2013 – Page 9 – INDIE ROCK CAFE

Best New Releases, Week of Feb. 12th – Foals, The Little Ones, Veronica Falls, March Divide, Millionyoung, Pissed Jeans

Posted on 02/15/201301/09/2020 by Max Hammer

There has already been dozens of great 2013 new albums released over the past six weeks, that you can read about, and listen to, or download, the lead track from by browsing the best albums of 2013 posts. This week’s Best New Releases includes a collection of lead singles from new albums out this week from Foals, The Little Ones, Veronica Falls, The March Divide, Millionyoung, Pissed Jeans, The VirginMarys and others.

Foals Release Anticipated LP, Holy Fire

by Ed Biggs
It almost goes without saying that the Album of the Week honors goes to Holy Fire, the third album from one of our favorite bands in recent years, Foals. The quintet has progressed in many ways since their 2010 LP, Total Life Forever. The track, “Inhaler,” released months ago, is a perfect microcosm of Holy Fire – bold, challenging, intelligent and yet utterly accessible.

Tracks like “Bad Habit,” and the newest single, “My Number,” are indicative of Foals’ dynamic post-punk style, this time around mixed with the expansiveness of Joshua Tree-era U2.

Overall, the band’s new album delivers a bigger, fuller sound, which one could attribute to their move to Warner Brothers – a move that some die-hard fans are not happy with, but only time will tell if the move was a wise one. Does signing to Warner mean Foals is no longer an ‘indie’ band?

Some say yes, others say no, and apparently, just from what we’ve been hearing and reading, many others don’t care because the music is what really matters to them most, which is simply logical. So far, the praise of Holy Fire has been fairly universal. And yet lead vocalist Yannis Philippakis and the band, who are extremely ambitious and talented, are also modest about their success in recent years.

“My Number” – Foalsfrom Holy Fire on Warner Bros

Double-shot: “Inhaler” – Foalsfrom Holy Fire on Warner Bros

The Little Ones Finally Release Sophomore LP

The second best album of the week at IRC is The Little Ones‘ long-awaited sophomore LP, The Dawn Sang Along, which is packed with infectious, uptempo twee-pop songs like the bright, melodic lead single, “Forro,” with its glistening guitars, sunny synthesizers, harmony-packed choruses and tropical rhythms. “Forro” is the kind of song that beckons the warmth of springtime, and reminds us that more of winter has passed at this point then is still to remain. It’s a fantastic, upbeat song, and there are other great songs from the LP as well that you can listen to here.

“Forro” – The Little Ones from The Dawn Sang Along on Branches Recording Collective
Listen to “Forro,” or all of The Dawn Sang Along on Spotify.

New Releases from Veronica Falls, The March Divide

Next up is the new single, “Teenage,” from the London indie pop band Veronica Falls‘ sophomore album, Waiting for Something to Happen. The March Divide‘s lead single, “Jose Cuervo,” is one of the more interesting drinking songs we’ve heard in a while set to nothing else but an acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals (almost sounds a little like the Plain White T’s – not sure if that’s a good or bad thing?). Millionyoung kick out a smooth, tropical groove on the track “Lovin’,” followed by the punk rocker, “Cathouse,” by Subpop band Pissed Jeans.

“Teenage” – Veronica Falls from Waiting for Something to Happen on Slumberland Records

“Jose Cuervo” – The March Divide from Music for Film on Dead Letter Records

“Lovin'” – Millionyoung from Variable on Old Flame / Rix Records

“Cathouse” – Pissed Jeans from Honeys on Sub Pop

“Blue Gums Calling Me Back Home” (feat. Kelly Hogan) – Roger Knox from Stranger in My Land on Bloodshot Records

“I Wouldn’t Let Me In If I Were You” – Aina Haina from Aina Haina EP on Badman Recording Co.

“Dressed To Kill” – The Virginmarys from King of Conflict on Wind Up Records

“Seer” – Fear of Men from Early Fragments on Kanine Records

“Shiver” – PVT from Homosapien on Felte

Hit Band Cultfever Drop New Single

Cultfever‘s debut album exploded onto the indie pop scene in 2012, earning praise from MTV Soundtracks, Stereogum, and The Guardian. Their unique sound and captivating live show won them hometown distinction as The Deli Magazine‘s #1 NYC Indie Pop band in 2012. Singles such as “Knewyouwell” and “Collector” propelled them into the CMJ Radio Top 200 charts. Plus, their song, “Strangenecks,” made its prime time debut on MTV’s hit series Awkward. The band are confirmed to play at this year’s SXSW festival next month. Also, the band Powers That Be have dropped their self-titled debut this week, featuring the lead single, “Valencia.”

“Animals” – Cultfever from Animals 7″ single

“Valencia” – Powers that Be from Powers That Be on Don’t Be a Lout Music

Bryan Ferry Releases ‘The Jazz Age’ to Critical Praise

We never want to limit ourselves to one type of music. As lovers of all kinds of music, we can appreciate almost any genre of music. But appreciating a genre of music doesn’t mean that it’s something you listen to regularly, or at all. In that case, there are probably millions of people that have never listened to an entire jazz album of any kind. Still, it is interesting that jazz has been more popular in past years with young people under the age of 35. Bryan Ferry, the legendary 70’s band Roxy Music, has continued to write and record over the decades since Roxy Music disbanded.

Ferry’s latest album, The Jazz Age, is the result of his life-long love for jazz music and his determination to record a jazz album featuring renditions of 13 songs from his extensive rock and roll discography through the prism of a jazz orchestra. The reviews, from The New York Times to Spin, have been overwhelmingly positive and generous in their praise for Ferry’s overall production of The Jazz Age. The following is the official video for the composition, “This Island Earth,” which also has lots of plays and up votes on Soundcloud, where the entire album is streaming.

“This Island Earth” – The Bryan Ferry Orchestra from The Jazz Age on BMG

Band of the Week – Scotland’s PAWS

Posted on 02/14/201312/18/2019 by Max Hammer

The Glasgow lo-fi garage/punk pop trio PAWS gun it on their latest single, “Miss American Bookworm,” blasting out from the starting gate with a fast-driving, rhythmic, and vibrantly melodic romp. PAWS’ new album, Cokefloat!, released by Fat Cat Records, captures the energy and rawness (or ‘pawness’) of the band’s live shows, and per the title, is, as the band said, “like a sugar high,” adding “all of the lyrics are pretty much a documentation of the past two years. A lot of crazy things have happened in our lives – some good, some horrific…there is a strong feeling of positivity and hope running throughout this record [like] light piercing through some distinctly dark times. We’re playing in this band to keep going and stay alive.”

“Miss American Bookworm” – PAWS from Cokefloat! on FatCat Records

The album cover art for Cokefloat! (below) is somewhat misleading. It features a drawing of a wide-eyed young girl encircled by hearts and flowers, which, at a glance, implies the songs within would be something along the lines of light love tracks or teenie bopper pop of the 1960’s. In fact, it’s much more aggressive and rebellious than that, yet the overall sound is brimming with fun, jubilant, enthusiastic romps, Violent Femmes-like rhythms and punchy melodies. The band has an amazing range of genres and sounds they cover from acoustic ballads and screaming punk bashers to catchy indie rockers and indie pop songs.

