Headless Heroes - The Science of Love

I was having a really hard day at work. No need to get into why, but that all changed when, after everyone left for the day, I poured myself a gin and tonic and cranked up the speakers in the office to Headless Heroes. It was just the right amount of self-pity mixed with hopeful aspiration that I needed. It's a silly reason to fall in love with a band, but isn't that what it's all about. You play the right song at the right moment and it becomes a memory of a movie you once saw about your life. I haven't stopped listening to it since. Maybe you should buy the album, wait for the right moment in your life, then play it. Or hell, just get it...it's awesome.

Headless Heroes - Blues Run the Game
Headless Heroes - To You
Headless Heroes - Nobody's Baby Now (featuring Alela Diane) (Nick Cave cover)
Official Site
Myspace Page

Headless Heroes - Just Like Honey

Music Go Music - Expressions

The first thing you might think of when you hear Music Go Music is ABBA. But wait! Stay with me here. The debut album, Expressions, from LA's mysterious group Music Go Music is a stylized revival of heavy handed, over-the-top pop of the 70s. While that may turn some people off, I think it's their redeeming quality. No one takes music to such big-sounding, epic productions anymore. Perhaps its done ironically, perhaps its a reaction to the self-producing, introspective bedroom recordings that flood the indie-labels now. I don't think any of that matters. To all those Debbie Downers who think everything's been done—quit being a snob, strap on your roller skates and sing along!

Music Go Music - Light of Love
Music Go Music - I Walk Alone
Myspace Page

Music Go Music - Warm in the Shadows

jj - n°2

Band names seem to be getting stranger and stranger these days. I don't know if it's because all the good names are taken or if bands are trying to become as obscure and un-google-able as possible. You know the ones; Girls, Women, Bell, Au, Aa, The XX...and now we have jj. Even if you are able to find something actually relating to the band, you won't find much information. But how important is it to know about a band? You listen to the music, you like, why do you need to know more? I imagine jj as a tripped out beach party that can only be found by accident. Like much of their Sincerly Yours labelmates (like Air France and TTA), jj offer up sunny, exotic and tropical dance music that borders on being too twee. Their saving graces is the hip hop influence sprinkled throughout their album, n°2. That kind of mix thrown in makes the band even more of an enigma....let the imaginations fly.

jj - things will never be the same again
jj - ecstacy
Wiki Article

jj - My Life, My Swag/My Swag, My Life

Stricken City - Songs About People I Know

Stricken City has that rare ability of being loud and quiet at the same time. It takes a lot of restraint on behalf of singer Rebekah Raa. You can hear the scope of her voice escape her in some of the more emotional moments of the album. You wonder why she just doesn't let it out the entire time, but I tend to think it makes it all the more rewarding hearing her vocal flare-ups sparingly. It makes you wait for those over-accentuated vowels at the end of a word. *OH AH OOOH* Songs About People I Know is their first mini-album. I first heard their EP, Tak O Tak, about a year ago and with regular updates from the band, I've been patiently waiting for a fuller release. This mini album has me held over, but only barely...I want more. C'mon, give us the goods! We know you've got 'em.

Stricken City - Pull the House Down
Stricken City - P.S.
Stricken City - Tak O Tak (from EP of same title)
Official Site
Myspace Page

Stricken City - Lost Art

Asobi Seksu - Transparence EP

Asobi Seksu keep the momentum going with a new EP to follow up their 2009 release, Hush. The 10" EP includes a re-edit and remix (by Aa) of the track Transparence from their previous album as well as two unreleased songs. Like most of Asobi Seksu's releases you know what you're going to get; sweet, hypnotic sounds that leave you longingly. The Transparence EP is no different, but if ain't broke, keep releasing precious and utterly charming music. That's what they say at least.

Asobi Seksu - Transparence
Asobi Seksu - Miniature Cities
Official Site
Myspace Page

Asobi Seksu - Me and Mary (from Hush)

The XX - XX

The XX are a new fresh-faced group of 20-somethings coming out of London. They're here to remind you that you can be brooding and dancing at the same time. There's a lot of dramatic tension underlying the usually happy repetition of handclaps, drum machines and synths. It's moody without trying to be. The XX aren't trying to be downers, they've just have a lot of sad news to deliver about love. However, on their self-titled debut, droopy synth-pop never sounded so good.

