Category: 2012 Best New Releases

Earlier today, we published Vol. One of the Best New Releases for the week of May 1st, featuring great lead singles from new albums by Lower Dens, Ramona Falls, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spinto Band, Sea of Bees and others. That said, let’s jump right into Vol. II.

Reptar is an Athens, Georgia indie rock quartet of college drop-outs who released their debut album this week, Body Faucet. It’s full of crazy jams, thunderous drumbeats, psyched out synths, and Afro-pop influenced hooks, including sing-along anthems produced by Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, Washed Out). Last year, Reptar broke through with their exuberant EP, Oblangle Fizz Y’al, containing the single, “Stuck in My Id.” RIYL: Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot.

“Sebastian” – Reptar from Body Faucet on Vagrant Records
Song via TheDadada blog

Double-shot: “Orifice Origami” –Reptar from Body Faucet on Vagrant Records

Ane Brun and First Aid Kit on New Single, “Do You Remember”

The new-to-us artist Ane Brun has made an instant blip on our music radar thanks to the fantastic single, “Do You Remember,” in collaboration with the band First Aid Kit. Whoever’s idea it was to have these musicians record together, good call. The single is from the new album It All Starts With One.

“Do You Remember (feat. First Aid Kit)”– Ane Brun from It All Starts With One on America

“Wind Blows Cold” – Howth from Newkirk

Southern Cal Indie Rock Band The Mowgli Drop Debut Album

The debut album Sound the Drum from California septet The Mowgli was released this past week to little fanfare, but we really dig the lead single, “I’ve Been Around,” and a couple of other tracks we listened to online.

Sound the Drum was preceded by The Mowgli’s seven-inch single, San Francisco, and endless touring, which introduced indie rock lovers to the band’s distinct mixture of blaring brass, hard-driving guitars, cheery hand-claps, catchy vocals, and song themes about love, friendship and companionship. As a result of the band’s collectivist approach, and a couple of years of writing and recording, Sound the Drum debut is a sonic treat of energetic, folk-tinged indie pop that oozes with catchy hooks, summer-loving melodies and beach party, soulful rhythms.

The band have a CD Release party May 8th at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California. We don’t see upcoming shows as of yet, but we’ll let you know.

“I’ve Been Around” – The Mowglis from Sound the Drum

The next single, “Lying In State,” is unabashed pure pop with joyous choruses, shiny hooks and danceable rhythm from the band Island Twins. It’s great to hear a good band coming out of Queens, New York, since so many are based in nearby Brooklyn. The fuzz-pop, lo-fi indie quartet is a band we’ll surely keep tabs on over time. The new album Give You The Ghost album by Polica. The band consists of members from the 80’s rock-influenced indie band Gayngs. While there is still an 80s vibe to the new album, but it also has a distinct synth pop feel throughout.

“Lying In State” – Island Twins from single

“Lay Your Cards Out” (with Mike Noyce from Bon Iver) – Polica from Give You The Ghost

Rufus Wainwright Records with The Dap Kings; Plus, Father John Misty and Patrick Watson

Out of the Game, Rufus Wainwright‘s seventh studio album is out today via Decca. Fans can hear Wainwright’s track-by-track discussion exclusively on Spotify.

The Mark Ronson (Kaiser Chiefs, Adele, Amy Winehouse) produced album has come with great praise including from the The Los Angeles Times, which stated: “…Out of the Game glimmers with magical arrangements, strange structural U-turns, surprising solo accents, gospel-choir exclamation points, fuzzed out guitar lines and an overall sense of creative confidence that comes with experience and enthusiasm.”

The Dap Kings, known for their support of Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse, were the backing band for Wainwright’s newest release. Other contributors included Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nels Cline of Wilco and Andrew Wyatt of Miike Snow.

The highly acclaimed singer-songwriter dropped their newest album this past week to rather good reviews, although we’ve only heard the singles. Next is the indie folk rock band, Father John Misty, who appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman last week, released their debut album and have been gaining ground in the buzz market. Other new singles we are featuring this week come from new albums by Patrick Watson, Father John Misty, Siddhartha, The Spring Standards, Mystery Jets and more.

“Into Giants” – Patrick Watson from Adventures In Your Own Backyard on Secret City

“Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” – Father John Misty
from Fear Fun on Sub Pop Records

“This Is the Beginning”– Boy from Mutual Friends

“The Fire Next Time” – Siddhartha from If It Die

“Only Skin” – The Spring Standards from yellow/gold

The Texas indie band Mystery Jets made a splash with their album, Serotonin, released in 2010. Now the band is back with a new album released this week – Radlands. The lead single, “Someone Purer,” is pure pop glory, without overdoing it.

