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Homies, Carl's back with a vengeance. Once again, it's time for another mish-mosh of stupefying songs and videos. Without further ado. . .

1. Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks": The first single from Grizzly Bear's new album Veckatimestand it's a beauty. It's a little more lively and upbeat than most of their past work, but when it does show signs of getting a little too glittery, they reign it back in. Still has the same retro-baroque-folk feel as their previous work. Great unofficial video posted below too.

2. Friendly Fires - "Lovesick": My love affair with Friendly Fires remains in full effect.

3. The National - "So Far Around the Bend": Off the Dark Was The NightAIDS awareness benefit compilation. Waiting for their new album with bated breath, but this will have to do for now.

4. Van She - "Kelly": Pure pop excellence.

5. Gomez - "Airstream Driver": I haven't been a fan of Gomez in the past but I was pleasantly surprised with a few song off A New Tidesuch as this one.

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Runaway": Starts off sounding like a creepy lullaby you'd hear in a horror movie and morphs into a haunting rock anthem.

7. Ladyhawke - "Magic": I'm partial to songs that could be playing with the end credits of a Steven Seagal movie. This strikes me as such a song, playing among highlights of his exquisite head-butts and roundhouses.

8. Sebastian Tellier - "Fingers of Steel": The Frenchman has some smooth grooves on his latest album Sexuality.

9. Stars - "A Thread Cut with a Carving Knife": Yes, they can be sappy and I'm sure their lyrics are quoted in many a high school yearbook. But to their credit, Stars does beautifully combine melancholy lyrics, melodies and atmospheric sounds like few bands around.

10. Passion Pit - "Little Secrets": A highlight off their long-awaited first LP Manners. Has anyone else noticed the strange-yet-effective trend of sampling children singing. Musicians take note - kids singing in your chorus is "hip".

11. Phoenix - "Love Like a Sunset Parts I & II": While I love all the great bouncy, jumpy, synthy songs they create, this epic digs deep and may just be their best song.





Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks (unofficial)"
The song is put to clips from the french film, Le Ballon Rouge and it works well.



Phoenix - "1901"



Animal Collective - "Summertime Clothes" (Letterman)
Interesting performance on Letterman the other night.



Crystal Stills - "Love Like a Wave"