• 24 Aug 2010 Cut Copy

    http://www.theburningear.comPlayWhere I'm Going

    If you're going to write an anthem based on the beat from Rock & Roll Pt. 2 by Gary Glitter, then you had better have the good sense to throw in some chanted "YEAH"s in there to match and wisely, they do just that. The lyrics seem to be of the 'come along with me' variety, also a wise choice. A fun modern sounding pop song.

  • 22 Aug 2010 Futurebirds

    http://dl.dropbox.comPlayDirty D

    The intro guitar lead really sets the table for a meal like Harvest Moon by Neil Young, but it's even more dreamy and echoey than that. It reminds me of some early Summer Hymns stuff, also worth digging in to like a fine meal. Cheers.

  • 20 Aug 2010 Mouth’s Cradle

    http://www.fantasticweapon.comPlayFront Porch, Back Porch

    When I suggest this track sounds like Billy Corgan rapping over a handful of samples one of which is a Berlin cabaret-sounding piano sample, I don't mean to disparage it. I really like it's unique sound and all the different influences it draws from. "Duck and cover, better yet just lay low | We three kings and a whole lotta play-doh | Growing up grey in a world that's day-glo | Never name names better yet just say so"

  • 18 Aug 2010 Casper & The Cookies

    http://c3.libsyn.comPlaySharp!

    Such a fun pop song. Is he making fun of the person he's singing the song to? It's hard to tell how he actually feels, there's the spoken word interlude that sound's like a lover's quarrel, but then some of the chorus seems charmingly adoring. "You're so sharp little birdy | Like a walnut | Like a moonbeam | You're so sharp"

  • 16 Aug 2010 Folklore

    http://opticalatlas.comPlayThe Party

    The sprawling and raucous sound hearkens back to 90s bands on Merge Records, (Butterglory, Superchunk) right down to the conspicuous trumpet sound horning (sorry) it's way into the mix. Of course I love the authentic crunchy guitar distortion. "Friends are all around but the friends are distracted | By the new friends they found and they found them attractive"

  • 14 Aug 2010 Bad Veins

    http://dodge77.comPlayGold And Warm

    The acoustic guitar and bongo kickoff reminds me of many an Ed's Redeeming Qualities song and sets up an expectation of kitchen sink folk, but then the singer's stylish and expressive voice fires up and makes it clear that this is a band laying down an acoustic version of a rock song.

  • 12 Aug 2010 WOOM

    http://www.mbvmusic.comPlayQuetzalcoatl’s Ship

    I like how the singer's voice is way out in front of the mix but also packed up in a reverb pillow. And how cute is the whistle sample? They remind me of Adult Rodeo or even Peter, Bjorn & John on this track. "Down by the water | Down by the sea | I drank a bottle | And lay down to sleep"

  • 10 Aug 2010 Micachu

    http://www.einsteinmusicjournal.co.nzPlayCurly Teeth

    I ran across a video for this song recorded live in a gazebo in a park in England and I fell in love with this band all over again. I couldn't find an MP3 of the live, somewhat stripped down version, but here is the album version in all it's layered glory.

  • 4 Aug 2010 King Charles

    http://sonnyvenice.phpnet.orgPlayLove Lust

    It's kindof a throwback to offer up relationship advice in popular song, but there's something about the manic pace and strange arrangement that updates this type of track just fine here. "You've the strength of the Greeks | You are God's masterpiece | You're every triumph every victory | I believe in every breath you breathe"

  • 2 Aug 2010 Beach House

    http://acquiescetomusic.files.wordpress.comPlaySilver Soul

    This band would be filed right next to the Beach Boys in a record store if there were any record stores left. Not that this track sounds much like the Beach Boys, though. There are some lush harmonies and reverb but it chugs along at a shoegaze pace.

  • 31 Jul 2010 Toro Y Moi

    http://www.above-thefold.comPlayBlessa

    Pretty, atmospheric samples set the tone for this track. The production reminds me a lot of some old His Name Is Alive stuff. I like the little rhythmic changeup outro at 2:22. "I see the wind blow into my shoes | Each crying cuts into my nerves | It's hard to let you come on in | And let you know that I was hurt"

  • 29 Jul 2010 Future Islands

    http://www.box.netPlayTin Man

    I like how the opening keyboard chords sound like there's a bunch of extra notes thrown in, it's like a sunrise. Sounds like a new wave Tom Waits I think. It's got an epic sweeping chorus without getting too blown up with a bunch of extra instruments, nice. "And time goes by | And you've got a lot to learn | In your life"

  • 27 Jul 2010 Moon Duo

    http://www.ravensingstheblues.comPlayStumbling 22nd St.

