Lana Del Rey- Video Games

Is she supposed to be a plastic surgeon's version of Amy Winehouse? A Brittany Spears for disaffected youth? A crooning Liv Tyler look-a-like? Who knows but I'm not feeling it. Lame music, middling vocals, weak lyrics. Of course everyone wants to concentrate on her looks though, kudos mainstream media!

Buy this record if you're looking for a way to score with the cheerleader turned wallflower in your high school.

lanadelrey.com

Aucan- Black Rainbow

Not sure what to make of this band, one second they're playing spaced-out laptop dubstep with twee female vocals, the next second they break out this spazzy Lincoln Park inspired electronic music with half-hearted raps, then while your ears are still sorting out the jumble they hit you with prototypical Euro club circuit fare. To top it off they throw in a traditional Japanese instrumental with biwa, piano, and backward looped notes? So yea, it's safe to assume that this band isn't quite sure what it wants to be. I guess this is how they roll in Italy.

Buy this record when you're not sure if you want coffee, tea, or a milkshake.

www.myspace.com/aucan

Washed Out- Within And Without

All the indie girls are fluffing their pillows, preening for a transformative night with the Georgian boy called Washed Out. He plays infinitely danceable, dreamy snyth music with an 80's nostalgia appeal, similar to Cut Copy, and he's good-looking. It's not just the girls, he's also a PR firm's wet dream. I'll leave it to the blogosphere to pontificate.

Buy this record so you know where to look for a date when Washed Out comes to your town.

www.subpop.com/artists/washed_out

Those Darlins- Screws Get Loose

Instantly infectious country-tinged pop from a posse of Tennessee temptresses. Vocals sound like a teen-age girl singing, which suits their 3-chord paeans to teen angst perfectly. The guitars jangle, the choruses shout-out, and the care-free Southern attitude pervades. The title track is a great piece of pop song-writing.

Buy this record so your cubicle office mate knows you have a life outside of work.

www.thosedarlins.com