This is fine.
We continue our push towards SXSW with yet another interview. We turn your attention to Israeli band Vaadat Charigim, who’ve just signed on with Burger Records. This will be their first time in Austin, so let’s make sure they feel welcome. Scroll down for responses from Juval Haring; we’ve also got a few of the bands announced shows listed, with more to follow as the festival draws near. Read more
So far it seems that Tony Molina‘s work is summed up by two simple adjectives: short and sweet. This latest track from his reissue clocks in at just under a minute, yet I’m still finding myself hooked due to its immediacy. It sort of reminds me of Screeching Weasel‘s old school hits blended with the instrumentation of someone that loves playing guitarmonies. While you can easily complain that it’s too short to sink your teeth into, you’ll be happy that Tony’s re-releasing Dissed & Dismissed on Slumberland Records on March 25th. If this isn’t enough for you, then grab the record when it hits stores.
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One of the acts I absolutely loved at SxSW two years ago was Breton. They recently released their latest album War Room Stories on iTunes and are coming back for this year’s conference.
The track I feature below is a poppy number. It is a tour bus collision of Foals and Friendly Fires. The rest of the album is kind of all over the place. You think you can dismiss a song as derivative or against your grain and then it has an odd break or goes a direction you may not have expected. It is a dance pop music mash up with an accent and I kind of dig it. Give it a stream here. “Got Well Soon” is quite brilliant, as well.
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Honestly, I don’t entirely know what to say in order to get you into Austin’s SHMU. There are these weird glitch elements thrown into a pot chocked full of bubbling pop melodies, creating this spectrum of musical experimentation pushed to its limits. It’s off-putting in a fascinating sense; you’re attracted to the oddity of the goings-on, yet you can’t identify precisely what it is you love. It’s like the Radio Dept. and Working for a Nuclear Free City got mashed up by the makers of Atari. Regardless of how you want to identify the music, I think you’ll all be better off today if you spent some time listening to the most recent release, Chroma Key. It’s a pleasing head-scratcher, to say the least.
If you’re a follower of Natural Child, you could easily tell your friends that you saw this one coming. From the moment they organized their “Family Band” the riotous barroom rockers have been aching to broaden their horizons. They’re moving further from the blues-y garage rock styles they employed earlier on; they’re pushing more towards a solid country/blues world. But, that being said, they’ve still got the chops to make their music a must have in any nerds collection. This smooth number is just an indicator that as they’re songwriting matures, they’re still just as bad ass as you expected them to be. Their new album Dancin With Wolves (which oddly doesn’t feature Kevin Costner on the cover) will be out via Burger Records on February 25th.
Download: Natural Child – Out in the Country [MP3]
Our friends Colourmusic have a new album dropping soon that we know you’re going to love, and the singles previewing the LP should confirm our anticipation. You’ve already heard new track “Horse Race” a couple of weeks ago and now we have this driving tune “Dreamgirl 82” for your awaiting ears. I’ve personally had my hands on this one for awhile and it’s already up to something like 50+ plays in my iTunes. I suggest you give the song a listen, making sure you hang out for one of the most epic beat drops in the history of music around the 2:18 mark. Don’t skip ahead to it you assholes! Listen to this one from start to finish and revel in all it’s psyched out, dark pop glory.
New album, May You Merry Rich, comes your way April 8th on Memphis Industries.
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Ugh. I hate winter; I just want to wear shorts! But, with the winter weather comes a different approach to listening to music. I’m always more inclined to wrap myself in a blanket and zone out whilst being washed over with really emotional music. This new track from SoftSpot really fits into that world, with the voice of Sarah Kinlaw creating this natural warmth that definitely seeps into your skin. Her two bandmates, however, are crafting this tight-knit, low-energy, progressive indie rock…sort of like an Owls meets Pinback, but even softer. The tune is the lead single on the bands forthcoming MASS album, which is out on April 8th.
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Here’s to hoping you’ll enjoy this mellow new number called “Mirrors” from Berlin based band Fenster. It’s a beautifully chilling number that reminds me of band’s similar to Lost in the Trees. Needless to say, it will take a bit of patience to get into, but I think everyone can find something to enjoy here.
New album, The Pink Caves, is due out March 4th on Morr Music.
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It’s been quite some time since I last posted about Portland based band Aan (just about a year ago) and I feel guilty as I’ve missed some major news on the band. Just yesterday, the band dropped their brand new debut LP, Amor Ad Nauseum, via Party Damage. To make my tardiness right, I’m sharing with you guys this new joint “Bubble Bath Bop”. The title of the song is quite possibly the best way to describe the track prior to the first listen. It’s a bright, jangly pop tune that’s equal parts shiny and catchy.
You can also catch this band in all their live glory during SXSW.
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Feel like I started off the week throwing a lot of somber tunes your way, so I feel like today should be a little more uplifting, making this new track from Little Racer the perfect ditty for your day. Musically, it’s all about the rhythm section filling out the track; the bass and drum beat propel the song, but also give you something you can tap your toes too. This doesn’t mean you can’t attach your ears to the warmth of the vocals, but rather that the mood is impacted most by what’s going on in the background. You can find this tune on the group’s upcoming EP, which is slated for an April release.
Download: Little Racer – Dancing [MP3]
