Snowera - Snowsera EP (2007), Fictions EP (2008), Push & Pull EP (2009)

Post-punky indie pop stuff, these guys put all their music up for free on their official site, and I was really surprised at how good it is (especially their new two-song EP, Push & Pull, which is pictured); I've stuck all three of their EPs into a single .rar file to make the process of getting all their material a little easier; this band shows a lot of promise and I can't wait for an album, keep an eye on them

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The xx - xx (2009)

Dark and flowing debut from this London four-piece, influenced heavily by '80s goth rock and post-punk, this is an incredibly relaxing and chilled out album (best listened to at midnight, I find), helped along by the smooth vocals of Romy Madley Croft; this is already shaping up to be one of the most hyped releases of the year (Pitchfork review and "Best New Music" status imminent; touchdown in five, four, three, two...), but the catch is that it actually deserves to be

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Afraid! - Megaloklift (2009)

Italian post-hardcore/screamo band, with heavy influence of post-punk and psychedelia, this is a quick listen but it's really great, I find myself listening to it three or four times in a sitting because it's so addicting

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Foreign Objects - Demo (2009)

Massachusetts punk band that just got together a few months ago; they're like a mix of hardcore and post-punk and maybe a little bit of pop with female vocals, this is one of the best demos I've heard all year

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GUILTY PLEASURE WEEK: The Killers - Hot Fuss (2004)

As years have gone by since its release, I've become less and less guilty about liking this album; I think that's partly because it just gets better with age. This album is immensely enjoyable, and is a great example of how danceable pop rock doesn't always suck. And while the band seems to have been floundering on their most recent releases, we will always have this great debut to remember them by.

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Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs (2009)

Ian Curtis came back to life as a woman and busted Varg Vikernes out of prison, then they went to France and ran into Anthony Gonzalez and they all recorded a collaboration album

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