Saves The Day - Get Fucked Up
Princeton, NJ
File Size: 1.06 mb, Length: 1:32
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Saves The Day - Kaleidoscope
File Size: 4.10 mb, Length: 2:59
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Saves The Day - Stay (Demo)
File Size: 5.86 mb, Length: 3:12
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Prior to an album’s release, the band’s still have to practice the songs, don’t they? Well, now you can hear rawer versions of tracks off of Saves The Day’s newest album, Under The Boards. I’d say more, but why would I when we already have a review hashed out for you?Click here to read our review of Saves The Day’s Under The Boards!
Armor For Sleep - Williamsburg
Maplewood, New Jersey
Armor For Sleep is (almost) back with a new album, and guess what? They’re going to be playing on TRL. Which is most hilarious. It seems being on a label owned by a major (Sire Records, owned by Warner) does do a great bit of good for this band that was formerly on Equal Vision. Well, below is a video of their new single, which I’m not particularly feeling, but maybe you will. Maybe this newfound success has made them a bit happier because their music on this new album, Smile For Them, is pop-punk if I’ve ever heard it. Gone are the days of woefully imagining what it would be like to be dead. I don’t know that I like this precedent. I liked their old stuff. The new stuff sounds a bit more generic to me, but it will no doubt gain them some fans. Anyway, you can be the judge yourself. Head over to their MySpace to listen to the whole album or check out the video below and see if you’re feeling it!
Wax Stag is the alias of one Robert Antony Lee, a UK-based producer/ part time drummer for Warpee Chris Clark/overall awesome dude. His song, ‘Short Road’ recently made its way onto Hot Chip’s DJ Kicks mix. The song is a perfect slice of 8-bit electro-pop that’s able to occupy a space between kitschy nostalgia and melancholy without falling into the usual traps of retro videogame electronica. Not bad, especially when paired up with this totally rad video from the mysterious O W L S collective.
The Russian Futurists is basically just boy genius Adam Hart, a Brian Wilson disciple from East Ontario. Listening to his 2005 record ‘Our Thickness’ got me thinking, what defines an artist as criminally underrated? If you’re making ‘indie’ music, doesn’t that kind of imply being underrated to begin with? Regardless I can’t help but calling The Russian Futurists’ lack of total world domination a total injustice, indie or not indie. Okay maybe I’m getting carried away, but the lushness Hart is able to accomplish with his compositions out of the most bare bones bedroom recording setup should send a chill down anyone’s spine who thinks they can simply buy a cheap 4-track and be the next Lou Barlow. ‘Incandescent Hearts’ is probably my favorite song off his last record. It should make any pop fanatic swoon.
Lisbon, Portugal
File Size:10.82, Length:11:23
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If you think that Person Pitch is probably the best record of the year, then I’d say it’s pretty damn essential to hear this live version of ‘Bros’ in Lisbon. It just might be even more mind-blowing than the recorded version. Things to look for are the incredible techno/tribal drum passage that comes out of nowhere in the first half of the song. After listening to this I finally see what everyone meant by its sound being steeped in minimal techno. Even if you’re not into Panda Bear or Animal Collective, just give it a shot. Maybe it’ll change your mind. If you already are, you know what to do…
Brunettes - “Small Town Crew”
Auckland City, New Zealand
File Size: 5.32 mb, Length: 3:16
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Ah, New Zealand… the pristine land of extreme sports… but where do they rank on the musical scale? There may have been a few worthwhile bands who have come out of New Zealand, but the number is definitely not extremely high. How about the Brunettes? Sometimes touring as a five piece and sometimes playing as a ten piece Orchestrette, the Brunettes incorporate marimba, glockenspiel, banjo, cello, trumpet, alto and tenor saxophone, the clarinet and more. This track features beautiful vocals and can be found on their latest Sub Pop release, Structure & Cosmetics.
Verona Grove - “Goodbye Surrender”
Los Angeles, CA
File Size: 2.93 mb, Length: 3:12
(Right-click above link to save on a PC, control-click to save on a MAC)Verona Grove’s newest album is produced by American Hi-Fi’s producer, and the same poppy, sugary feel has rubbed off here. The band is compared to American Hi-Fi and All-American Rejects, so you can kind of guess what the trio would sound like. These guys may have moved to California from Wisconsin, but they seem to have gotten the feel of Southern California pop-punk. If you want something that is corny and feel-good, this song just may hit the spot. Consider it a possible guilty pleasure.
