[Weekly roundup of the week's notable CD releases. Free and legal MP3 samples are provided where available so you can try 'em before you buy. Check out our upcoming CD releases calendar for a comprehensive list of 2009 releases.]

Artist: Brendan Benson
Album: My Old, Familiar Friend
Sample: “Feel Like Taking You Home”
The fourth solo full-length album from [...]

Band: Phoenix
Album: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Sample: “1901″
 
Not only is this one of the best dance-y singles we’ve heard in a while, but the French quartet put out an entire album filled with great songs. Get used to it, you’ll be hearing about Phoenix for a while.
Bonus: You can download the stems for Phoenix’ “1901″ on their [...]

It’s that time of year again — the turkey leftovers are long gone and we’re hearing Christmas music in every store in town, so it must be time for best-albums-of-year lists.
After screaming matches, insults and a fist fight or two, the dust has settled and the Stranger Dance staff stands before you united with our [...]

I updated the San Francisco Concert Schedule with a fresh crop of shows. Lots of good stuff coming up, including the Black Keys (tonight!), Cat Power, Mike Doughty, Kathleen Edwards, Man Man, Rilo Kiley, SF’s own Rogue Wave, another round of Stephen Malkmus and his Jicks, Jamie Lidell, Tapes N’ Tapes (now featuring Erik Appelwick, [...]