Listening Assignments 8.11.08

1. Ray LaMontagne - Let It Be Me - If someone out there can prove to me that this man was not set down on this green Earth to sing, I will promptly pour ketchup on my finest necktie and eat it. All I can say is this: There are album teasers and then there is this song. If you don't want to buy this album after hearing this song, you're smoking drugs. [from Gossip in the Grain (out 9.30)|pre-order]

2. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire - Whelp, as mentioned last week, this is the song I wanted all along. And I'm far from the first to post it. But holy moly, this song is sex on fire. I'm not sure this band could be hotter. [from Only By the Night (out 9.23)|info]

3. The Rumble Strips - Boys and Girls in Love - This starts off like Flight of the Conchords' "Hiphopopotamus vs. The Rhymenocerus" and quickly begins sounding like a Jason Anderson track, which is to say that it's foot-stomping, piano-pounding goodness. Then it's closely akin to something The Morning Benders or Port O'Brien would do (hand claps and general glee). Except British...[from Girls and Weather|buy]

4. Passion Pit - Sleepy Head - Thump thump thump thump thump. This swirling indie psychedelic techno-pop hypnotizes me. I'm not a dancer, but my feet keep moving themselves. Damn you, passion pit ! (just kidding I love you). [from Chunk of Change EP (out 9.16)|pre-order]