This week we're kicking things off with an eclectic bunch of albums, from country legend Patsy Cline to our new dream-pop darlings Minipop. New releases or just new to Amie Street, we're excited about every one!

Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline was one of the most important female singers in the history of country music. In her impressive, but brief, 5-year career, she managed to record the classic crossover hit Walkin' After Midnight and played a pivotal role in establishing a place for women in the Nashville country music scene. Amie Street is pleased to bring you Walkin' After Midnight: The Original Sessions Volume 1 -- a compilation containing Cline's beautifully passionate voice and down-home arrangements, complete with plenty of pedal steel and fiddle.

Adult Swim & Stones Throw

With Four Tet, Oh No, Koushik, and Yesterdays New Quintet producing tracks for emcees like Percee P and Aloe Blacc, Chrome Children Vol. 2 feels more like a late night party at the Stones Throw headquarters than a sampler CD. The level of collaboration that goes on among these artists makes this collection of exclusive tracks into a cohesive album, bringing together jazz, hip hop, and electronica. Thanks are once again due to Adult Swim for making this happen.

Minipop

Minipop bring a futuristic polish to the sound of '90s alternative groups like The Cranberries and Sixpence None The Richer, with lead singer Tricia Kanne's voice sailing over driving guitar lines. The band fittingly describes their songs as "dream-pop," and are stirring up critical attention from publications like Filter Magazine. Don't miss the surreal, Yellow Submarine-esque video for Like I Do on our TV page!

The Greencards

The Greencards are a contemporary Bluegrass trio based in Austin, Texas. Although its members hail from England and Australia, the group's music sounds highly American. It blends flatpickin' guitars, mandolin, fiddle, upright bass, and three voices as if they were born and raised in the hills of Kentucky. With the release of their debut Movin' On in 2004, the group reached #5 on the Americana Charts and won the Best New Band award at the Austin Music Awards.

The Pearlfishers

One listen to this album would turn Scrooge into a Singin' In The Rain Gene Kelly. The Pearlfishers make warm, catchy pop music, like Peter Bjorn & John jamming with the Pet Shop Boys -- perfect for making rainy days seem like summer vacation. You can't argue with lyrics like "Ordinary days of dreary weather / Seem like some amazing thing / Suddenly the haze was lifted / And we could sing."

Bobo In White Wooden Houses

Bobo In White Wooden Houses was appropriately chosen by Rammstein for the female vocals on their single "Engel," but her solo work is a far cry from hard rock. Mental Radio showcases her crystal-clear voice with folk melodies and pop arrangements, and the sound of a distorted guitar in the background adds only the slightest bit of edge to this fragile, enticing album.

Specifics

Montreal constantly reasserts itself as a source of exceptional music, and the latest release from hip hop duo Specifics is a fine example. Lead single My Tunes opens the album with a warm piano line, and once the beat drops you're ready to sit back and nod your head. Producer Think Twice lays a rich jazz sound under Golden Boy's lyrics, and together they represent their hometown with soul and finesse.

Blinded Black

Blinded Black arrives on Amie Street ready to make it big. In addition to selling out venues in their hometown of St. Louis, MO, the band has been featured in the "Are They Famous Yet" section of Alternative Press Magazine, where Under The Sunrise received a 4 out of 5 star review. The band's signature sound combines elements of pop, punk, and screamo and will get you jumping up and down in no time.