“Someone Purer” – Mystery Jets from Radlands
Track via SideOneTrackOne.com

• We get tons of music from musicians and bands across the U.S. and Canada mostly, but throughout the world as well. So much so that we can barely keep up with it all. That’s why were always looking for more writers willing to listen to DIY and barely known artists, and if they are note-worthy, write up a mini profile that will then be included in one of the special playlist posts.

The last couple of weeks of the year are traditionally very thin weeks for new album releases because most artists and bands have either already dropped them in time to be considered for the flurry of year-end ‘best of’ lists, and the gift-giving season, or they are holding them back until the new year when they can make a bigger splash after the busy holidays. However, there have been some good DIY releases dropped in the past month that we think you should hear.

Band to Watch Bearskin Get Help from Reddit Popularity

Last Thursday, London indie band Bearskin dropped a new EP that blew up on Reddit, which resulted in the band being profiled by the UK’s most important music publication – the NME (New Musical Express). On the track, “Volcanoes,” as the Killing Moon put it: “the pensive and delicate audio-journey, brings to mind The Little Kicks, while adding in signature harmonies and moments of Placebo-esque intensity.” Yes; excellent way of putting it. Bearskin is a U.K. band to watch in 2013.

“Volcanoes” – Bearskin from A Light That Finally Shines – Dec. 20th

Listen to other Bearskin songs via the band’s Soundcloud page

English Trio Fire At Night

A new DIY indie trio, Fire at Night from Guildford, England, describe their sound as “exactly in the middle” of an imaginary spectrum with The Smashing Pumpkins at one end and The Cure at the other. Flirting with subtle grunge undertones, Fire at Night have written and self-produced two EPs, and are currently preparing their first full-length album.

The band’s newest EP, The World Will Roll In Ecstasy At Your Feet, dropped last week, from which two of the tracks are featured below. The trio perform in and around London, Reading, Bristol, and Guildford on a regular basis. Bearskin’s current line-up consists of Scott Swain (vocals and guitars), Mark Tyas (bass), and Adam Pollard (drums and electronics). Bearskin has previously opened for bands like Animal Noise, The Young Runaways, and The Winter Tradition.

“Dumb (This Is What I Can’t Say)” – Fire at Night from The World Will Roll In Ecstasy At Your Feet – Dec. 18th

“Gravity” – Fire at Night from The World Will Roll In Ecstasy At Your Feet

LA Band Vague Fears Mix Up Genres

The Los Angeles band Vague Fears is an avant-garde duo has roots in DIY ideology, transgressive art, and subterranean music culture. Sonically, the duo covers extensive territory with genre-wrecking abandon, mixing electro, synth punk, post-punk, drone, no wave, industrial and elements of house/techno with dark, seething synths, lo-fi guitar riffs, spooky vocals and frequent stop-starts The band’s live performances feature raging energy, seizure-inducing visuals and light shows and masses of volume.

Vague Fears has opened for bands like A Place To Bury Strangers, This Will Destroy You, Indian Jewelry, and Cold Cave. The band’s major influences include Fuck Buttons, Primal Scream, Indian Jewelry, Masonna, Suicide, and Throbbing Gristle.

“Architecture IV” – Vague Fears from Stay Negative

“Space Vampires” – Vague Fears from Stay Negative – Dec. 7th

Vague Fears on Facebook

Atlantan DIY Artist Ryan Stephens Drops EP, ‘Arrow’

Ryan Stephens is an Atlanta, Georgia DIY alt. country rock musician who released his debut last week. The track, “Little Runaway,” the first song Stephens sent us from his new EP, Arrow, is a spirited track with an alt. country tinge. Stephens, who began recording in 2010, has previously opened for bands such as The Grand Magnolias, The Delta Saints, John French and The Bastilles, Blair Crimmins and the Hookers. He considers among his top musical influences Tom Waits, David Bazan, Manchester Orchestra, and Death On Two Wheels.

“Little Runaway” – Ryan Stephens from Arrow – Dec. 12th

“On Your Own” – Ryan Stephens from Arrow

Ryan Stephens Facebook Page

New York’s The Molters Drop Debut EP

Just under a year-old, New York-based The Molters recently released their six-track debut EP, Molto, and are gearing up for a string of shows in 2013. The band features Jack Frank on the vocals and guitar, with guitarists Kevin Rich and Brian Henn providing dissonant melodies and harmonies in cohesion. The rhythm section is rounded out by Henn’s younger brother, Josh Castellano, and drummer Alex Chung.
The single, “In Brooklyn,” is a mellow, melodic track that reminds us a lot of The Walkmen, followed by “Only a Little More,” which would be a much better track with some reworking and remixing by a good producer and engineer. The band’s major influences include The Strokes, Interpol, Modest Mouse, and Radiohead.

