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Song Reviews

Seaspin: Reverser [mp3]

seaspin

Seaspin is an L.A. based shoe gaze group with a very impressive style that invokes the spirit of both The Stone Roses and The Cranberries in a single 4 minutes. Frontwoman Jennifer Goodridge has a set of pipes that can make your ears bleed with delight. The title track from their latest release, Reverser EP, is as dreamy as it is passionate about something obviously very personal to Goodridge and her crew. This is a tale of love and loss set over dark and heavy barbiturate guitar licks and extremely haunting lyrical mass murder. This is the sort of group you may find yourself using to drain away the misery, while just as easily using them to garner inspiration and high hopes of a better tomorrow. Read More »Seaspin: Reverser [mp3]

The Mary Onettes: The Night Before The Funeral [mp3]

The Mary Onettes

Listening to much of The Mary Onettes growing breadth of work, one gets the impression they are surrounded 80s LPs, and that this is where they draw influence. From Echo to The Church, Go Betweens to The Smiths, this band pulls all the right elements to create one of the freshest sounds around today. The latest tune from these Swedes is “The Night Before The Funeral” and it’s right up there with past hits like “Dare” and “Puzzles”. Opening with a heavy guitar strum which soon gives way to chamber-hall stringed instruments, “The Night Before The Funeral” isn’t so much a progression for the band than a tune complementary to their library. With The Mary Onettes’ blend of influences, it’s precisely what you’d want. Read More »The Mary Onettes: The Night Before The Funeral [mp3]

Elk City: Jerks On Ice [mp3]

Elk City

I recall enjoying Elk City‘s last release, but boy do I dig “Jerks On Ice”, the band’s new single off the upcoming House Of Tongues. Again the band combines traits common to folk, pop and even jazz for a sound unique with a hint of contemporary and a fair share of originality. “Jerks On Ice” is a laid-back pop song with a light bounce and an awesome electric guitar solo during the bridge. The lyrics are simple but memorable and filled with plenty of rhyme and hook, and an added warble treatment to Renée LoBue’s smooth vocals during the chorus enhances the tune in ways unimaginable. Yeah, I may have enjoyed New Believers, but for me “Jerks On Ice” tops everything on that previous release to the point of being absolutely stunning. Read More »Elk City: Jerks On Ice [mp3]

Unnatural Helpers: Sunshine / Pretty Girls [mp3]

Unnatural Helpers

Unnatural Helpers slipped onto my radar screen last year when Sub Pop gave them a hefty bow by including them in the third round of their much-cherished Singles Club. Dirty, Dumb And Comical included four brief, loud songs. The first single off their upcoming LP, Cracked Love & Other Drugs (brilliant title, by the way), is “Sunshine / Pretty Girls” and it stacks up nicely next to the other four — and it maintains their under-two-minutes brevity as well. Read More »Unnatural Helpers: Sunshine / Pretty Girls [mp3]

The Lodger: The Back Of My Mind [mp3]

The Lodger

In their new single “The Back Of My Mind” off the forthcoming Flashbacks LP out later this month, The Lodger takes a slightly different approach to the sunny pop they’ve released over their past two albums. The song is less bouncy and vocals echo across a backdrop of a consistent drone of jangle guitar. In comparison to highlight tracks like “Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion” off Grown-Ups and “The Good Old Days” off Life Is Sweet, the song can almost be called mopey and emotive. In that respect, it opposes the insanely upbeat tracks The Lodger has been pumping out for years with great results. Read More »The Lodger: The Back Of My Mind [mp3]

Pattern Is Movement: Light Of The World [mp3]

Pattern Is Movement

For those of you fortunate enough to catch Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward, the Philadelphia based duo better known as Pattern Is Movement, on their recent tour and appearance at SXSW, you may recognize this track. As well as being the title track for their upcoming album, out later this year, it was offered up on their tour E.P. “Light Of The World” is another wonderful example of this band’s eccentric hip hop style that is fused with a healthy dose of indie rock and folk, especially on the aforementioned track. Read More »Pattern Is Movement: Light Of The World [mp3]

Archie Bronson Outfit: Shark’s Tooth [mp3]

Archie Bronson Outfit

Archie Bronson Outfit‘s single “Shark’s Tooth” seems to be set in a time and space completely separate from existence we know. Its drastically elevated tempo is dance-floor worthy, though precisely too high. It is surf music taken to a brand new, quite radical level. Archie Bronson Outfit has this beat-driven euphoria that is sure to whisk you away to a heavenly place buried in your subconscious, where all you care to do is dance until your feet blister and fall apart. A fair warning needs to be given to the mopey, sad youth of today: Do not listen to Archie Bronson Outfit. You might actually learn to enjoy yourself. Read More »Archie Bronson Outfit: Shark’s Tooth [mp3]

The National: Bloodbuzz Ohio [mp3]

The National

Isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for, people: a new track from The National!? Man, just when you thought the buzz behind this band would dissipate, they go and hand out a power track like “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. And it leaves people like you and me pining for that deep voice and off-beat percussive drum slap. Oh those piano notes and building guitars — now that’s the stuff! “Bloodbuzz Ohio” has the potential to match the favorites from past albums by The National; yes, we’re talking about you, “Fake Empire” and “Mr. November”. The song is off the band’s new LP, High Violet, which hits soon via 4AD. Read More »The National: Bloodbuzz Ohio [mp3]

Steel Train: Turnpike Ghost [mp3]

Steel Train

Steel Train has been growing in mass appeal over the last couple years. Their work is seen by many as a new stronghold in the mainstream yet somewhat indie rock world. And it’s all with good cause! The exclamation point for their recent success is going to be their upcoming June release, just in time for the summer festival circuit, with previews throughout the spring circuit! The guys have been kind enough to drop their first single for a nice preview of the intense indie hardcore style. “Turnpike Ghost” is a beautiful slice of guitar screeching and cymbal spanking pie that will use its high octane efficiency to demand your attention. Read More »Steel Train: Turnpike Ghost [mp3]

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