1) Michael Knott - "Double"

I wish I could write a ridiculously simplistic acoustic number like this, get a big bucks publishing deal for it, and then promptly piss it away. OK maybe not the last part.

2) Viva Voce - "Lesson #1"

Best song from The Heat Can Melt Your Brain. Motorola seems to think so too since it's in one of their commercials. Not that that's what makes it good.

3) Ester Drang - "Oceans of You"

I may not use this same song, but the Drang will most likely be on there. If Doves were a little more dreamy and shoegazer-ish, they'd sound a bit like this.

4) Starflyer 59 - "Good Sons"

I can't think of many others that have channeled Neworder better than SF59 did with this track.

5) The Elected - "7th September 2003"

I almost like this band more than Rilo Kiley. This is the lead off track from their 2004 album, Me First. It's a sunny, laid back alt/folk/country track with subtle electronics...more immediately accessible than Wilco and not as whiney as Bright Eyes.

That song, plus the song "A Good Living" are the two best tracks off their last record. I've found myself listening to that album more and more lately. Good choice.

would that be talking voice vs. singing voice that you speak of?

Yeah it's from TV vs. SV.

did you ever get into dancehouse children?

Wow.

The Dance House Children album called Songs and Stories was actually the first thing I ever heard by Jason or Ronnie Martin. It was 1991, and I was really into new wave and synth pop at the time, so I was highly anticipating it. But I popped in the cassette, and it sounded so twee. So for the longest time, I didn't care for it much. But I acquired the CD 6 or so years back and I do listen to it occasionally.