Now here’s something pretty different. In addition to the normal instruments, i.e. guitars and drums, the Go! Team also play the harmonica, glockenspiel, recorder, and banjo along side samples of trumpet lines while the vocals basically consist of cheerleader or double-dutch type chants. The result is something celebretory and triumphant, reminiscent of the music from a NES game or Rocky movie. And if you still need a reason to listen, the woman on lead vocals is named Ninja. Check out their performance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. It might even be better than the album.

A few weeks back, I tuned in to Live 105’s new and indie music show, Soundcheck, and thought I was hearing a new Yeah Yeah Yeahs track. I was getting into it, and excited about a new YYYs album. Well, I was way off. The song turned out to be “Monster Hospital” by the east coast based Metric. They have all the trademarks of a “Jer band”: (1) alternative/indie pop, (2) female on lead vocals (Emily Haines, also a member of Broken Social Scene), and (3) liberal/progressive themes (“Glass Ceiling” or “Handshakes”: Buy this car to drive to work / Drive to work to pay for this car). All that adds up to airplay in ol’ 610 Latimer and tickets to the show at the Filmore.