jingle + jangle + fuzz + flutter

The Interest Group "The Passenger"

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The Interest Group
The Passenger

The Interest Group is the new project of Philadelphia’s bonkers Yohsuke Araki (BAnanas Symphony, Blackhawks) and to call their new single, “The Passenger,” gorgeous would probably still be underselling it by miles. Both this track and “The Boy and The Girls” (the other of two singles on their bandcamp page at the moment) would fit quite nicely between some Margo Guryan and The Free Design, I’d say. So hey world, if there’s any justice out there, let’s see an Interest Group/New Lines split 12” real soon, okay? OKAY?! Now go listen to this gem.

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Actual Water "Dandelion Sun"

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Actual Water
Dandelion Sun

I’m not entirely sure whether or not I’m late to the game on Toronto’s Actual Water or not, but I can pretty much guarantee that their new-ish ‘Paisley Orchard’ LP (out on Unfamiliar Records) won’t be far from me all Summer long. The record opens on a wildly high note with a choice Bill Cosby sample and moves through 13 tracks of classic warm and trebly janglepop. My ears have yet to really find a disappointing moment and so far it’s still pretty tough pick a favorite! But I GUESS if I had to pick one it would be “Dandelion Sun”. Its “There She Goes”-like riff brings such a sunny optimism that this Tuesday almost feels more like the weekend. Thanks much to Krister for the tip!

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A Monthly Mix: May 2012!

Happy May! In the interest of getting this posted on the first, I’m gonna be posting it late, as in, RIGHT NOW! This months theme was just 100% fun and enthusiasm and kind of a desire to cram as many different types of songs that I love on to one mix while still retaining a nice cohesiveness! It think it’s potentially a success? The Mice into The Ropers?! Ruth Miller driving through a Zombies cover splendidly? A Sonic Avenues/Names/Hefner One-Two-Three punch? It’s all here! Does it work? MAYBE. I sure hope so. I had a lto fo fun making it and listening to it so that might be a good sign. New tracks this month from Dee and the Warlocks, Fluffer (ex-Sweet Bulbs), Hollows, and Blooper! Download and enjoy! Happy May!!!

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Tracklist:

  1. The Mice “More Than I Can Think About”
  2. The Ropers “Transparent Day” (West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band cover)
  3. Dee and the Warlocks “Jupiter Flower”
  4. Fluffer “Flesh Wound In Ithaca”
  5. Skywave “Baby It’s Just You”
  6. The Happy Birthdays “I’m Still Not As Happy…”
  7. The Black Tambourines “Bad Days”
  8. Ruth’s Refrigerator “She’s Not There (Zombies cover)
  9. Hollows “Oh Why”
  10. The Dentists “You Make Me Say It Somehow”
  11. Speedmarket Avenue “I Can Tell By Her Eyes”
  12. Saturn V “Skyfall”
  13. Sonic Avenues “Waste Away Alone”
  14. The Names “Floating World”
  15. Hefner “The Sad Witch”
  16. #Poundsign# “The Almondy Many”
  17. Blooper “Secret Song”
  18. Section 25 “Conquer Me”
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Grass Widow ‘Internal Logic’ LP Trailer

In anticipation of what is sure to be one of the finest, greatest, most fantastic records of this year, Grass Widow have created a video trailer for their upcoming LP, ‘Internal Logic’. The video showcases snippets of some really great new songs while the band runs amok through Rainbo Records’ pressing plant leaving a whirlwind of shenanigans in their wake. I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS RECORD, YOU GUYS!

May 29th! HLR Records! Be there or be square!

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Sea Pinks “Staycation” Video

“Staycation” is a utterly fantastic new (old) song from Belfast’s brilliant Sea Pinks that will be appearing on ‘The Flip Side”, their new cassette on CF Records! ‘The Flip Side’ pulls together 11 previously unreleased songs recorded during and in between sessions for the first two albums—’Youth is Wasted’ and ‘Dead Seas’. If the other ten tracks pack as much jangling wonderfulness as “Staycation” then I’d say this is a pretty NEED TO OWN record. Or casette, whatever. While we’re talking about things that you need to own, those two previously mentioned albums would most certainly fall into that category, too. Watch/listen! ‘The Flip Side’ is super limited (100 tapes total, first 25 are neon green!) so don’t sleep!

