I've DL'd a few of the suggested tracks. I'm loving Brandi Carlile, I'll def. be seeking out more of her stuff. Jenny Lewis is good too; Emmylou never disappoints. Just found out that Cute is What We Aim For is from Buffalo, so I guess I'll have to like them at least a little bit.
I was impressed by Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On," and by Kathleen Edwards "In State." Sufjan Stevens "Chicago" is very unique - liked it a lot.
Panic! is no big deal, from what I've heard so far. Midlake...interesting. Decemberists "The Engine Driver" sounds like Oasis with a chick on harmony - not sure if that's good or bad yet.
Joanna Newsom's "This Side of Blue" is both beautiful and bizarre. Not sure how I feel about that one - at first I thought "wth is this crap?" but now I feel myself wanting to listen to it again. I think I heard another one of her tunes on TV the other night (Grey's? Ghost Whisperer?), but I forgot to check the credits. Johan's "She's Got a Way With Men" sounds retro, yet current.
BTW - anyone have any suggestions for good headphones? I hate earbuds. To be honest, I'm not that concerned about sound quality - I need something that I can wear while I'm jogging/working out that won't keep falling off/down.