    At first it sounds like we're in for a crunchy psychocore grind but then the organ comes in and softens things up a bit. There are some dreamy chord changes that could appeal to your average shoegazer, but still ends up to be a bit of a witch hunt like In A Gadda Da Vida. At least they had the good sense to stick to the riff and forgo the drum solo.

  • 25 Jul 2010 My Robot Friend

    http://bigfiles.wolstat.comPlayWhy Won't You Call Me Back?

    I love the unlikely rhymes in the verses almost as much as I love the unlikely scenarios that the verses themselves paint. The verses have nothing to do with the chorus, but the rhyme scheme sets up the payoff drop into the choruses in a way that only a pure pop song can. "On June 6th, 1944 on the northern coast of France | The allied forces landed and started to advance | They all trod off their battleships ready to attack | Rally, screamed their battle cry | Why won't you call me back?"

  • 23 Jul 2010 Elusive Parallelograms

    http://www.rainbowquartz.comPlayOrange

    eMusic finally has the Elusive Parallelograms album for sale and I can't wait until my account resets next month so I can get it; it's first on my list. They effortlessly hop genres from angular wall of sound blasts to tracks like this fairly straightforward surf garage example.

  • 21 Jul 2010 Happy Birthday

    http://www.seattlesubsonic.comPlayPerverted Girl

    Nothing tripped the Weezer alarm until I got to the guitar solo at 1:30. Not that the Weezer comparison is a bad one, plus the solo is much weirder and more interesting than the one on Buddy Holly- the song that it reminds me of. "I want her | I need her | Everybody wants to be her"

  • 19 Jul 2010 Alexi Murdoch

    http://slowcoustic.comPlaySlow Revolution (Live at Hotel Cafe)

    Something about the quality of the vocal microphone makes me think that people can hear this song outside my headphones, and they should. There's a whole world outside my headphones that need to hear this song. The guitar is dead simple but he's got a real nice Nick Drake vibe happening with his voice.

  • 17 Jul 2010 CocoRosie

    http://www.box.netPlayLemonade

    "Lazy days when I said let's go for a ride | We'd sail on Spirit Lake | Me, my pappy, and his lemonade"

  • 15 Jul 2010 The Tinycakes

    http://bigfiles.wolstat.comPlayAnd Then You Realized

    I had to triple-check to make sure this wasn't a Modern Lovers song, the lyrics have such an affinity for just about every song Johnathan Richman ever wrote I didn't want to eventually discover it was a cover. "Yeah you realized | That you were OK | You were pretty weird | When you were a little kid | But that's OK | Because you're weird today | And no, you haven't changed"

  • 29 Jun 2010 The Wave Pictures

    http://www.30milkshakes.comPlayI Love You Like A Madman

    Brilliant lyrics over a fairly simple arrangement, it's pretty nice and unexpected when a horn section kicks in over the chorus. The whole track is capped off by the noodliest 70s sounding saxophone solo. "I'll buy you bras instead of pickled eggs | Chocolate instead of chutney | Good red wine instead of bad red wine | Next time I remember your birthday"

  • 19 Jun 2010 Junk Science

    http://media.libsyn.comPlayDo It Easy

    Great story, great rhymes and a mellow but high energy vibe. The story of this guys day reminds me of old school rap where the focus was on entertaining and less on preaching or chest-pounding. "Easy does it | Do it easy | That's what I'm doing"

  • 17 Jun 2010 Ossian Ekenger

    http://swedesplease.netPlayIvan There's Trouble

    It's not really worth making the comparison of this Swedish singer to Stephin Merritt, the singer/songwriter for The Magnetic Fields, because all Scandinavian singers sound kinda like him. This is over and done in less than 90 seconds, but it's still a good story. "New Year's Eve | A friend of yours | Slept in my bed | When I got home | Ooooh trouble"

  • 15 Jun 2010 LCD Soundsystem

    http://polaroidsofandroids.s3.amazonaws.comPlayDance Yrself Clean

    Fun and epic this track is by far the longest I've posted here. I love the distorted synth sound that finally arrives at the 3:05 mark, as well as the random tone-generator-sounding solo about a minute after that. "Arguments are made for make-ups | So give it just a little more time"

  • 11 Jun 2010 Indica Ritual

    http://www.rollogrady.orgPlaySeamless Ejaculation

    This one is a chopped up, time-shifting instrumental with bursts of choral interjections which add up to a pretty nice listen. The transitions are pretty seamless, but it's not quite as explosive as the other half of the track's name might imply.

