This issue contains one of the best CDs of the year... at no extra cost!  The entire CD is composed of indy performers covering songs that are currently in heavy rotation on their own home stereos.  The results include:  The Mountain Goats covering The Silver Jews, The Constantines covering Elevator to Hell, Spoon doing Yo La Tengo, Devendra Banhart on Antony & the Johnsons, and fifteen others, of which Sans Serac's cover of Ida's Late Blues is our personal favorite.  In addition there's a full issue's worth of writing on music including an eye-opening piece on the Danielson Famile by Rick Moody, and interviews with musicians including Beck, Aimee Mann, and Smoosh.

We haven't mentioned The Believer in awhile, and we thought we'd just remind you that it's still managing to successfully maintain a monthly schedule while continuing to present some of the most interesting and engaging writing and interviews (and now, comics, too: The Scaredy Kids by Michael Kupperman: a full-color, one-page continuity-strip that runs every issue) anywhere.  This issue features some fascinating and timely looks at monomania and leadership.