Hop Along - Tibetan Pop Stars

This is a new track by Hop Along was posted. The album will be released April 1st, but knowing the irony of that date, it won't actually be released out on that date. Francis takes forever to write, but this is fantastic.

Download

Hop Along - Tibetan Pop Stars

Wavelets - Athaletics

Well isn't this just lovely. At nine tracks, Athaletics is a little on the short side, but there is enough within those songs to make the album really stand out.  This is twinkly emo/indie that actually pulls off both elements well, with the energy of songs like 'We're Really Jazzed About The Gig' counterbalancing the more reflective and texturally focused numbers like 'Bad Scene, Jawbreaker's Fault.' Fans of bands like Algernon Cadwallader  and What Price, Wonderland? will find a lot to love here. There's nothing especially new here, but it's done so well that that doesn't matter, so give it a listen, if only to prove that there's more coming out of Gainesville than gruff pop punk.

Bandcamp: http://tinyengines.bandcamp.com/album/athaletics

Wavelets - Athaletics

Signals Midwest - Latitudes & Longitudes

Cleveland, OH's Signals Midwest are a band very much influenced by their location, and Latitudes & Longitudes takes more than a few cues from '90s Midwestern emo. There's the power of Braid, the twinkly guitar lines of American Football and the quirkyness of Cap'n Jazz all on display here, but it is all bound together by a sense of carefully measured songwriting which really sets it apart from bands who just rehash this classic sound. Basically, this is what happens when gruff punk collides with 90's emo, and it's brilliant, with songs like ‘Monarchs’, ‘I Was Lost’ and ‘The Quiet Persuader’ being particular standouts for me. Latitudes & Longitudes basically strikes the perfect balance; it’s accessible without being overly poppy, emotional without being over the top, and technical without being bafflingly so. So yeah, give it a spin, if you’re into any of the bands mentioned then you’ll find something to love here.

Download: http://tinyengines.bandcamp.com/album/latitudes-and-longitudes

Signals Midwest - Latitudes & Longitudes

Younger Siblings - Bald Eagles Aren't Actually Bald

I really like this 7" from Birmingham, AL's Younger Siblings. There are are a lot of different influences on display here, from 60's pop and surf rock to the more toned down elements of Bomb The Music Industry's recent album. Overall, it kind of sounds like grainy, analogue indie colliding with Bright Eyes with John Flansburgh on vocals. There is also a slightly twee undertone which reminded me of certain Dead Milkmen songs, which is always a plus point, and the whole thing is drenched in analogue distortion, reverb and even a little bit of slapback which gives a nice organic feel. My only real problem is that the first song, 'Pure Mechanical Failure' is, in my opinion, a lot stronger than the other tracks, and this disparity in quality started to get to me on the third or fourth listen. It's not that the other two songs are bad, far from it, they just aren't as good as the opener.  Overall though, this is a great little 7" and I will definately be keeping an ear out for what they do in the future.

Mediafire: http://www.mediafire.com/?dpbsjlaicwuow66

Buy 7": http://springstrecords.storenvy.com/products/137316-younger-siblings-bald-eagles-aren-t-really-bald-7 

Younger Siblings - Bald Eagles Aren't Actually Bald

You'll Live - Things Would Change If You Heard This

You'll Live is an punk, indie, emo band from South Florida. They aren't self-proclaimed in the get rad music scene yet, but give them time. They are similar to Our Sunday Affairs in sound and popularity. Just wait until these guys go on a tour outside Florida and they'll get huge. Trust me.

Download!
Stream/Download/Buy!

You'll Live - Things Would Change If You Heard This

Bad Banana - Crushfield

Bad Banana is part of P.S. Eliot with a more lo-fi sound. It's to my knowledge a 2-piece but I'm not sure. Regardless, it's great if you like P.S. Eliot which is pretty easy to do.

http://www.mediafire.com/?6adywmdy3r038ua

Bad Banana - Crushfield

Pigeonholes - Demo

Chris from medium fidelity sent me the demo to his band Pigeonholes. They bring a nice indie/punk sound from Parkersburg, WV that I've never heard before.

http://www.mediafire.com/?1mjzmuj7s6dxwaa
2 more songs(Tapes)

Pigeonholes - Demo

Fishboy - Classic Creeps

Fishboy, a band set out of the incredible up and coming music scene of Denton, TX, is now taking pre-orders for their new album Classic Creeps. It fails to disappoint in the sense that Fishboy continues their tradition of every album they release being twice as awesome as it's predecessor. The album follows the storybook rock opera format similar to Albatross: How We Failed to Save the Lone Star State with the Power of Rock and Roll, but instead of focusing on the story, it focuses on the characters involved. "It's ten epic pop songs about ten characters who's lives are connected by a dense web of awesome." These "classic creeps" have a story told by a comic by Eric Michener(Eric Fishboy). The concept is that you can listen to the album while following along with the comic. In a sense, Classic Creeps is a musical comic book full of bubble letters, puffy clouds, and fun twee pop with a rock & roll indie approach. Perhaps it's better classified as a twee pop-erah. If Texas wasn't saved through roll & roll from Albatross, I think this one will help. steer things back on track.

