Tag Archives: indie pop

February 19, 2013 · 3:40 pm

New Music From The Cannanes

thecannanes

Australian indie pop duo The Cannanes will issue their first official release in over 11 years on March 19th, 2013. The “Small Batch” EP contains the fun, bouncy songs that the band’s fans know them for (and that famously earned them a mention in Kurt Cobain’s journals.)  The Cannanes have been releasing modest, ramshackle records since being formed in Sydney, Australia by Fran Gibson and Stephen O’Neil almost 30 years ago.

thecannanesremixes

UK producer Richie Phoe has his own take on the first single from “Small Batch” and his downtempo remix of “Bumper” is streaming and available for download now. BBC Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank has described Phoe as “Brighton’s Lee Scratch Perry” and fellow BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens calls his work “Bouncy dub at its very best.”

Stream/Download: The Cannanes – “Bumper” (Richie Phoe Remix)

SPIN recently premiered the original EP version of “Bumper,” with columnist Marc Hogan writing, “Cardigan-owners, rejoice! Long-running Australian indie-pop combo The Cannanes have returned with ‘Bumper,’ the first taste of their first major release since 2002’s Trouble Seemed So Far Away. The ‘Small Batch’ EP, due March 19, is helmed by veteran members Fran Gibson and Stephen O’Neil; and while the production quality seems slightly more polished, the earnest melodicism remains.”

For the “Small Batch” EP, The Cannanes have once again collaborated with Explosion Robinson producer and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Hermann.  The six-track release sees Gibson and O’Neil at their best, back on familiar territory musing on the nature of friendship, love, and outer space that has characterized their best work over the last 27 years.

Stream/Download: The Cannanes – “Bumper”

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May 9, 2012 · 1:40 pm

Free Mixtape: TV Girl – The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle

Click image to download indie pop duo TV Girl’s new mixtape: The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle

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April 9, 2012 · 3:06 pm

Video: The Spring Standards – Here We Go

“ethereal indie-pop” – NPR

“New York-based rockers the Spring Standard bring a touch of the Cars’ spastic guitar crunch to “Here We Go,” a soaring tune about those first hopeful flushes of romance.” – SPIN

“Together, the two EPs create a rich experience of sound and emotion.” – MAGNET

The Spring Standards are preparing to release their new record, yellow//gold, consisting of two emotionally-charged EPs that tell intertwining stories of growing up and leaving home to embark on a new adventure. yellow evokes a sense of nostalgia for the trio’s shared childhoods—they started playing folk music together as teenagers in the rural landscapes of the Pennsylvania/Delaware border— while gold is a declaration of young life in a big city, bursting with energy. Flush with rolling piano, wistful strings, and brittle to booming percussion, the yellow//gold double-disc record is due out May 1st on Parachute Shooter Records. “Here We Go” is a cautious, yet hopeful song about the discovery of true love, with an air of anticipation and excitement that explodes into a chorus packed with energy. The band has released a hilariously charming video for the album track right down to the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance sequence.

Like a group of journeying troubadours, The Spring Standards tantalize the imagination with truthful, relatable stories and create a musical atmosphere that covers a vast spectrum of emotion.

The Spring Standards Tour Dates * with Rhett Miller

  • 4/6: Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
  • 5/2: New Haven, CT @ Bar
  • 5/6: Ann Arbor, MI @ The Blind Pig
  • 5/7: Chicago, IL @ Schubas
  • 5/8: St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
  • 5/9: Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub
  • 5/10: Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
  • 5/12: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
  • 6/4: Washington, DC @ Jammin Java*
  • 6/5: Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live Theatre*
  • 6/6: Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café*
  • 6/9: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall*
  • 6/15: San Diego, CA @ The Casbah*
  • 6/16: Hermosa Beach, CA @ Saint Rocke*
  • 6/17: San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House*
  • 6/18: West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour*
  • 6/19: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent*
  • 6/21: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge*
  • 6/22: Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Cafe*
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November 9, 2011 · 11:08 am

Check ‘Em Out (+ free download!): Hey Geronimo

Hey Geronimo are a Frankenstein make up of Brisbane indie-pop bands, The Boat People, Blame Ringo, and Montpelier. They’re bringing their kooky, upbeat brand of party music on tour for the release of their first single, “Why Don’t We Do Something?”

Listen/download: Hey Geronimo – “Why Don’t We Do Something?”

