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The Helio Sequence - “No Regrets”
I recently started listening to The Helio Sequence because of their new album Keep Your Eyes Ahead. Their refreshed Modest Mouse sound shines through, and the whole album is uplifting. “No Regrets” is a bit of a hoedown.
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Regina Spektor - “The Call”
This song is from the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian soundtrack. It’s very Regina, with that added touch of movie soundtrack quality. The strings in this song are gorgeous.
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We Were Promised Jetpacks - “Moving Clocks Run Slow”
I learned about We Were Promised Jetpacks, a band composed of 21-year olds from Glasgow, UK, from KEXP, and I was immediately hooked. The band’s sound is far more polished than I’d expect from a group of young’uns.
The band feels like a high-energy, rocked-out version of The Smiths or The Cure without all the sadness (perhaps that’s ironic given that both of those bands were at the height of their popularity while the members of WWPJ were still in diapers). The guitars in “Moving Clocks Run Slow” smack of Bloc Party, while the vocals remind me of Robert Smith. All-in-all, it’s a winning combination. Like most of the stuff we’ve been posting lately, this song contains the summer music formula: high-energy, driving guitars and bass, and that perfect driving-with-the-windows-down-and-the-music-up feel.
The band doesn’t have any official release beyond an EP that I can’t find anywhere, but I’m hoping they get signed and release a full album post-haste. Please take my advice and don’t miss this song.
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Silversun Pickups - “Well Thought Out Twinkles”
At the DC Tumblr meetup last night, this band was playing on the jukebox as we were about to leave the bar for a house party. I’d never heard of Silversun Pickups, and it just so happens that this was one of the attendees’ favorite bands. They sound a bit like Smashing Pumpkins, and I’m still in disbelief that it’s a guy singing.
Through intoxication and being asked if we had trust funds, I think someone told me that the band is from the Silver Lake district of L.A. She also knew that they named themselves after the local Silversun Liquor Store. This song is from the Carnavas album, and according to their website, Silversun Pickups are working on a new album.
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Trances Arc - “Tell Me Where You’re Going”
Trances Arc is an indie rock band from Atlanta, GA (via Athens), and this song is off of their third release, Xoxox. I enjoy the straightforward rock and roll approach to their songs. It’s catchy and interesting enough that you can notice the musicianship, while at the same time it’s simple enough to just…listen. No muss, no fuss really, just good music.
Hey NYC! if you’re around tonight/tomorrow, Trances Arc will be playing at Piano’s tonight (around 10) and at the Annex tomorrow night. For the rest of you, Trances Arc will be playing Baltimore, Atlanta, Athens, and Monroe, LA through June.
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Dr Dog - “The Old Days”
Dr Dog has been around for a while (we’ve even featured them before), but they’re new to me. Turns out they’re an interesting band: their sound is clearly rooted in 60s pop (think The Beatles, The Beach Boys, etc), but it takes that sound and marries it with today’s indie pop/rock (think Spoon or The Shins). The result feels new and different while sounding familiar, just the way I like it.
This song, “The Old Days”, is from their upcoming album Fate (to be released July 22nd on Park the Van Records), and jumps right in with the piano hook that plays throughout the song before picking up with the punchy chorus and high-energy breakdown that carries the second-half of the song. After I pick up their earlier albums, I’ll be coming back to this a lot until the album is released.
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Republic Tigers - “Air Guitar”
This song is dedicated to all of you Rock Stars out there who like to play air guitar. The Republic Tigers are a Kansas City, Missouri-based quintet and are currently signed to Chop Shop Records. This song comes off their 2008 LP, Keep Color, and they are currently wrapping up their tour with Nada Surf.
I really dig this song, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it reminds me of. Oh well. It’s good and that’s all that really matters.
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The Submarines - “Thorny Thicket”
Ah, yes. Another indie-pop duo from LA. This song is just so pretty sounding.
The Submarines have a pretty interesting story… almost a dysfunctional Mates of State. I will share the abridged version with you.
- Boy musician meets Girl musician
- Boy & Girl begin “collaborating” with each other
- Boy & Girl move to LA… but end up breaking up with each other
- Boy & Girl use break up as the driving force behind their solo endeavors
- Girl still records music at Boy’s home studio and end up sharing new material with him. He shares his with her
- Boy & Girl end up getting back together and marry soon after
- A friend mastered their 2006 release, Declare A New State! as a wedding present
That brings us now. This song is off their 2008 release, Honeysuckle Weeks, which was released in May.
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Sufjan Stevens - “The Henney Buggy Band”
I’ve been addicted to this song for the past 24 hours, and how could I not be? It’s so bouncy and chock full of instruments and melodic variations! I love how his voice can remain relatively soothing in this song without becoming boring.
The song appears on the 2006 release Avalanche (Outtakes and Extras from the Illinoise Album), and according to Pitchfork, Sufjan Stevens, among others, will appear on the Red Hot compilation, which raises money for AIDS organizations.
The Henney Buggy Band: guaranteed to make you tap your feet and bop your head a couple of times.
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Late of the Pier - “The Bears Are Coming”
I barely have the words to describe this UK electronic quartet’s latest single. It’s like Kraftwerk took psychedelics with Frank Zappa in some dark and sinister arcade. Sort of…
