12:00 PM: Pleased to learn there is an artist called Kurt Vile.
I suppose I’ll have to listen to him now.

12:02 PM: Praise be, he has a song called Jesus Fever.

12:15 PM: Approval

Very purty lil’ song. I was half expecting something more outrageous for that title, but it’s a nice folky rocky toe tappin cat nappin ditty. Favorable echoes of early Smiths and REM and Catherine Wheel kinda bidniz. Sooooothing. Goes nicely with this early spring late winter weird schizophrenic foggy drizzly weather we’re having in Oaklandia. Band name intrigue leads to swell new music discovery. Life is good.

Kurt Vile – “Jesus Fever” mp3 (play/download)

Smoke Ring For My Halo album avail direct from Matador.

Another gem from She Mob. I’m having a She Mob kind of week. Here we find them channeling a Prozac experience. This is so edgy and dark and scary. Yet strangely comforting, and peaceful, like, you’re holding a bloody axe and don’t remember anything. The accompanying video by Captive Wild Woman is equally inspired and deranged. I’m going to my happy place.

She Mob – “Prozac” (mp3)

From their very fine Cancel the Wedding album, available at CD Baby.

Very velvety indie rock awesomeness from She Mob. I’ve been a fan of this unique group since I first saw them in the late 90′s at a little place in Oakland called the Port Light. Here we find our ‘Mob in a jangly poppy mood, with an arrestingly honest goodbye lover song. For background, you may read this charming interview with the ladies and lad, and you may procure their critically lauded CDs here. Highly recommended. They will make you happy.

She Mob – “Your Therapy” (mp3)

I love this woman’s voice so much it makes me do crunches and take my vitamins. She rocks mieces to pieces. I just recently was reminded of The Peels, when I read Superfan’s post, of Robyn Miller’s new record under the name of Big Eagle. This only child epic is a fine taste of what Miller and her four piece band of rockerz sounded like. So much indie new wave punky anger bliss. From their eponymous debut CD. Water, I need water.

The Peels – “Only Son” (mp3)

“At least my watch is right two times a day” explains John Roderick, lead astronaut of The Long Winters. This song and several other fine indie rock gems reside at their MP3 page, courtesy of their swell label, Barsuk. It’s a regular love fest. These guys are top notch players and Roderick’s songs are great. Long may they Winter.

“Carparts”
(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)

Walking Concert asks a time honored question that ex lovers ask one another at some point, to sometimes hilarious or terrible consequences, “What’s your new thing?” Learn more about this swell foursome and buy their record at Some Records. Fine fermented indie rock for the soul.

“What’s Your New Thing?” from the “Run to Be Born” CD.

(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)

Here’s another good one from the vaults – “Albany” from Best Band Name Award Winner, Electric Vagina. Yes. Not only is it sick and wrong, it is right and great! Why they and even name-drop the Hotsy Totsy – former dive bar and now the coolest club in the east bay. Pop in when you’re touristing.

Electric Vagina – “Albany“

(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)

From his album “Lonely people Of The World, Unite!,” Devin Davis‘ “Iron Woman” is another one of those little known songs in the vast seas of independently released mp3s in the last decade, that I’ve felt compelled to share. The lyrics are great, and the song rocks.

Devin Davis – “Iron Woman“
(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)

An early Les Sans Culottes track, this was a fave of mine in the early minutes of the mp3 format. My old buddy Tom Pope now plays drums in that group, and I was delighted to see one of their tunes in a cute new ad for a Droid phone. Here again is “Ecole De Merde” – a wild little number sung in French about the School Of Shit. This band roques live and on record, and who has not, at some point, attended the Ecole De Merde?

Les Sans Culottes – “Ecole De Merde”
(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)

You can buy more from this le fabulous band, at Amazon.

Jets To Brazil’s “Cat Heaven” is a sublime musical invocation of the blissful part of being in love. If there’s a heaven I want, it’s the one described here. From the purrrfectly titled Perfecting Loneliness album on Jade Tree. Timeless.

Jets To Brazil – “Cat Heaven”
(right click, “save as” to download the mp3, or left click to play)