My good friend Mike at Sippy Cup Everything turned me onto the Atlanta rockers Balkans’ self-titled debut a couple weeks ago, and I haven’t stopped listening since. And it’s a huge bummer that these guys are no more from what it looks like. Despite that, any fan of the early 2000s guitar-pop scene should listen to these guys immediately. Stream the entire album below, and go order the record from Double Phantom.
MP3: || Landlady ||
Here’s the newest music from Texas garage-kids Young Mammals, with the first taste since their fantastic 2010 album Carrots. The great production along with their almost signature jangle-tones make for a great A-side on their first vinyl release, which will be out on Bombs By Mail sometime soon, hopefully on radical colored vinyl like their first release.
Cleveland pop group Clovers, changed to Future Days, not only made big steps in their hometown, but were on the verge of becoming the next big thing in the national indie-pop/garage scene. The band had done tours with rad-rockers Free Energy and Secretly Canadian’s Foreign Born, and rumors were swirling that they were working with big labels. Then the group went down to Nashville to record with the Black Keys’ Pat Carney, recording what would be their official debut album, The Breezer. Weeks after getting back, Future Days threw up a couple tracks from the new album on SoundCloud, played a few local shows, and rumors swirled that the band had been signed to Fat Possum. Sometime near the end of last summer, I found out that the band had disbanded, killing all of the rumors and album releases they had planned. The band sent me The Breezer sometime before they told me about the breakup, and the album quickly became one of my favorites, especially the ultra-jangly second track “Carry Me Away.” It was sad to me that nobody was going to here these fantastic pop songs, so the band allowed me to show their album that never happened. Here are a couple tracks from the unreleased, unmastered album, The Breezer, and a link to download the entire album. Once you give it a couple listens, you’ll realize why it was such a bummer that Future Days didn’t became a bigger thing, cause the talent, songwriting, and spark were definitely there.
MP3: || Carry Me Away ||
MP3: || Sun Drops ||
Cleveland’s own Total Babes’ debut album Swimming Through Sunlight hit stores yesterday, and to celebrate, huge climax “Without Your Heart” is now available for download! Pick up the album digitally in webstores, and the CD and vinyl through Old Flame’s Store. And listen/download the first two tracks from the album below.
MP3: || Like They Always Do ||
MP3: || Be So True ||
MP3: || Be So True ||
Pitchfork posted this jam today, here’s the second track from Total Babes’ upcoming debut album, Swimming Through Sunlight. Preorder this LP on purple vinyl from Old Flame Records, out on August 30th and it’s limited to 200 copies. I advise you to do it cause this is one of my favorite albums of this year so far, listen to the opener “Like They Always Do” below.
STREAM: || “Sweet Dirty Love” ||
I made the joke before and I’ll make it again, The Happy Thoughts has more hooks than a fishing box!!! Before you stop visiting my site because of that joke, check out these songs from the Lafayette, IN power-pop trio’s debut album. I heavily recommend it for those who have been digging Cloud Nothings’ album this year, just clean and fun garage-pop. It’s out now on Hozac, and they might still be on the gold edition, so head over to their store and buy it!
MP3: || “Sports” ||
MP3: || “Dino DNA” ||
FULL DISCLOSURE: I AM IN THIS BAND
Our debut album, Dino DNA, is available now on our Bandcamp for free download. We also got our “I Love You Now” 7″s back from Gotta Groove Records, and you can pick up a copy through Bandcamp. It’s limited to 100 copies on all sorts of cool recycled color vinyl. We’re playing a bunch of Cleveland shows and a Lafayette, IN date next week, and we’ll be selling the 7″s there. Shows include Now That’s Class on the 19th with noise kids Madame and the Moist Towelletes, The Black Sparrow (Lafayette, IN) on the 22nd with Why I Like Robins, The Happy Dog on the 24th with Total Babes and Library Time, and Larchmere Porchfest with Filmstrip and a ton of others. We’ll also be making an appearance on WRUW’s Live From Cleveland show on Thursday the 23rd, it airs from 10-11pm. I hope you all enjoy the album and come out and see us! And watch the goofy beach video for “I Love You Now” below.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: || “Like They Always Do” ||
Listen to the first jam from Total Babes’ upcoming big lo-fi pop debut Swimming Through Sunlight. Total Babes, a side-project of Cloud Nothings, will be releasing the album through Old Flame Record, where you can preorder it on vinyl and tape here. They have some shows coming, one at the Happy Dog in Cleveland with Dino DNA and Library Time, check them below.
