Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys: As a high schooler that lived and breathed Transatlanticism and Plans, I was stoked when I heard that Death Cab for Cutie was releasing a new album this year. And they surely didn't disappoint. Codes and Keys was on heavy rotation on my morning commutes and summer road trips with a sound perfect for the season. Actually, it's proven to be perfect for every season.

I've found that most people associate Death Cab's music with sadness, and those people will be surprised once they listen to the opening notes of lead track, "Home Is a Fire." It's certainly a pick-me-up from 2008's Narrow Stairs, feeling like an awakening from a deep sleep. No track showcases that better than "You Are A Tourist," the lead single, in which a jangly, slightly distorted riff marks every phrase. As always, the group experiments with a number of instrumentation throughout the album, from strings to different piano effects and even Gibbard's (or another band member's) own panting. It's basically delightful and rich candy for your ears from top to bottom.

You Are A Tourist by therecordcrate

Alexander Ebert - Alexander: Remember when Alexander Ebert was jumping around as lead singer of dance punk band Ima Robot? Yeah, you won't get any of that here. Alexander is more of an extension of Ebert's work with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and all sounds heard on this album were created by him. No seriously, it's all him. You wouldn't believe it if you heard it before this.

Alexander - Truth by the Good Badger

The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow: I've never considered myself a country fan, but the duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White have the power to be my gateway drug (at least to alternative forms of the genre). Barton Hollow is gorgeous, whether its bleeding sadness all over the place or belting out a down-home country diddy. The blend of their voices is beyond compare.

10 Falling by susanh

"Shake It Out" by Florence + the Machine(Ceremonials): I know this album came out a little over a month ago, but once I heard this song I feel in love with Florence Welch all over again. Admittedly, I was scared she wouldn't be able to outdo 2009's Lungs and then this happened. The first time I heard it on 102.1 (naturally), I was smitten. It's a song that's very characteristic of the group, utilizing a lot of space by filling it with the sound of big percussion and Welch's powerhouse voice, yet brings something that feels more updated rather than a repeat from the last album. It's a "The Dog Days Are Over" 2.0 if you will.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - Shake It Out by UMPG Synch NL

"Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys(El Camino): Yup, I know this one literally just came out, but I honestly can't stop listening to it. I can't help doing the dance that accompanies it either. I blasted it in the car while waiting for the light at Sheridan and Millersport today and its awesome-ness scared the guy in the car next to me. It should usually be enjoyed with its video.

"Radio" by Raphael Saadiq(Stone Rollin'): I've been told that the kind of music I'm into can be categorized as "new music that sounds like old music," and this pick solidifies that. Raphael Saadiq can be a modern day Smokey Robinson when he slides into his falsetto, but on this one he's hard-hitting, employing the twelve-bar blues model to a track that forces you to dance.

Radio by RaphaelSaadiq

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Thursday in the Square (06/02/11): One of the last shows on a Thursday to actually be held in the square itself, this concert was the first I saw in Buffalo after graduating from college and I'm so glad it was. Though square concerts are notorious for gathering large drunken crowds that don't even know the band playing before them, none of that mattered to me as I watched this 10-piece band perform the songs that reminded me of senior year off their debut album, Up from Below. Ebert was exactly as I pictured he'd be on stage, completely calm aside from his moments of jubilant dance. He even got himself in the midst of the crowd while performing, making me actually wish I had made it down front in the mass of humanity. With ten band members on stage, you'd think it might be difficult to recreate the songs the same way they were on the album, but not for these guys. In my opinion, it was better, particularly the ending featuring an extended version of "Om Nashi Me" that continued to build and build till the group signed off for the night.