 

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June 15, 2011 · 2:33 pm

New Track (+ download): Rubblebucket – “Worker”

Leading up the release of Omega La La on June 21 via Sin Duda Records, Rubblebucket is happy to premiere their latest track, “Worker,” with Spinner this morning. The site had great things to say about the band, writing, “Like a love child of the Rapture and Dirty
Projectors, Rubblebucket have been churning out highly polished pop since their inception, and their upcoming record, Omega La La, is sure to have you grooving in your skinny jorts this summer.” As a part of the band’s upcoming summer tour dates, Rubblebucket is also headlining Bikes Rock!, the opening night of the Bicycle Film Festival in New York City, on 6/22 at Santos Party House. Check out the band’s full summer tour below.

Listen/download: Rubblebucket – “Worker”
Read Spinner’s piece on Rubblebucket here 

Omega La La marks a milestone for Rubblebucket. Recorded last year, the record is the Brooklyn eight piece’s most adventurous record yet, with the band dipping into everything from the dancey indie-pop arrangements to Fela-Kuti inspired afro-beat stomps. The album opens with “Down in the Yards,” a track that builds off the ebb and flow of a droning, two-note guitar riff, only to explode into a triumphant chorus anchored by the band’s horn section. That track is followed up by the buoyant psych-pop gem, “L’homme.” “Silly Fathers” and a reworked version of “Came Out of a Lady” show off the band’s penchant for creating pop songs that stick in your head. “Raining” is an eccentric pop song built around intertwining vocal lines and a cascading synth. And so far the record has earned a wealth of praise, with Stereogum hailing the record’s “Tricky arrangements, whistle solos, and disco guitar leads” and PasteMagazine calling the album “instrumentally rich but catchy enough to ass-kick Katy Perry off the pop charts (in a just world)—mega-melodic without sacrificing an ounce of atmosphere or creativity.”

For Rubblebucket, it’s been a long journey to make Omega La La. Led by the musical couple of bandleader/trumpeter Alex Toth and frontwoman Kalmia Traver, Rubblebucket has spent the last four years building a reputation as a band that blurs the lines between psychedelic indie rock, upbeat dance, and radiant, left-field arrangements. In 2009, Rubblebucket released a self-titled album that turned heads. The band then relocated to Brooklyn and released the Triangular Daises EP in 2010. A stylistic precursor to Omega La La, the Triangular
Daises EP was hailed by The Wall Street Journal, NYLON, Paste, and a host of others.

Rubblebucket Spring/Summer Tour Dates:
06/16: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
06/17: Spencer, IN @ Stable Studios Music Festival
06/18: Grand Rapids, MI @ Founders Fest
06/22: New York, NY @ Santos Party House – NYC Bicycle Film Fest
06/28: Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre
06/30: Madison, WI @ Majestic Live
07/02: Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forrest Festival
07/08: Rochester, NY @ East End Festival
07/09: Schuylkill, PA @ Midsummer Meltdown
07/15: Buffalo, NY @ North Fork Music Park
07/16: Greenfield, MA @ Green River Fest
07/24: Bridgeport, CT @ Gathering of the Vibes
07/29: Floyd, VA @ Floyd Fest
07/30: Floyd, VA @ Floyd Fest
08/13: Burlington, VT @ Grand Point North
08/18: Stephentown, NY @ Bella Terra
08/19: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
08/20: Sheldon, VT @ Liberate Festival
09/03: Chicago, IL @ North Coast Festival
09/04: Mohawk, NY @ Moe.Down
09/10: Peru, NY @ Backwoods Pondfest
10/08: Roseland, VA @ The Festy
11/11: Live Oak, FL @ Bear Creek Music & Arts Fest

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April 8, 2011 · 1:56 pm

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – “Morning Thought”

Click image to go to the band's website

Detroit indie-pop duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have released “Morning Thought,” the first track off their upcoming full-length debut, It’s A Corporate World, now set for a June 7th release through Quite Scientific Records in conjunction with Warner Bros. Records. The track is available as a free download in exchange for an email address on the band’s website. The band just wrapped up a tour with
Tapes ‘n Tapes and were all over the place at SXSW. Paste caught a great live version of “Vocal Chords” at their showcase, check out the video here. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. will then continue across the country on a headlining tour starting May 11th in NYC.

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March 4, 2011 · 10:20 am

Check ‘Em Out: My M.O.

In 2011, My M.O. gears up for their second EP Bonfire.

The Brooklyn-based indie-electro band My M.O. unleash their latest video “Bonfire Man,” where they blow off their dead end jobs in the city, high-jack their bosses car and head to Woodstock to reconnect with the forces of nature.