“In Brooklyn” – The Molters from Molto – Dec. 18th

“Only a Little More” – The Molters from Molto

The Molters on Bandcamp

It’s a big week for music in a number of ways – Record Store Day and Coachella are both this weekend (actually an unprecedented Weekend 2 at Coachella) as well as our favorite new singles from Best New Releases of the week. A great way to kick-off this playlist mix is with Maps & Atlases’ fresh single, “Winters,” from the band’s new LP, Beware and Be Grateful. Along the song title may indicate a certain type of feel and sound, “Winters” is actually an upbeat song that seems more fitting on a mixtape for a spring vacation.

“Winters” – Maps & Atlases from Beware and Be Grateful

New York Band Make Out Drop New Double Single

Make Out is a New York pop/rock band, featuring Jesper Mortensen (ex-Junior Senior), lead vocalist Leah Hennessey, and Chase Stauffer on drums. The band plays fast, manic, and condensed pop songs, as the new single, “Maybe I’m The One (For Me).” The track is a punk pop song with a catchy beat and song title; the drawback though is that the song is only one minute and 17 seconds. So, just as you’re getting into it, the song ends.  We first featured the band in 2010 when they released the single, “I Don’t Want Anyone That Wants Me.”

Last October, Make Out released another fast, short single, “You Can’t Be Friends With Everyone,” which was produced by MNDR.

“Maybe I’m The One (For Me)” – Make Out from Maybe I’m The One (For Me) double single

Seattle’s Absolute Monarchs Release Debut LP, ‘1’

We had heard of Seattle folk rock band Absolute Monarchs here and there, but hadn’t had a chance until this week to listen to their music enough to get a feel for their sound. Verdict: We like what we hear; the KEXP Song of the Day below, “Attack,” has a memorable, sweet melody, with explosions of raw energy thanks to the brilliant and raw acoustic guitar playing of Shawn Kock and Miki Sodos, as well as the impressive, stand out vocals of Joel Schneider. Absolute Monarchs remind us of performers like fellow Seattle folksters, Fleet Foxes.

They’ve previously opened for Red Fang, Les Savy Fav and Cold Cave, and were chosen as one of the best local bands in 2010 by City Arts Magazine. Could they be on the cusp of hitting it big, or as the blog, Big Tea, put it, “the next big thing from Seattle?” As the old adage goes, only time will tell, but they are definitely a band to watch in 2012.

“Attack” – Absolute Monarchs from 1 via Good To Die Records

Dry The River Drop Debut Album, New Single, to Mostly Rave Reviews

Rising indie folk band Dry The River dropped their anticipated debut album, Shallow Bed, this week to mostly positive reviews on indie blogs and music websites. The British-based band combine elements of “gypsy swagger with tremulous sensitivity and gothic rock drama” (The UK Telegraph) and includes a mix of “fearlessness, craft and believability [that] is irresistible” (Q Magazine).

In our own view, the uncompromising LP is ripe with authentic folk rock references that are unmistakably modern and fresh, agreeably familiar and ethereal, making it truly one of the best folk rock albums of the year, and easily one of the most uplifting debuts of 2012 (so far). Dry The River, founded and fronted by Norwegian singer/songwriter Peter Liddle, possess a penchant for tracks that start out slow and mellow, and eventually build into a full-on stomping, romping blitz of bold notes and extraordinary vocals.

The Boston Phoenix called it a “late-aughts hipster cocktail.” But not all reviews of Shallow Bed are flattering; Rolling Stone gave the album 4 out of 10 stars, adding: “It’s like a Portlandia satire of the world’s most studious band,” and The UK Guardian criticized the album as a “bit hollow” because of lyrical content of “Bible belts, railroads and medicine” that does not come from “some remote Appalachian cabin but a shared house in Stratford, east London.”

“New Ceremony” – Dry The River from Shallow Bed

Bonus Track: “Coast” – Dry The River from Shallow Bed
Bonus Track via ThePopCop.co.uk

Worthy Singles from New LPs by Mean Jeans, Grave Babies, Moonface, Spiritualized, Horse Feathers

The new single, “Anybody Out There,” from the popular Portland band Mean Jeans, is not reflective of its name at all, but instead is an upbeat punk pop track with choruses reminiscent of 70’s radio punk; in fact, they started out as a Ramones “copycat” band, but unlike hundreds of other such bands, Mean Jeans are true to form. They also have a retro 80’s nerd punk (think Devo in spacesuits) video of “Anybody Out There,” which you can view on the music videos page.

