I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a bit of a musicophile. It's to the point where some may consider it to be an unhealthy habit. A good portion of my day that isn't spent reading or writing has been devoted to locating new bands that have an amazing sound and that have a spark of pure genius. As any music fan is sure to recognize, these bands are so far and few between that they could be compared to a white whale or a blue moon.

So here's a list of a couple bands that I have found within the past couple of years that haven't made too much of a splash yet here in America. They have been moderately successful in the indie music scene but with that carries an air of pretentiousness and it's not what I'm attempting to drive at. Give these bands a listen and let me know what you think. I've attached some links beneath the bands for a quick listen.

1. Sufjan Stevens: this guy is probably one of the best up-and-coming folk/rock artists out there. His albums (he has 6 currently and one that is due to be released this year hopefully) range in topics, from religious aspects to focusing upon Illinois and Michigan as muses to experimental electronica. My recommendation would be to listen to either the Illinois or Michigan album as those are by far where his musical genius truly begins to shine.

http://www.last.fm/music/Sufjan+Stevens

2. Arctic Monkeys: I do realize that they have been moving up in the well known category after their monumental success with their first album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" in 2005. Their newest one is "Favourite Worst Nightmares" and though it isn't as good as their debut, it's some of the best music that I had heard in years. Their sound is a pop/punk/rock and have been an influence to a lot of bands that have been trying to capitalize on their sound, such as The Fratellis, The Wombats, The Cribs, and Vampire Weekend (all of which are incredible bands as well but not worthy of a number).

http://www.last.fm/music/Arctic+Monkeys

3. Jens Lekman: how this Swede has not become abundantly famous yet completely flabbergasts me. His music is openly appealing to a horde of multiple genres, ranging from pop to R&B to at times disco. "Night Falls Over Kortedala" is definitely the LP to pick up of his and showcases his talent better than the other two that he's released. However, when listening to this recording, start off with track 3 "The Opposite of Hallelujah" instead of at the beginning as the first two songs, although good in their own right, set a melodramatic tone for the recording that can skew perceptions.

http://www.last.fm/music/Jens+Lekman

4. Beirut: ever get into the mood for listening to some pure Old World music but can't find any because either a: the recordings can't be found or b: the recordings that are found sound like an unskilled DJ had let his dog try out his mixing table? Well search no more because this is your band. Beirut came onto the scene about a year or two back by releasing Gulag Orkestar and have since released The Flying Club Cup. Their music can instantly transport you back a century to picturesque and pristine rural countryside of (insert European country of choice pretty much). Absolutely a fantastic album.

http://www.last.fm/music/Beirut

5. Broken Social Scene / Cut Copy / Yeasayer: well as you could probably tell from my previous posts, I enjoy doing lists in sets of 5. Seems like a good number to end things on. Unfortunately, I have run into a three-way tie at the end of the post but fortunately for you all, there's two other bands to check out! So in the end it works for all involved I guess. BSS is a Canadien supergroup comprised of numerous musicians who have hit it kinda big. Good examples would be Leslie Fiest (the 1234 song that plays during that iPod commercial) and Emily Hines of Metric. Great instrumental music makes up about a quarter to half of each album's tracks. I would recommend picking up either their self-titled album or "You Forgot It In People." Oh, Cut Copy, what a fun band you are. They have two recordings out currently but I would start with "In Ghost Colours." Synth pop would be the best way of describing them and they have such a wonderful sound. It's the kind of music that makes you want to get up and dance, or at least move around a little bit. Finally we have come to Yeasayer. Their most recent release "All Hours Cymbals" is a phenomenal rock album that is a little difficult to describe because they have an eclectic sound. "Sunrise" and "2080" are probably the best tracks off the CD but it is one that can be listened to through the entire way and not be regretted.

http://www.last.fm/music/Broken+Social+Scene

http://www.last.fm/music/Cut+Copy

http://www.last.fm/music/Yeasayer

Hopefully this will suffice for a little bit while I attempt to locate more bands to give you to listen. Feel free to leave me some comments about great musicians that you enjoy as well. As stated before, I am a self-proclaimed musicophile and love hearing new things. If you haven't checked out last.fm, I would recommend it. Good free samples of music and generally have decent info on the bands. Until next time, take care.