I'm finally caught up on New Tuesday's. Until tomorrow...

Dixie Chicks, "Taking The Long Way" - Ok, lets get this over quickly... like ripping off a band-aid. Almost all of my friends are, proudly or ashamedly, talking about getting this album. Dixie Chicks have, in the past, been a guilty pleasure (There's Your Trouble) and with this more popcentric album, I am sure you will catch me stealing listens of Roomie's CD.

Tilly and the Wall, "Bottoms of Barrels" - I don't think any band makes me happier to see live than Team Love's Tilly and the Wall. They are so fun and wonderful. They're funderful. You just get swept up in this wave of clapping and tap dancing and glittler and smiling... it is amazing. Plus, I kind of lust a lot after pianist Nick White, so that doesn't hurt either. I had heard a number of the new songs live previously, and I feel like most of them are best suited to be experienced live, such as "Bad Education," Sing Songs Along" and "Black and Blue" (although they come off great on CD too). So, I am listenting to the CD and biding my time until I can see them again.

Phoenix, "It's Never Been Like That" - This French Pop Rock band has long been one of my favorites. Their new album is a little more serious and leans just slightly more toward the rock, but is still extremely fun. It makes a great companion to the Tilly and the Wall album and you won't be able to make it through these albums without cracking a smile and bobbing your head. It's hard to pick a best song. "Consilation Prizes," "Rally," "Long DIstance Call," One Time Too Many," Sometimes I Fall." I'm going to stop before I list the whole album.

The Ditty Bops, "Moon Over the Freeway" - I kind of see The Ditty Bops as the antithesis of the Dresdon Dolls... if the Dresdon Dolls were the devil on your shoulder the Ditty Bops would be the angel. Or...maybe a way quirker Jolie Holland, as their music often feels like remnants of a different generation. Regardless, they are boppy, quirky and unique. Their album also features a great cover of Bye Bye Love. If that wasn't enough to make you love them, check this out... these girls have ditched the tour van and are touring from Los Angeles to New York BY BICYCLE. Fans can even meet up with them and bike along for legs of their journey. That's the coolest fucking thing I've ever heard. Read more about it here.

Sierra Swan, "Ladyland" - I didn't see Sierra when she was opening for James Blunt (got to the theater too late). She has a strong voice, a fairly mainstreem sound and I'm sure is pretty hot. Right? Oh, and one of her songs features Aimee Mann, which is the highlight of the album.

Halifax, "The Inevitability of a Strange World" - You might remember these Emo Pop/Punk/Rock guys from Real World: Austin's South by Southwest Coverage. The band was very displeased at being portrayed as mindless drunks. Boohoo. I'm sure they edited the beers into their hands. Whatever, they still put out a great album for skateboarders to pierce their nipples to. The world needs more of those I think.

The Heavy Blinkers, "The Night and I Are Still So Young" - Funnily enough, a band from Halifax Nova Scotia. The All Music Guide review suggests that this album achieves twice what the Polyphonic Spree does with half the members. I don't know about that...the album seems a little sleepier to me. But still very worth checking out.

The Walkmen, "A Hundred Miles Off" - So, the Walkmen have never been my super jam. I did think the few songs I heard live at Lollapalooza were pretty good, which is about as much as I can say. But, for people who are more into this style of music, this is probably some great stuff. And I use to work with the band's singer a bit when I dealt with their merch, and he is one of the nicest guys you'll come in contact with, so hopefully a lot of other people will be all about this album, cause they deserve it.

The Wreckers, "Stand Still Look Pretty" - Michelle Branch's latest side project with Jessica Who...I mean Harp... is pretty good. People picking up the Dixie Chicks CD might as well go ahead and try this CD out too...it has the same target crowd. It can be best summed up from this iTunes review: "what the hell?! these sare sooo michelle branch songs... she should so go solo. She is sooo much better solo... HA>> im the 1st one to write a review id like to make a shout out 2 all my peeps at SFDS so Hell YA." Amen, brother. Amen.

Angels and Airwaves, "We Don't Need to Whisper" - Roomie has a copy of this CD, from blink-182's Tom DeLong and it is good for listening to in the car on the way to Target. It doesn't sound much like blink-182 (except roomie says it does sound like their last album.) I think it is interesting that they are working on a CGI movie to correspond with the album. It is World War II-based and gives insight into DeLong's life and the blink hiatus. And apparently the two music videos out for two of the songs are Sci-Fi in theme and fit together in a bigger story. Ok, they've perked my interest.

As Fast As, "Open Letter To The Damned" - I saw these guys open for Rachael Yamagata and Gavin Degraw, and during the show they said their name about five times and every time it was impossible to figure out. You could hear people around the venue trying to figure out what they had just said. So anyway, after their set the singer walked near me so I went over and asked what their name was. After finding out the name I was proceeding to congratulate them on their set (which really was only decent at best) when he walked away from me . Yeah. Oh well, don't take my word for it... one iTunes reviewer mentions how he lo0o0o0ooo0ve's the band, and not just because Zach went to his highschool. So you can take that to the bank. The band's songs include tracks such as "Blame It on the Drugs" and "Wasted Youth" so... yeah. Yeah....

Coachwhips, "Double Death" - I am really just highlighting this because of an iTunes review of another of their albums, "Peanut Butter & Jelly" (which iTunes inexplicably lists as being released in January of 2007). The review simply states that it sounds like the white stripes mixed with good old butt fucking. I don't think the reviewer meant it as a compliment either.

Big Star Small World - This tribute album to the band Big Star has apparently been sitting around for 8 years since the label that was going to release it went bankrupt. It has a song from Wilco, which I'm sure will excite many of my friends. Interestingly enough three of the groups featuring songs - Idle Wilds, Whiskeytown, and the Afghan Whigs - have broken up. And Gin Blossoms played the Decatur Celebration.

Other Bands with new albums: End of Fashion, Mission of Burma