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Hollows "Strange Effect"

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Hollows
Strange Effect

Apologies for the lack of regular posts lately. Things piled up and other things got away from me, but here we are again! There’s a few handfuls of new stuff I want to share and we’ll start off with one of my favorite new records from Chicago’s Hollows!

‘Vulture’ is their debut LP for brilliant Chicago label Trouble In Mind and its summery, garage-y guitar lines and humming organ have been putting a pretty big smile on my face for the past few weeks! Listen to my current on-repeat-all-day-long favorite “Strange Effect”! It’s got bonkers great vocal harmonies and fantastic, fantastic guitar line that brings to mind label-mates The Wrong Words! Good things!

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A Monthly Mix: April 2012!

Greetings! It’s monthly mix time again and it’s a big, sunny, 20-song blast this month! I’d considered doing a Chickfactor-themed mix, but I decided instead to just pack it full of songs that have been filling my squinty-eyed walks home these past couple weeks. As always, there are a few new favorites tucked away in the tracklist—Outer Minds, Grass Widow, Creakies, and Sourpatch, to name a few! Have a listen and have a blast!

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Tracklist:

  1. New Radiant Storm King “Happy For The First Time In Weeks”
  2. The Creakies “Arnold’s Song”
  3. Velvet Crush “Drive Me Down”
  4. The Cannanes “Screaming”
  5. The Wedding Present “Kennedy”
  6. Grass Widow “Goldilocks Zone”
  7. Dawn Chorus “I’m Going Down” (Springsteen cover)
  8. The Orchids “Apologies”
  9. Joanna Gruesome “Sugarcrush”
  10. Sourpatch “What You Already Know”
  11. McCarthy “Governing Takes Brains”
  12. Wire “The 15th”
  13. The Motifs “Diagonal”
  14. Pants Yell! “The Not-So City Life”
  15. Estrogen Highs “I Wanna Be Tall”
  16. Jad Fair & Teenage Fanclub “Near To You”
  17. Young Prisms “Gone”
  18. Serfs “Spaces”
  19. Outer Minds “Footsteps”
  20. Lunchbox “Still Life”
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Broken Water "Drown"

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Broken Water
Drown

Skatterbrain may appear to be an indiepop blog—and really, it mostly is—but for me, there will always be something really nice about being completely swallowed by a blurry fog of cymbals and wheezing guitar fuzz. Enter Broken Water. They’re one of my favorite new bands of the past couple years and also, in my opinion, heads and shoulders above the rest of the Dinosaur Youth worship that seems to be quite on the rise as of late. Not that Broken Water are merely an imprint of a decade past, but, YOU KNOW. “Drown” comes from their forthcoming ‘Tempest’ LP, out in late May on Hardly Art! It’s awesome. It’s just really, really awesome.

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Standard Fare "Girlfriend"

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Standard Fare
Girlfriend

What a day! First there was new Just Joans and we’ve got a BRILLIANT new single from the lovely Standard Fare, whom are very much loved around these parts, let me just say! “Girlfriend” is going to be part of WIAIWYA’s 2012 singles series ‘7777777’ and it should be out in June? Yes?! Anyway, check it out! Check it out twice times and then again.

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The Just Joans "Friday Afternoons (Down The Union)"

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The Just Joans
Friday Afternoons (Down The Union)

After a few years now, WeePOP! Records are finally releasing their first 12” LP—and what a fine record it looks to be! ‘Buckfast Bottles In The Rain’ is also kiiiiind of, sort of The Just Joans’ first proper LP! Quite a few of the songs here have appeared on a previous JJs record, but they’ve been beautifully reworked to tell a new story, one set in late 90s Scotland. YAY. You, as I did, may also recognize ‘Buckfast Bottles In The Rain’ as a line from The Just Joans song “What Do We Do Now?” (fyi, my favorite of theirs)! Have a listen to “Friday Afternoons (Down The Union)”! It feels kind of perfect to me on this foggy Spring morning.

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