[Thursday Track Back] "Razor Love" by Neil Young

This song popped up on the Amazon Prime show Transparent. It was a good choice.

Why you should listen: Perfectly sweet and nostalgic. "All I've got for you is a razor love that cuts clean through."

[Thursday Track Back] "Stolen Dance" by Milky Chance

The arrangement has this Alt-J thing going on.

Why should you listen:  Milky Chance is a German duo. How much German music are you taking in these days? Not much? Start here.

[Thursday Track Back] "Lead Me On" by Joe Henry

If you're in one of those "Honey and the Moon" kind of moods and don't know what to play next, try this.

Why you should listen: It's a lovely and well-written slow burn that might just melt your cold little heart.

[Thursday Track Back] "Fire Extinguisher" by Howell Dawdy

Louisville's own Howell Dawdy delivers a very clever deadpan spoken word tune in which is he lists off the things he needs, including "driver who's also a student in something interesting."

Why you should listen: For shiggles.

[Thursday Track Back] "Up Up Up" by Givers

At some point, Microsoft will try and use this song to sell a tablet.

Why you should listen: Other than the fact it's bouncy and indie-fab? The female singer has a pretty solid rasp.

[Thursday Track Back] "Hey Rose" by Streets of Laredo

I found this song buried in my iTunes library. Streets of Laredo is an indie folk band from Brooklyn, but they sound like they're from out West, and I always find that immensely appealing.

Why you should listen: "Hey Rose" has a wistful gallop and pretty harmonies. At times, the harmonies remind me of the Everly Brothers, so if you're into that you might dig this.

[Thursday Track Back] "Archie, Marry Me" by Alvvays

I found this song shortly after Archie Comics announced the titular Archie Andrews was going to take a bullet in the Life of Archie series. The two are unrelated.

Why you should listen: If you're like me and gravitate toward anything vaguely retro-sounding, especially if there's a little lo-fi surf guitar involved, you'll probably like Alvvays, and "Marry Me, Archie" is a strong representation of the band's sound.

[Thursday Track Back] "Dark Sunglasses" by Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie Hynde's been the lead singer of The Pretenders since 1978. I dare you to tally up how many older female rock singers you hear on the radio these days.

Why you should listen: Hynde sings with a halting cool about a guy who's lost his posh social status and now wears dark sunglasses in a small effort to maintain and remind himself of whatever glamour he used to have.

[Thursday Track Back] "Hand Me Back My Life" by Bob Schneider

When I first heard this, I was sitting in traffic thinking, "Oh man. This guy's situation is getting progressively worse."

Why you should listen: Getting involved with a Russian mobster lady sounds absolutely cheeky. Schneider's concern ratchets up and he asks for his life back with all the aggression of a mid-album Sugar Ray song. It's delightful.

[Thursday Track Back] "Baby, Now That I've Found You" by Alison Krauss

This song is bit of an oldie, on two levels: Alison Krauss covered The Foundations' 1967 debut single... but back in 1995.

Why you should listen: A cover's highest achievement is to make the lister appreciate a familiar song in a whole new way. This version, which is slower, quieter, and more tender than the brassy original, does exactly that. Whereas the Foundations exerted a certain confidence, Krauss' spin communicates an almost weariness of the realization that "I need you so, baby even though you don't need me."

[Thursday Track Back] "Long Distance Love" by Sabina

To be honest, when I first heard "Long Distance Love," I thought the singer was a dude with a high-pitched voice. I was wrong. It was Italian-born electronica artist Sabina.

Why you should listen: Sabina doesn't really commit to singing or talking on this track. She's got a languid delivery that I initially hated, but as is the case for me, not infrequently, it grew on me. "Long Distance Love" has a particular flavor of quirk (read: retro Euro-artsy whatever) that should land it on the soundtrack of whatever Zach Braff is working on these days. There are also French lyrics because OF course there are. Bonus round: Check out "Toujours" off the album of the same name.

[Thursday Track Back] "Move" by House Ghost

Since moving to Louisville, Ky, I've found more than a few things to love. One of them happens to be the song "Move" by local band House Ghost.

Why you should listen: If you're like me and appreciate general smart ass-ery, you'll dig this song whose chorus says: "I really like you, no the girl behind you. So please move." The down shift right before makes you think some kind of indie rock sap is about to gunk up your gears. In fact, you'd be as surprised as the first girl in the song to find out that's not at all the case.