I'm on a BIG Okkervil River kick lately, having bought Black Sheep Boy and Black Sheep Boy Appendix a week ago. The album is excellent and the EP is utterly fantastic. Gives me a very warm-and-fuzzy-Wilco feeling. Here are some highlights from the EP:

Okkervil River / "Another Radio Song" (from Each Note Secure)
Absolutely incredible song. Builds into a driving, orchestral haymaker that channels equal parts Wilco and Arcade Fire. What I like about this band is how they use sort of antique-sounding instruments like Wurlitzers and organs to create this very rich, live feel. You can almost see the cobwebs flying off.

Okkervil River / "No Key, No Plan"
Fast little romp that's actually slightly inferior to the EP's closer, "Last Love Song for Now."

******

I got a fantastic mix from Laura which includes this really really good song:

Sia / "Breathe Me In" (stolen shamelessly from Rock 'n' roll star)

******

Best crime ever:

"A 500-pound man in Seminole County, Fla., was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of scamming fast-food restaurants out of large amounts of milk shakes and tacos, according to a Local 6 News report."

I want to say "you can't make this stuff up," but the truth is that if I was fabricating a crime this is EXACTLY what I would make up. Milk shakes and tacos...outstanding.

******

MP3 deja vu:

Stereophonics / "Dakota"

******

Vitalic released one of my favorite albums of the year (proper list forthcoming soon) and now it's coming to America next year. I liked it so much I bought it for about $28, in spite of already having all the songs on mp3. Yeah, I'm a retard. Download the whole album HERE.

Most people who like this album usually point to "My Friend Dario" as the standout track, but for some reason the longer I've had it the more I've gravitated towards the darker, chiller songs on the album. These three are among my favorite songs of the year (another forthcoming list):

Vitalic / "The Past"
Vitalic / "Trahison"
Vitalic / "U and I"

******

Speaking of best songs of the year's, here's a pretty good list. Some pretty random songs that I love made this list.

******

The right price for digital music?