May 22, 2007

What this episode covers

This week, we begin with recommending, not an entire album, but a single: "Into Action" by Rancid's frontman Tim Armstrong. At first, this catchy stick of bubblegum pop may seem irritating, but after a few listens you'll be hooked, jabbing at the repeat button for another fix. Be sure to read our review of The National's new release The Boxer in this month's issue of Esquire, which unlike Armstrong's full LP, is a pretty good listen from start-to-finish. (We feature "Mistaken for Strangers" this week, if you want a sneak peek.) Another must-own record belongs to a movie soundtrack. Once, a low-budget, Irish indie musical won an audience award at Sundance for its pairing of Frames singer Glen Hansard and classically trained Czech vocalist Marketa Irglova. If you weren't a Frames fan before this, you will be. We finish the week with bluegrass from Tommy Ramone and new releases from Swedish band Dungen and British export The View.

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