After a two-week hiatus spent in the woods finding everyone's spirit animals, I return with another rump-shakin' edition of Staffer's Picks.

Lucy "Pre-clubbed Seal" Hillman: "Velvet Goldmine Soundtrack" v/a, "Cooool!"

Bryan "Whooping Crane" McBournie: "Morning View" by Incubus, "All the songs hang together."

Adam "Chupacabra" Long: "Queen of the Damned" v/a, "Good vampiric fun."

Danielle "Ninja Hamster" Spangler: "Punk Rock Academy" by Atom and his Package, "It must be listened to at least 3 times a day."

Shaggy "Howler Monkey" Kinback: "Opening the Salmonella Envelope" by Jimmies Chicken Shack, "At RU on the 14th.  My favorite hometown heroes."

Brandon "Trouser Snake" Faust: "Feel Fresh!" by Fashion Smoothies, "Awesome album, they're out of Roanoke too!"

Shaun "Speckled Pup under a little red wagon" Corley: "Us" by Peter Gabriel, "His best album... ever!"

Steve "Edgy Chihuahua" Dogg: "Apossibility" by Far-Less, "Good, good stuff."

Josh "The Yeti" "Sasquatch" Nibert: "Maybe I'll Catch Fire" by The Alkaline Trio, "Sure, it's a little emo, but nobody can rock out all the time."

Amanda "Rejected Fire Kitten (HA!)" Hoffer: s/t by Athenaeum.

Jeff "Screaming Caterpillar" Davis: "Concert in the Park" by Paul Simon, "This album could get me through my own death."

Zac "West Nile-carrying mosquito" Martin: s/t by Ben Folds Five, "I bought it in 9th grade, and have never really put it down.  He's my all-time favorite songwriter."