“Anybody Out There” – Mean Jeans from On Mars (CD version)

Flashback Track: “Born on a Saturday Night” – Mean Jeans from Are You Serious? (2010)

The equally uptempo track, “Nightmares,” by Grave Babies, is also not indicative of its title, nor the band’s gloomy name. The track features hazy, reverb-heavy guitar and vocals, and fits within the realm of the garage surf rock sound that has been a popular music craze over the past three to four years. Some say that the resurgence of surf pop rock during recent years is starting to fizzle out, but, at least within the cafe, the revival is still riding a pretty big wave.

“Nightmares” – Grave Babies from Gothdammit EP via Hardly Art

The new single, “Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips,” from the new LP by Moonface, is a semi-dark composition brimming with a sense of urgency based on a fast, fat bass, spacey sound effects, crazed synthesizer riffs, and Bowie-like vocals from well-known musician and collaborator Spencer Krug. He’s best known for his work with bands like Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown and Swan Lake. His debut album as Moonface was recorded in collaboration with Finnish krautrock band Siinai.

“Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips”– Moonface from Heartbreaking Bravery (with digital booklet) via Jagjaguwar Records

Following Moonface is a fresh single from a band we’ve followed for a long time – Spiritualized. We have not yet heard the new album, Sweet Hearth, Sweet Light – it’s one of many in the list of “to listen to”.

“Hey Jane” – Spiritualized (NSFW!) from Sweet Hearth Sweet Light on Fat Possum

Next, yet another Portland band, Horse Feathers – the animal-naming of bands in indie and folk rock is as ubiquitous as oxygen, or at least it seems that way for anyone who follows music – present their new single, “Fit Against The Country” from the album, Cynic’s New Year. The song is a perfectly composed and executed indie folk track, complete with mandolin and guitar plucking.

“Fit Against the Country” – Horse Feathers from Cynic’s New Year via Kill Rock Stars

JD McPherson Channels Chubby Checker and Carl Perkins on New Track

The lead single, “North Side Gal,” from JD McPherson is a blast from the past – a great ode to the blues and rockabilly of the 1950’s in spirit of legends like Chubby Checker, Carl Perkins, and many others from that epic time of change in American popular music that was the spring board for so much of the iconoclastic music we’ve loved over the decades.

It’s practically impossible not to want to get up and dance when listening to “North Side Gal.” While this thrilling track from the Oklahoma singer/songwriter and musician is a gem that pays homage to a bygone era, it is still relevant and fresh today as an old-style song can be, bursting with Les Paul guitar licks, sock hop rhythms, thumping stand-up bass, rattling drums, and convincing vocals that capture perfectly the memory of such greats as Checker and Perkins.

“North Side Gal” – JD McPherson from Signs and Signifiers (+ digital booklet) via Rounder Records

“The Flask” – Peasant from Bound for Glory via Schnitzel Records

Note: In the original publication of this post, we messed up and linked to the wrong song titled “Flask.” Rather than linking to Peasant’s song above, “The Flask,” we instead linked to “Flask” by the band The Nod. The latter is still a good track, so we kept it here on the page, and also because that is how we originally published it. Thanks to IRC listener Steve for pointing out our error.

“The Flask” – The Nod from Easy, Maverick

If you like the track above from Peasant, and want to listen to – and download – more tracks, we recommend checking out Peasant’s Bandcamp page. For comparison purposes, and also because we like it, here is the track, “Those Days,” which is from the Free Singles EP released last summer.

“Those Days” – Peasant from Bound for Glory

Another impressive track is “Too Young to Break.” The title itself reminds us of songs like Fun‘s “We Are Young” and Sonny and the Sunsets “Too Young To Burn,” among others.

Playlist Within a Playlist: King of Prussia, Coke Weed, Sidi Toure and The Forty Niners

One of the things that is cool about making playlists is that you can set up the order of songs however you want, not to mention pick and chose which songs to include. We dig sometimes creating mini-playlists within playlists – especially when it comes to the weekly new releases. So, here’s another mini, with fresh tracks from King of Prussia, Coke Weed, Sidi Toure, and The Forty Nineteens.

” Your Graduating Hours” – King Of Prussia from Transmissions From The Grand Strand (self-released)

“Magpie” – Coke Weed from Nice Dreams via Heavy Friends Records

“Tondi karaa” – Sidi Toure from Koima

“Turn It Around” – The Forty Nineteens from No Expiration Date via Heyday Records

Another week, another batch of lead singles from new albums, including highly anticipated albums from bands such as Alabama Shakes, Dinosaur Feathers,  The Sugarettes, Young Hines, Sleepy Sun, and others.

