First up, California's fascinating band The Heavenly States answer the question "what do you get if you cross a punk singer with a rock band a pop tune writer?" with their song "Elastic Days" from their newest, quality album Black Comet (iTunes, Amazon). Then Chicago's The Fruit Bats did a great song called "Lives of Crime" from their great new album Spelled in Bones (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). You're forgiven if you assumed at first that they were Of Montreal. Next was Norway's fluttery songstress Hanne Hukkelberg with "Cast Anchor" from her 2005 EP by the same name (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music). And finally, Los Angeles' Radar Brothers who, the worst thing you can say about is that they are so consistent as to be boring in large doses, did better track called "Papillion" off their newest album The Fallen Leaf Pages (iTunes, Amazon, Other Music).