June 19 – New York, NY – Pianos
June 20 – Brooklyn, NY – Death By Audio
June 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
June 23 – Brooklyn, NY – Public Assembly
June 24 – Cleveland, OH – Happy Dog
Genre: Garage, Indie Pop, Pop
Year: 2011
Location: Cleveland, OH
Label: Self-released
Facebook
MP3: || “Africa” ||
Having just started near the beginning of this year, Library Time have taken over Cleveland with their intensely fun pop songs and live show. Listen and download the head-bopper “Africa” and 60′s leaning “My Car, Your Car” above. You can catch these guys at a bunch of shows over the next month including June 20th at the Beachland Tavern with Super Vacations and June 24th with Dino DNA, Mhmm, and Total Babes.
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Pop
Year: 2011
Location: Bloomington, IN
Label: Self-Released
MP3: || “Slime” ||
Sleeping Bag are a new trio out of Bloomington, IN with heavy nods to the late 90′s indie rock scene. “Slime” is the first track off their debut album, which is streaming in its entirety from their BandCamp. It’s a fantastic pop album so definitely try to give the full LP a listen!
One of Indiana’s best bands, Apache Dropout, live on Bloomington Cable Access TV, their debut is out now on Family Vineyard.
Genre: Garage, Pop, Surf
Year: 2011
Location: West Lafayette, IN / Cleveland, OH
Label: Self-Released
Website
FULL DISCLOSURE: I AM IN THIS BAND
“I Love You Now” will be the A-side of an upcoming 7″ being released this summer. Take a listen above, or head over to our Bandcamp to download both tracks from the 7″ for free.
Genre: Indie Rock, Garage Pop, Power Pop
Year: 2011
Location: Cleveland, OH
Label: Self-Released
MP3: || “Good Kids” ||
Two months after releasing their first track, “Daylight Dream,” and a couple days after a Record Store Day 7″ release for the same song, Cleveland garage-poppers, without any notice, just dropped their debut LP, Three Years. Listen to the remixed version of the 90s pop anthem “Daylight Dream” and the big, catchy track “Good Kids” above. Stream the incredible power-pop album in its entirety or buy it for $7 from their BandCamp.
Genre: Pop, Garage, Indie Pop
Year: 2011
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Label: Polyvinyl
MySpace
“Share The Joy” is the second track from Brooklyn chick-poppers Vivian Girls third album, Share The Joy. No matter how brash or how clean their songs are, a high level of charm still pours out of their music, and it’s clearly evident in this song. Preorder for the album is up from Polyvinyl. Check out the new creepy hotel/vivid winter video for the song as well.
Genre: Indie Rock, Garage Pop, Power Pop
Year: 2011
Location: Cleveland, OH
Label: Self-Released
STREAM: || “Daylight Dream” ||
Emerging from members of indie-rockers Clovers and garage-poppers Casual Encounters, Shoreway is the newest band in Cleveland, OH. ”Daylight Dream,” the power-pop a-side of their debut 7″, sounds like skating down the tallest hill in town on a Simpsons’ skateboard on a sunny day with the wind blowing through your dirty hair while all the hot babes are watching. The 7″ will be released on Record Store Day (April 16), and the band will also play their first show at Music Saves as part of their RSD festivities.
MP3: || “Dragon Wagon” ||
Check out my write-up for their debut Carrots, along with an MP3 for “Confetti.”