  • 9 Jun 2010 Sleigh Bells

    http://www.quietcolor.comPlayTell Em

    Rocking loud heavily layered samples like really early Ministry, the vocals are almost too light and precious to compete. I actually like how they get so deeply lost in the mix. What are words for, when nobody listens anymore?

  • 7 Jun 2010 Glass Ghost

    http://media.popmatters.comPlayLike A Diamond

    A plaintive chord progression is followed up with Ernest Devaney's plaintive falsetto singing sweet and sad stream of consciousness imagery. I find it so affecting because it manages to remain light and keep swinging. "I don't really know why, but I have the sense I'm not feeling | Like a diamond"

  • 5 Jun 2010 Surfer Blood

    http://enjar.lazycomet.comPlayTake It Easy

    Vampire Weekday? This track drops into a circular guitar pattern over a latin beat during the verse parts which is pretty different from the dreamy 80s sounding lullaby chorus. The opening distorted guitar riff is crunchy and delicious.

  • 3 Jun 2010 Ty Segall

    http://www.thebaybridged.comPlayIt #1

    It sure is crunchy in here. Here meaning the garage. When the guitars are both cranking loud, the reverb on the vocal track keeps it just above the din. It might be terrible production, but it also might be amazing.

  • 1 Jun 2010 Shark?

    http://bigfiles.wolstat.comPlayI've Got Friends

    A crazy spastic blast of a song, track down the video, it's perfect. Is 'garage' still a music genre? I ask because this is the kind of band that I'd love to stumble upon while walking down some side street after hearing this song blasting from some dilapidated outbuilding. "I've got friends | In low places | I've got bones to pick with everyone | But you"

  • 30 May 2010 Leningrad

    http://cigane.wrzuta.plPlayBabuBudu

    It's kinda nutty with the 'Ooh, Aah' sexytime sounds running through the whole song. If you look up the video on YouTube you'll see that there's much more suggested in the lyrics themselves that seem to be illustrated in the animation. Shame it's not all in English.

  • 28 May 2010 Man Man

    http://dodge77.comPlayTop Drawer

    The overblown cabaret sound has shades of Leningrad and The Tiger Lilies in it. There's also a metal rap vibe happening with the singer's over the top delivery of insane-sounding lyrics. "You need a moped | Half-boy half-hostess | You need a black Cadillac so death can drive him or ride in the back"

  • 26 May 2010 Aqueduct

    http://barsukmusic.blaireau.netPlayHardcore Days And Softcore Nights

    There's not much more here than a great beat and some inscrutably hostile/evasive lyrics. The tempo change-up bridge part at 2:32 makes me really happy. "Because if you start asking | Then I'll be hostile acting | Don't ever ask me where I go"

  • 24 May 2010 Emily Hope Price

    http://emilyhopeprice.files.wordpress.comPlayGloria

    I've had the enormous good fortune of hearing EHP perform this song live 2x in the last week. The circular pattern she gets out of her cello on this track happens by her waving her hands around like she's using some kind of magic. I'm pretty sure it is magic. "Homeward bound and not a nickel saved | Capsized by the raging sea"

  • 22 May 2010 Corrina Repp

    http://hushrecordsmedia.comPlayFinally

    The minimal arrangement lets Corrina Repp's voice take up all the room in the mix here and that is a mighty good thing. "I'll never look | There's nothing to tell | Finally a place to be | But you know me too well sometimes"

  • 20 May 2010 Veronica Falls

    http://thefader.cachefly.netPlayStarry Eyed

    Sure it's easy to compare every reverb-heavy song with girl harmonies to Tiger Trap, so I will. This song, however has a dude singing the harmony part. Nice. Everything about this song is dreamy and I am a huge sucker for dreamy, just ask my dreamy girlfriend. She's the dreamy one standing over there. "Starry Eyes | Starry Eyes forever shall be mine"

  • 18 May 2010 The Modern Lovers

    http://media.libsyn.comPlayGovernment Center

    Of course the one time I had a job near Government Center in downtown Boston I worked for a Mister Ahearn which made it all the more impossible to keep the song from creeping into my head EVERY DAY on the way in to work. Sheesh. None of the disdain for Ahearn that's implied in the song, my superior used to have the best Halo 2 parties at his house out in the country. Kill Blue.