“The Secret Plume” is the latest video from Seattle artist Virgin Of The Birds and it features early video of some very unique dancers. In fact, we saw a similar dancer in The Robot Ate Me’s video for “On Vacation”, which was eerie and surreal. Here, however, it complements Jon Rooney’s melodies, which are often timeless. Read More »Virgin Of The Birds: The Serpent Plume (Video)
To my surprise, one of my favorite artists from What The Heck Fest was Stephen Steinbrink. What astonished me was the clean and focused nature of this group’s pop music. And I only caught a single song, which I believe was the peaceful beauty of “Breath Of Fire” or maybe it was “A Set Of Hours”. Both songs can be found below, one in video form and one as a sample MP3. Read More »Stephen Steinbrink: Breath Of Fire (Video)
“Red Light Bulb” is an easy favorite off Madeline’s new record, Black Velvet, out now on This Will Be Our Summer Records. The song has a strong electric guitar, strummed powerfully and fronted by Madeline’s deep accented vocals. The song has a new video courtesy the always masterful Clyde Petersen, who recently produced under Do It For The Girls videos for The Thermals and Deerhoof and whom you can hear under the moniker Your Broken Heart. Read More »Madeline: Red Light Bulb (Video)
We learned with “Blind” that Hercules & Love Affair‘s style of music is obscure and, at times, slightly eerie. Joining forces with Antony Hegarty of Antony & The Johnsons seemed fitting, then. I don’t hear Hegarty in the new track, “Painted Eyes”, but the song’s accompanying video shows the band picking up precisely where their self-titled debut left off. Read More »Hercules & Love Affair: Painted Eyes (Video)
I was pretty obsessed with O’Death‘s video for “Low Tide” from a few years back. The band has returned with a new album, and from it comes “Bugs”. The video for “Bugs” isn’t quite as creepy as that earlier video. Similarly, the song is a bit more lighthearted. Vocals are more restrained, but O’Death continues that wonderfully incessant percussive pace with emphasis on tambourine and banjo. “Bugs” is less erratic, but just as good as “Low Tide”. Read More »O’Death: Bugs (Video)
“Under Water” is one of my favorite tracks off Acid House Kings‘ new LP, Music Sounds Better With You, out now on Labrador Records. So it’s exciting to hear the band and label are giving it single status (just released via Labrador on June 28) and a new video!
Read More »Acid House Kings: Under Water (Video) 
The beginning of “Summer Solstice”, off Crystal Antlers‘ forthcoming LP Two Way Mirror, has a few traits common with their previous Tentacles LP and self-titled EP. It has that same style of vocals that are at one moment stretched and pained, and the next calmed and elated. But it’s missing the prodigal chaos in the instrumentation that was so profound in that early work. No worries; this band still knows how to melt your face. Read More »Crystal Antlers: Summer Solstice (Video)
There is no greater feeling that starting completely fresh with a new band, with zero expectations and limited preconceptions on what you are about to hear. That being said, Baby Teardrops are phenomenal!! They bring along that sense of, “Why the hell haven’t I heard of these guys before?” all the while questioning your self worth surrounding what you thought was an identifiable trait to find the finest music around. Chase all of this with the thought that at least you have found them, and now they can be in your heart forever, and you have a wonderful listening experience you won’t soon forget! Read More »Baby Teardrops: ME Where (Video)
Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele has a new project, Amor de DÃÂas and boy is it good! Like his other band, this one borders on bossa nova. But rather than pop, MacLean instead flirts with folk. “Wild Winter Trees” is soft and beautiful with a lightly strummed guitar and calming vocals. Similarly, the video is simple, showing grainy footage a family playing in the fields. Read More »Amor de DÃÂas: Wild Winter Trees (Video)
Get ready to dub Hardly Art label of the year. They’ve already given us plenty to enjoy, and the second… Read More »Shimmering Stars: I’m Gonna Try (Video)
