Featured on Not Lame, 2/7/06.

First, a point of order here. I'm not going to review/comment/link every album that Not Lame promotes on its front page. Stuff like reissues, for example, I'm going to pass on. I'm most interested in the new releases by current bands.

The Superficials-Superbia.

I've had this one for a couple of months now, and it's pretty damn good. Weezer meets Jellyfish meets Phantom Planet. The leadoff track "Santa Barbara" is probably better than PP's "California", but I wouldn't expect it coming from a FOX TV show near you. And with tracks like "Gasoline" (and the high price thereof), and "Reality TV", these guys are plugged into the zeitgeist. Preview at CD Baby, although only about 4-5 tracks stream. You'll just have to buy this one to hear it all.

Mike Elgert-Days Gone By.

There seems to be a buzz building around this one. I spotted it on cdbaby last week, and it arrived on Monday, so I haven't had much of a chance to really listen to it. Not only that, I didn't even really give the samples too much of a once-over either, since there were 16 tracks. But this description was enough for me: "could easily be the missing link between the edgy, guitar-laden Jellyfish and the later day solo workings of Jason Falkner." See what all the fuss is about at his myspace page, where four full-length tracks can be streamed.

Jeff Caudill-Here's What You Should Do.

I got this when it came out last summer, and I remember it being decent but unspectacular. Of course, with as much as I listen to, it's also quite possible that it's better than I remember. This one is available on eMusic as well. Here's the myspace link.

The Volares-Godvertising.

This one's new to me. There's a Dallas Observer review of it here,.
but not much on the band's site. It sounds like it has a good pedigree, though.

El Goodo-S/T.

Another new one to me, but at last I have some full-length mp3s to offer up:

Life Station
If I Were a Song
Honey
Stuck in the 60's

And even a video:
Esperanto

Stuck in the 60's, indeed. Sounds interesting, though. Maybe not $21 interesting, but interesting nonetheless.