This, my friends, is my very last week of college classes. Ever. It’s all very surreal to me right now. It’s hard to imagine that after tomorrow, I may never step into a classroom again. With the reality of the real world heading at me like a freight train, I’m getting fairly nostalgic this week. To fit this mood, and for all of you other graduating seniors, I recommend Band of Horses’ first album, Everything All the Time.

About the Band:
Band of Horses is a rock band hailing from Seattle, WA, started by guitarist Ben Bridwell. Currently joining him are Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey, Bill Reynolds, Creighton Barrett. Interestingly enough, Ben was never really a musician, but hung out with a lot of bands; when he formed Band of Horses, he didn’t even know how to play guitar.

Top 3 Tracks:

The Funeral

Weed Party

I Go to The Barn Because I Like The…

Why You Should Listen To It:
For me, this album has come to define my college experience. My first college boyfriend introduced me to it freshman year, and it’s been playing in my car ever since. I have a lot of great memories to songs on this album, and hopefully now you can all go make memories to it as well. It’s chill, it’s emotional, it’s heartfelt; it’s pretty much everything anyone would  need to finish up their college career.

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[Sarabeth here, back with some more jams to add to your iTunes library! Every Wednesday, I'm bringing you music suggestions - could be something new, old, hugely popular or fairly unknown -  to awesome-ify your  collection.]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww sh*t! Musical talent doesn’t always have to come in the form of amazing voices. Sometimes great and hilarious lyrics (and an outlet on one of the country’s most well known shows) is all you need. Hearing “I’m On A Boat” this weekend at the bars just reminded me how awesome The Lonely Island is. And because I simply can’t wait for their 2011 album, I’m giving you Incredibad.

About the Band:
The Lonely Island is more of a comedy troupe rather than a band, consisting of Andy Samburg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer. While most people know them from SNL, these three have been making people laugh for way longer – since junior high school.

Top 3 Tracks:

I’m On A Boat

Dick In A Box

Natalie’s Rap

Why You Should Listen To It:
If you’re having a bad day, put this album on. You can’t NOT smile while listening to it. These songs are great additions to any party playlist (if used sparingly). There’s nothing funnier than a group of 20 drunk girls belting out the words to Dick in a Box around 3 in the morning. These guys are comedic geniuses, and if I Just Had Sex is any indication of the awesomeness of their next album, consider me stoked.

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For some reason lately, I’ve been on a real retro kick when it comes to my iPod. Looking back at my most ‘recently played’ list, every song comes from 1985 and before….and I wasn’t even born then. What can I say? I guess the combo of my recent break up and finals season makes me nostalgic.

Which brings us to this week’s pick….which may be a bit, uh, obvious? I mean, who doesn’t love The Beatles? Or, now that they’re on iTunes, not already have their entire catalog on their iPod?

Whatever. I figured this could be my opportunity to not only share my favorite Beatles album with you all, but also my favorite album of all time: Rubber Soul

About the Band: This category just seems silly for this band, so instead of giving you the usual rundown on John, Paul, George and Ringo, I thought I’d share some fun trivia. Did you know that while Paul was known as the lefty of the group, Ringo was left handed as well? When he joined the band, though, they only had a right handed set, so he just adapted.

Top 3 Tracks:

Norwegian Wood

Michelle

In My Life

Why You Should Listen to It:
There’s a reason the Beatles are known as the greatest band ever, and it’s because they were musical geniuses. Like all of their albums, Rubber Soul has a song for every mood, but mainly, this is my go-to album whenever I want to just chill out and relax. The best thing about it, though: you can sing along to every song on here, which is what we all need after a long day of studying, after a killer exam or when we’re packing up our things to go home at the end of another long and memorable school year.

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Well, springtime in central Texas was short lived. We had a week of 70 degree weather, but now it’s back to being balls hot. For that one brief period of AMAZING weather, I reveled in being able to drive around town with my windows down and my music way, way up. And nothing says window-down music like a little old school. And nothing says old school like Weezer’s Blue Album. (You know, when they were still good.)

