This Friday I'll see Neko Case live for the first time.  A perfect primer, her recent concert in Washington, DC recorded and podcasted by NPR. I've edited it down for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Download: Neko Case - Live in Washington

Bat for Lashes (the moniker of British drama-rocktress Natasha Khan) releases her new album Two Suns tomorrow.  At times recalling early Sinead O'Connor and Roisin Murphy-lite, this is an organic, percussive mix of the hyper-intellectual with groovy beats.  I dig it.  I dare you not to get sucked into the album highlight (among many), "Daniel" - Download now!  

Download: "Daniel"

Patrick Watson's new album, Wooden Arms, has leaked. I am so excited.

Gushing from the same vein as Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons is a folky, alt-country quartet out of England, of all places. I don't often associate the UK with this particular genre, but they're doing it right. They have two four-track EPs available for purchase at www.rawrip.com. As they say on their MySpace page, "country music is the future", and, inexplicably, I must agree. It's a return to the good old days when musicians played instruments and songs told a story.

A recent discovery (via the fantastic blog indiepassion) is The Middle East, a quintet from Australia. A quick-comparison would be Patrick Watson, the Montreal group specializing in atmospheric and dreamy folk-pop whose third album will be out in April. American Football comes to mind, too.

I'm an extremely adept Googler, but there's very little available about the unsigned band online; no Wiki page, no official site, just a MySpace. The album is out of print and impossible to purchase legally, so here's the link. Check it out. Girl-boy harmonies, twinkly pianos, whistling. It's sweeping and rich, moody and ambient. Buzz word buzz word. Buzzword. Buzzzzzzzzz.