What a long strange week it's been. During CMJ, I saw a total of 17 bands in five days. My eardrums are shattered, my wallet is empty and my eyelids are heavy. Before I pass out, here's a recap of the bands I saw this week:

Datarock (Gramercy Theatre) - Gimmicky, yet extremely entertaining. Getting thrown out of the venue mid-set for filming was a first for me.

The Films (The Annex) - Flawless. Addictive songs backed by an awesome performance. (Video)

Islands (Highline Ballroom) - Void of any traces from their past, the former Unicorns are now joined by a group of extremely talented musicians for intelligent orchestral rock.

Spoon (Gramercy Theatre) - Had high expectations for this one, so my disappointment came with no surprise. Solid performance, but missing the crowd-pleasing tunes.

Semi Precious Weapons (LIT) - Energetic glam rock fronted by a cross dresser. Awesome show. (Video)

Fred (205 Chrystie) - Upbeat rock from Ireland served with a genuine smile. Possibly my favorite discovery during CMJ. (Video)

Matt and Kim (Music Hall of Williamsburg) - All you need is a drum set and synthesizer to incite a dance riot. Highlight of the week.

Voxtrot (Bowery Ballroom) - I usually never fall for hyped bands, but I'll make an exception for these guys. Phenomenal.

The Giraffes (Crash Mansion) - Solid melodic metal. The banter was intelligent, hilarious and completely inappropriate. (Video)

The Octopus Project (Highline Ballroom) - Artistic and brilliantly executed. These guys will be talked about a lot in the coming months.

Aloud (Arlenes Grocery) - Although these young rockers look like the high school chess team, their raw talent was nothing short of impressive. (Video)

Flosstradamus (Music Hall of Williamsburg) - The DJ remixed Jock Jams and Weezer. This was like early '90s hipster summer camp.

The Matches (Ace of Clubs) - Half way through the set, I realized that my infatuation with skater culture has come to an end. Great music for teenagers though.

Super Potent Death Baby (Crash Mansion) - An energetic nod to old school punk. Whats not to love about a blonde babe in Ramones gear?

The Black Tie Party (Galapagos) - Upbeat punk band that yells, shreds and pummels. Loved it.

Art Brut (Music Hall of Williamsburg's lobby) - Argos performed an impromptu set in the venue's lobby. Although that was very cool of them, their music is still hard to tolerate.