About the Band:
Weezer is an alternative rock back hailing from, of course, LA, California. Front man Rivers Cuomo is currently backed up by Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell, and Scott Shiner. While famous in their own right, back in the day their first gig was opening for Keanu Reeve’s band, Dogstar

Top 3 Tracks:

My Name is Jonas

Undone (The Sweater Song)

Buddy Holly

Why You Should Listen to It:
Weezer’s debut album is just so…fun. There’s no other way to describe it. It doesn’t take itself t0o seriously and is all about enjoying life in California (or any sunshiney, happy place). This album’s great for when the weather is perfect and you need a soundtrack to reflect that. Listen to it by the pool, on the beach, for an outdoor run, or roll down those windows and rock out as you let the wind whip through your sun kissed locks.

Sick of listening to Gaga on repeat? Get more iPod worthy albums right here.

So, it’s a bad week for Sarabeth. My boyfriend and I broke up since I last posted. Yeah, as you can imagine, all I want right now is music that supports my (for lack of a better term) cranky mood. I thought about dabbling in a little Avril Lavigne for a hot minute, but we all know she’s more pop than angry rock. So I went back to an old favorite for this week: She Wants Revenge’s self-titled first album.

It’s the perfect soundtrack for a break up.

About the Band:
She Wants Revenge is a musical duo from San Fernando Valley, California consisting of Justin Warfield and “Adam 12″ Bravin. While they’re pretty hard to classify into a genre, they tend to get lumped into the dark wave category. They’re still fairly unknown but have been featured in Fringe and the movie 23.

Top 3 Tracks:

These Things

Out of Control

Tear You Apart

Why You Should Listen to It:
She Wants Revenge to me is something to listen to whenever you’re in a cynical mood. This album is perfect for me this week because it feels like most of their songs are about failed relationships and bad romances (no Lady Gaga reference intended). However, it’s got this dark, mysterious sound to it that makes me want to get out of my bed where I’ve been sitting with a box of cereal and just move. If you’re looking to get over someone or something or you just have some hormone issues that are making you angry at the world, turn to this album. It’s total musical therapy.

Want more awesome iPod suggestions?

[Sarabeth here, back with some more jams to add to your iTunes library! Every Wednesday, I'm bringing you music suggestions - could be something new, old, hugely popular or fairly unknown -  to awesome-ify your  collection.]

It quite honestly feels like everyone here in Austin still has a Spring Break/SXSW hangover. There were just so many great bands this year that it’s really hard to get over it. And unfortunately, Powerade/greasy breakfast sandwiches just don’t help. The only remedy? More cowbell good bands.

And I’ve got just the perfect one.

Beats Antique is by far the most creative and original band that I’ve discovered in awhile, and so I share with you their second album, Collide.

About the Band:
Beats Antique is  a little-bit-of-everything group consisting of members David Satori, Zoe Jakes and Tommy “Sidecar” Cappel. Hailing from San Francisco, this band has been creating interesting cocktails of traditional world music with electronica and techno since 2007.

Top 3 Tracks:

Erase

Caterpillar

Slapdash Era

Why You Should Listen to It:
The one thing that impresses me about this album is that no matter where a song starts, it always seems to go to a different, yet interesting place. You can start off thinking you’re listening to a song  with sitar and belly dancing beats, and it can end up more hip-hop than anything else. This is great music for whenever you’re in a really chill mood, but can also be great to dance to. This album has a little bit of everything and no matter what your music taste, you can find something about it you like.

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About the Band: Anamanaguchi bring a whole new meaning to the word nerd-core. It’s a band from New York City that features Peter Berkman and Ary Warnaar on guitar, James DeVito on bass, Luke Silas on drums….and a hacked NES and Gameboy. While they are a chiptune-punk band, they are pretty unique in the fact that they also play traditional instruments like a true rock band. If they sound familiar, then you must have played the Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game; they did the soundtrack for it.

