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I used to make fun of goths in high school; now, I’m intimidated by them. The Horrors fascinate me because outwardly, they embody everything I hate about our generation’s music scene: the belief that looking like a member of The Clash means you are The Clash. Not true. That being said, there’s something different about The Horrors: they’re unusually good. Anyone can look the part, but I’m impressed if they can fill the shoes of their big-name punk predecessors.

Faris Badwan’s voice gives a bit more elegance to the band’s sound, which mixes post-punk with goth, a bit of Joy Division and The Jesus and Mary Chain. They mimic the sound of 80s punk rock with frightening accuracy, almost claiming the sound without shame. However, they add something different. They’re not merely followers — they’re revivalists.

The band, which began with a somewhat humble goth beginning in 2005, has since blossomed into a mature and experimental sound. Their album, Primary Colours, is a far cry from the early screeching of Origins. I know some people will fight me on this, but I can appreciate a band much more if I don’t feel like I’m being yelled at.

The Horrors soon began creating a stir in the punk scene, and rose to fame with the single “Who Can Say,” directed by Douglas Hart, bassist for The Jesus and Mary Chain. At that point, they transcended into typical punk stardom, with a league of goth girls thinking Badwan’s nose was “sexy” and Pitchfork hailing high reviews.

So why hasn’t anyone I’ve met ever heard of them? Maybe we’re not willing to admit that some 18-year-olds may revive 80s post-punk?

myspace | myspace.com/thehorrors]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-horrors-primary-colours-5/feed/ 3 http://www.indieshuffle.com/refused-the-shape-of-punk-to-come/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/refused-the-shape-of-punk-to-come/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:47:30 +0000 Bryan Mojica http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=9757

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“Weighing in at 345 kilos, I present Sweden’s undisputed rock and roll champions. You have never seen anything like it. I give you… REFUSED!” It’s 1998, and the band answers the pseudo-ring announcer’s call, taking to a makeshift stage in an uncomfortably crowded Virginia basement. Given that Refused released arguably the greatest hardcore album of all time just a month ago, the world is unprepared for Dennis Lyxzen’s own opening address. The singer steps to the mic and is succinct in addressing the crowd: “This is our last show. The band is over.”

Twelve years later, we are graced with a deluxe reissue of Refused’s final work and masterpiece The Shape Of Punk To Come. The collection includes 12 previously unreleased live tracks as well as Refused guitarist Kristofer Steen’s documentary “Refused are Fucking Dead.” The film provides insight to the making of the album and ensuing demise of the band. Through archived concert footage and post-breakup interviews with each of the members, viewers can piece together evidence that contributed to Refused’s unexpected split – including details of their final show in Harrisburg, Virginia (which was broken up by police after only four songs).

So, why is The Shape Of Punk To Come considered such a tour de force? As the title implies, the album was truly transcendent of hardcore and punk music. Yes, you’ve got the typical abundance of distortion and shouting, but Refused pushed the envelope by simultaneously employing a wide spectrum of contemporary music. From the jazz bass lines and percussion on “The Deadly Rhythm” to the drum and bass experimentation on tracks like “New Noise” to the gypsy violin on “Tannhäuser/Derivé,” Refused defied any single genre and, remarkably, tied it all together flawlessly.

­­­­To this day you’d be hard pressed to find a more emphatic explosion than in their most renowned track, “New Noise.” After a minute-long intro that transitions from tension-filled guitar lick to house-y synth and drum machine break, the onslaught starts with Lyxzen bursting, “CAN I SCREAM?!” immediately followed by a two-ton guitar riff and torrential clashing of cymbals. The album is rich with these moments though, as Refused perfected this kind of pressure-dense foreplay. They constantly tease and hold back just enough before abrupt, heavy climaxes. It’s notable that as suddenly as they unleash these crescendos, Refused are able to ‘tuck it all back in’ just as neatly – reverting to a less ominous sound. The method instills edge-of-your-seat anxiety that keeps listeners pinned to the tracks, riding one unpredictable turn after another.

myspace | myspace.com/refused]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/refused-the-shape-of-punk-to-come/feed/ 1 http://www.indieshuffle.com/best-friends-forever-romance-conflict-adventure/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/best-friends-forever-romance-conflict-adventure/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:38:08 +0000 Kathlee Cleveland http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=9661

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There’s only three people I’ve ever wanted to trade bodies with. One is Bruce Willis’ French girlfriend from Pulp Fiction, the other two are Jessica Lee Seaman and Briana Jennifer Smith from Best Friends Forever. The first time I heard their music was two years ago when a guy I was crushing on told me he was sure that he could never love anyone else besides them. I totally understood why, then felt like crying.

The band formed in Minneapolis, where the two girls met, in fifth grade. This comes to no surprise, because their music is just as embarrassingly self-conscious, genuine, and awkward. They will tell you about their unshaved legs, the cold, hard truth about long-distance relationships, and about Abe Lincoln making a kinda hot boyfriend, and you will like it because you’ll think, “YES! I THINK THAT ALL THE TIME!” At the same time, the duo has a punk core that will resonate with less fuzzy friends.