The XX - VCR
The XX - Islands
Official Site
Myspace Page

The XX - Basic Space

The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa

It's no question the ubiquitous effect of African music has influenced all aspects of indie music. The fusion with hip hop by M.I.A., the fast rising popularity of Vampire Weekend's indie pop, to the most recent lo-fi shoegaze (of which there is too many to name). There seems to be very few places the bright music of Africa has shined upon. I'm all in favor for the latest trend, but it is refreshing to hear it straight from the source. We were first introduced to Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit on the Very Best Mixtape. They now have an official LP coming out appropriately called Warm Heart of Africa. At moments the mixture of synth pop seems like an odd pairing with Afropop, but Esau's voice is so warm and inviting, that all your apprehensions melt away. It quickly all makes sense due to Radioclit's stellar production. Like the Mixtape, expect several guest appearances from followers such as M.I.A., Ezra Koening from Vampire Weekend (who sounds surprisingly natural on the title track) and remixes by Architecture in Helsinki. We can see now that the name isn't a pompous, self-proclaimed title...it's a fact.

The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (ft. Ezra Koenig)
The Very Best - Julia
Myspace Page

The Very Best - Kamphopo

Javelin - Jamz n Jemz

Walking into the Market Hotel for the first time early this year, I didn't know what to expect. We went through the hard to find entrance above a grocery store in the heart of Bushwick, paid the cover and entered the dark, smokey and somewhat illegitimate venue. We came to see Double Dagger, but the opening band was well into their set, playing in the corner of the triangle-shaped room. It was just two dudes going at it with their boxes, buttons and knobs and I was immediately spellbound. I was dying to know who it was, but for fear of missing what remaining set was left and for the sake of looking uncool, I didn't ask. I later found out it was Javelin. I kept repeating the name in my head so I wouldn't forget and look them up when I got home.

Javelin are Brooklyn locals who consist of George Langford and Tom Van Buskirk and their debut, self-produced CD-Rs (which you can get at their live shows), Jamz n Jemz, is just as good as their magical live set. It's filled with 25 tracks that average a minute and a half each. Each track alone may not make much sense on its own, but it all comes together as a whole. That's not to say some tracks are serious Jemz. Vibrationz and STD Fury are must listens for the remaining summer, while the album would be perfect for those early evening (that last until early morning) rooftop BBQs in Bushwick.

Javelin - Vibrationz
Javelin - STD Fury
Javelin - Day Job
Myspace Page

Amanda Blank - I Love You

Amanda Blank has been hovering around the perimeter of the music scene for years now. I've had her name scribbled on a pad I keep on my desk of artists to keep an eye out for. She can be heard as a special guest on tracks with Spank Rock, Santigold, N.A.S.A. as well as a force in the Philidelphia club scene. Amanda makes her solo debut finally with her first LP, I Love You. Many will be quick to compare her with the very limited selection of female rappers around like M.I.A., Princess Superstar or Santigold. It's a pigeonhole that will be hard for her to avoid, but the help of the stellar production (by Diplo) on the album establishes her as a serious MC. Oh, did we mention Lykke Li makes a guest spot on one of the tracks? That should automatically raise it .5 on the Pitchfork scale.

Amanda Blank - A Love Song
Amanda Blank - Lemme Get Some (Chuck Inglish from Cool Kids)
Myspace Page

Desire - II

Johnny Jewel is the brains behind some of the best disco revival bands around; Chromatics and Glass Candy. His latest project, Desire, features the vocals of Montreal-based Megan Louise. Desire falls a little more on the bedroom dreamy side of the spectrum as opposed to Glass Candy's spaced-out disco. I know not everyone can jump on the disco bandwagon in all it's mirrored glory. The thought of all of that bad production, bad music videos and bad hair is enough to turn any music lover off. At the same time there is something hypnotic about the echoed vocals, lonely synths and rhythmic hand claps that is Italo-disco.

Desire - Under Your Spell
Desire - Mirror Mirror
Myspace Page

Bands to Watch...or Listen, rather

I've been hearing a lot of amazing new bands lately. Unfortunately, all I have are EPs of these fresh, new artists. And even though each one probably deserves it's own full review, I decided to just briefly talk about each one. I promise to review any full lengths these bands might put out in the future.

