Last year, Noah And The Whale astonished the world with their LP Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down. They’re now poised to follow that release with a new album and an accompanying film. Both are dubbed The First Days Of Spring, and we now have a sneak peek at what resides inside, thanks to a new trailer for the release. Read More »Noah And The Whale: The First Days Of Spring [Trailer]
Great pop comes in many forms. So proves Brighton, UK’s Foxes! The band’s new single “Who Killed Rob?” is an excellent summer song, filled with plenty of twee-ish vocal hooks and lovely indie pop instrumentation. A relation to better hone in on their sound (and due to lazy Saturday vibes): Foxes! are slightly reminiscent of artists like The Maybellines. Read More »Foxes!: Who Killed Rob? [Video]
It hasn’t been all too long since Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band released their first video for a track off this year’s excellent self-titled debut LP, out now on Dead Oceans. In “Albatross, Albatross, Albatross” the band alters tempo and volume for a song both erratic and astounding. Signature to Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is the wild guitars highly infectious riffs and a vocal styling that is par none. The video takes the viewer through a similar mind-altering experience; it’s the makings of a short horror story. Read More »Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Albatross, Albatross, Albatross [Video]
Unarmed Enemies hail from Stockholm, Sweden, and as goes in the country that brought us Volvo and Abba, indie-pop is a specialty. For Unarmed Enemies, however, their style of pop is fully electronic. It is an upbeat electro-pop similar to that of Le Sport, but less mopey. Not surprisingly, the two share space on the Songs I Wish I Had Written label. Read More »Unarmed Enemies: Show Me Your Plans [Video]
What is it about jazz that vexes people? Why is this quite creative and exploitative medium of music such a focal point for hatred by the faint of heart? Hate it or love it, that is the question. And while some may discard the genre altogether (and, subjectively, they would be in their right mind to do so), others embrace it so thoroughly it becomes more than a love: an obsession. Enter 12Twelve‘s “Mr. Gesus” and I’ve got myself a jazz crush on these sax-heavy Blue Note sounds!
Read More »12twelve: Mr. Gesus [Video]
Is it true? Is Americana really becoming a legitimate experimentation of artistic credibility in a world hell bent on obscurity? And can grassroots be downright cool? Some would say it always has been. Some would say there’s no chance in hell. But, Cory Chisel surely have to disagree. He and his Wandering Sons have produced one of the most fun loving and inspiring tracks in recent times: “Born Again”. It is a foot stomping and inspiring track with the same vibrancy of a Blitzen Trapper or Bravo Johnson, but has a more uplifting approach to the respected genre. Good on Cory and the boys for teaching us what it means to live again. Read More »Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons: Born Again [Video Review]
I want to say that, at some time in the past three to five months, I picked up Joker’s Daughter‘s 7″ single for their song “Worm’s Head” as the cover art looks mighty familiar. Thanks to my recent move away from Seattle and into a small-ish country town between the capital of grunge and Vancouver, BC, and my subsequent attempt to get the house I purchased in order, I cannot quite recall. One thing is for sure: the lovely female-fronted folk that pours out in their video for “Lucid” is completely new to me (a fact that could simply mean that I purchased the single but did not listen to it after). Read More »Joker’s Daughter: Lucid [Video]
Add Japancakes to the list of instrumental bands trying their hand, and successfully at that, at incorporating vocals into their music during the month of July. Yes, Japancakes join The Octopus Project as such, featuring Orenda Fink on vocals in their epic track “Behind The Mountains”. The video features seven women fronted by Orenda Fink herself, all decorated in sparkles and colors. The effect, backed by Japancakes signature southern-sounding shoegaze, is actually a bit eerie. But boy is it good! Read More »Japancakes: Behind The Mountains [Video]
OK, so I don’t really like to post about the same band in such a short period of time — last week I wrote a track review on The Octopus Project’s “Wet Gold” — but this video is too good to pass up. “Wet Gold” on screen is courtesy Zellner Bros. and it features green monsters (similar to those that appear live on stage with the band), colorful shell crabs and beautiful crashing waves.
Read More »The Octopus Project: Wet Gold [Video] 
Electronic acts rarely have a horn or woodwind instruments, so The Deer Tracks are unique in that regard. Furthermore, the title of their recent single “127SexFrya” off their recent LP Aurora also finds the group standing out among the crowd. However, this Swedish band remains true to electronic pop by dishing out an intriguing video to accompany “127SexFrya”. Read More »The Deer Tracks: 127SexFrya [Video]
