Friday Random Five (#17)
(and then some...)

Given the truly random appearances of the Random Five as of late, we're feeling like underachievers. Thus, we give you the, umm, super-sized version, the Biggie, if you will. 100% fat free and better-tasting, too. Plus, there's a wealth of stuff out there about now. Feast or famine, you know.

1- The new Crystal Skulls release is on the way! Outgoing Behavior is the follow-up to what was perhaps last year's most impressive debut. "Baby Boy" (MP3) will be included.

2- Speaking of new albums with April release dates, Irving returns with Death In the Garden, Blood On the Flowers, produced by Phil Ek, among others. "If You Say Jump, I Will Say No" (MP3) is from it.

3- One of the most wildly anticipated debuts of the year, at least from where I'm sitting, is Band of Horses' Everything All the Time, out in March on Sub Pop. The band features not horses, but Ben and Mat from dearly departed Carissa's Wierd (sic), among others. "The Funeral" (MP3) sounds glorious.

4- A change of pace now with another upcoming release: Josh Ritter's The Animal Years is out in the U.S. in April. "The Girl In the War" (MP3) is from it.

5- From the same end of the musical spectrum as Ritter comes Scott Miller & the Commonwealth, these days apparently based in Nashville. Citation is the upcoming release, out March 14th, and the follow-up to 2003's excellent Upside Downside. "Only Everything" (MP3) is included.

6- Upcoming from Jagjaguwar is an expansive new compilation from Simon Joyner entitled, appropriately enough, Beautiful Losers: Singles & Compilation Tracks, 1994-1999. Here's "One For the Catholic Girls" (MP3). Ah, Catholic girls.

7- This last one's a gem, combining two seemingly disparate but brilliant acts, Iron & Wine and New Order. Sam Beam & Co.'s cover of "Love Vigilantes" (MP3) comes from a recent iTunes exclusive EP entitled Live Session.

enjoy. rinse. repeat.