New Look
Married duo, Adam Pavao and Sarah Ruba, kick out the disco-influenced slow jams and make them sound really, really really cool.
New Look - Make It Over
Official Site
Myspace Page
Download How's My Hair EP Here


The Big Pink
The name Big Pink either makes me think of some thing cute, soft and cuddly...or something monstrous, gooey and quite possibly from another planet. This band falls into the latter category.
The Big Pink - Too Young to Love
Official Site
Myspace Page


The Bitters
Fuzzy garage revival is still in full swing. The Bitters bring a punkier attitude to this popular microtrend.
The Bitters - Warrior
Myspace Page




Motorama
Do you love Joy Division? Do you wish that Ian Curtis was still around to make music? My friends, I give you Russian born post-punk dance music.
Motorama - Bear
Official Site
Myspace Page
Download Bear EP Here

Best Coast
Fuzzy West Coast pop that feels like it was made for lazy summer beach days.
Best Coast - The Sun Was High (So Was I)
Myspace Page



Girls
We all know that bands named after the female gender are quickly replacing bands named after animals (ie. Parenthetical Girls, Women, Girl Talk, Dum Dum Girls, and so forth), but please make room in your heart for this San Fran based sensitive garage rock group.
Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
Myspace Page

Get Back Guinozzi!
Now for some eccentric and extremely colorful. It's like eating pop rocks with soda...
Get Back Guinozzi! - Carpet Madness
Myspace Page

Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

It seems like we just featured the debut album by Wild Beasts (Limbo Panto) just a few weeks ago. Well, it was last year, but still, these guys have been hard at work and already have a new LP which should be released later this month in England and early August in the US. I was curious where this new band would lead us. Their debut was a powerful one and I was interested if they could deliver on their follow up. They have. Two Dancers is an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a trendy flannel shirt. It has an earthy sound, but also feels otherworldly; a mix of centuries old Benedictines and modern dance music. It's a contradiction that ends up complimenting. And on top of all of that, it's a damn fine album.

Wild Beasts - The Fun Powder Plot
Wild Beasts - All The Kings Men
Official Site
Myspace Page

Wild Beasts - Hooting & Howling

Dara Puspita - A Go Go (1967)

Dara Puspita's music is as relevant now as it was when it was recorded in 1967, if not more so. Dara Puspita, which translates to Flower Girls, was the biggest, most popular all-girl garage band to come out of Malaysia (it's safe to say) ever. Sure there wasn't a lot of competition in this niche, but that's exactly what makes this such an interesting musical story. Many of the influences for the band, such as the Beatles and Rolling Stones, were band in Malaysia at the time. The girls who just finished school, decided to move to the capital, Jakarta, to be discovered. They were very successful despite the heavy censorship of Rock and Roll and soon left their homeland to tour Europe after releasing their debut album, A Go Go. They toured around England and Europe up into the early 70's, when demand for garage rock seemed to wane. The A Go Go vinyl is a rare item today and can be valued at $400+ with current collectors.

Dara Puspita - To Love Somebody (BeeGees Cover)
Dara Puspita - Bhaktiku
Dara Puspita - Soal Asmara
Myspace Page

Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day

Deer Tick, the band of Christopher Dale Ryan, Dennis Michael Ryan, John Joseph McCauley III, and Andrew Grant Tobiassen, rambles along — coinciding with the National Lyme disease risk map (Fig. 1 - above). They pick up and spread stylistic influences from all across the U.S. of A — Dylan, Cash, 50's greaser rock, blues, southern drunken garage folk. A dirty pull of the underbelly of Americana's roughest breeds. Check out their newest album, Born on Flag Day, with your family practitioner.

Symptoms are as follows:

• Tightening of fists

• Slight thickening of hair on upper lip (typically in a handlebar-like shape)

• Gradual loss of motor-skills and sleeves

• Subtle involuntary muscle movements in foot causing a tapping sensation on the floor

Official Site

Myspace Page

Regina Spektor - Far

Regina Spektor is the kind of musician you want to dislike, but for some reason will win you over every time. The only reason I say that is that she takes a formula that has been done over and over. It's a formula that usually ends up timid, tasteless and ultimately kind of safe. Personally I like music that has a little bite to it. Exceptions to the rule are Anni Rossi, Chan Marshall, (somtimes) St. Vincent and Regina. Her clever lyrics and amazing voice allow her to get away with ideas that would otherwise be considered cliché. Her newest album, Far, borders on the edge of being too cutesy, but is saved by by her crafty and quirky talent, which again wins over my resistant heart.