Band members Phillip Taylor, Josh Swinney, and Matt Scott create fusions of catchy, fuzzy power pop with dynamic, energized, Violent Femmes-like indie rock that is thrilling to listen to. Part of the credit also needs to go to Rory Atwell of Test Icicles for his input as the LP’s producer. Cokefloat!, in our view, is one of the best debut albums of the year, and PAWS is one of the breakout bands of 2012.

The band’s name makes it more challenging to find information about them in search engines; one, because ‘paws’ is a fairly common word, although most associated, not surprisingly, with all things related to man’s best friend. Secondly, the band’s name has a similar construction of many other band names (The Big Paws; Paw Paws; Monster Paws, among many others). It will become easier over time to find links about the band if they continue to keep the momentum they’ve built over the past two years, albeit, mostly in the U.K. and Europe, and hopefully, poised to get more love from here in the States.

“Homecoming” – PAWS from Cokefloat

“Bloodline” – PAWS from Cokefloat

New DIY Releases from The Ivory Elephant, The Diigz, Weepikes, Youngblood, Electric Kazoo, Animal Games, Fonda

Posted on 02/12/201307/22/2021 by Max Hammer

There’s been a flood of new DIY singles and albums gushing in during recent weeks, including quite a few that that really stand out, and others that demonstrate promise. So far this year, there have been dozens and dozens of 2013 DIY singles from new LPs and EPs that have been popular with listeners and which are accessible by browsing Best New Releases of 2013 posts.

Melbourne Band Spearheads ‘Blues Rock Renaissance’

The Ivory Elephant is a DIY blues rock trio from Melbourne, Australia, pursuing the perfection of what they affectionately dub the “Blues Rock Renaissance.” Schooled musically by their idols like Jimi Hendrix and Muddy Waters, the band mates aim to advance blues rock for a new generation while preserving “the gritty, rootsy feel” that makes the music so appealing to millions of people worldwide for the past half century. According to band member Trent Sterling to achieve that careful balance “means riff based rock’n’roll, lots of guitar solos with an emphasis on the actual tone, and gritty vocals that focus on getting a feeling across rather than being auto-tuned and emotionless.” We think they do a good job of it.

Sterling said “indie rock is not having to conform to what a corporation says you have to sound like. Not having to always have a catchy pop line or synth harmony. It means we can sing how we like, play how we like, and put in as many guitar solos as we want.” “Taxi Driver” is a captivating rocker characterized by the impressive electric guitar playing of Sterling, as well as a thumping bass and complex, but steady drum playing. The second track, “Like A Dog,” has a woozy, bluesy feel to it that is occasionally interrupted by all-out jams. The band consider among their musical influences to be artists like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Black Keys, White Stripes, and Dead Weather.

“Taxi Driver “ – The Ivory Elephant from The Ivory Elephant – Jan. 30th

“Like a Dog” – The Ivory Elephant from The Ivory Elephant

The Ivory Elephant Official Website

Finnish Band Weepikes Drop Debut EP

Weepikes are an alternative punk rock pop band from Helsinki, Finland that emerged in the 1990’s, built a sizable following in Europe and North America before running out of steam in 1997 after only three years together. In January, the band dropped their Weepikes EP (mixed and mastered by Kramer), and will be followed on Friday with the release of their new CD, We Are Weepikes. The band has previously opened for groups like fun. and consider their musical influences to be Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Fall, Ennio Morricone and Angelo Badalamenti.

“Nothing But A Soar” – Weepikes from We Are Weepikes – Feb. 15th

“Bad Valentine” – Weepikes from We Are Weepikes

Belgian Battle of the Bands Winners Youngblood

Youngblood is a five-piece DIY alternative rock band from Limburg, Belgium that formed in 2010, and less than two years later, voted ‘Best Band’ by the jury and the audience at the Hagelandse Rocktrofee battle of the bands. In 2012, they also shared the stage with Dog Eat Dog at the Boerenrock Music Festival. Youngblood’s sound and style fall somewhere in the middle of Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World.

“Beautiful Failures” – Youngblood from Youngblood EP – Jan. 22nd

“Science My Son” – Youngblood from Youngblood EP

Youngblood Official Website

Calgary Band Drop New Album

Calgary contemporary folk band Electric Kazoo‘s track “Ambiance”, the album’s kick-off track, is quintessentially Electric Kazoo: a gently infectious melody, an elliptical, engrossing electric guitar riff, atmospheric accordion, strong vocal harmonies, and the band’s customary philosophical lyrics. Here are two tracks from the band’s new album, Into the Great White Open.

“Ambiance” – Electric Kazoo from Into the Great White Open – Jan. 22nd

“Ceiling” – Electric Kazoo from Into the Great White Open

LA’s Animal Games Drops Debut Album

Animal Games is a Los Angeles sextet that blends various genres like indie rock, world music, pop, new wave and post punk into their sound in an effort to “achieve a brand of sonic catharsis that encompassed no rules and paid tribute to a plethora of influences and sounds.” It look the band a number of years from their start in 2007 to settle on a final lineup that was not fully realized until the summer of 2010 when lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Buxton-Smith joined.

In late January, Animal Games released their debut, self-titled album. In the years leading up to the album’s release, the band toured and opened for a number of bands, including St. Motel, Hellogoodbye and Lovers Drugs, and count among their biggest musical influences The National, The Smiths, Talking Heads, Interpol, U2 and The Clash. In reply to a question we ask on the music submission form, the band answered the ‘what is indie rock’ question this way: “Indie rock is more than a genre, it is the freedom to sonically express your emotions and beliefs in one of the most artistic formats. It is an independence from the historical standards of our industry and an opportunity to create our art our way.”

“Lily” – Animal Games from Animal Games – Jan. 21st

“Radiator” – Animal Games from Animal Games

Philly’s The Diigz Rock Fusion Grooves

The Diigz are a Philadelphia-based rock fusion with a new DIY released full length album called Mind F*!!k out now. “A lot of our songwriting is channeled as energy from the cosmos, the Akasha.” OK then. The first single, “Electric Eyes,” is a pop rock fusion track about surveillance.

Lead songwriter, vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Bob Venuto, recorded an album with Grammy-winning producer Phil Nicolo of Ruff House Records a few years ago, writing and playing all of the instruments himself. Now, with The Diigz, he collaborates with brother Mike Venuto (drums) and Darrien Kennedy (bass), Harvey Mason, who was the drummer on Herbie Hancock‘s Head Hunters album, and producer Darren Morze, who was lead production engineer at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. Venuto wrote that indie rock is “an organic hotbed group of people who look for art and music, not dollars.”

“Electric Eyes” – The Diigz from Mind F*!!k – Feb. 5th

“Saw My Baby/American Hat Dance” – The Diigz from Mind F*!!k

More Recent Singles Worth A Spin

Stream or download more recently released singles off new albums by both signed and unsigned indie bands that most people never heard of before, such as Elephant Stone, Fonda, The Shilos and Low Culture.

“Heavy Moon” – Elephant Stone from Elephant Stone – Feb. 5th

“Seeing Stars” – Fonda from Sell Your Memories – Feb. 5th

“Lapsarian” – Lady Lazarus from All My Love in Half Light Jan. 29th

“The Place Where Nobody Knows I Go” – The Shilos from So Wild – Feb. 5th

“Screens” – Low Culture from Screens – Jan. 15th

No. 1 Songs for January 2013 – Pere Ubu, The Capsules, Gliss and Lost Animal

Posted on 02/10/201307/22/2021 by Max Hammer

Hopes that 2013 will be a great year for independent and alternative rock music, with a wide variety of amazing albums and singles by well known, DIY and breakout bands were bolstered significantly by what turned out to be a strong January for music releases, offering music lovers plenty to listen to in the past few weeks.

