Music = Good

Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Label: Ruth St. Records
MP3: Stream new songs at Patterson's myspace
Rating: 89
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Drive By Trucker's frontman, Patterson Hood, follows the lead of fellow DBT'er Jason Isbell, releasing another solo album. There is definite southern-rock cross over here, as well there should be. Hood tells stories beautifully with precision band backing and signature vocal stylings. I love me some whiskey and a rainy day when listening to Hood. Today is rainy, who gots the whiskey? Key tracks include: "Pollyanna," "Granddaddy," and "Murdering Oscar."

Passion Pit- Manners
Release Date: May 19, 2009
Label: Frenchkiss
MP3: "Moth's Wings"
Rating: 93
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Pure genius. We can't say enough about Michael Angelakos and his electro-dance jams. You can play this album cover-to-cover, have a drink and a smoke, then come back and do it again. Creating electronically influenced highs and lows, Angelakos makes you want to sing every lyric and fist pump every beat. With full children's choir accompaniment on certain tunes, Passion Pit gets raucous and reels you in. Key tracks include: "Little Secrets," "The Reeling," "Moth's Wings" and every other song.


Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
Release Date: June 9, 2009
Label: Domino
MP3: "Stillness is the Move"
Rating: 92
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New age, modern or any real genre classification defies this album. Conjuring up thoughts of Yes, Paul Simon, David Byrne and a hodgepodge of all musical genres, the Dirty Projectors have created an album of timeless classics. The signature jangling, finger picked guitar riffs are ever-present and the falsetto is not lacking. The album never lets up and keeps you satisfyingly occupied. You never know what time period is coming on next. Key tracks include: "Cannibal Resource," "Stillness is the Move," "Temecula."