Tame Impala "Solitude Is Bliss" (2010)

Extremely listenable, modern psychedlia from this Australian four-piece. I came across this at the excellent We Are Involved music blog.

V.A.S.T. "Touched" and "Flames" (1998)

VAST stands for Visual Audio Sensory Theatre, an Austin based collaborative led by multi-instrumentalist Jon Crosby, who came onto the scene in 1998 with a highly regarded debut. Two standout tracks are featured here. The former got some play on modern rock radio, while the latter, with it's haunting violin, is as dark as a love song can get.

Ra Ra Riot "Boy" (2010)

A recent indie rock hit from this Syracuse NY band, who have created a lot of buzz with their great live performances.

Cowboy Indian Bear "Saline" (2010)

A modern, though mildly psychedelic aural & video trip back to the '70's from this Kansas based trio. They may not have opened for the Dead in 1975, but listening to this you may think they did.

The Ruby Suns "Maasai Mara (2006)

Interesting sound with more than a passing nod to XTC in their prime. One of the nuggets from the '00's that should have been played more on the radio (then again radio rarely played XTC in THEIR prime, because most program directors are incompetent, ass-kissing zombies).

Harlem "Friendly Ghost (2010)

Relentless guitar riff & a lo-fi vibe make this a great tune for hangin' in the cellar with a some friends and a six pack of PBR. Or perhaps the Arizona garage where Harlem honed their sound.

The Decemberists "The Sporting Life" (2005)

The Decemberists are a band you either love or hate. The pseudo-intellectual, arty pretensions that turn some purists off make them demi-gods to others. Picaresque is a very listenable album (as is much of their output since their debut in 2002), and they are a very interesting live act. Plus, the average IQ of a Decemberists show crowd may be the highest in rock (the silly promo shot in the video notwithstanding; it shows they don't take themselves too seriously).