The response from IRC listeners has been strong, especially in regards to DIY releases, including many truly talented unsigned artists and bands, as evident by the response to recent posts and the results of the Top 10 Songs weekly playlists for January.

And yet it was the 40-year running experimental, underground rock/jazz/pop veterans, Cleveland band, Pere Ubu, that took the honors of having the first No. 1 song of 2013 on IRC – as determined by which singles listeners streamed and downloaded the most during the week of January 8th to January 14th (since there were no significant number of releases for the first week of the year due to the holidays). There were many terrific small label and DIY artists’ songs that made the Top 10 for the week of Jan. 8th , including fresh tracks from Wooden Wand, Alex Vans, The Agreeables, Youthband, We’re No Heroes and Luck & Senses, among others.

“Free White” – Pere Ubu from Lady From Shangai on Fire Records

Week of January 15th

The week of January 15th (since Tuesdays are when most albums are released) was an encouraging one because of the quantity and quality of anticipated, and surprise, singles and albums, that came out. The relatively unknown band, The Capsules, blew past the competition – that included Yo La Tengo, Virals, Free Energy, The Head and the Heart and many others – to capture the No. 1 spot of the week.

“Across The Sky” – The Capsules from Northern Lights and Southern Skies on Vespera Records

Listen to the entire Top 10 Songs for the Week of Jan. 15th.

Week of January 22nd

For the last full week of January, the No. 1 song according to listeners was Los Angeles indie rock veterans Gliss, who many people never heard of before until their newest release, and the most popular song of the week, “Weight of Love.”

“Weight of Love” – Gliss from Langsom on Modern Outsider Records

Listen to all of the top songs for the week of January 22nd.

Week of January 29th

January has been characterized by surprise No. 1 songs, starting with Pere Ubu, right through to the end of the month with indie artist Lost Animal, who captured the No. 1 spot with his new single, “Say No To Thugs” from the album Ex-Tropical.

“Say No to Thugs” – Lost Animal from Ex Tropical on Hardly Art

Stream and download all of the Top 10 Songs for the week of Jan. 29th

Best New Releases, Week of Feb. 5th – Frightened Rabbit, Eels, Jim James, Guards, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down

Posted on 02/06/201312/18/2019 by Max Hammer

For indie music lovers, it’s a big, big week for top new releases from a variety of popular artists and bands, including the Eels, Frightened Rabbit, Jim James, Guards, My Bloody Valentine, Grouper, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Matt Pond, The Spinto Band, and others. The year in music for 2013 is starting to look really promising, as the past few weeks have shown, including the Best New Releases for the weeks of January 29th, January 22nd and January 15th, as well as Top New DIY Releases, 5 DIY Bands to Watch, DIY and Indie Artists Releases and Recent DIY Releases playlists.

The awesomeness begins with the newest album release by Frightened Rabbit, titled Pedestrian Verse. The Scottish band, led by Scott Hutchinson‘s dark lyrics and touching vocals, presents a personal and emotional masterpiece on their fourth release, drawing on the anthemic folk pop mix they’ve branded so well and accompanied by deep, touching sonics of reverb-heavy guitar work and frenetic rhythms, as displayed on the lead single (and the accompanying video) titled, “The Woodpile.” Another folk-pop-heavy album out this week, We The Common, from Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, demonstrates the artist’s increasingly political messaging while integrating more crisp acoustic instrumentation, followed by the Eels – easily one of the best bands of the past two decades – release of their tenth album, Wonderful, Glorious, along with the lead single, “New Alphabet.”

“The Woodpile” – Frightened Rabbit from Pedestrian Verse

“Holy Roller” – Thao and the Get Down Stay Down from We The Common
via TheDadada

“New Alphabet” – Eels from Wonderful, Glorious

Top Singles from Jim James, Guards, Matt Pond, My Bloody Valentine and Others

My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James (or Yim Yames), and member of supergroup Of Monsters and Men, dropped his third solo album this week, featuring the spectacular song, “A New Life,” easily one of the best new songs of 2013. Perhaps the most sunny, upbeat and catchy single from a new release this week is “Silver Lining” from the indie band Guards. They released their newest album, In Guards We Trust, this week. New-to-us band Airstrip rock out on the impressive surprise single, “Pleasure Center.” Plus, the latest from Ron Sexsmith, Darkstar, and Night Beds.

“A New Life” – Jim James from Regions of Light and Sound of God on ATO Records

“Silver Lining” – Guards from In Guards We Trust on Black Bell Records

“Pleasure Center” – Airstrip from Willing on Holidays on Quince Records

“Sneak Out the Back Door” – Ron Sexsmith from Forever Endeavour

“Amplified Ease” – Darkstar from News From Nowhere on Warp Records

“Wanted You in August” – Night Beds from Country Sleep on Dead Oceans

Jenny O Barters; Matt Pond Loves and The Spinto Band Shakes

Artist Jenny O., of Where The Wild Things Are fame, has a new album featuring title track, “Automechanic.” The song has a spaghetti western undercurrent yet is dominated by O.’s emotive vocals and lyrics that include; “I’ll trade you a tune for some gasoline.” With the way gas prices are going in the past couple of weeks (will be $7/gal. in two years), you can imagine how hard it is on bands that have little cash but need to tour to make money since it’s not coming from album sales, but we digress; the song itself is OK, but nothing you’ll remember a month from now.

Still, we felt compelled to include it for the Jenny O fans. First off, we did not know until this release that Matt Pond signed to BMG. Now, that’s interesting, and surely some of his early, hard-core fans may not be too happy with that arrangement; thankfully, it doesn’t seem to have had a negative effect on his music – an example eing his new single “Love To Get Used,”

“Automechanic” – Jenny O. from Automechanic on Holy Trinity Records/Thirty Tigers

“Love To Get Used” – Matt Pond from The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand on BMG

“Shake It Off” – The Spinto Band from Cool Cocoon on Spintonic Recordings

“One Thing” – Pascal Pinon from Twosomeness on Morr Music

Grouper‘s new single, “Vital,” is a dream pop track that is great if you’re in a melancholy mood, or just day-dreaming, but if you need stimulation, there are much more suited tracks earlier in this playlist of the week’s top new releases. In fact, one of the antidote’s for the sleepy feeling “Vital” conveys is the Guards‘ “Silver Lining.” In keeping with the chilled, mellow feel, the lead single, “Old Dreams,” from veteran singer/songwriter Hayden streams soft piano keys and acoustic guitar to set the mood.

“Vital” – Grouper from The Man Who Died in His Boat on Kranky

“Old Dreams” – Hayden from Us Alone on Arts & Crafts

Best New DIY Releases – Is Paris Burning, Heyrocco, Matt Churchill, The Hyper Actives, No TV Tonight!, Rounds

Posted on 02/03/201307/22/2021 by Max Hammer

This past week’s top DIY album releases mix includes new singles, EPs and LPs from artists and bands from Kansas City, Brooklyn, Stockholm, and two artists and bands each from London and South Carolina.

