Best of June

Sorry I'm a little late with this month's "best of" list; we decided to take a little impromptu break and go hang out in the wilderness for a few days. But now we're back, so here you go:

• The World Cup

I've been captivated by the World Cup all month, and my dedication to the Italians paid off today, as they advanced to the Final with a hard fought overtime victory over the hosts.

• Menomena Shirt mp3

I've yet to hear a song by Menomena that I don't love, and this one, taken from the PDX Pop Now! comp, is no different. In fact, the entire cd is worth checking out, with standout unreleased tracks from Stephen Malkmus,Talkdemonic, and more.

• Peter Bjorn and John Young Folks mp3

I discovered this song at Matt's blog, and it's probably gotten more play than any other song this month. Definitely a contender for catchiest song of the year.

• Jamie Radford You're So Warm mp3

Expect to hear much more from Athens, GA emcee Jamie Radford. Said the Gramophone, LHB, and Stylus are all fans, and this instrumental track is an essential addition to your summer mixtape.

• Tom Ze Elaeu mp3

Brasilian legend Tom Ze has created one of the most soaring, joyous songs we've heard all year. Pick up his epic "rock operetta", Estudano O Pagode, which establishes Ze as the coolest 70-year-old alive.

• St. Vincent Paris is Burning mp3

St. Vincent's full-length is going to contend for my album of the year (whether that year is '06 or '07). For now, this beauty will have to do.

• White Denim Let's Talk mp3

As I mentioned before, I know nothing about this band, other than the limited info that can be found at their myspace page, but this song kicks ass.

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elsewhere:

What? Of course you can see some pictures of our trip to the woods, thanks for asking.