You Crazy Swedes! A First (Real) Post

So, the first real post yields lots of pressure to deliver. So, naturally, The Toaster Talks turns to what we're comfortable with.

>> Featured Artist: Jens Lekman

From our favorite quirky Swedish indie guy who has a name as equally intimidating as "Sufjan Stevens." How does Jens follow up a smashing compilation of his best releases from 2003 to 2004*?

By quitting. In November, that crazy Jens officially went on hiatus, all the while hinting it wouldn't be permanent. And guess what? On December 31, Jens announced that "Jens Lekman is back in business" and that "nothing can bring me down right now. NOTHING." Gotsta love that crazy Swedish indecision/quick recovery.

"Black Cab" reminds The Toaster of The Velvet Underground. Perhaps it's all the mentioning of parties. Or Jens' dry delivery which can be likened to an accent-laden Lou Reed. Or maybe it's just that we'd love to hear Nico sing this.

Kudos to Sister Katie, who was a good year ahead of everyone else on this, as she often is.

* sans "You Are the Light," which is sadly left off the album.

>> Album Lookout: Rabbit Fur Coat

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Due out: Jan. 24 on Team Love

The Toaster Talks tried to resist the hipster, white-middle-class-cool of Rilo Kiley, but got reeled in on Execution and now The Toaster is primed for what will be a month of two Rilo Kiley solo efforts -- this album and Blake Sennet-fronted The Elected's follow-up to Me First, Sun Sun Sun (also to be released Jan. 24 on SubPop).

Everything we've heard from Rabbit Fur Coat sounds like Jenny Lewis hasn't missed a step and the Watson Twins' harmonies and background delight greatly complement Lewis' attack-the-mic-then-sing-pretty style.

"You Are What You Love" sounds at first pleasingly like a More Adventurous outtake, but the well-crafted lyrics have made this an instant Toaster favorite.

>> Reverting to: 1978

"No Action" - What's not to love about the way that Elvis Costello and the Attractions start out This Year's Model? hat else do you expect from the way Elvis is peering menacingly on the cover?

It's 2:01 of flailing intensity and biting lyrics and single-handedly can wake The Toaster out of any funk (something very few songs aside from Survivor's "The Eye of the Tiger" can do). The Toaster Talks hereby coins the term: "No Action" rush. Flail along with us.