Embracing the C-86 music style of jangle pop fused with post-punk (even if they don’t realize it), Kansas City, Missouri indie rock band, Is Paris Burning, hits the mark on the catchy new single, “Wild,” from the band’s self-released double single that was released DIY style on Wednesday. The B-side track, “The City,” is just as enjoyable as the A-side, and there are bound to be folks who cannot decide which of the two they like the most. That’s always a good sign for a new band.

Is Paris Burning got together in 2012, and already they’re starting to make inroads on the DIY indie circuits. This is apparently the first time the band has been featured on a major indie site. In addition to having opened for bands like The Features, Rags & Ribbons, and Gold Fields, the band consider among their top musical influences U2, The Smiths and The Maccabees, to name a few.

“Wild” – Is Paris Burning from Wild – Jan. 30th

“This City” – Is Paris Burning from Wild

DIY Radar Band HeyRocco Drop New Single

Heyrocco is a Charleston, South Carolina based group made up of three best friends who decided to delay their college education to pursue their passion for music. Since forming in 2010, Nathan Jake Merli (vocals, guitar), Christopher Cool (bass, korg) and Tanner Cooper (drums, mandolin), Heyrocco has been gradually building a fan base thanks to their unique dark, nostalgic pop songs, and energetic and compelling live performances, opening for popular indie bands like Mutemath, Surfer Blood, Miniature Tigers and The Whigs, among others.

Heyrocco’s sound is often compared stylistically to bands such as The Cure, Nada Surf, and early Strokes, and, according to their bio, “spiked with an experimental blend of Broken Social Scene meets On A Friday.” In April of 2012, they dropped their debut LP, Comfort, followed this week by the release of a new single, “Elsewhere,” from a yet to be announced album supposedly planned for release this coming spring. “Elsewhere” is upbeat, catchy, and bursting with indie pop energy – the kind of song you want to play on a cold, dreary winter day because it sounds like a track for a springtime MP3 mix. Also check out the track, “Rave Monks,” from Comfort. Lastly, Merli’s answer to the ‘What is indie rock?’ question was: “Indie rock is a community of bands and labels that put out honest music. And goddamn does the world need it.”

“Elsewhere” – Heyrocco from Elsewhere single

“Rave Monks” – Heyrocco from Comfort (April 2012)

Stockholm Rock Trio The Hyper Actives

After gaining success in Sweden and across Europe, DIY rockers, The Hyper Actives, released their debut album, Rock ‘n’ Roll Lives Again, this past week in the U.S., following the official European release in November of 2012. After having played in different rock and metal bands in Stockholm, musicians Jens Holst (bass, lead vocals) and Jonte Skogsbrand (guitars, backing vocals) began work on The Hyper Actives in April 2008, with a concentration on traditional rock with strong melodies, memorable hooks, speed, intensity and groove. The following year, the duo discovered drummer Danne Berg, and the rock trio was complete.

The band’s fast-driving, energetic, blazing 70s-ish arena hard rock sound is molded in the tradition of bands like Black Sabbath, Johnny Winter, ZZ Top and AC/DC. In the summer of 2011, the band broke out with their first single, “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” which put them on the map in Sweden thanks to generous airplay by radio DJs, that eventually caught on outside of the country’s borders. The band is also planning to release a couple of EPs, and their sophomore full-length album, Top of the World in 2013. Here’s the band’s take on ‘what is indie rock’: “Indie rock is a creative explosion and a celebration of everyone’s possibilities [to] speak up and be heard in this new world, breaking down old hierarchical systems that have existed for many centuries.” Interesting.

“The Promised Land” – The Hyper Actives from Rock ‘n’ Roll Lives Again – Jan. 28th

“Rock ‘n’ Roller Man” – The Hyper Actives from Rock ‘n’ Roll Lives Again

Lawdan Mazloom’s New Band Drops Self-Titled Album

The Mazloom Empire is a pop-rock outfit from Columbia, South Carolina, headed by the 21-year-old musician Lawdan Mazloom. She started out not long ago playing acoustic solo shows before recruiting guitarist Zac Thomas to found TME. Eventually a full band was put together, featuring respected local musicians like Brett Kent (bass), Marshall Brown (piano), and Steve Sancho (drums). Kyle Petersen of the Free Times recently wrote that The Mazloom Empire is “one of the most talent-heavy lineups in the city.”

Mazloom’s smooth, yet powerful, vocals rise above the edgy, melodic grooves on the standout track, “Crystal Chandelier,” and as well on the more personal, emotive track, “Alison.” Mazloom’s main musical influences include Wilco, Ingrid Michaelson, The Kooks, and Tegan and Sara.

“Crystal Chandelier” – The Mazloom Empire from The Mazloom Empire – Jan. 29th

“Alison” – The Mazloom Empire from The Mazloom Empire

The Mazloom Empire Official Website

In response to the question (“What is indie rock”) on the submission form, Mazloom answered: “Indie rock is what keeps the world going round. It keeps things interesting. It keeps things different. Indie rock is the soul of music.”

DIY Brooklyn Outfit No TV Tonight! Debuts Split Single

Brooklyn based punk rock duo No TV Tonight! dropped a 7-inch split single on Saturday with fellow Brooklyn band Tin Vulva. Formed a year ago by guitarist and vocalist Jaime Marcelo and drummer Matt Storm, Tearing a page from the DIY principles of punk’s forefathers, NTVT!! does it all themselves with a focus on the music, first and foremost. Their energetic and passionate live shows have already garnered a local following in just a few months following the band’s first show last September. Among other things, an east coast tour in March and the release of their debut full length in the summer are in the band’s future for 2013.

“The Great Panic” – No TV Tonight!! from Split 7″ (with Tin Vulva) – Feb. 2nd

“Murder House” – No TV Tonight!! from Split 7″ (with Tin Vulva) – Feb. 2nd

Indie rock is “music for the love of the music. Independent of ulterior corporate motives. Passionate and honest.” – Jaime Marcelo / Guitar + Vocals

CA-Via-CT Artist Paul Hull Drops New LP

Pat Hull is a soul/singer-songwriter from Connecticut currently based in Chico, CA. His music intertwines melodic vocals and finger picked guitar notes to create a dreamy landscape with unpredictable hooks and interesting turns. Hull’s newest release, Shed Skin, was recorded in Bennington, Vermont, and produced by J.J. Beck and Michael Chinworth, aka, ‘The Mothers,’ who recruited an instrumental ensemble to support Hull’s vocally and lyrically charged performances. His musical inspirations include Radiohead, Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, M. Ward and D’ Angelo. Hull will be touring the east coast for the next two months in support of Shed Skin.

“Full Parade” – Pat Hull from Shed Skin – Jan. 26th

“Shed Skin” – Pat Hull from Shed Skin

Pat Hull’s Official Website

Denver’s Eye and the Arrow Embrace Genre Change

A little more than a year old, Denver band Eye and the Arrow is a DIY indie outfit that incorporates a number of genres into their music, without limiting themselves to one or two genres. The band’s new EP, If By Fire, is an amalgamation of musical styles created by long-time friends and collaborators.

“This is our first real release,” says guitarist and vocalist Paul DeHaven, who describes the band as “built on the interplay of the trio, tireless syncopation, and songwriting.” There are odd time changes and witty plays on words. On the single, “Prophet’s Hometown,” folksy earnestness abounds, which percolates with viola and cello arrangements. On the track, “LSD Western,” Mark Anderson’s drumming leads a growing psych-rock war cry that is engaging and compelling.