The comic, FULL STREAM of the album, and pre-order information can be found here.

The pre-order packages are at the bottom and range from 12$ to get a vinyl and digital download to 50$ to get your face screen printed on the album cover as one of the "classic creeps" along with a middle package for 20$ that gets the vinyl, buttons, and a poster.

Fishboy - Classic Creeps

Mane Horse - What Do You Mean We're Just Friends?

A lot's been going on, but I know you guys will like this. Mane Horse just released their EP entitled What Do You Mean We're Just Friends? Also, check out Mane Horse's demo's here.

What Do You Mean We're Just Friends?

Mane Horse - What Do You Mean We're Just Friends?

Science Fair - Get Real/Get Dead

Ex christopherwalken and The Manhattan Project from Philadelphia/Lehigh Valley. They just played their first show last Thursday at Burners and are quickly picking up internet hype despite just releasing their first demo. They provide angry ex-boyfriend music including lyrics like, "and on every shooting star, I wish your life a living hell" in ...And The High Horse You Rode In On combined with Clerks samples in A Series Of Down Endings. Listen to them if you enjoyed christopherwalken's demo, are a fan of Snowing, Hightide Hotel, or are looking for something new to the scene. Three out of five of their songs are re-recorded/renamed christopherwalken songs, but they sound so much more rad through Science Fair. Definitely check them out.

http://www.mediafire.com/?p4dc8e4v2w73yun

Science Fair - Get Real/Get Dead

christopherwalken - Rough Mix EP

christopherwalken, a band from Philadelphia, PA, via the Lehigh Valley. sounding in the vein of Snowing or Hightide Hotel, has given us what was going to be their first studio EP The album, which originally intended to have 6 songs, got cut short due to a hot headed meltdown between memebers. This 3 song "Rough Mix" Ep is all that remained. Though, short-lived, they managed to tour PA and Delaware and playwith bands like Hightide Hotel, Everyone, Everywhere, Joint Chiefs of Math and Spraynard. Though they have broken up, they are pretty much all in a new band called Science Fair which will be releasing 5 songs in August. Keep a lookout for more from them!

Download!
Winter Songs EP
Demos

christopherwalken - Rough Mix EP

Mane Horse - Untitled Demos

Frenso, California which I know nothing about but keep hearing about is the the home of Mane Horse, an up and coming indie band with an emo feel. They sound like Cap Santé!, they are kinda twinkly, kinda screamy, kinda sing-alongish, kinda group vocalized. They have an upbeat, simple, fun attitude. They only have 2 songs out now, but I have word they are finishing their EP by the end of the month. I expect them to explode on the scene especially playing with seasoned bands like My Heart To Joy and Slingshot Dakota.

Download their 2 released songs:
Here!

Mane Horse - Untitled Demos

The Parlour Suite - Welcome to the Garden Party

If you haven't listened to The Parlour Suite, a band originally out of Minneapolis fronted by husband and wife team Joel & Inga Roberts, you don't know what you're missing. Thankfully, their underlooked EP Welcome to the Garden Party is being released on CD this Friday, providing the perfect opportunity to step into their tastefully appointed parlour and enjoy their refreshing take on the oft trampled vintage pop soundscape.

Like most good acts, it's hard to pin them to any particular genre or place the label of a movement or style on there sound. If you were to go in blind you might find yourself wondering if you were listening to a song by some unfairly forgotten band from the 60s, or if you had stumbled upon the bleeding edge of yet another splinter genre poised to blow up the scene and spawn countless empty imitations. Anyone foolish enough to attempt that will find the task impossible however, because a large part of what gives The Parlour Suite their delightfully soulful mellowness in Welcome to the Garden Party is their readily apparent dedication to a truly authentic approach to a vintage sound. According to their self-description the sound of the album was heavily influenced by the compression produced by their analog recording techniques, and it is a testament to the effectiveness of this approach that it took that revelation for me to realize that is what the second half of their winning combination had been.

The first half, of course, is the genuine talent on display at all levels. Nothing in any track stands out as merely competent, every aspect, from the authentic analog organs and subtle guitar use, displays both an extreme professionalism as well as a decidedly playful nostalgic style that wears it's influences on it's sleeves.

The titular track Welcome to the Garden Party and The Goldenhand appear to be the stand out tracks in popular opinion, and I am inclined to wholeheartedly agree. Garden Party is soulful piece which lyrics contain some heartfelt and interesting poetical imagery that you won't notice on the first listen because of how god damn good it sounds. The Goldenhand is on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum contained in the album, a peppy and upbeat love song sung by Inga Roberts, who performs most of the vocal duties on the album. This song wouldn't sound out of place coming out of a transistor radio or an iPod touch.

When Welcome to the Garden Party isn't radiating off almost visible waves of nostalgia it is astounding you with it's innovation. Is it a freshly discovered vintage track you're listening to or a song so fresh it could pass for vintage? The Parlour Suite extends to you a second invitation to their garden party to find out for yourself. I think you should go, you'll like it there.