Hailing from all points on the globe (Texas, Australia, Jamaica), My M.O. represents New York City’s convergence of cultures at its best. Erika Buestami aka Enki is a singer and rapper from Australia, who handles lead vocals and bass. Katy Walker is a veteran DJ, originally from Texas, who plays keys, contributes vocals and produces their songs. Dion Mac is a Jamaican-born rocker, who shreds guitar and adds to the medley of vocals. 
Together, they subtly cull their broad range of influences into a tasty indie-pop blend of ethereal beats and saucy lyrics.
 
My M.O. formed in 2008 after the three frontwomen met through mutual friends while residing in Brooklyn. They started regularly playing live shows on the NYC circuit and released their 6-track debut, Monkey Remix EP via Unemployable Music in August 2010. Their music video for first single “Monkey” created a viral buzz in the blogsphere, garnering a growing fanbase and praise from critics.

 

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September 10, 2010 · 3:43 pm

New Track & Free DL from The Hush Now

Click image to listen to and download "The Other Ones"

Boston’s indie-pop quintet The Hush Now is gearing up to self-release their new EP, Shiver Me Starships, on September 28th.

But, til then here’s a new track “The Other Ones” which catches the band at their finest, combining catchy hooks with the bands’ irresistible pop melodies.

The Hush Now Tour Dates
September 24th – New York, NY – The Living Room
October 2nd – Allston, MA – Mad Oak Studios
October 4th – Chicago, IL – Elbo Room
October 6th – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom

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July 29, 2010 · 10:29 am

The Drums and Surfer Blood North American Tour

Rolling Stone recently called The Drums’ debut “one of the best indie pop debuts of the year.”  Their spellbinding sound takes a classic alternative sound and infuses it with a raw energy only they can create. The album and electrifying UK shows have already gained the band an NME cover.  The album is out now digitally in the US and will be available in stores in September.

Tickets for The Drums & Surfer Blood’s North American Tour go on sale on July 30-31 with a band presale at thedrumsandsurferblood.com on July 28.

The Drums/Surfer Blood 2010 North American Tour Dates

9/11 Providence, RI @ Jerky’s Live Music Hall
9/12: Washington, DC @ The 9:30 Club
9/13 Chapel Hill, NC @  Local 506
9/15: Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
9/17: Orlando, FL @ Social
9/18: Miami, FL @ Grand Central
9/19: Tampa, FL @ State Theatre
9/20 Gainesville, FL @ Common Ground Coffeehouse
9/21: Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
9/23: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s (The Drums ONLY)
9/24: Dallas, TX @  The Loft (The Drums ONLY)
9/25: Austin, TX @ ND (The Drums ONLY)
9/27: Phoenix, AZ @ Clubhouse
9/28 Pomona, CA @ Glass House
9/29: Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box
10/01: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (The Drums ONLY)
10/03: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/04: Seattle, WA @ Neumos (The Drums ONLY)
10/05: Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
10/07: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
10/08: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
10/10: Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10/13: Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theater
10/14: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/16: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club (The Drums ONLY)
10/17: Montreal, QB @ Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour Rire (The Drums ONLY)
10/18: Boston, MA @ Paradise (The Drums ONLY)
10/20: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/22: Philadelphia, PA @ Making Time

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June 2, 2010 · 3:02 pm

Setting Sun

Setting Sun released their newest masterpiece, Fantasurreal, through Young Love Records yesterday. 

This is the fourth release from Setting Sun, and definitely the most sonically ambitious. Over the course of six months, the record just flowed. “This was the easiest record I’ve ever made,” says Levitt. “It felt natural to come home to my studio and let these songs pour out while embracing some solitude that is so hard to find on tour. It was a big relief and a great way to ease back into my life.” The end result was energetic indie folk textured with percussion, swirling electronics, trumpets and strings creating a record that exists somewhere between Beck’s most insular moments and the giddy excitement of MGMT, simultaneously undercutting the vitality with raw, emotive vocals and lyrics that channel Bright Eyes or Elliott Smith. Buoyant pop songs like “Driving” share space with introspective indie folk tunes like “Don’t Grow Up”. Add in booming floor stomps like “Make You Feel” and Fantasurreal becomes Levitt’s most diverse work to date.

Here are my 2 favorites from the album:

Download “Make You Feel”

Download “Driving”

This record marks Setting Sun as a mainstay of the indie scene, as songwriter Gary Levitt further carves a niche writing and producing another soaring batch of sweepingly beautiful indie pop songs.

Download “Sacrifice”

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