they have a DJ with them. Because they're, you know, artists or something.

But if you like Linkin Park, be forewarned, we probably have opposite opinions about music. Actually, perhaps that will be a handy guide for you to use while purusing this website. If you like Linkin Park, just reverse the meaning of everything I write, and you'll probably agree with it. So, for example, the phrase "The guy from Linkin Park sounds like his entire sinus cavity is being invaded by those burrowing insects from Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan" would, for you, translate as "The guy from Linkin Park has a beautiful singing voice, and sounds nothing like the victim of nefarious interstellar insect-themed torture."

Okay, having dispensed with that business, I just figured I'd throw up a column about the music I've been listening to and enjoying over the past couple of weeks. For the kids. Because there's nothing more irritating than hearing the same song repeat on you're iPod when you're in the middle of text-messaging.

Individual Songs

The White Strips - Blue Orchid

This song, the first leak from the new White Stripes album, is pretty cool. It sounds a lot like the White Stripes, and yet it's more contemporary and hard-edged than I typically think of with Jack White's kind of bluesy guitar style. Nowhere near as infectious as that "Seven Nation Army" riff that introduced "Elephant," but hey, what is?

The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

Man, I love the riff that opens this song. It's just electric. That one moment is already better than just about anything on the disappointing previous Pornographers album, "Electric Version." When these guys are really connecting, when the songs achieve the delirious euphoria of "Letter From an Occupant," they are the best power-pop band in the known universe.

Want to hear this song for yourself? Check it out here. WARNING: that link will take you right to the mp3, free for download off of the Matador Records site, so maybe you best just right-click that bastard and save it right to your desktop.

The Hold Steady - Your Little Hoodrat Friend

These guys are the new indie band of the moment, now that all the cool people already know about Bloc Party. I'm not sure the buzz on them is entirely deserved. Their songs are diverting and bouncy, and this one in particular is loose and funny, but it's not exactly the kind of thing I'd need to hear over and over again. I haven't listened to the whole album enough to make any final judgements, however, and this song is certainly agreeable enough.

The Boy Least Likely To - Fur Soft as Fur

Weird, twee 60's style psychedelia, just like I like it. This was recorded last year, but could have been pulled off of one of those Nuggets box sets Rhino put out forever ago. It's the perfect nonsensical pop tune for summer if you happen to be one of the five Americans who doesn't want to spend the warm months listening exclusively to songs in which 50 Cent discusses the contours and location of his lollypop.

Spoon - I Turn My Camera On

My favoritist song from the new Spoon album (which I'm still kind of digesting, along with several other albums to be named further down in this post). Is it wrong that it reminds me of Hall & Oates and I still really like it?

Radiohead - Arpeggi

Back in March, Pitchfork Media (who don't archive their news section back to March, so I can't get you a good link) noted that Radiohead had premiered this song live at some European concert that I can't attend, living as I do in Los Angeles, USA on $4 a day. But the song soon showed up online and it's awesome, not quite a fully fleshed-out Radiohead song, but clearly on its way to something epic, challenging and soulful in equal measure.

Full-Length Albums

Magnolia Electric Company - What Comes After the Blues

Jason Molina keeps up the same rich, solemn country rock style that marked his gob-smackingly terrific "Magnolia Electric Company" album, when he still performed as Songs: Ohia.

Oh, did I lose you? Okay, Molina used to be in a band called Songs: Ohia, who released a terrific album a few years ago called "Magnolia Electric Company." After that, Songs: Ohia disbanded (it was little more than Molina and a few back-up singers and musicians anyway...he did all the songwriting himself), and Molina performed solo shows under the moniker Pyramid Electric Company. Now, he has a new band, and he's released new material under the name Magnolia Electric Company.

Jason, you're a brilliant songwriter. Your albums recall the best of classic American roots-inflected rock (and Canadian, if you include Neil Young, as you obviously should). Just pick a name (a sensible one, hopefully) and run with it.

Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die

Man, this album is like some surreal mushroom trip smelted down and burned into a CD. These Australian multi-instrumentalists have released catchy, esoteric pop songs before. I liked their prior release, "Fingers Crossed," a good deal. But nothing can prepare you for this album's psychedelic pop freak-out. This and Fiona Apple's unreleased masterpiece "Extraordinary Machine" are thus far my favorite albums of 2005.

The Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations

I had kind of given up on Mr. E and his Eels. I still maintain that "Electro-Shock Blues" is one of the great unsung albums of our times. But ever since then, particularly with the woefully obnoxious "Souljacker," I have felt The Eels kind of slipping away into cutesy, mock ironic novelty-dom. I mean, "Souljacker" was everything self-aware and smug in The Eels personality, without any of the wit.

This album is kind of a mixed bag. Some songs I think are incredibly terrific, the most sincere and even, dare I say, sunny material in the band's entire catalog. But with 2 full discs worth of music, it's a bit overstuffed, and some of it feels like unnecessary filler. Even so, there are enough great moments here to belatedly reinspire my Eels fandom.

And, of course, I continue to listen obsessively to the following albums I have already discussed on the blog:

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

British Sea Power - Open Season

Beck - Guero

The Decemberists - Picaresque

Louis XIV - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept

Arcade Fire - Funeral