Five to Download

Compiled especially for a fine Thursday afternoon, just as we climb out of the mid-winter doldrums, here are five sweet tunes you didn't even know you wanted to download this afternoon:

1. The Telepathic Butterflies - "All Very Hoopla!" Winnipeg Rainbow Quartz band steals the opening lick from Moby Grape's "Omaha" (how very rockist of them?), then reels off three and a half goofy minutes of neo-psych, complete with faux-Brit accents and lyrics about "head space."

2. Portastatic - "I Wanna Know Girls". Sort of like a fraternal twin of Spoon's "Sister Jack", if that means anything to you.
3. Mazarin - "Louise". If you were within earshot of me during the latter half of last year, you probably got an earful about this album from the now-defunct Philly band. But Louise was sort of atypical. Strumming, nearly monotone guitar with Quentin Stoltzfus singing about the girl that appears destined to get away.
4. Cabinessence - "One Way (Or Another)". Folks are calling this band "Glam Parsons." I'll take it. This here's just an ordinary pop song until the falsetto, driving chorus hook "Can't you see you got me down on my knees / Trying to be the man that you want me to be". You'll know it when you hear it.
5. The Eames Era - "When You Were a Millionaire". Reminds me of the Delgado's sort of restrained enthusiasm, but really this is just one in a batch of terrific songs by these Baton Rouge up-and-comers.