One for $20, both for $35, from the inimitable Clinton Reno.
Buy one or both here.

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1) Can You Feel It? - New Magnetic Wonder - Apples In Stereo

The first Apples record in five years is a triumphant return, and the opening track has an unadulterated exuberance that really makes you want to turn up the stereo every time they command you to do so. The fuzzy guitars, the indelible melodies, it’s all there. “Drown out the bullshit on the FM Radio! Turn it up, THE STEREO!” I’m getting cranked just typing about it!

2) We Win (Haha) - Make History - Thunderbirds Are Now!

The opening guitar bits actually remind me of really early R.E.M… the rest of it REALLY DOES NOT.

3) Missing Pieces - Raised by Wolves - Voxtrot

Voxtrot closed out their show with this song, the closest thing they have to an all-out rocker. The jagged guitar work actually makes for a great background to Ramesh’s wistful “I miss youuooooooooooooouuu” crooning.

4) The Book I Write - Stranger Than Fiction - Spoon

Being in charge of the Stranger Than Fiction soundtrack must have gone to Britt Daniel’s head. His band was great, but he placed like five Spoon songs in the movie. Did he need to buy a new house or something? Anyway, this is the lone new Spoon song and it is lovely as always. Daniel’s really the only guy I can think of that relies so much on the hookiness of his percussion… the sound I associate most with Spoon isn’t guitars or pianos, but that BOOM-CHUK that he puts on everything.

5) Phantom Limb - Wincing The Night Away - Shins

The new Shins sounds almost exactly like old Shins, but the ending section of Phantom Limb is just exquisite. It’s like a slowed down version of the New Pornographers “Bleeding Heart Show,” with Mercer’s crooning undercut with a stellar surf guitar line, which is then layered against a spooky female vocal, with everything playing off each other. By the end you’ll be whoa-oh-ohing like everyone else.

6) Once And Never Again - Someone To Drive You Home - Long Blondes

This throwback single is a bit atypical compared to the rest of the Long Blondes debut full-length, with a chorus that boosts more than a little from good girl bands of the past. I doubt you’ll be able to get that peppiness out of your head, for better or worse.

7) Take A Chance - Those The Brokes - Magic Numbers

The dude in Magic Numbers does this hiccupy thing sometimes when he sings that cracks me up every time.

8) Robody - Hello Stranger - Hello Stranger

Song about vibrators.

9) Sons And Daughters - The Crane Wife - Decemberists

This song is sooooo much better live in concert, where Colin Meloy leads the audience in a singalong for the “hear all the bombs / they fade away” refrain. After you’ve been involved with that, the section seems downright inspirational.

10) Elephant Gun - Lon Gisland EP - Beirut

This song makes me cry gypsy tears, especially that horn interlude.

11) Searching For The Ghost - All This Time - Heartless Bastards

I first Heartless Bastards on WOXY, and I swear to god, I stopped everything I was doing because I NEEDED to know where that voice was coming from. Erika Wennerstrom gets compared to PJ Harvey, Janis Joplin, Chan Marshall, which are all partially appropriate but inaccurate as well. It’s seldom you stumble across a really unique voice, and she’s definitely got one.

12) The Prayer - A Weekend In the City - Bloc Party

hahaha, you totally stole that stomping and humming stuff from Television On The Radio. I’m telling on you.

13) Whole Wide World - Stranger Than Fiction - Wreckless Eric

Double dipping off this soundtrack, but picking this old Stiff classic as the love theme was a really nice call.

14) Sheela Na Gig - Peel Sessions - PJ Harvey

Do you remember the first time you heard PJ Harvey? Could you ever forget?

15) Closer To Fine - Retrospective - Indigo Girls

OK, for this one I blame The Office, and John Krasinski and Ed Helms in particular. Indigo Girls = Lesbro 101.

16) Alone and Forsaken - Canadian Amp - Neko Case

You know I can’t go a month without a little Neko. I have to admit the rain in the background of the track does help with the mood.

17) The Love I’m Searching For - B-Sides and Rarities - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This cover of the Rentals song is just gosh darn cute.

18) “Single Girl, Married Girl” - The Harry Smith Project - Petra Haden

You know who was in the Rentals? PETRA HADEN! I was actually in the audience for this performance, with Haden acting a bit like a nervous schoolgirl at her first recital. When had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand though, especially when she kicks the whole song up an octave.

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