The Easy Gramophone - October

1. Girl Talk - Hold Up
Forget DJ Dangermouse: Gregg Gillis cooks a stew of samples that will leave your animal brain gibbering. The Pixies, Mariah Carey, Ludacris, Weezer, James Taylor, 50 Cent - each throwing themselves against the other. It's like a musical fancy dress party, but everyone's getting along so well! This isn't a mash-up: um, it's a mash-everywhere.
Download at: http://illegalart.net/girltalk/

2. Exploding Hearts - Teenage Faces
In 2003 the Exploding Hearts were one of the most exciting bands in America - four kids with a punk-pop that was part Ramones, part Hamburg Beatles, part Undertones. While touring for their fantastic debut, 'Guitar Romantic', the Hearts' van rolled off the road and three of their four members were killed. It was a tremendous fucking tragedy but this year 'Guitar Romantic' is finally being reissued - as is a disc of rarities and live cuts. Teenage Faces is one of these: a charged mix of grinning guitars and a punk's rock-candy vocals. RIP.
Download at: http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/mp3s.htm

3. Less the Band - I Want to Know You
At this year's Fringe Festival, the members of this band all acted in a play called Finer Noble Gases. The play was okay; the music that closed the show was better. And here's their album's crown jewel, free to download, with its winsome vocals and sleepy guitars, the chime of pop hooks and a desperate want. My Morning Jacket oughtta watch their back.
Download at: http://lesstheband.com/info/

4. Department of Eagles - Sailing by Night
The Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear is gathering attention with their new album, 'Yellow House', out on Warp. But meanwhile there's a side-project of considerable appeal: Department of Eagles are a grab-bag of styles: folk and electronica and rock and pop, with echoes of everyone from DJ Shadow to Radiohead to The Unicorns. Sailing by Night starts as moonlight cabaret and ends with beats and strings, like a piano slipping on the ice.
Download at: http://www.departmentofeagles.com/theMusic.htm

5. Yossarian - Invincible
Yossarian is a fellow from Cardiff but he doesn't sound for a second like a Welshman. No, there's a hardness to him - like the enamel on teeth. Invincible is a conversational sing-song, clumsy rhymes about a night out and a fight with a girl. It recalls The Streets but also the insights of Scotland's own Ballboy - small remarks that ring loud.
Download at: http://www.myspace.com/yossariancardiff