Hearing music this good is exciting.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (CYHSY) is the band?s self-released, self-titled 2005 debut. Five friends out of Brooklyn recorded, edited, and released an album on their own, without a PR agency or record label and it is worth checking out. Their music is the exact definition of the Indie music genre.

Spread around early by word of mouth and help from internet web blogs, CYHSY may strike you as odd the first time you hear it, but you will be rewarded in a second listen. And it keeps getting better through the third and fourth.

The first song alone could be enough to turn away the casual listener, but those who take the chance and listen to the entire album, will be rewarded with an undeniable and infectious energy that will stir your emotions and inspire your spirit.

Although they might have a ridiculously long name, and may not be as approachable as many mainstream artists, CYHSY prove they deserve recognition for their originality, and independent talent. Plus, their music is amazing.

Despite being only 39 minutes long, the entire CD is loaded with moving lyrics and memorable melody. And because it?s short, you won?t hesitate to listen to it over and over again.

The songs are so sincere, and so real, you cant ignore them. They have a way of sticking in the back of your head, where the melody loops over and over again. Their lyrics are haunting, but clever, allowing for your own interpretation.

It?s surprisingly pleasant to hear lead singer Alec Ounsworth crack and slur as he wails out choruses like ?You look like David Bowie, but you?ve nothing new to show me.?

Band members are not afraid to exhibit tambourines, harmonica, and even the occasional harp. These instruments help create an infectious energy in songs such as ?Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away? and ?The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth.?

CYHSY have obvious talent and a great deal of potential. The album is consistently strong, but best of all, is a welcome alternative to popular modern-day music.

So put on your headphones, make sure you are sitting down, and listen through this entire album. It?s worth your time, and if you don?t like what you hear at first, give them a second listen.

CYHSY will be performing at the 2006 Sasquatch Music Festival in George, Washington, on May 28. The album can be purchased in record stores throughout the nation or at www.amazon.com.

For more information on the band and its self-titled album, go online to NPR at www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5240374.