Indie Dispatches: Down the Rabbit Hole; 10 Essential Things To Do This Week

1. Listen to the debut Sleigh Bells LP Treats that is streaming on NPR’s First Listen

2. Check out the bountiful slate of great shows coming up in LA at the Hollywood Bowl this summer – She and Him with The Swell Season (July 18), Chemical Brothers, Yacht & Chromeo (August 29), Phoenix, Grizzly Bear & Girls (Sept 18), Vampire Weekend & Beach House (Sept 26) and of course Pavement, Sonic Youth & No Age (Sept 30)

3. Be thrilled that the latest albums by the Hold Steady Heaven is Forever (Vagrant Records), The New Pornographers Together (Matador) and Minus the Bear Omni (Dangerbird) all cracked the top 50 this week

4. Wish you were in the UK hanging out in your chalet with your music friends going to the latest ATP festival

5. Watch the debut video for “What’s In It For” by Avi Buffalo

6. Marvel at the fact that 1000 people came out to the recent Broken Social Scene instore at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles and buy a copy of their new album Forgiveness Rock Record on Arts and Crafts

7. Read Mike McGonigal’s excellent oral history of seminal nineties act Galaxie 500

8. Visit your local vinyl emporium to see if there are any more Record Store Day goodies floating around (you may be pleasantly surprised)

9. Download the new track “Lights” from Interpol and rue the fact that bassist Carlos D has left the band

10. Purchase the much praised new album High Violet from The National

11. Mark down the date for the 2010 Siren Festival in your calendar (July 17!)

-Cool Hand Luke