This week, let’s check out some singer-songwriter goodness from the Land of 10,000 lakes, some spacey psych-rock, a couple love songs, and a great Tiny Desk Contest entrant from New York.

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Ben Lubeck – Right Time

Minnesotan singer-songwriter and Farewell Milwaukee frontman Ben Lubeck channels his inner Ryan Adams to great success on the leadoff track from his debut solo album, Rented Rooms.  It’s an impressive record, with an earnest, heartfelt middle-of-America sound without being middle-of-the-road bland.  Fans of Harvest, Music from Big Pink, and the aforementioned Adams’ Gold should take note.

Hypothetically speaking, it would be nine dollars very well spent.

This recommendation came courtesy of tomtom over at Faithless Street.  Thanks Tom!

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Langhorne Slim & Jill Andrews – Sea of Love

Well here’s just about the most adorable little love song you’re likely to hear this week.

Check out more good stuff from Jill Andrews here and Langhorne Slim here.

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Brian Fallon – Among Other Foolish Things

Love songs should probably come in pairs, so here’s another good one, this time from The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon.

Mr. Fallon recently released a solo album called Painkillers that’s full of great, mellowed out, heart-on-your-sleeve rockish songs like the one you’re about to hear.  Unless you leave before hitting Play below, in which case: bad move, dude.  This song is about as hum-along-able as it gets.

(A good friend pointed out the “similarities” between this song and a certain Lumineers song.  In his own words: “Among Other Foolish Things vs. Flapper Girl.  We now invite Vanilla Ice to better explain how the riff is different.”  Ha!  Touché, Shaun 🙂 )

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Holy Wave – Wendy Go Round

If you think “Tomorrow Never Knows” is a totally underrated Beatles song, you’re probably going to like this band.

Holy Wave’s new album, Freaks of Nurture (ha!) was released earlier this month; here, check it out.

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Del Water Gap – Alright

NPR recently finished its Tiny Desk Contest for this year.  These guys didn’t win, but let’s presume they were a close second.

An LP is expected later this year.  In the meantime, you can check out their EP and a two-side single.

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Until next week, cheers….