Regina Spektor - Laughing With
Regina Spektor - Dance Anthem of the 80's
Official Site
Myspace Page

Zee Avi - Zee Avi

Zee Avi's story is another one of those internet successes we often hear about. Originally born in Malaysia, Zee Avi (aka Izyan Allrahman) moved to London to study fashion design. She then returned to Malaysia and started performing shows around Kuala Lumpur and posting videos to the internet. It was on Youtube where she was started gaining a fanbase. After a post what which was self-proclaimed her "last video" the label offers started rolling in.

Zee has a soft and comfortable voice that comes across as robust and weighty at the same time. Plus well-written lyrics and whimsical melodies make this an incredibly strong debut. Her cover of Morrisey's First of the Gang to Die is the stand out track of the album. However, tracks like Monte, Bitter Heart and Kantoi could easily be singles. Overall it's an impressive start to what's sure to be a perpetually flourishing career.

Zee Avi - First Of The Gang To Die
Zee Avi - Monte
Official Site
Myspace Page

Zee Avi - Bitter Heart

Speech Debelle - Speech Therapy

I don't know what it is about British rappers that peaks my interest. Recent acts like Lady Sovereign and The Streets (and can I add Lily Allen here?) have left me wanting more. Maybe it's the accent, maybe it's the different approach to the genre that I find refreshing. Speech Debelle is the newest addition to my brit-hop list. Speech Debelle doesn't offer anything groundbreaking, but her debut, Speech Therapy, is an intelligent and rather charming bit of storytelling. She has an easy and natural flow that gives plenty of space to the well-thought out instrumental accompaniments, whether they be funky, jazzy or acoustic. There is also a guest appearance from one my favorite new artists, Micachu.

Speech Debelle - The Key
Speech Debelle - Live & Learn
Official Site
Myspace Page

Dinosaur Jr - Farm

Dinosaur Jr is probably one of my favorite bands from growing up. Their newest album, Farm, 4.21 gigawatts' me right back to the days of first learning how to ollie by holding on to the back of the couch (Jr blaring in the background). J's solos are a force as always — distorted and crunchy and tendon tight. Barlow and Murph bring the expected awesomeness. I just listen to this album and close my eyes and imagine being surrounded by a womb of Marshall 4x12 cabs. It will definitely be a great summer album to drive around town with the windows down — infringing on pedestrians noise-privacy. Now if only I could do so in my old chocolate brown '77 caprice with the tan vinyl top — then, my nostalgia-fest will be complete.

Myspace Page
Official Page

Lou Barlow - Imagination BlindAcoustic session at SXSW from Dinosaur Jr's upcoming album Farm

Pictureplane - Slit Red Bird Throat

A lot of people complain that drinking too much coffee gives them a jittery, anxious feeling. I personally like feeling like I'm uncomfortably on the edge of freaking out. That might explain why I like the spastic, energetic sounds of knob-turning, button pushing Pictureplane, aka Travis Edgey. Pictureplane's canvas may have a limited pallet to work from, but that doesn't stop him from using it with dynamic vigor. These kinds of bedroom projects usually make better albums than live performances, but I'm interested in seeing what kind of energy Pictureplane can bring. You can find out from his US tour with label-mate, and kindred spirits, HEALTH.

Pictureplane - Double Sets Of Lungs Now
Pictureplane - Wide Awake At My Own Funeral
Pictureplane - Bringing The Dead Outside
Myspace Page
Pictureplane's Blog

Bowerbirds - Upper Air

The restrained, but exciting Bowerbirds are back with a follow-up to their stunning debut, Hymns for a Dark Horse. The new album, Upper Air, is just as beautiful and solidifies their place among other intelligent, nature-focused folk artists like Yeasayer, Devendra Banhart and Shearwater. It's lush and sparse at the same time; expansive as well as introspective. After two consecutive successful albums and touring with the likes of Bon Iver and John Vanderslice, Bowerbirds are poised to take flight.

Bowerbirds - Teeth
Bowerbirds - Ghost Life
Bowerbirds - Northern Lights
Official Site
Myspace Page

Bowerbirds - In Our Talons (from Hymns for a Dark Horse)