“This album is an exploration of our potential as a three piece band, of style and song structure through the lens of our collected creativity,” adds bassist Jason Hecker. “It’s derived from the spirit of punk bands that shaped us all in high school, while keeping in step with the emotional and musical complexities that we’ve found in artists like Sufjan Stevens and Wilco.” Eye and the Arrow will be touring in this spring and summer in support of If By Fire.

“Prophet’s Hometown” – Eye & the Arrow by If By Fire – Jan. 26th

“LSD Western” – Eye & the Arrow by If By Fire

Eye and the Arrow on Facebook

London Acoustic Artist Matt Churchill Drops 7″

Matt Churchill is a DIY acoustic singer/songwriter from London who takes inspiration from “the way that people communicate and interact, turning these every day actions into stories.” We don’t know very much about Churchill, but his new self-released double-single, “Radar” displays his fondness for a mix of styles, including acoustic, indie folk, and shoegaze, as evidenced by the title track and the B-side, “Not Enough Feet.”

About playing live, he wrote: “Each set is never the same, with the audience dictating the mood and ambience.” Churchill’s musical influences include Neil Young, Idlewild, Nick Drake, Noel Gallagher, Band of Horses and Buffalo Springfield.

“Radar” – Matt Churchill from Radar – Jan. 28th

“Not Enough Feet” – Matt Churchill from Radar

London Electronic Artist Rounds Releases Debut EP

Rounds is a London-based alternative electronic trio that is not exactly DIY (they are signed with a small indie label, Blind Colour) and has grown a fan base in the U.K. and Austria. Their debut EP, Falter, includes five tracks of richly textured and layered experimental electronic music that is more revealing after repeated plays. Rounds doesn’t opt for gloomy sounds, as much U.K. electronic does, but instead, as the band wrote: “a fusion of The Cure and Radiohead-esque melodic pop and alternative rock; the experimental bass music of bands like Burial or Mount Kimbie, and ambient and deep house laced with glitch, Warp-inspired electronic soul born from a huge range of influences.”

The band consists of Robert Cooper (vocals, synths), Andrew Chapman (guitar, synths), and Ashley Kemp (drums, sampler). Falter is the band’s follow-up to the July 2012 debut EP drop, Escapist, the latter which received positive reviews among British music sites and blogs.

“Falter” – Rounds from Falter – Jan. 28th

Artist of the Week: Early Alan Younger

Posted on 02/01/201312/18/2019 by Max Hammer

Not long ago, a regular IRC listener tipped us off to the impressive recordings of Minneapolis experimental folk singer and songwriter Early Alan Younger, who is the latest to be featured in the popular Artist of the Week series.

As with so many artists we feature on IRC, Younger is a largely unknown figure in the national indie folk music movement, which we hope to help change with this profile. In fact, in a Google search for his name, there are only a few entries, and therefore, we don’t have much information about him. The Minneapolis based blog, The Current, wrote of the new EP, Hotcake Waltz, that “there always seems to be a little too much folk rock in the Midwest that doesn’t quite stand out. But Early Alan Younger seems to have no interest in appeasing the masses with easy listening. What we have here instead is moody, early Luke Temple vibes.”

Younger crafts emotive, heart-felt and well-honed folk songs that have been fully realized with the help of a newly recruited band (no indication if they will become a permanent band). Younger teamed up with local musicians Neil Weir and Magneto member Dave Gardner, as well as Aaron LeMay (Diver Dress) on drums and Tony Najm (formerly of the Alarmists) on bass.

This is Younger’s first EP of a three-part EP series he plans to release during 2013. The lead track, “Good Friend,” is a hazy, lo-fi acoustic romp that has a hauntingly melodic allure supported by his backup band and Younger’s poignant lyrics and vocals. The title track has almost a New Orleans funeral march aspect to it, wrapped in electric guitar distortion and a catchy, deep hook bass – a track that is, as mentioned earlier about Younger’s music in general, hard to categorize. Listen to the other two tracks from the EP via his Bandcamp page.

“Good Friend” – Early Alan Younger from The Hotcake Waltz EP

“The Hotcake Waltz” – Early Alan Younger from The Hotcake Waltz EP

“Highway Overpass” – Early Alan Younger from The Hotcake Waltz EP

5 DIY Bands to Watch, Vol. I – Hemmingbirds, Jumpiter, Cloud Lantern, The Jesus Rehab and Appalachians

Posted on 01/28/201307/22/2021 by Max Hammer

Over the past few months, we have received, and reviewed, hundreds of submissions from mostly DIY artists and bands. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing the best artists of the hundreds of submissions we’ve reviewed (and will continue to review) with you via a number of playlists series that highlight talented unsigned bands that deserve to be heard. This is the first volume of 5 DIY Bands to Watch in 2013.

Hemmingbirds – Chicago, Illinois

Riding on the success of their debut record, Death Wave, released in 2010, Chicago indie rock band Hemmingbirds began working on its follow-up early in 2012. Departing from the original solo writing process (attributed to band leader Yoo Soo Kim) of Death Wave, Hemmingbirds worked on their sophomore effort, The Vines of Age, collectively. As a result, the album marks a transition from the group’s original folk- influenced sound into something heavier, noisier and more soulful.

“Line of Bones” – Hemmingbirds from The Vines of Age – Sept. 25th

“Toxic Noise” – Hemmingbirds from The Vines of Age

The Hemmingbirds Official Website

Jumpiter – Brooklyn, New York

Jumpiter is the musical project of Brooklyn solo artist Sean Schuyler, who writes and records in his ‘cramped’ apartment with the goal of channeling his “inner Jimmy Page to make some fun headphone listening.” While any Jimmy Page comparison is way off from the reality, the two songs featured below are pretty good for a solo artist few have heard of. In November, Jumpiter self-released a self-titled fifth release, featuring a collection of hard-rock and power-pop songs touching on darkness and humor in songs like “Asbestos Of The Gods” and “Bugspray.”

“Bug Spray” – Jumpiter from Jumpiter

“Asbestos Of The Gods” – Jumpiter from Jumpiter

Jumpiter on Bandcamp

Cloud Lantern – Albuquerque, New Mexico

From the magical desert southwest area of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cloud Lantern blipped on our radar with their self-produced DIY release of the EP, Songs for Eluard. The band integrates post-punk, surf pop, garage rock, shoegaze and math-rock, and have become well-known within Albuquerque DIY indie rock scene. The new EP is a tribute to the poet Paul Eluard, whose contributions to the surrealist art movement are well-noted.

Cloud Latern’s sound is risque, enthralling and accessible; the first single, “Backgammon,” is a bright, sunny summer day, lo-fi surf pop track, featuring a driving drum beat, crashing cymbals, and lo-fi, surf rock guitars jamming away. The second single, “Pushkin Around,” is yet another surf pop mixed with post-punk track that comes off very much like a noise pop or power pop track. The band most recent release was in July of 2012.

