Woah. Did Male Bonding tame a bit since Nothing Hurts? That was only a year ago, yet this sound doesn’t seem nearly as ferocious and feral as the noise-based rock from their 2010 Sub Pop debut. Listen to “Bones”, off the band’s new LP Endless Now out this coming August, next to last year’s Year’s Not Long and you’d think five years of maturity separated the two. Read More »Male Bonding: Bones (mp3)
The name Grant Olsen may not ring a bell, but mention Arthur of Arthur & Yu, and that may turn on a light or two. If you’re like me, you’ve been wondering where that band went – after all, they were the honored first release from Hardly Art. The answer is I don’t know. But the good news is that we now have Gold Leaves, which is Olsen’s (aka Arthur’s) new project. Read More »Gold Leaves: The Ornament MP3
Early in May, the girlfriend and I drove out to the Pullman/Moscow area in Eastern Washington and Western Idaho. I love this drive, as you see so many distinct types of land, and the weather was near perfect. The reason for this tirade is that we must have listened to “The Honest Truth” by Typhoon about 30 times over that weekend trip. Read More »Typhoon: Summer Home MP3
My did I love that Beach Dreams EP by Teen Daze. It perfectly encapsulated those late winter days, when we all longed for sunnier weather. Now that things are warming up, Teen Daze is back with a new EP and this time they’ve got Waaga Records behind them. The first track is “Surface” and it’s filled with mesmerizing loops and echoing instrumentation. Read More »Teen Daze: Surface MP3
I heard Brontosaurus was a band fans of Black Heart Procession might dig, and after a few listens to their LP Cold Comes to Claim, I’d say that was pretty accurate. The opening track, “Beware” has that epic post rock meets prog rock darkness Black Heart tends to employ, and Brontosaurus make it their own with haunting organs and Califone-style folk vocals. And both Nicholas Kelley and Nicholas Papaleo, the duo behind Brontosaurus, take the lead on those vocals. Read More »Brontosaurus: Beware [mp3]
Amanda Mair is the latest discovery by Swedish label Labrador Records. If you’re like us, you dig pretty much anything that comes from Labrador, and this should be no exception. “House” is part folk-pop, part Euro-dance track. Mair hails from an island outside Stockholm. And get this — she’s only 16! Read More »Amanda Mair: House [mp3]
Coulter‘s last LP had a few similarities to The Smiths, and those traits can also be found on his new one, Grip Fast. However, the similarities aren’t as plentiful, and Coulter Leslie is starting to create his own sound. Again, he worked with Seattle producer and mixer Erik Blood (whose work includes the same for The Moondoggies, The Lights, and The Tea Cozies to name a few).
Read More »Coulter: At The End Of The Day [mp3] 
The Coathangers know how to craft a mighty infectious hook, be it strummed wildly on a gritty, grungy guitar or screamed near illegibly into a microphone. “Hurricane”, the first track off the band’s forthcoming LP Larceny & Old Lace, is a perfect example of this mastery. Let’s face it – a song like this proves that The Coathangers know how to have a good time. A song like this is precisely what you’d want to hear live at a party. A party with lots of beer and lots of cool people. These girls know it, and they enjoy giving you want you want. Read More »The Coathangers: Hurricane [mp3]
Hunx And His Punx clashes the 50s style girl group doo-wop pop with punk rock in the first song off their recent LP, Too Young To Be In Love. “Lovers Lane” is definitely influenced by classic teenage tragedy songs like Jan And Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve” and Wayne Cochran’s “Last Kiss” and even The Shangri-Las “Leader Of The Pack”. Read More »Hunx And His Punks: Lovers Lane [mp3]
One part a spoken whisper, another a harmonically sung tune, Howe Gelb‘s vocals are near mystical in their folk simplicity. These are vocals that, despite their light playful nature, can send chills down your arms. And, being a master of his trade, Gelb backs his voice with expert performers and well-crafted lyrics. “4 Door Maverick” could be a country song for all it’s talk of the 70’s Ford, but it ends up a flamenco-influenced folk song courtesy a troupe of gypsies. Read More »Howe Gelb: 4 Door Maverick [mp3]
