I’ve got three songs that I like despite them not fitting my usual tastes. In my confusion, I’m turning to you to help me figure out why.

Louis XIV– Finding Out True Love Is Blind, [Louis XIV]

I still haven’t figured out what to make of Louis XIV. Mostly I think they’re assholes, and misogynists to boot, but probably you can’t put a topless woman on your EP and then sing lines like “Ah chocolate girl, you’re looking like something I want / Ah and your little Asian friend well she can come if she wants” without some self-consciousness, right? Even if you swagger and go glam want sex sex sex, there must be another point. But throwing in the female vocals that say, “Wind you up and make you crawl to me / Tie you up until you call to me” almost adds to the problem. It’s the equivalent of saying, “See, we’re aware, we’re cool—now we can do whatever the fuck we want, prude.” Or maybe I’m overanalyzing the self-consciousness. Maybe my elementary gender theory’s in the way of enjoying a song that nods to lots of music history (new wave, glam, the Beach Boys, AC/DC) and just rocks.

[visit the band’s website here, buy Louis XIV here]

Ringside– Spanishfaster

I can’t understand who these guys are. Their publicity shots make them look heavy, they’ve got a Marshall stack and some electronics and I’m expecting them to be noisy. Then they’re kind of soft, but dance-y. They’ve got this Cuban thing going over the beats, but not in an Apostle of Hustle kind of way, it’s really their own thing. I notice they’ve signed to Geffen, and they really do have this sound that could do something. I mean, it’s radio-friendly enough to go mainstream, but it’s smart enough to get some critical love. Can’t you just hear these guys playing at a party on The OC next season? I still don’t know how to classify this sound, though, because it’s not like most of what I listen to, and I don’t understand why it’s hooked me.

[visit Ringside’s website here, the group’s debut album will be released on April 5]

Madeleine Peyroux– You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Here’s a sleeply little cover of a Dylan tune that, even in its original form, isn’t one of his most striking numbers. Peyroux cheeses it up, taking it into a lounge-y direction that I solidly disapprove of. Yet I like it quite a bit. Peyroux seems to have missed the whole emotional focus of the lyrics—there’s no way I’m buying that she’s going to be lonesome (or sad or hurt or much of anything except maybe recline in a hammock with a margarita). That could be part of its appeal, though—it’s lazy and kind of vapid but totally lovely and relaxing. The lyrical content only exaggerates the sleepytime bear presentation, elevating it from kitsch to camp. But I’m way overthinking again—she’s just screwing off!

[visit Madeline’s website here, buy her stuff here]