Top 3 Tracks:

Blackout City

Mermaid

Dawn Metropolis

Why You Should Listen to It: I think the reason I love Anamanguchi so much is for 2 main reasons: they make it cool to be a geek, and they make me nostalgic for my childhood. Seriously, when I was a kid I was either playing Zelda, Donkey Kong, or watching my brother play games, and this music totally takes me back. Only in a much cooler way. (Plus, I’m way out of my awkward phase now, so that’s cool.)  If you need to get moving, I highly recommend this. It makes for a great soundtrack for that morning walk to campus to get you pumped up for the day, or when you just can’t spend another minute on the treadmill.

[Sarabeth here, back with some more jams to add to your iTunes library! Every Wednesday, I'm bringing you music suggestions - could be something new, old, hugely popular or fairly unknown -  to awesome-ify your collection.]

Spring time is officially here in Austin, TX, and with that comes South by Southwest, only the biggest music/movie/tech conference ever. I may not have a badge, but I do have a massive schedule of free parties and concerts for the next 7 days. And that includes a free show from one of my favorite bands, Matt and Kim!

So this week I figured I’d spread the joy and share my love of these two with their second (and my personal favorite) album, Grand.

About the Band:
Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino have been rocking out since 2004, with Matt on keyboards and Kim on drums. They have a DIY attitude towards their music and do just about everything when it comes to putting out their albums. If they sound familiar, it’s because they’ve been featured on Community, Entourage, and several commercials.

Top 3 Tracks:

Daylight

Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare

Don’t Slow Down

Why You Should Listen to It:
If this album doesn’t get you pumped for spring break, well then I don’t know what will. This album makes me want to drive with the windows rolled down with my Ray-Bans on and have a mini-jam session in traffic. The beats are awesome (rock on, Kim!), the sound is exhilarating, and the album as a whole is pretty dang sweet.

Want more awesome iPod suggestions? You got it!

[Sarabeth here, back with some more jams to add to your iTunes library! Every Wednesday, I'm bringing you music suggestions - could be something new, old, hugely popular or fairly unknown -  to awesome-ify your  collection.]

I was really sad Monday when I went to the interwebs to find that Suze Rotolo had passed away. She was a very creative individual in her own right, but was most well known for being Bob Dylan’s gf/muse and was on the cover along side of him for his album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. This one’s for you, Suze.

About the Artist:

It seems almost silly to write a bio for Dylan, but for those of you not in the know, Bob Dylan is a folk singer/songwriter who’s been doing amazing things for music for the past 50 years. Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Minnesota, Dylan started college at University of Minnesota but dropped out to move to NYC to pursue his music career.

Top 3 Tracks:

Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright

Blowin’ in the Wind

A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall

Why You Should Listen to It:

As far as I’m concerned, Bob Dylan can almost do no wrong. Did you see him rocking out at the Grammy’s at 69? This album is from his earlier years and is a great example of the great folk music coming from the ’60s. Plus, all of Dylan’s songs hold important and inspirational messages, just the stuff we need to get us through midterms and on to Spring Break.

This week’s artist is someone who’s totally inspired me growing up. While most people spent their college years drinking and dreaming about what they’ll be after they graduate (guilty!), MC Lars was doing something about his dreams. He spent his years at Stanford doing what he loved, making music in his dorm room. The Graduate is just one of many examples of this work.

About the Artist:
MC Lars, or Andrew Robert Neilson as he’s legally known, grew up in Berkley, California. He started his musical career in high school in the punk band Amphoteric. He then went on to Stanford University where he worked at the school’s radio station. He started making music on his laptop in his dorm, and still makes music that way to this day.

Top 3 Tracks:

Download This Song

Generic Crunk Rap

Ahab

Why You Should Listen to It:
Like I said, MC Lars is a huge inspiration to me for doing things that I love, and hopefully he’ll be the same to you. But the music itself is also pretty rad. It’s hip hop/rap that doesn’t take itself seriously, even sometimes making fun of the whole genre. It’s a great album, and come on, where else are you going to hear rhymes about Moby Dick, Sartre, and Kurt Cobain?

Want more awesome iPod suggestions? You got it!