What the hell is this? And why is it on my iPod?

For a brief moment, I had that switched-at-birth feeling that somewhere along the lines, in defiance of any and all logic and probability, had picked up someone else's iPod. Seriously. I guess this comes after being inundated with new music to review for years upon years upon years. Sometimes stuff falls between the cracks. Like this Magneta Lane band, who, a little digging around on the 'net, reveals got a relatively decent review from yours truly a few years ago. And, somehow they ended up on my iPod. I feel kind of like a slut at this point.

But the instincts I had to rip and save this album seem right on. Despite the fact that I couldn't have told you thing one about this band less than three minutes ago, I'm enjoying "Broken Plates." The band kicks up a tornado of buzzing guitars and alluring vocals that puts it comfortably next to beloved alt-rock acts like Veruca Salt during its American Thighs days — except without those dips into slow arrangements. And the singer (consulting my long-lost review of the band's Dancing with Daggers I learn her name's Lexie Valentine), can really howl when she needs to, which isn't all that often, because her sultry voice can really carry a tune. In this sometimes overly jangly indie era, Magneta Lane's uncompromisingly loud, distorted guitars and Valentine's fantastically sing-along vocals are a great change of pace.

I'm off to rediscover Magneta Lane, and frankly, looking forward to it. Chalk up a win for the power of shuffle play.