Compared to previous Best New Releases of 2012 weekly playlist posts, including last week’s new albums and singles (Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers, Lux, Great Lake Swimmers, The Jezabels), and the week before that (Poor Moon, La Sera, Zeus, Justin Townes Earle, Races) it’s a smaller list this week, but there is still some great records not to be overlooked.

One of the possible reasons it’s a thinner week is that some  bands and labels are holding out with the hopes of getting more publicity and sales, on, or right around, Record Store Day later this month (more on that coming up; see past RSD playlist posts).

Coming out of SXSW last month on a wave of love from fans, music critics and bloggers, the rapidly rising buzz band Alabama Shakes dropped their debut album this week. Even before its official release, reviews from the music press and blogs were hailing it as “an electric jolt that anyone who loves blues-based rock music should track down immediately” (Los Angeles Times), “a fresh take on the sounds from a bygone era” (Paste Magazine), while others were a bit more reserved, yet still complimentary: “Alabama Shakes have a hell of a lot of growing to do, but even their slightest tunes pack a punch” (The Boston Phoenix), and from The UK Independent: “Unrefined, unresigned, occasionally clunky, frequently obtuse but always, always fit to bust.”

Not all critics felt the same. The A.V. Club wrote: “Exciting as it can be, Boys & Girls could use just a little more shakin’ going on” and Drowned in Sound, which gave the album a 5 out of 10 opined: “In the cold light of day, the album feels flat and utterly predictable.” We are somewhere in the middle of the praise and the criticism, with a lean towards the praise, without question. But still, as a fresh band with their first record, Boys & Girls is one of the best debut albums of 2012.

And to add sugar to the cream, the band was tapped by the iconic Jack White to open for him on his first cross-country solo tour starting next month. When you stop and think of the hundreds of bands and artists who White could have picked to tour with him (and who wouldn’t say yes?), the fact that White chose Alabama Shakes (a great name, as well) is a testament in and of itself that the band is a special and unique talent, and a band to watch in 2012.

You can also listen to an audio stream of one of the band’s performances last month at SXSW during the NPR showcase at Stubbs in Austin. Also, last night, April 12th, the band performed for the first time on The Late Show with David Lettermen for Lettermen’s 65th birthday (30 years doing that show and screwed by Leno and NBC when Johnny Carson left), playing the default, go-to song the band has right now – “Hold On.”

“Hold On” – Alabama Shakes from Boys and Girls via ATO Records
(track via KEXP)

“I Ain’t The Same” (Live in Athens, GA, April 4, 2012) – Alabama Shakes from Boys and Girls via ATO Records

Alabama Shakes 2012 tour schedule

Dinosaur Feathers Return with Sophomore LP, ‘Whistle Tips’

Brooklyn’s Dinosaur Feathers is a lo-fi indie pop/rock band that shows no signs of extinction. In fact, they have continued to evolve with the release of their sophomore album, Whistle Tips, featuring more fuzz-heavy guitar riffs and meatier rhythms, as well as longer jams with more pronounced hooks on tracks like the opener, “Young Bucks,” supported by expansive choruses.

The track “Surprise” is one of the standout tracks of the album with its hooklicious guitar riffs, pop-oriented beats, and grand choruses. Another track, the second official single, “Beatcha,” is an energetic indie pop rocker with Caribbean rhythms and ooo-ahh type harmonies, and one of the album’s tracks that is reminiscent of their highly praised debut, Fantasy Memorial.

As well, the similarity in sound on “Betcha” is really a good example of the Vampire Weekend comparisons many have made of Dinosaur Feathers, which some see as good, and others, well, not so good. We feel like as long as you enjoy it, who cares. Afterall, the Dinosaur Feathers are a good band and gave us one of the best debut albums of 2010. And they have followed it up with Whistle Tips, which is a solid sophomore LP achievement, featuring a number of stand out tracks that are memorable and totally fitting for the 2012 Summer Mixtapes series.

“Surprise!” – Dinosaur Feathers from Whistle Tips

“Betcha” – Dinosaur Feathers from Whistle Tips

Dinosaur Feathers 2012 Tour Dates

Emerging Indie Pop Band The Sugarettes Drop Debut Album ‘Destroyer of Worlds’

After posting the new title track from The Sugarettes’ debut album, Destroyer Of Worlds, last week, the band saw our post and sent us a copy of the entire album, even though as of last week, there was still confusion on some online posts about when the album itself would be released. And then we find out it’s being released this week.

