Sand Band- "The Secret Chord"- Free Legal Download

Influenced by Love & Loneliness (as indicated on their MySpace page), The Sand Band are an alternative/folk rock/blues band--think The Walkmen or Band of Horses.

They just released an EP The Secret Chord, from which you can download the title track "The Secret Chord" for free here from Spinner.com.

Made In China- "How Everything Works"- Free Legal Download

"How Everything Works" by Made In China is similar to "Liar" by Built To Spill and "Gila" (free download here on Stereogum) by Beach House.

Free legal download of "How Everything Works" here on Spinner.

School of Seven Bells- "Half Asleep"- Free Legal MP3 Download

School of Seven Bells is a Brooklyn electronic/experimental indie pop band with mostly female vocals much like Au Revoir Simone.

Here's a free legal download of their song "Half Asleep" from IndieFeed.

Similar songs:
Frou Frou- "Let Go"
Au Revoir Simone- "Sad Song"

Memorable songs from scenes in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Music is the single biggest element of the Michael Cera/Kat Dennings movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist--a mix tape unknowingly draws the two main characters together; the setting is dominated by music venues (six that I can remember--including Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom); the main character is the guitarist whose band performs in the movie--and as such, the featured music/soundtrack was bound to be a big deal.

With such high expectations it would have been impossible to satisfy everyone, but the music does a good job of setting the mood with mostly popular indie rock acts (oxymoron?) and a few lesser known artists.

1- Devendra Banhart- "Lover"
This is Norah's "song", and turns out to be Nick's as well--they dance to it, including the blow dryer.

2- Paul Tiernan- "How To Say Goodbye"
This song plays during the love scene between Nick and Norah in the recording studio. It's a gentle, piano ballad similar to Joshua Radin or Cary Brothers.

3- Vampire Weekend- "Ottoman"
This song plays during the end credits of the movie. It's a perfect example of chamber pop--combining intricate guitar riffs, crisp violin and cello, and grand Freddie Mercury-esque vocals. Has a similar sound to Ra Ra Riot.

Senses Fail album review: Life Is Not A Waiting Room

Artist: Senses Fail
Album: Life Is Not A Waiting Room
Label: Vagrant Records
Released: October 2008

In the new Senses Fail album, Life Is Not A Waiting Room, lead singer and songwriter Buddy Nielsen spends most of his time apologizing for mistakes and philosophizing the roots of his misguided identity. At times he seems to be making strides towards rejecting his past and starting anew, while at other times he seems to accept his fate to 'die unfulfilled and empty.' If one thing is clear, it's that Senses Fail have a strong poetic ability to fully probe issues of identity, finding happiness, and coping with pain.

The first track is an appropriate introduction, in the mold of Taking Back Sunday's "Ghost Man On Third", that sets the honest, morose tone that will be further explored by the rest of the album. "Garden State" sounds more like Motion City Soundtrack or Coheed and Cambria, and is punctuated by the lyric 'My regrets are what keep me alive/I need to make up for all the lies.'

The next song is the star single on the album, "Family Tradition", with powerful lyrics about fatherly issues, including 'I try to be the one that everybody loves/Where has that gotten me?' and 'My father taught me how to be set free, Give up and run away/I wish I could drain out his half blood in me, But I'd still have his face", ending with "I hope you're proud of me.'

In "Hair of the Dog", a catchy guitar riff echoes to the line 'This is my last goodbye/I've hurt you enough.'

"Four Years" sounds like more recent emo band Paramore, and refers to accepting a failed relationship by saying 'The best gift I could think to give was to set you free.'

"Yellow Angels" begins with a gentle keyboard and guitar intro, expressing identity issues with the lyrics 'I want to know myself so bad it hurts' and 'I'm surprised it's still so hard for me to see that I should start living my life or I will die unfulfilled and empty.'

In "Map The Streets" he expresses a misguided goal that he has apparently reached, but nevertheless doesn't help him achieve what he was striving for when he says 'I always thought I'd be happy if I was loved.'

The final song "Blackout" wraps things up by explaining that while 'I still have some old weight that I've got to shed...before I can find happiness", in the meantime he just wants to 'get some sleep'.

Grade: B+/A-
Sounds Like: Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Paramore, Finch, Motion City Soundtrack, Coheed and Cambria, Chevelle

Listen to tracks on Senses Fail MySpace page
Stream the full album on Ruckus

Tracy Shedd- "Never Too Late"- Free Legal MP3 Download

Tracy Shedd is an indie pop/folk artist in the mold of Rilo Kiley, with distinct powerful vocals, clean electric guitar chords, and spooky distorted lead guitar hooks.

Free legal download of "Never Too Late" here from IndieFeed.

Other similar artists:
Cat Power, Au Revoir Simone, Cheese On Bread, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lightspeed Champion

Stars- "Take Me To The Riot"- Free Legal MP3 Download

Canadian indie pop band Stars recently released EP Sad Robots. Get this free download of "Take Me To The Riot" from last year's release In Our Bedroom After The War.

It's an upbeat pop song with a fist-pumping/foot-tapping chorus that has a similar energy to fellow Arts & Crafts label mate Feist's "I Feel It All".