“Backgammon” – Cloud Lantern from Songs for Eluard EP

“Pushkin Around” – Cloud Lantern from Songs for Eluard EP

Website: Cloud Lantern’s Official Website

The Jesus Rehab – Seattle, Washington

The Jesus Rehab is a Seattle DIY indie rock band that has its roots in southwest Michigan, where lead singer Jared Cortese and his brother, Dominic Cortese, began to write and record the songs that would later become the band’s first EP, Scatterbrained in 2007. The EP was well-received, and the band extensively toured the Pacific Northwest, and also appeared at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2010. The band’s sound is marked by powerful vocals and driving rhythms which have led to comparisons to bands like OK Go, The Flaming Lips and Weezer, the latter being most apparent to us. Last April, they dropped their new album, Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar, and sent us in these two singles.

“Long Way To Fall” – The Jesus Rehad from Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar

“Carry You” – The Jesus Rehad from Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar

Website: The Jesus Rehab Official website

Appalachians – Sacramento, California

Appalachians is a Sacramento DIY duo formed in 2010 by musicians Marshall Van Leuven and Trevor Dahl. The duo first met in a jazz band in the 6th grade, and have been making music together ever since. In addition to songwriting and singing, Van Leuven and Dahl play guitars, banjos, mandolins, washboards, among other instruments. In July of 2012, the duo dropped their debut album, The Rolling C’s, featuring terrific songs like “Playing Pretend” and “Outro.” We’re looking forward to what the duo release this year; apparently, there is a new album in the works.

“Playing Pretend” – Appalachians from The Rolling C’s

“Outro” – Appalachians from The Rolling C’s

Listen to more tracks from Appalachians’ Bandcamp page

Best Songs of 2012, Vol. II – The Lumineers, Jack White, Beach House, Edward Sharpe, Japandroids, Here We Go Magic, Zulu Winter

Posted on 01/26/201312/18/2019 by Max Hammer

Recently, Volume One of the Best Songs of 2012, was posted, highlighting the weekly No. 1 songs from January through March of 2012. The weekly Top 10 Songs playlists reflect which songs posted in a week – mainly from the Best New Releases series – are streamed and downloaded the most.

April 2012

April was a pretty good month for new releases. The first No. 1 track of the month went to perhaps the breakout band of the year, The Lumineers. The single, “Ho Hey,” from their self-titled debut became one of the most popular songs of the year, easily. The second No. 1 song of April went to another breakout band of the year – Alabama Shakes – who just a few weeks earlier were a huge hit at South By Southwest. “Hold On,” the lead track from their debut album, Boys and Girls, was not just a No. 1 track for the week, according to IRC listeners, but an indie hit song of the summer. For the week of April 17th, the relatively unknown indie band Absolute Monarchs’ hot single, “Attack,” rocketed ahead of all the other new album tracks of the week to secure the No. 1 spot. What better way to end the month of April than with a No. 1 song from Jack White‘s debut solo album, Blunderbuss. Interestingly, there were a few of singles from the album that did well, and in this case, the listeners streamed, liked and downloaded the gritty rocker, “Freedom of 21,” with its blazing guitars and aggressive rhythms, the most.

“Ho Hey” – The Lumineers from The Lumineers on Dualtone Records – see full Top 10 Songs for the week of April 3rd to April April 9th

“Hold On” – Alabama Shakes from Boys and Girls via ATO Records – see full Top 10 Songs for the week of April 10th to April 16th

“Attack” – Absolute Monarchs from 1 via Good To Die Records – see full Top 10 Songs for the week of April 17th to April 23rd

“Freedom at 21” – Jack White from Blunderbuss – see full Top 10 Songs for the week of April 24th to April 30th

May 2012

The No. 1 songs for the month of May started with a surprise number one track from Ane Brun, “Do You Remember,” featuring the artist First Aid Kit. It wasn’t a surprise in that it’s not a worthy song – it’s a solidly good track – but compared to the competition for the week, it was interesting how the results came out. To see, and listen to, the complete Top 10 Songs playlists for any No.1 song, just click on the date links. For the second week of May, the popular band Here We Go Magic has built a loyal following over the past few years with their unique, stand out style of infectious indie pop, as demonstrated on the single, “How Do I Know?,” and one of the top tracks on IRC all summer long (for more, see our Summer Mixtapes series). The second week of May delivered a number of anticipated new releases, including a dual between Beach House and Best Coast, but Beach Houses’ amazing single, “Myth,” beat out Best Coast’s “The Only Place” for the No. 1 spot. To wrap up the month, a band that we named a band to watch a couple of years ago, Hallelujah The Hills, took the No. 1 spot for the last week of May with their track, “Get Me in a Room” from the excellent album, No One Knows What Happens Next.

“Do You Remember (feat. First Aid Kit) – Ane Brun from It All Starts With One on America – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of May 1st to May 7th

“How Do I Know” – Here We Go Magic from A Different Ship – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of May 8th to May 14th

“Myth” – Beach House from Bloom – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of May 15th to May 21st

“Get Me in a Room” – Hallelujah the Hills from No One Knows What Happens Next on Discrete Pageantry Records – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of May 22nd to May 28th

June 2012

As with the first installment of the Best Songs of 2012, according to IRC listeners, this second volume is kicking some serious ass as well. By the time June rolls around, people are into full-on music mode – making summer playlists, going to concerts, listening to tunes on the beach or out jogging and so on. There was not a lack of great songs for summer mixtapes (the whole site is one gigantic repository of spectacular playlists). The No. 1 song for the first week of June was one of the best songs of the summer – Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros’ “Man On Fire,” which beat out new singles from Regina Spektor, The Walkmen and Sigur Ros for the top new single of the week. For the first full week of June, Vancouver garage rock duo, Japandroids, topped the Top 10 Songs with the No. 1 song, “The House That Heaven Built,” from the fantastic album, Celebration Rock (look out for a full review in the Best Albums of 2012 series that will be published in installments).

“Man On Fire” – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros from Here on Vagrant Records – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of May 29th – June 4th

“The House That Heaven Built” – Japandroids from Celebration Rock on Polyvinyl – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of June 5th – June 11th

The following week, Metric‘s new single, “Youth Without Youth,” easily secured the No. 1 spot (week of June 12th), out of many great singles from Vol. One and Vol. Two of that week’s top albums. Next, the track “We Should Be Swimming” from London break-through band Zulu Winter‘s debut album, Language beat out the competition for the No. 1, according to listeners. Language contains a number of other standout tracks, such as “Silver Tongue” and “Key To My Heart.” The last week of June and the first couple of days of July intertwine in Best New Music Releases (Vol. I and Vol. II) for the week of June 26th, topped by a band hardly anyone has heard of – Seventeen Evergreen – grabbing the No. 1 spot based on what listeners streamed and downloaded the most from the week’s top album singles. Seventeen Evergreen, a San Francisco electronic/psychedelic rock duo, beat out bands like The Henry Clay People, Beachwood Sparks and the Ty Segall Band.

“Youth Without Youth” – Metric from Synthetica on Metric Music International
via MusicisArt.ws – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of June 12th – June 18th

“We Should Be Swimming “ – Zulu Winter from Language on Arts & Crafts – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of June 19th – June 25th

“Burn the Fruit” – Seventeen Evergreen from Steady On, Scientist! – listen to the full Top 10 Songs for the week of June 26th – July 2nd

Best New Releases, Week of Jan. 22nd – Ty Segall, Toro Y Moi, Joy Formidable, Nightlands, Growlers, Ra Ra Riot, FIDLAR, DRGN King

Posted on 01/24/201301/09/2020 by Max Hammer

What a blockbuster week for new album drops, and the singles from those releases. In fact, this is the first week of 2013 in which there are a significant number of anticipated releases, as well as surprises, from a variety of well-known artists and bands.

