Being a t-shirt junky and a fan of sometimes-obscure indie rock, I couldn’t help but smile at this “Music Snob” t-shirt. While none of these albums might qualify as “bluegrass synth” or “skate folk,” here are a couple of albums I have been enjoying lately.

After heralding a new age of Gypsy/indie rock (was there an old age?) with last year’s Gulag Orkestar, twenty-one year old Zach Condon has brought Balkan back with his latest release, The Flying Club Cup. It’s kind of hard to describe this album in a compelling way — Condon doesn’t sing, he croons; the album is, apparently, an homage to French music; there’s more accordion than on a Chicago push polka album. And yet, I’ve really been enjoying TFFC. In fact, I can’t get Nantes out of my head.

I wish Heresy and the Hotel Choir by Maritime had come out a couple of months ago, because it is packed to the hilt with what would be amazing summer driving songs. Although often billed as an indie supergroup (…featuring members of The Promise Ring! and The Dismemberment Plan!!), Maritime has crafted a set of lovely pop gems that stand up in their own right. Listen for yourself at Battle of the Midwestern Housewives.

New wave is the best and, apparently, Scandinavia agrees with me. Others fond of Kings of Convenience, The Whitest Boy Alive and (of course) the mighty New Order will probably rather dance to Pet Grief by The Radio Dept than talk with you. Pet Grief is more synthy and less shoegazer than past efforts, as evidenced by The Worst Taste in Music, but is much more than an 80s nostalgia trip.