Wavves is my favves this week.

File this one under “Guilty Pleasures” if you must, but after checking it out over at good ol’ mtvU’s Music Blog — I’m quite liking the new MCR track “Desolation Row” (yes, pals, that really does stand for My Chemical Romance).

OK, well, first off it’s a cover of a Bob Dylan song (Rolling Stone’s #185 best song of all time, for whatever that’s worth) so how bad can the archetype really be?

Second, while clocking in at just 3 minutes — down about 8 from the original’s beautifully rambling 11 or so — MCR manages to pack into the rip-roaring-fist-pumping-mosh-riling-punk-homage that comprises its hypercondensed version what sound to be at least 20 knowing winks and nods to all manner of influences as varied as Meatloaf, Poison, Social Distortion and more. Not the least of which being a fun little tease of the “God Save The Queen” riff and a sweet Brian May-ish solo for good measure.

It all seems to reveal a level of knowing musicianship I had no idea this band possessed and adds up to a fun listen and great watch. And yes, in about 2 weeks, dear readers, I might be kicking myself for admitting to enjoying a My Chemical Romance track. Til then, Desolation Row is the place to be.

Oh and PS, I’m pleased herein to report the unexpected resurrection of a once left-for-dead feature on this blog: the Tass Cover Song du Jour.

Just about a year ago, I started up this here blog for the sole purpose of sharing my newfound crush on Times New Viking with a few pals. Since then, I’ve affectionately etched a well-worn groove into each of their proper LP’s Dig Yourself, The Paisley Reich and my own gateway drug to the euphoria that is TNV: Rip It Off. Not sure if I’d finally over-listened them a bit (we’re talking constant rotation for a good 9 months) or was just totally distracted by the Marnie Stern explosion of awesomeness last Fall, but for whatever reason, never quite embraced Cousin Oliver the Stay Awake EP. And that was, sort of, that for a few months.

Well, absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. So thanks Pfork TV for reminding me that yeah, that record actually kicked much ass too. Still not as sublime as the main releases but man what an appetizer for my most eagerly anticipated album of 2009.

Here’s “Sick and Tyred” in — what else would you expect? — lovely lo-fi video (is that some kinda PixelVision filter… or even the real thing?)

You know how on some rare and exhilarating mornings you wake up to a “new favorite band”?

Well dang if ol gal Pitchfork didn’t deliver just that today by way of its spot-on review of the new eponymous LP by fuzz-pop revivalist geniuses The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

I won’t bother trying to concoct a sounds-like-xyz-filtered-through-soandso thing here which would only restate what becomes immediately obvious when you just take TPOBPAH for a spin and just further delay the moment of pure bliss to ensue after hitting play on this here super-8ey fun video for “Everything With You”

Crystal Stilts‘ US label Slumberland describes the band as “50s/early 60 rock thump meets Suicide buzz and post-punk chill. Essential garage-pop for these troubled times.”

Right on.

Check out the Alight of Night LP and fall in love with Crystal Stilts.

Is it just me or does everything feel really good right now?

Awesome new president (who can speak English — well! — and actually knows what a blog is!)… the last year we have to deal with not really knowing what to call this decade (naughts, or, something?)… and an economy that, despite its heinous effect on our collective job security has at least, for once, made Manhattan real estate seem like it’s actually affordable (well, OK, make-a-bid-way-below-our-insane-price-and-we-might-actually-CONSIDER-it-able).

What more could you ask for than that, friends?

OK, OK, I hear you… but we’ve already got that!

Yes, pals, the nostalgia machine has kicked in and we’ve got ourselves some gen-u-wine, awesome turn-of-the-90’s-retro indierockgoodness for your fin de siècle heavyrotationcelebration (oh, well hello there Bill Clinton, Pavement, and studio apartments under a grand!)

So, without further ado and/or meandering (but you know how I like to type… slowly) here are The Japanese Motors…