In addition to the title track that was featured in last week’s post, there are a couple of other tracks that are particularly of note, including the album opener, “Love In Stereo,” (title alone sounds like a Cars‘ song), a full-blast of girl-singing power pop complete with a wall of guitars and catchy rhythm. The Sugarettes drummer Marnix Van Den Broek, told IRC on Tuesday that their sound is largely based on alternative pop, and “inspired by American high school rock.”

Van Den Broek said the inspiration for the title track “came from the movie Whip It, about roller derby girls who are really into indie rock. We just love the naive and compelling atmosphere of that genre, and use it as a backdrop of our own songs and music.”

He added: “On this album we occasionally had tropical melodies and Japanese pop-hysteria in mind…[with a] feel-good, summer kind of vibe. This sunny part is counter-balanced by the fact that the album happens to have been written and recorded during, and is therefore unmistakably influenced by, a turbulent period of break-up-turned-into-new-romance (or the other way around) in the lives of singers Joep and Iskaa.”

The band’s album is available as a name-your-price download on The Sugarettes bandcamp page. They have previously opened for Blood Red Shoes, The Von Bondies, A Place to Bury Strangers, among others.

“Destroyer of Worlds” – The Sugarettes from Destroyer of Worlds

Double-shot: “Love in Stereo” – The Sugarettes from Destroyer of Worlds

Sleepy Sun, a retro ‘stoner rock’ band from California, was on our watch list from the get-go in 2010. Rolling Stone compared Sleepy Sun’s sound to similar “a history detective version of Wilco, juggling an amalgam of dynamic: rumbling garage metal, iridescent-meadow country rock, bargain-synth whoop, the pensive-ballad Pink Floyd.” Spine Hits is the band’s sophomore album release.

“Stivey Pond” – Sleepy Sun from Spine Hits on The End Records

Young Hines Drops Debut Album, ‘Give Me My Change’

Young Hines is a Griffin, Georgia singer/songwriter and musician who began popping up on blogs and sites months ago. Last fall, he was tapped to open for The Raconteurs at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, which raised his profile even more. An indie folk rock musician that little is known about, Young Hines – named so because he is the youngest of seven children – dropped his debut album, Give Me My Change, this week.

“Rainy Day” – Young Hines from Give Me My Change

Listen to/download “Can’t Explode” from Give Me My Change via Soundcloud

Young Hines 2012 Tour Dates

Kishi Bashi, Hoots and Hellmouth, Jenny Gillespie and Trampled by Turtles

One of the things that makes putting together this weekly series is the chance to share music with other people, many who have little time to listen to hundreds of songs a month to pick out keepers, or browse the web for new bands to check out, as well as keep up with new materials from the “indie” and alternative rock artists they already dig. Sometimes when we don’t have time to write about every artist or song within a post, we try to create mini-playlists within a playlist. This mini playlist features singles from albums out this week by  indie folk, and now radar bands with crazy names like  Hoots and Hellmouth and Trampled By Turtles, It’s A Musical, plus musicians Kishi Bashi and Jennie Gillespie.

“Why Would You Not Want to Go There?” – Hoots and Hellmouth from Salt on sonaBLAST! Records

“Alone” – Trampled by Turtles from Stars and Satellites on Thirty Tigers/RED

“For Years And Years” – It’s A Musical from For Years And Years on Morr Music

“It All Began with a Burst” – Kishi Bashi from 151a

“Sunshine Blood” – Jenny Gillespie from Belita EP

Last week, IRC presented nearly two dozen MP3 singles from the latest best new album drops via Volume One and Volume Two; this week’s new releases highlight singles from bands to watch Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers, Max and the Moon, plus Lux, Black Mountain, and Twin Steps among others. Volume Two will be out shortly, but in the meantime, this playlist of a dozen MP3 tracks contains some of the best new music of the spring.  Volume Two will feature Great Lake Swimmers, AU, Zammuto and others.

There’s been a ton of buzz around the Icelandic indie folk pop band Of Monsters and Men in the past year or so, but most especially in the past few months, with their first U.S. tour kicking off at SXSW 2012 in Austin last month.

After winning a popular annual battle of the bands competition in Iceland in 2010, Of Monsters of Men went on to become one of the most popular new bands in their homeland, and were invited to perform at the 2010 Iceland Airwaves Festival, where Seattle‘s KEXP recorded the band performing the track, “Little Talks,” which quickly provided the band with their first significant U.S. exposure. By February of 2011, the band signed with Record Records to begin recording their debut album.

