The Rob Gordon Shuffle, 7/9/06

…And miles to go before I fall asleep listening to Grizzly Bear.

Grizzly Bear – “On A Neck, On A Spit”: mp3
Guys, if you haven’t heard this song or this band yet, for the love of Brian Wilson download it right now. This is the best track from their forthcoming album Yellow House, which sounds like Animal Collective’s version of SMiLE – a mythical, lost pop album, hidden away by the sands of time.

Razorlight – “In The Morning”: mp3
I was sent this the other day, and wasn’t expecting much, if only because every retro-rock band on a major label has been a colossal disappointment. This song is awesome though, with a stellar hook and heaps of Cars influence. Hopefully these guys aren’t a one-hit wonder.

Grant-Lee Buffalo – “We’ve Only Just Begun”: mp3
The Carpenters get a bad rap. If not for the hubris of brother Richard, who caked his songs in 70s schmaltz and Wall of People Who Aren’t Karen backing vocals, they could’ve been one of the best pop groups ever. This song is their finest hour, and Grant-Lee Buffalo does it a perfect kind of sad-eyed justice.

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The Rob Gordon Shuffle is a weekly Sunday rundown of fascinating songs without particular regard to genre or timeliness. It is absolutely not a top 5.