While the Best New Releases playlists posted in recent weeks started out slow, they started to pick up in mid-January. In fact, there is quite a bit to listen to from many artists that we’ve followed for years – like Ty Segall, Toro Y Moi, The Joy Formidable, Nightlands, The Growlers, Ra Ra Riot, and DRGN King, among others. In addition to the impressive number of new albums from well-known artists, there are some great new releases from new-to-us bands like Gliss, FIDLAR, Nosaj Thing, The Night Marchers, Arboretum, among others.

Ty Segall Teams Up with Mikal Cronin on Reverse Shark Attack

Anytime we see anything with Ty Segall‘s name on it, we get excited, and his latest track with Mikal Cronin, “I Wear Black,” is a raucous rocker with crazy Jimi Hendrix-like guitar affects; but the duo go even further, using various modern pedal effects and such to belt out a chunk of guitar and drum noise that is probably the most cut-throat track from a new album so far this year.

“I Wear Black” – Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin from Reverse Shark Attack on In The Red

Toro Y Moi Evolves Again on His Newest Album

Toro Y Moi is easily one of the top indie artists of the past couple of years. And while his music has gone through tremendous evolution and change since he started out in 2009, so have his abilities, and time and again, he proves that his talents and songwriting skills are worthy of all of the attention he has received since hitting it big in the world of indie rock in 2010 to the present day. His new album is yet another progression of his mastery of his latest fancy – pop and R&B.

“Say That” – Toro Y Moi from Anything in Return on Carpark

For an artist who started out in electronic and integrated elements of hip hop and other genres in the past few years, Toro Y Moi, otherwise known as Chaswick Bundick (what an interesting name, plus it rhymes, and you can bet he’s heard just about all of the stupid jokes and puns regarding his name), he is remarkably consistent when it comes to delivering excellent results. People don’t care what someone’s real or made-up name is – they care about the music, especially among folks who are repelled by mainstream, overly commercialized ‘music.’

In addition to the catchy lead single, “Say That,” from Anything in Return, we also included a bonus track and links to two videos, which, when you watch them through the built-in Yahoo player, should pop open a screen and play them right on the page so you can stay where you are in order play or download all of the other singles from the week of January 22nd, 2013’s releases.

“Try” (feat. Toro Y Moi) – Nosaj Thing from Home on Timetable Records via Innovative Leisure

Watch the video for “Say That” as well as “So Many Details”

New Singles from Nightlands, The Growlers and Others

Nightlands has been on our radar for the past year or more, and the band’s new album, Oak Island, was also one of our top anticipated releases for January. Here is the terrific single, “So Far So Long,” followed by the latest singles from the new albums by The Growlers and The Joy Formidable.

“So Far So Long” – Nightlands from Oak Island on Secretly Canadian

“Use Me for Your Eggs” – The Growlers from Hung at Heart on Everloving

“This Ladder Is Ours” – The Joy Formidable from Wolf’s Law on Atlantic

Ra Ra Riot Change Up, Introducing DRGN King, FIDLAR and More

The Syracuse, New York, indie band Ra Ra Riot dropped their third full-length album, Beta Love, this week, featuring a noticeable change in style from baroque pop to synth pop, a switch in sound the band embraced after cellist Alexandra Lawn left the band last year. Following Ra Ra Riot is the Philadelphia band to watch DRGN King, with the frenetic, catchy track, “Wild Night,” from their accomplished album, Paragraph Nights. Switching gears quite dramatically, FIDLAR, the lo-fi garage/surf rock band from Los Angeles, jumped into the fray this week with their blistering self-titled debut album, followed by The Night Marchers, Gliss, Renny Wilson, Arbouretum, Foxygen, Pillowfight and Big Harp.

“Beta Love” – Ra Ra Riot from Beta Love on Barsuk

“Wild Night” – DRGN King from Paragraph Nights on Bar None

“Cheap Beer” – FIDLAR from FIDLAR on Mom & Pop Records

“All Hits” – The Night Marchers from Allez Allez on Swami Records

“Weight of Love” – Gliss from Langsom on Modern Outsider Records

“By and By” – Renny Wilson from Sugarglider on Mint Records

“The Promise” – Arbouretum from Coming Out of the Fog on Thrill Jockey

“Shuggie” – Foxygen from We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic on Jagjaguwar

“Used To Think” – Pillowfight from Pillowfight on Bulk Recordings / EMI

“Waiting For Some Drunk” – Big Harp from Chain Letters on Saddle Creek

Recent Releases We Almost Missed – The Hot Dark, Norwegian Arms, Brave Baby, John Haesemeyer and Eric Howl

Posted on 01/21/201301/09/2020 by Max Hammer

Earlier this week, IRC ran the Best New Releases of the week, featuring singles from new albums by artists like Yo La Tengo, Virals, Free Energy, Christopher Owens, as well as the Band of the Week, Scarlet Youth.
First up is San Francisco DIY post new wave, sax-rock band The Hot Dark who dropped their new EP, oddly titled January 2013 EP, earlier this week. The two singles the band sent in from the new EP are fairly good for a DIY band has been together for less than a year. As you’ll hear, the six-piece fog city band has a big sound and a lot going on in their tracks with all kinds of instruments – from electric guitar to the saxophone. The lead track, “Blossom,” is simply a great track, easily of the best of the week.

“Blossom” – The Hot Dark from January 2013 EP

The band actually started out as a duo in 2007 when musicians Kiel Williams and Rick Moore joined forces in a trashy Boston apartment. Since then they have released two studio albums under the name Descendants of Prospectors. The duo grew to a six piece touring band to play the complex arrangements of the recordings on the road.

As the band progressed, their sound ventured far from the electronic folk sounds of their original album, and with the added influence of singer/songwriter Owen Ridings, it really began to feel like a whole new band. Despite the resistance from a core group of die hard fans, they decided their new band, now based in San Francisco, needed a new name, thus the birth of The Hot Dark .

“In Retrospect” – The Hot Dark from January 2013 EP

The band members consider among their top musical influences artists such as Francis and the Lights, Minus the Bear, Rubblebucket, m83 and Tuneyards.

Philly Musicians Brendan Mulvihill and Eric Slick’s Debut as Norwegian Arms

Written in Siberia over the course of an intense, cold year, knee deep in snow and cultural shock, musician Brendan Mulvihill returned to Philadelphiaa few months ago to begin recording the songs that he wrote while isolated in the frozen tundra overseas. Mulvhill reunited with his Norwegian Arms partner, Eric Slick from Dr. Dog, one of Philly’s most popular local indie rock bands, to craft the first Norwegian Arms LP released earlier this week.

“Like a Stray Dog” – Norwegian Arms from Wolf Like a Stray Dog

Charleston’s Brave Baby Drops Debut LP

Here’s another band that you’ll probably not read about or get a chance to hear on any other site we know of. Charleston, South Carolina indie band, Brave Baby, crossed our radar for the first time last week after they sent in a couple of tracks from their debut LP, Forty Bells, dropped this week via the small indie label, Hearts & Plugs. We’d say, after listening to Forty Bells, that Brave Baby is a band to watch in 2013.

