First up, Berkley, California's Brendan Benson did "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" from his new album The Alternative to Love (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). Then the least folky song off Josh Rouse's new album Nashville (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music) is probably "Winter in the Hamptons", which I also happen to like best. Next was a New Orelans' rock outfit named for an R.E.M. song that sounds more like Radiohead than R.E.M. called World Leader Pretend with "Punches" from their Rubble-Rousing Misspent Bouts EP (iTunes, Amazon) but it is also on the upcoming album, also called Punches (Amazon). And finally Finland's best musical export since The Leningrad Cowboys -- tho nothing like them at all -- Husky Rescue did "Summertime Cowboy" from their hit-or-miss-but-worth-looking-into debut album Country Falls (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).