and... we're back.

We met over homemade pizzas to get the night started. The turn-out was fantastic, and we added some new parlourites this fine evening. While the ultimate holla must go to Jimmy and his char-grilled pizza skills, I think we also came across some pretty fantastic music.

Vampire Weekend - you probably already know about them, but if you don't... drop everything and buy the self-titled release from these throwback punk rockers. It'll remind you why it was so fun to jump around your room as a teenager to the likes of Goldfinger and Rancid. I would consider it a more "informed" kind of punk.

Next was NC native daughter, Tift Merritt. She has a new album out, Another Country, and we are hoping to up the parlour's cred by inviting one of her touring guitarists to the next event.

Tegan and Sara. They are identical twins (not just sisters as previously mentioned!) and they play music. Ashley hopes you like it.

Then we heard Panda Bear, the loveable bamboo-eating offshoot of the Animal Collective menagerie. I vote we theme a parlour around bands with animal names.

Beirut's wikipedia entry talks about Eastern European and Balkan folk sounds. Funny how something that sounds so original can be so far from it.

We then shifted gears to the alt-country/folk portion of the night, leading off with Tarkio's re-release compilation Omnibus. Tarkio is Colin Meloy's late 90s alt-country band from Montana. I think they are perfection and still haven't quite accepted that they are not in existence anymore, and that I am 10 years too late. Seriously, try "Slow Down." (m4a)

Then I played a few songs from the Horse Feathers' album Words Are Dead. They remind me a lot of Great Lake Swimmers, particularly the vocals. I think the songs are sweet and airy and ethereal. For example, "Finch on Saturday." (m4a)

I also played The Dodos, whose myspace page describes them as happy hardcore. You'd be hard-pressed to convince me they are hardcore when they have made a song as lovely as "Walking." (m4a)

KJ played some Golden Smog for all the Jeff Tweedy lovers in the house. They apparently have an album coming out on 4/24. Then, holding it down for the ATL, we heard the new Gnarls Barkley. It prompted a great discussion of the use of retro beats and how utterly novel the Gray Album was. DSV then chipped in with The Strugglers, who appears to actually be the brainchild of one local named Randy Bickford. Free CD release show on 4/18 at 506. We'll be there? We saw Mia Todd open for Jose Gonzalez a while back. She has a really lovely voice. Brandy Carlile fits in here somewhere, as well. She was on the Cayamo Cruise with Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin, so she must be good.

The last thing we heard was Jason Schwartzman of Wes Anderson fame's band Coconut Records. I can't help but think it's a bunch of songs from the soundtrack cutting room floor, but if you knew the depth of my affection for Wes Anderson you'd realize that's a big compliment.

Good parlour. Break!