Even More Top Fives

I'm back with another Top 5 that no one will listen to, but that's OK, because it gives me something to take my mind off the fact that I have the worst damn fantasy football team in my league. Anyway, this particular edition is made up of the top five new songs by bands I had never heard of before this summer.

1. The Dutchess and the Duke – “Reservoir Park”

This is kind of a folk-rock duo from Seattle that recently played at Tasty World in Athens. And we all know that if there's an official Athens music venue of Only in America, it's Tasty World. This song, and most of their first album, sounds very Rolling Stones, but with mostly acoustic guitar. Think “Paint It Black.”



2. Gentleman Jesse and His Men – “You Don't Have To (If You Don't Want To)”

The main dude from this group is the guitarist for Atlanta punk band The Carbonas, but don't let that scare you away, guys. This is pretty straightforward power pop, and pretty much the only competition Drive-By Truckers' “Ghost To Most” has right now for best song of the year.



3. The Weight – “A Day in the Sun”

I'm pretty sure these guys have something to do with the same Atlanta punk scene as Gentleman Jesse, but they make country music fit for a place as Southern and dignified as the GB's. Just listen to the beer-opening sound effect at the beginning of this song, not to mention that they break the world record for most Budweiser cans on an album cover.



4. King Khan and the Shrines – “Welfare Bread”

A Montreal/Berlin-based, Indian-French-Canadian-fronted band that makes unreal 60s garage rock. The compilation they released earlier this year is entitled “The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines,” and it lives up to its name, seriously. Can't recommend this band strongly enough.



5. The Gaslight Anthem – “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues”

The album this comes from really isn't that great or anything, at least compared to the other ones on this list, but it's still worth a listen. Guys will probably do something pretty damn good eventually, as soon as they decide to get off the Warped Tour. This song pretty much kills, though.