But it was the spinning of “Little Talks” on Radio 104.5 in Philadelphia in August of 2011, that propelled the band to nationwide popularity. Soon the song started popping up on radio stations across the country, and throughout the blogosphere. With the wind at their backs, Of Monsters and Men released their debut album, My Head is an Animal, in Iceland in September of last year, where the LP, and the single, “Little Talks,” rocketed  to No. 1 in the country that gave us Bjork, Sigur Ros, and dozens of other popular artists and bands.

This week, some six months later, the album officially dropped in the U.S., and is currently in the Top 20 on the Amazon music charts, where the album is available with two additional tracks not found on the Icelandic release. SideOneTrackOne.com wrote: “Their folksy Scandinavian sets are as playful as the dynamics between the boy-girl vocals they utilize, and with a penchant for anthemic chorals and relentlessly upbeat rhythms.”

One thing that can’t be said about Of Monsters and Men is that they are hyped and over-rated. They are one of the best ‘new’ bands of the year since this their debut album was just released this week in the U.S.

“Little Talks” – Of Monsters and Men from My Head Is an Animal via Record Records
via SideOneTrackOne.com

Double-shot: “Lakehouse” – Of Monsters and Men from My Head Is an Animal

Band to Watch in 2012: Denver’s The Lumineers

While other bands move to New York from all points around the U.S. to pursue their musical ambitions, The Lumineers left New York to settle down in Denver. This week the band dropped their anticipated, self-titled debut LP, featuring the lead single, “Hey Ho,” which was recently featured as the Song of the Day on Seattle’s KEXP.

“Ho Hey” – The Lumineers from The Lumineers on Dualtone Records

In fact, stay tuned because The Lumineers will be featured in the upcoming Bands to Watch in 2012 series we’ve been working on. In the meantime, to hear more of the band, listen to more songs on their official website, where you can also get news, view videos, and check The Lumineers 2012 tour schedule to see if they’re stopping by your city.

Double-shot: “Slow It Down” – The Lumineers from The Lumineers

The album, The Lumineers, is on sale for only $6.99 via Amazon, where it is #10 on the Amazon MP3 album charts.

This next track is from a DIY album release that came out last week, and which was meant to appear in either volume of the Best New Releases for March 27th.  The unsigned Fullerton, California indie pop/piano rock band, Max and the Moon, got our attention right away when we heard the track, “Light House,” from their new album, The Way I See, which they had sent in for review.

The single is an impressive track from a band that, of the people we asked, no one had heard of before. But no worries there – that’s one of the great things about indie rock; there are so many artists and bands that can be like your own little secret favorites, and that of few other people – because they don’t know about them – can compete for that exclusivity , whether it’s real or fantasy, or somewhere in between.

“Light House” – Max and The Moon from The Way I See

Seattle‘s electro-dance, dream pop boy-girl duo, Lux, have been popping on indie music blogs in recent weeks in a lead up to their debut release, We Are Not the Same, dropped officially this week. Lux have been compared to other duos like Cults and Sleigh Bells for their blending of pop, C-86 vocal delivery and, as described by The UK Independent, “Phil Spector-via-Jesus and the Mary Chain walls of sound.”

However, much of the criticism, even from reviewers who like the album overall, is that the album lacks “the focus and urgency that have made their peers so blog-worthy.” While there are still plenty of decent to good tracks on the LP, there are too many songs that are aimless, sloppy and under produced. Still, it’s a decent start for an unsigned band that self-recorded and released their first record.

The first single, “The Window,” profiles the charming vocals of singer Leah Rosen, surrounded by washy synths and drum machines. The second track, “Coroner’s Office,” is presented to give you a better idea of the band’s sound, and what is a fairly good debut, considering that it was self-recorded and released.

“The Window” – Lux from We Are Not the Same (self-released)

“Coroner’s Office” – Lux from We Are Not the Same (self-released)

Black Mountain, Brenton, Caltrop, Twin Steps

Once again, Black Mountain take another step forward as one of the top psychedelic, hard rock bands around today with a new single from the Year Zero soundtrack. The track delivers pulsating jam rock laced with explosive, killer guitar licks, powerful drumming and a dark, nefarious overtone. This nearly eight-minute nail bitter might just make you feel like your on a Harley blazing through some tripped out landscape until the gas runs out and petters to a stop.

If you liked “Mary Lou,” you’ll probably also dig the long, meandering track, “Blessed,” with its dark rock guitar jams at the core. The song is from the  new single, “Blessed,” off the band Caltrop’s new LP, Ten Million Years and Eight Minutes. And Breton finishes up this mini three-track playlist of hard rock, which only made sense to group together

“Mary Lou” – Black Mountain from Year Zero soundtrack (+booklet) via Jagjaguwar

“Blessed” – Caltrop from Ten Million Years and Eight Minutes on Holidays For Quince Records

“Jostel” – Breton from Other People’s Problems on FatCat Records

This next track, “Pinkie Promise,” by Twin Steps, is a blast to the past of the doo-whop era combined with some Phil Spectorish elements. It’s a track that stumbles along with a lead vocalist that sings “Iiiii” over and over, and presumably a small collection of female and male back up singers.