Get promo tracks "Welcome To Your Garden Party" and "The Goldenhand" below.

http://www.mediafire.com/?yzijme5gj2y

The Parlour Suite - Welcome to the Garden Party

CHALK TALK - Penny On Heads

Cake Life Collective members Chalk Talk have released their new EP Penny On Heads via bandcamp for free digital download. It's only 2 songs including a re-recording of "Horny", but the oher track "Everybody's Doing It" provides fun upbeat jams that have really stepped up from their full length Killing Spree. This leaves good things to be expected from this Massachusetts trio.

Download!

CHALK TALK - Penny On Heads

Options - Discography

After years of trying and failing to find the right combination of people to play with, multi-instrumentalist Seth Engel decided to try his luck at doing it all himself. The result is Options.

You can get his discography for free here

Options - Discography

The Please & Thank Yous - Mind Yr P's & Q's

The Please & Thank Yous are a punk band from Chicago with indie and emo influences for fans of The Measure[SA], The Promise Ring, and Tin Armor. Their album was released for free from Death To False Hope Records.

Download

The Please & Thank Yous - Mind Yr P's & Q's

Allie Millstein - Human Nature

This is a cd by Hartford, Connecticut native Allie Millstein. She sings acoustic indie folk music. She has very unique vocal and guitar melodies, and they sound like an angel has descended from heaven just to sing us a song.

This EP opens up with the song "Human Nature" that just makes you grin. You just start listening to it and your mouth just slowly forms a smile. Its amazingly catchy, and I keep finding myself taping out the beat. The next song, "Mend My Heart", sounds like something from the Juno soundtrack. Its pretty chill and upbeat plus its got some cool lyrics along with its rhythmic vibe.

After "Mend my Heart" come "Our Love Is Underground". Its similar to Human Nature in that you keep involuntarily tapping out the beat. Really catchy stuff. The last song, "Skeletons", has a more mournful vibe to it but remains beautiful.

This is just a great CD, and you really should give it a listen. Allie Millstein sounds amazing, and if you like acoustic folk things then you'll love this. She was also cool enough to provide our blog with a physical copy of her CD, so props to her for that. You can listen to her at her website(http://www.sonicbids.com/allimillstein) or download this EP by clicking below.

http://www.mediafire.com/?2mngw4htwy0#1

Allie Millstein - Human Nature

Hard Girls - Hello

More Quote Unquote awesomeness. Seriously. Just some awesome indie rock with a definite punk influence, oh and some of these guys just happen to play in a band with a little known guy named... Jesse Michaels. Nothing else needs to be said.

Link from Quote Unquote

Hard Girls - Hello

Charles Crossingham - Talkers Talk

These tracks by Charles Crossingham kick ass. They start off with the bouncy and upbeat 'That Time in My Life'. This song has unique instrumentals and is just happy, happy, and happy. At times the lyrics get semi-serious but still maintain the overall happy air of the song. 'That Time in My Life' is the kinda song that you want to listen to with friends and dance to.

After 'That Time in My Life' we delve into 'California Tendencies' which sounds somewhat like modern country music but has more of a rock air to it. Its extremely rhythmic, and you'll find yourself involuntarily bobbing your head to it. I really want to get in a car and drive towards the future with this song playing. 'California Tendencies' makes you think about the future and what it holds.

'Choir on Fire' is a bit different from the previous two tracks. It starts out with just a piano playing with very emotional lyrics. Then the other instruments join in and we have a us a hell of a song. 'Choir on Fire' is way more relaxing than 'California Tendencies 'which really didn't seem possible. 'Choir on Fire' uses awesome lyrics coupled with beautiful instrumentals to create astounding visuals to set a very beautiful scene. Just wow. This is easily my favorite song from Charles Crossingham.

In 'Go On Your Way' we jump back to the happy and upbeat stuff that started us off. This song uses guitar to express ideas much like 'Choir on Fire' did with piano. Imagine driving along a coastal highway at twilight and you'll have an idea of the feeling this song gives. I love the guitar use in this song too. As the lyrics start to become more descriptive its hard not too envision everything that's being described.

You owe it to yourself to give theses promotional tracks a listen and then buy the album.

Grab the two promos here.

Buy the album here.

Charles Crossingham - Talkers Talk

Teenage Cool Kids - Queer Salutations

Well, I'm sure you've heard of the famous Denton, Texas music scene (home to the always wonderful Fishboy), it just so happens to be a hotbed of indie magicalness as evidenced by Teenage Cool Kids. Recently this has been my music of choice for just chilling out and not doing anything because it doesn't beat down your eardrums it slowly taps at them with the beat of the ever so jammy drums. In the end who doesn't like laid back indie rock with a little fuzz in there for good measure? Oh yeah, and its supposedly supposed to sync up with an episode of "My So Called Life", I don't know what that means to you, but to me thats pretty snazzy.

Try It!
And here is where you can purchase it, my friend.

Teenage Cool Kids - Queer Salutations