Alkaline Trio
“Metro” (Berlin cover)

This is the Alk3 at their best: dark and brooding, yet with undeniable pop sensibilities. Also, the bass line to this song is amazing.

Hot Cross
“Rejoinder”

Hot Cross moved away from their hardcore roots on this album in favor of more clean vocals rather than the screams that filled their debut EP and most of their subsequent work. As always, their guitar work seems to defy the laws of physics.

The Shins
“Phantom Limb”

The latest Shins album is fantastic and this song is among my favorites. The constantly pulsating bass line adds a great feel to the song and James Mercer’s vocals are as strong as ever.

Nakatomi Plaza
“The Strikes”

This band has been playing countless shows under the radar in Brooklyn, N.Y., usually opening for nationally touring bands and releasing great albums. They sound kind of like if “At the Drive-In” had both male and female vocalists, and were slightly more melodic and less aggressive.

Nas
“Hip-Hop Is Dead”

This album proves that maybe mainstream hip-hop isn’t a lost cause. The title track in particular is amazing. Who but Nas could pull off sampling Iron Butterfly so well?