[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: Yim Yames
Album: Tribute To
Sample: “My Sweet Lord” [George Harrison cover]
The solo debut from My Morning Jacket [...]

We asked you the other day whether Monsters of Folk were your cup of tea, and the reviews have mostly been positive. Now you’ll get to see them up close and in person to decide. Messrs. James, Ward, Oberst and Mogis are bringing their little indie-folk supergroup to Oakland’s Fox Theater on October 17th.
This is [...]

The first MP3 from Monsters of Folk has hit the blogosphere – “Say Please.” This band practically defines the term “supergroup,” as a band comprised of Bright Eyes‘ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and singer-songwriter M. Ward is quite impressive, given their already-established individual reputations. The band’s debut self-titled album [...]

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music. I genuinely love it, but there are rules. First, I’m a big Grinch about playing Christmas music early. I’m stricter than most people on this issue, but can’t we all agree that Thanksgiving is the absolute earliest date to break out the sleigh bells?
There is also too [...]

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 [...]

[The Blogmine is a weekly feature where your fearless Stranger Dance staffers dig up all the gold hidden around the blogosphere. Feel free to pass along any interesting stories we may miss.]

Is “Little Dealer Boy” a new Christmas classic? Umm, yes. [Wired Listening Post]
The coming Colbert/Kanye apocalypse will spare nobody (yes, we’re on a Colbert [...]

One of the things that I love most about music (and art in general, I guess) is that everyone appreciates it in their own way. Ten people can have the same favorite song, album or band and love them for completely different reasons. Be it lyrics, rhythm, melody, harmony, style or something else, people are [...]

Jim James (My Morning Jacket frontman) fell during a show last night (October 7) in Iowa City, injuring himself badly enough to require hospitilization. As a result, James’ was forced him to cancel his appearance at an Obama benefit in Chicago tonight.
According to local newspaper The Gazette:
“James slipped and fell about 30 minutes into the [...]

Random at best, this mix features a combination of new and old – all of which are completely lodged in my head. I had to bust out a little MGMT because I saw them play BFD 2008 yesterday, and I couldn’t really wait to leak a little My Morning Jacket before Evil Urges hits stores [...]

Last night I caught the cryptic Bob Dylan biopic, I’m Not There, for the first time. As you probably already know it features “six distinct stages of Dylan’s public life and persona portrayed by an ensemble cast: Marcus Franklin, Ben Whishaw, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Cate Blanchett.” (source). What exactly does that [...]