This week's recommendations

So, in order to keep a decent amount of content available, I'm only recommending one thing maximum from each category.

Music You've Probably Never Heard Of:
Band Marino
Think of an indie-pop band. Now think of indie-pop band if they had banjo, mandolin, fiddle, accordion and other folk instruments thrown into the mix. Aside from an amusingly clever name, that's pretty much what you get with these Florida natives. I was introduced to their music because I reviewed their album The Sea & The Beast over at Independent Clauses. I later had the opportunity to meet them for an interview at the Conservatory in Oklahoma City and see them perform live. The album is well worth the cash and so is making the effort to see them live.
It took me a few spins of The Sea & The Beast to really understand just how infectious their music is. It's insanely catchy and original to boot, ranging in influences everywhere from indie and pop music to bluegrass and a even hint of Sergio Leone. I highly recommend the tracks "Chasing Rainbows" and "Como Se Dice Senorita - Act I: The Laymen's Lament," but the crown jewel is definitely the insanely catchy "Every Time I Make A Girl Cry I Know I've Done My Job."
Check them out.

Some Book I Just Read For Class But Really Enjoyed:
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Okay, so I read this one for my Category Fiction class and was a little apprehensive after reading the synopsis. It's a sci-fi novel targeted at a teen audience, about a girl in a future society where everyone is given an extensive surgery when they turn sixteen so that no one is judged by the way they look, and then they spend the rest of their teens partying uncontrollably before they grow up and lead happy lives. I don't want to give away too much, though the plot isn't all that complex. I was more impressed with the story world Westerfeld created and, as someone who really cannot stand the obsession with beauty and trivial matters some people have, the rebellion against a society where vanity is such a prominent social norm was very engaging. It's easy, fun teen-reading (though still suitable for adults) that has a nice philosophical backbone.

That'll be all for tonight, folks. My apologies that I don't have a movie to recommend this time. Maybe later? I still want to watch Chuck before I go to bed. Okay, there, a TV show to recommend - Chuck. It's awesome. I might tell you why later.