If you're like me, you may well not have given Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians much thought lately. After all, their biggest single was "What I Am," off 1998's Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. They had a few other modest hits, but after Ghost of a Dog in 1990, Brickell married Paul Simon, and New Bohemians pretty much dropped off the radar.

But that's been changing, with a live album in 2000 and a new album, Stranger Things, last year. Other than Brickell's return, the biggest change in the lineup has been the addition of talented Dallas musician Jeffrey Carter Albrecht as keyboardist, completing the transformation of the New Bohemians, who started life as a three-person ska band back in the day, into a fully modern rock band. Tragically, Albrecht was killed this weekend by his girlfriend's neighbor, who shot him through the front door after mistaking him for a burglar.

Albrecht, who also played with Dallas band Sorta as well as his own group Sparrows, did not seem to be one to hog the spotlight. Even when stepping out from behind the keyboard to play guitar, he didn't actually step out from behind the keyboard. But as his musicianship in this live New Bohemians performance of "No Dinero" shows, he made his mark onstage not by being seen, but by being heard.

Albrecht was 34 years old.

I'm still in my 20s, but nothing turns me into an old man faster than electronica music. When riding in the cars of my raver friends I have often been know to yell “This is noise, not music!” and shake my cane disapprovingly. Something I am a fan of, however, is crazy-go-nuts animation. If an electronica track is accompanied by an elaborate, trippy animated sequence, I am willing to cut the song some slack and go along for the ride.

Today my electronica-animation exception has served me well because it has led me to both this fantastic video from animator Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir and the delightful accompanying song They Made Frogs Smoke ‘til They Exploded by the band Múm. The animation in this video is an accomplishment in its own right, but is made all the more impressive by the fact that, in this age of cgi and flash animation, Frogs appears to be good, old-fashioned ink, paint, and stop-motion. It warms the cockles of my old man’s heart to know that these antiquated, but ever charming, techniques have yet to be abandoned completely.

Equally impressive is the song itself. Apparently, Múm has been around since 1998 and has released three full-length albums and a whole mess of EPs. They Made Frogs Smoke ‘til They Exploded is the first single from their upcoming forth album Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy. I suppose my punishment for being such a close-minded old fogey is that occasionally I do miss out on gems like this. On this track Múm has managed to combine real instruments, drum machines, 8-bit bloop loops, and vocal harmonies into a sublime cacophony that gives Frogs a warmth and playfulness that’s often lacking in the genre. It’s worth noting that Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir has also done the album art for both the Frogs single, and the Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy album, which will be released September 25th on Fatcat Records. I, for one, already have my calendar marked. Noise never sounded so good.

When I was first introduced to Feist, I hoped that she would break big -- and, well, you don't get much bigger than performing on Late Show with David Letterman. This charming performance of "1234" makes fantastic use of brass instruments, Feist's rocking vocals, and the clapping hands of the full choir. It's a pleasure to see good music get the promotion it deserves. First stop Letterman, next stop the world.

Brit rockers Grand National have come a long way from their days of covering Police and Queen songs in London pubs. Their new record, "A Drink and a Quick Decision," is an exquisite nugget of disco-pop. Like the bands from the early '90s heyday of Britpop, it's both rockin' and ass-shakin'.

The video for G.N.'s single "By the Time I Get Home..." functions beautifully as a visual presentation of the band's sound. Directed by Michele Civetta and starring indie actress Paz de la Huerta, the clip plays like a fantasy travelogue through an alternative universe, composed entirely of rock n' roll glamour. Our carefree heroine floats through airports, clubs, mansions, Mediterranean towns and old hotels, kissing boys, dancing, and helping us all forget about the humdrum of daily life.

Amen to that.