Hype Monitor: Ratatat, This Is Ivy League and Spiritualized

[Rolling_Stone]

Every week, Hype Monitor wades through the most buzzed-about bands all across the Internet. This week: a few choice picks from the charts at BlogFreshRadio. **The Band:** Ratatat **The Buzz:** Brooklyn duo makes clever, clattering floor-fillers with nods to both rock and techno. **Listen If:** You play guitar along to Daft Punk tracks because you're plagued by the feeling something's missing. **Key Track:** "Shiller" is his latest, and it's so controlled and restrained it's almost taunting: nothing but music box synthesizers and an ominous bass thrum. **The Band:** This Is Ivy League **The Buzz:** Covert crew members on the Cobra Starship go undercover as twee-hugging indiepoppers. In fairness: they were in Ivy League first, but someone has to pay for that *Snakes on a Plane* song. **Listen If:** You do the bulk of your record shopping in the dollar bins at Salvation Army and know your Left Banke from your Free Design. **Key Track:** "Love is Impossible," which scoots along on sugared-up percussion, decked out with bleary brass and broad, bright strumming. **The Band:** Spiritualized **The Buzz:** Rock vets break a long hibernation with a song that trades their druggy majesty for genuine penitnence. **Listen If:** You wish there was a little more room for imperfection (and songs about the same) on the pop charts. **Key Track:** "Soul on Fire," from the forthcoming Songs in A&E, which is about the best junkie-gospel this side of Marianne Faithfull.

Read more... (http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/breaking/2008/05/hype-monitor-ratatat-this-is-i.php)