And just when you thought you were on your little retro cruise down the boulevard, about half way through the six-minute long track, the singing stops and there’s a momentary jam from the band – which doesn’t allow it, along with the duration, to be a radio track – for about 15 seconds until the track returns to it’s previous drunken ballroom stupor, except this time there’s giggling girl loops, which go on for a bit too much.

Who knows if they pulled it off (depends on who you ask), but Twin Steps definitely take an unconventional approach to what would otherwise be an ode to the oldies but goldies that your parents, or grand parents, grew up with. The band’s new EP, Serial Parade, is out now.

“Pinkie Promise” – Twin Steps from Serial Parade

Hollis Brown has been inching up the so-called indie folk/country rock charts in recent years, and now he’s, back with another folksy country rocker that would be just fine on a soundtrack of a movie about a cross country journey, or something to that nature, especially with a title like “Ride on the Train,” and the added lyric, “and baby, don’t look back.” While there is not much in the way of lyrical content, or storytelling here, it’s still a fine tune.

“Ride on the Train” – Hollis Brown from Nothing and The Famous No One EP

The first quarter of the year closes out with this week’s batch of new releases from artists like Vivian Girls’ bassist Katy Goodman’s second solo album as La Sera; the new supergroup, Poor Moon, founded by two former members of Fleet Foxes; the debut from orchestra pop band Oberhofer; the country and folk-influenced pop of Justin Townes Earle; the sophomore release from Swedish trio Miike Snow, and Paul Weller’s 11th studio solo album since The Jam broke up.

There are also noteworthy new albums from The Mars Volta, who turn out a largely experimental LP, and the amazingly melodic debut from Caveman. Don’t miss the new single from Low band member Alan Sparhawk‘s latest release via his side project, the Retribution Gospel Choir.

First up, though, is the debut release by Poor Moon, a band that was originally formed in 2008 by Fleet Foxes and Crystal Skulls members, Christian Wargo, and Casey Wescott, and brothers, Ian and Peter Murray, of the San Francisco band The Christmas Cards.

Long-time friends, Poor Moon began as a long-distance collaboration, working on demos and sending them back and forth to one another while Wargo and Wescott were touring extensively in support of Fleet Foxes’ hugely successful, and critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Soon after, the four began to take the project more seriously, and started performing house parties in Seattle using a variety of playful and disposable monikers, such as Cookie Mask and Rabbit Kingdom.

However, it was when the band opened for Deakin at the Seattle venue, Neumos, under the alias Peppermint Majesty, that things really started to get rolling for the band. As the months wore on, and the band spent more time together recording and performing, they realized they had something special that was worth pursuing. It was then that Sub Pop signed them up.

The four members eventually decided on the name Poor Moon, the title of Wargo’s favorite Canned Heat song. This week, after four years in the making, the band released their first debut EP, Illusion, which is available for only $4.95 via Amazon.

However, hard core Fleet Foxes fans, indie folk aficionados and Sub Pop enthusiasts, who realize the value that a first pressing may have in the future, can grab the vinyl edition or CD version via Amazon as well.

MP3: “People in Her Mind” – Poor Moon from  Illusion on Sub Pop

Poor Moon kicked off their first cross-country tour at The Loft on the University of California San Diego campus in La Jolla, California March 20th. They’ve played eight cities so far (as of 3/29) with another 16 to go, when they will wrap up on April 20th at The Aquarium in Fargo, North Dakota.

The very talented band, and Sub Pop artist, Lost in the Trees, are opening for Poor Moon for the entire tour with the exception of the last three gigs. Check out Lost in the Trees’ new single, and more, released last week. Get details on Poor Moon tour dates via Sub Pop.

Danish Band Alcoholic Faith Mission Dropped Fourth Album; But Plays Hard to Get

Up next, the Danish band, Alcoholic Faith Mission, who we featured exactly one year ago, have returned with a new album, Ask Me This. Today or tomorrow, make sure to look out for a post about AFM in a new series called Band Update. The post describes their humble beginnings, strange recording rituals, their understated previous albums and EPs, a review of (although it is strangely hard to get), and more tracks from, their new album. In the meantime, here’s one of the albums various standout track, “Into Pieces.”

MP3: “Into Pieces” – Alcoholic Faith Mission from Ask Me This