On the standout track, “Magic & Fire,” the band grooves on a feel good rhythm, soaring lead guitar jams by Christian Chidester, chorus-led vocals, rounded out by Wolfgang Zimmerman’s steady drum beats and crashing cymbals, and an understated bass line. On the second single the band shared with us, “Living in a Country,” the overall sound is a bit more melancholy, especially as delivered by the wonderfully emotive vocals of Keon Masters, and cut with erie, high-pitched synth notes. But the song is largely dominated by the jangling, shoegaze-style electric guitars.

“Magic & Fire” – Brave Baby from Forty Bells

“Living In A Country” – Brave Baby from Forty Bells

The band has opened for groups like Holy Ghost Tent Revival, ELIM BOLT, The Rejectioneers, and others, and consider among their musical influences Arcade Fire, The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, and Bon Iver.

Brave Baby Artist Page – Hearts & Plugs

Acoustic Artist John Haesemeyer Fuses Folk with Other Genres

Inspired by legends like Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, San Francisco acoustic folk artist and singer/songwriter John Haesemeyer dropped his new album, Come Along Quickly, earlier this week. Originally from the Midwest, I am a San Francisco singer-songwriter who fuses folk, country, and popular genres. In April of 2012, Haesemeyer quit his corporate job to focus on his “lifetime passion” of songwriting.

“Musically, the album spans a variety of genres,” Haesemeyer said, “unified by my voice and acoustic guitar.” He recorded the album at the legendary Hyde Street Studios (where artists like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s Deja Vu was recorded) and at the nationally renowned San Francisco Conservatory of Music, featuring 15 instruments and four vocalists. Haesemeyer is reportedly working on a music video for the album’s title track with the talented film director, Sebastian Sdaigui, and his esteemed production team from the highly acclaimed Berkeley Digital Film Institute.

“Come Along Quickly” – John Haesemeyer from Come Along Quickly

“A Little Confidence” – John Haesemeyer from Come Along Quickly

John Haesemeyer Official Website

“Indie rock means that you are focused on the art of music , not the commercial aspect – being true with yourself and your listeners.” – John Haesemeyer

Pennsylvania Musician Eric Howl Records with Houshiarnejad Farzad

Doylestown, Penn. – Local musician Eric Howl, a DIY singer/songwriter of various styles, including rockabilly, blues, indie and folk, was lost in 2009 and down in the dumps. But a 50-something schizophrenic called Cal, snapped him out of his depression and inspired him to record a new album.

“Your generation doesn’t want to study you all want is to be famous tomorrow,” Cal said. That comment set Howl on a journey of devouring and studying the music of legends such as Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and Blind Willie McTell. But it wasn’t enough; Howl’s soul was still torn and he felt buried beneath the earth. He flew to New Orleans after a Reiki Healer in a Chicago airport told him he should be a healer.

Howl also fled to NOLA because he was tired of making music with machines, and sick of the rapid pace of the east coast. While couch surfing and traveling with strangers, he pursued a rejuvenation of his love for jazz again, and learned about ragtime and skiffle. In 2012, Howl recorded I’m Going Down with his friend Houshiarnejad Farzad of the indie band Drink Up Buttercup.

“I’m Goin’ Down” – Eric Howl from I’m Goin’ Down

“You Already Know The Way To Brahma’s House” – Eric Howl from I’m Goin’ Down

Eric Howl’s Official Website

Major Musical Influences included Bob Dylan, Elliott Smith, Jay Electronica, The Beatles, Buddy Holly, and The Shins

“Indie rock is the resonance of how American music began; from the swamp. The power and freedom of voice and people, community and spirit. Being haunted and thrown on the back of a violent wolf on the way into hell, then climbing out with a guitar.” – Eric Howl

Artist of the Week – Helsinki Dream Pop Band Scarlet Youth

Posted on 01/20/201307/22/2021 by Rick Sosa

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The Helsinki, Finland band Scarlet Youth is barely on the North American indie music radar; in fact, it’s almost like they’re flying stealth.

The band members’ raw musical talent, coupled with their otherwise insufficient blogger or media coverage, made Scarlet Youth a good candidate for the Artist of the Week series.

It didn’t hurt that their excellent new album, The Everchanging View, dropped just last week. The full album, and other works by Scarlet Youth, are accessible to listen to near the end of this post.

After starting with the two tracks the band sent in for review, we’ve managed to listen to all of their releases, and that is what really raised them to the standard of an Artist of the Week designation.

Within a minute of listening to one of the album’s singles, “You and Me,” we were enveloped by the band’s well-honed sound and the fantastic mix of shoegaze and dream pop that seems almost effortless. Of course, if you’re a fan of European shoegaze or dream pop, you’re most likely to dig Scarlet Youth’s music, but we can also see how they may appeal to people who appreciate of all kinds of music.

Having now listened to the band’s full discography, “You and Me” is a good song to start with, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg of what is an extremely talented band that makes enchanting, beautiful music, and at other times, can knock out a great indie rocker.

“You and Me” – Scarlet Youth from The Everchanging View – Jan. 11th, 2013

The second single, “What It’s Worth,” is simply a gorgeous synth pop wonder that sails along on layers of dreamy synthesizers, soothing and gentle vocals, romantic acoustic guitar playing, a heavy bass line and mid-tempo drum beat.

Overall, the song conveys a melancholic mood, and adds to the narrative set by the first song of deeply personal music about the trials of love, separation and relationships, a theme that runs throughout The Everchanging View. It’s hazy pop with hushed vocals, lush melodies, impressive song writing and recording, and a sound that is more C-86 than it is indie pop, Scarlet Youth is a band that fits the bill pretty well.

The band started out in 2004 when musicians Markus Baltes and Palle Pyyhtinen got together to experiment. But it wasn’t until 2007 that things took off after the duo decided to recruit three new members to accomplish the bigger, fuller sound they desired. The new additions included Marko Soukka (guitar), Riku H. Mattila (bass) and Jaani Peuhu (drums). Altogether, Scarlet Youth has among its lineup former members of bands like Iconocrash, ShamRain, Kemopetrol and Sidewaytown.

“What It’s Worth”– Scarlet Youth from The Everchanging View

The band’s first release was their 2009 EP, Breaking The Patterns, followed in 2010 by their debut album, Goodbye Doesn’t Mean I’m Gone, released on Homesick Music, a small European indie label, and separately released in Japan.

Listen to one of the top songs – “Catch Me When I Fall” – from the 2010 debut album, as well as a great single release that was not available on either LP or the 2009 EP. We can’t say that we listen to a lot of new shoegaze bands as much as the older favorites, but Scarlet Youth are a post shoegaze heyday band that does great justice to the tradition of what we consider one of the most sacred of alternative and indie music.

“Catch Me When I Fall” – Scarlet Youth from Goodbye Doesn’t Mean I’m Gone (2010)

Listen to more Scarlet Youth via Soundcloud or both their albums and one EP via Spotify.

A terrific single the band recorded in 2010, “Note to a Stranger” is not available on Spotify, so we included it below as an MP3 to stream or download (this track will not be considered for the weekly Top 10 though since it’s a 2010 release).

“Note to a Stranger” – Scarlet Youth from single, non-album release (2010)

Want a change of pace? Fire up any playlist from popular playlist series like Best New Releases, the DIY-oriented In Dee Mail the self-explanatory Recent Releases We Almost Missed and profiles and songs of great, largely unknown and DIY bands via the 7 Bands You’ve Gotta Hear profile playlists.