The New Pornographers have released the song “My Rights Versus Yours” from their forthcoming album Challengers (due out August 21) and it is definitely a great piece of indie pop. Even better, the Challengers cover art features a fighter with a striking resemblance to Anchorman’sChannel Four field reporter, Brian Fantana! Maybe it’s an appropriate choice - Fantana is no stranger to vicious cockfights.

Or maybe it’s Freddie Mercury. Hypeful can’t decide - the readers should.

MP3: The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours

Great news from Stereogum - Sufjan has emerged from his metaphorical music cocoon as a rockin’ butterfly!!! For an upcoming music issue, the Believer got Sufjan into the studio to record a new track as part of a CD compilation entitled Cue The Bugle Turbulent. Sufjan’s contribution is a song called “In The Words Of The Governor” and it marks a pleasantly surprising turn for Hypeful’s favorite Illinoisemaker. Proving himself more than a band geek/orchestra maestro, Sufjan plugs it in, cranks it up, and gives Jack White a run for his frenzied rock money. Hypeful is digging the track and hoping Sufjan explores more of this new sound during his prolific career. (Seriously, I can’t shake the song’s repetitive & rowdy, “Put it back!!!” from my head…)

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - “In The Words Of The Governor”

Josh Rouse is previewing his upcoming album, Country Mouse, Country House (out July 31), one track at a time on his website. Every Monday through July 31st, you can hear a new track and get a sneak peak of Country Mouse, Country House. Allow Hypeful to help you get started with the “la-la-la”-filled “Sweetie,” an already previewed song.

MP3: Josh Rouse - “Sweetie”

Based on advanced listenings of Spoon’s new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (release scheduled for July 10), Britt Daniel and company may be releasing one of the best albums of the year. On their excellent Gimme Fiction, Spoon demonstated that they’re masters at cutting the fat, crafting solid songs, and delivering very tight albums (Gimme Fiction clocked in under 44 minutes with 11 songs). Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga runs just as tight (10 songs in 36 minutes!) and Spoon’s recipe for success can be summed up as the “3 H’s” - hooks, horns, and handclaps. Don’t believe me? Check out the ironically titled “The Underdog,” as it’s a definite winner from their new album.

MP3: Spoon - The Underdog

Memorial Day Weekend means the start of summer for many, so it’s apropos that Hero Hill has placed an early entry in the campaign for Song of the Summer - Two Hours Traffic’s “Stuck For the Summer”. It’s a short and cheerful ditty to help you kick off your weekend.

Hypeful hopes that your Memorial Weekend is safe, fun, and that the only Two Hours Traffic you experience is through audio speakers!

MP3: Two Hours Traffic - Stuck For The Summer

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