Back in September, the adorable Aussie, Lenka, debuted her self-titled album… but apparently we didn’t notice. Whoops. But all that changed after her performance as a part of the Hotel Cafe Tour the other night.

We couldn’t help but be drawn in by her sincere and fun style, and (since we’re being honest here) her awesome vintage 80’s dress in bright purple. And the more we heard, the more we liked. Maybe even loved? We’ll let you decide for yourself if she’s a bit too pop princess, or just the right dose of sugar.

One thing we’re pretty sure we can agree on thing: this girl is damn cute. And we want her wardrobe.

After nine years (yes, nine), Q Tip has returned to the music scene with his album The Renaissance, and we’ve got one thing to say: welcome back, man. And THANK YOU. Now we remember what the roots of rap sound like. Good sounds, mixes, samples, flow and soul.

The album is solid from beginning to end and features collaborations with D’Angelo, Amanda Diva, Norah Jones, and Raphael Saadiq. Just do yourself a favor and download it. Now.

This Tuesday has quite a few new releases to recommend, including the full album from Nikka Costa that we mentioned back in August.

Along with Nikka, we’ve got Lucinda Williams’ Little Honey, Ray LaMontagne’s Gossip in the Grain, Keane’s Perfect Symmetry and a new band we’ve just discovered, Kinetic Stereokids’ Have a Nice Day EP.

Since we’re pretty sure you’ve heard of the rest, here’s a little taste from the newbies:

If you’ve never heard of the amazing vocalist and songwriter Rachael Yamagata, you should stop what you’re doing and immediately download her first album. If you have heard of her, then you’re one of the many who have been waiting (and waiting and waiting) for some new songs. In which case, today is your lucky day….

Rachael’s music is moody, poetic, and soulful, and her first single, Elephants, off the slowly releasing album (the first part of which comes out today), is a true taste of this side of her. For those of you needing something a bit more upbeat, listen to her other single, Sidedish Friend, on her myspace page to get your fix.

Oh Jenny… what a long way you’ve come from being that cute little redheaded Wilderness Girl in Troop Beverly Hills (do you think she gets tired of people mentioning that?)

We loved her then, and we still love her now, whether she’s fronting for Rilo Kiley, mixing it up as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins, or - most recently - releasing her own solo album Acid Tongue which arrived last week.

We caught her show in LA which featured this duet, Carpetbaggers, with artist Jonathan Rice, and, while we’ve been more excited with some of her past endeavors, Jenny still brings it with her country/indie style and unique sound.

Today’s new releases have four strong contenders for the coveted Tuesday Tunes spot, but we’ve picked one favorite to endorse (because our endorsement means soooo much…)

The nominees?
Kings of Leon
TV on the Radio
Cold War Kids
Thievery Corporation

And winner is…

After listening to the full album, we had to go with the versatile TV on the Radio and their new release Dear Science. Especially after hearing the sweet little track featured in this vintage Disney video. (No, that’s not their official video for the song. Just a little YouTube remix.)

Of course, the other bands are just as worth a listen… so, who would you have picked?

We’ve been hearing rumors of a collaboration album between Esau Mwamwaya and Vampire Weekend, Ruby Suns, Santogold and more for a while now, so when last.fm released the video cover of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes a while back, we were stoked…

Well, now Mwamwaya has released his cover of Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa on his myspace page, and we’re here to tell you that it might be even better than the original. Which makes us pretty damn excited for this upcoming CD… stay tuned for that one!

Have you heard the latest single from Nikka Costa? It’s a little bit pop, a little bit soul, and a lotta fun. Listen to it on her MySpace page and get excited for the new record, Pebble to a Pearl. Here’s a little taste of what’s to come…

Indie band Ra Ra Riot started their career playing campus venues around Syracuse University in 2006. Two years later, they are releasing their first full length album, The Rhumb Line, sounding like a band who has been around much longer.

Their first single, Dying is Fine, has taken on a more haunting meaning since the band’s drummer, John Pike’s, tragic death in 2007. Other melodies are slightly mournful as well, but others are upbeat and laid back - similar to the sounds of Vampire Weekend - providing a good mix of sounds for their debut.

To listen to more of their tracks, check them out on their MySpace page, or download the album today.