1) Jarhand - Fables - Immaculate Machine

The wrongheaded that feel the New Pornographers isn’t up to snuff may find solace in the Immaculate Machines ragged read on Canadian pop. Lord knows what Jarhand is actually about, but it’s got the hooks.

2) Watson On Your Side - Heroes And Sheroes - The Eames Era

Speaking of indie substitution games, I’ve found Heroes and Sheroes to a perfectly viable fill-in for that Rilo Kiley sized gap in your life.

3) Go Places - Challengers - New Pornographers

I for one, love Challengers. For its leisurely pace its still got a superior tunefulness. Listen to Neko Case waltz around the words “deux la machina” and try not to fall in love.

4) The News From Your Bed - The Broken String - Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen has an almost Sesame Street like bounce to this agoraphobic anthem. As a well seasoned shut-in, I find this track all too true-to-life, including my pet rat, Mr. Whiskers.

5) Mayonaise - Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins

I used to try playing the pinched harmonic run at the beginning of this song to no avail. The guitars are fucking majestic here, and every time I listen to Siamese Dream I regret listening to anything else  Corgan has touched ever.

6) Robots In The Garden - Future Perfect - Autolux

This song is dedicated to the worst part of Transformers.  What the fuck was that about?

7) In the Garage - Weezer [Blue] - Weezer

On the ever of San Diego Comic-Con, this was the nerdiest song I could find that was still a good song. It’s hard to use the words Dungeonmaster, Kitty Pryde and Ace Frehley properly in a song if you’re not a rapper. That’s a scientific fact.

8) Grow Up And Blow Away - Grow Up and Blow Away - Metric

earlyearlyearly metric. Not sure what to make of the album, but the title track at least sounds like Metric.

9) Take Me to the Riot - In Our Bedroom After The War - Stars

The 4th and final Canadian act in this month’s mix. What’s up in the water there? Is it a by-product of the health insurance?

10) Fakey Fake - Mentor Tormentor - Earlimart

Earlimart’s always had a strong Elliott Smith influence but this is really, really familiar. In a good way though.

11) The Funeral - Everything All The Time - Band Of Horses

I saw Band of Horses open up at the Hollywood Bowl and they sounded terrific. This song, in particular, was MASSIVE.

12) Bring It On Home To Me - Bridging The Distance - Britt Daniel

Daniel’s low-key take on Sam Cooke is typically skeletal in terms of instrumentation, but note how every second is still filled and how rich it all feels by the end.

13) Gentle On My Mind - Sounds Eclectic: The Covers Project - R.E.M.

It’s not as good as their Wichita Lineman cover, but Stipe’s got knack for poignant reads on these old country hits. He does a great run on “Galveston” too, if you can find it.

14) The Boys Are Back In Town / Ignition - B-Sides and Rarities - The Mountain Goats

This is a staggeringly brilliant interpretation.  There is no triumphant return here… it feels more like a guy coming back to his small town after horrible failure in the big city. By the time he seamlessly transitions to R.Kelly, he’s a mean drunk and he’s ready to pee on someone.

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