Through squeaky vocals and clanging guitar riffs, the songs, while sweet, maintain a sarcastic sneer. My favorite song is called “Tape Song,” an easily distributable melody to anyone who has come too close too soon. The chorus states blatantly, “The further away, the fuzzier your face, the harder to make out your less desirable traits. When I’m looking at your through a telescopic lens, it’s easier to use my imagination.” Ouch. Another tried and true fave is “Backpocket,” which will transport you right back to the awkward moment where your hand and her butt first touched, complete with chimes and fuzzy guitar.

In addition to the charmingly accessible lyrics, BFF relishes in camaraderie with audience members and the feeling of sing-along rather than individualism. All of their songs are grungy, raw, and easy to sing to, often with a choir of background singers. I think it gives the entire album a warmth that is often missing from rock (and punk rock, if you can consider this punk). Every song weaves a new story, with sharp wit and cunning sarcasm, and if you don’t fall in love with these two by the end of the album, well… you have no soul.

myspace | myspace.com/bestfriendsforeverandfriends]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/best-friends-forever-romance-conflict-adventure/feed/ 2 http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:02:33 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=9497

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Matthew Melton has been rocking out in the East Bay with Bare Wires for some time now, but their latest, Seeking Love, is the first polished product that displays the energy and vigor of the project in a tidy package. This album retains the hard rocking 70’s inspired garage punk of previous efforts, but has more than a few notable differences. The one I appreciate the most was that I was able to get this album on CD. I guess it was pretty cute that I could only find earlier work on cassette or vinyl, but for a guy that listens to music primarily on his computer, I felt the novelty wasn’t quite worth inconvenience. The other obvious cosmetic difference is the lineup changes, but while the bass and percussion do keep things together well, the nut of band is Melton’s retro punk guitar and melodiously distorted vocals.

The most important difference between then and now is more subtle; the music is on the whole easier to digest. The sounds are nice and distorted, but instead of making the album more difficult to listen to, it somehow makes all the parts fit together. Songs are short and forceful, but also interesting and vibrant. The melodies are pleasantly poppy, with early punk groups like The Ramones and The Stooges likely strong influences. Most impressive is the excellent job Melton does making the vocals fit great with both lyrics primarily focused on the opposite sex and high energy garage rock. Throughout the album Bare Wires sticks to what they know best and don’t stray too far from their established formula. But as the album lasts just over 20 minutes, any branching out would probably just give them an ADD diagnosis on top of the already certified hyperactivity. Catch these boys at one of their shows in the Bay Area in July before they head out to conquer the nation in August and September.

myspace | myspace.com/thebarewires]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/feed/ 1 http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:22:51 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8660

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Magic Bullets’ newest album is jangly pop masterpiece with a decent chance of getting you to sit up in your chair and ask ‘How have I not listened to this before?’ As a newer band on a smaller label, Magic Bullets hasn’t had much of a chance to develop a following, but with such an earnest and pleasant sound they’re sure to be more than a few people’s favorite band by the end of the year.

The 2010 San Francisco meets 1980’s Manchester sound comes dangerously close to being an all-out Smiths rip off at times, but it’s done with such sincerity and charm they can’t exactly be faulted for it. It’s like the group discovered a secret unreleased Smiths album from 1983 that they’ve finally decided to share. ‘Magic Bullets’ isn’t just a Morrssiey/Marr tribute album, however. There’s plenty of that San Francisco sound in there; it’s a little bit retro, has a lo-fi vibe, and would feel just right on the same bill as your favorite local psych outfit.

This isn’t to say the album is perfect. For a pop group, the mix and recording seem a touch too slapdash. The hint of lo-fi isn’t quite pronounced enough to make it worth it, and is an unfortunate diminution the quality of the record. I haven’t seen them live, but based on their sound alone, I’d imagine this is one of those bands to see up close and personal. Luckily, all you California folks have the opportunity to see them as they make their way up and down the coast in early July. The final verdict on Magic Bullets? Buy their album, see them live, and let them be your new favorite band.

myspace | myspace.com/magicbullets]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/feed/ 4 http://www.indieshuffle.com/spring-offensive-pull-us-apart/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/spring-offensive-pull-us-apart/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:14:49 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8247

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This British 5-piece is flying well below the radar at the moment, but with a new album coming out this summer and a tour planned to promote it, I’d be surprised if more people aren’t talking about them soon. Their seven track mini-album features strong vocals and intricate guitar work. Each song is dynamically performed with build ups and breakdowns galore. The occasional harmonies are tight and well placed. The percussion and rhythms (which include cowbell) were particularly engaging.

A particular high point of the album was a short snippet of the song “Everything Other Than This” that featured handclaps, the guitars gently playing off each other, and the vocals soaring across the entire composition. Be sure to pay special attention to the lyrics with this group. They don’t hit you over the head with any sing-alongs, but the imagery and stories are impressive.

The group seems to be especially proud of the way their songs get loud, soft, and loud again, but I haven’t been converted quite yet. The structures of the songs can get melodramatic and predictable very fast. The buildups and drops similar to their Oxford neighbors Foals are intriguing, but more frequently the structures were uncomfortably similar to Long Island drama queens Taking Back Sunday.

Spring Offensive looks to be a band to see live, which is convenient since they’ll be hitting the road at the end of July. Their newest album, “The First of Many Dreams about Monsters,” is set to come out in July. If the songwriting is strong and the album gets a boost in production quality, the new album could be a shining gem for the summer of 2010.

myspace | myspace.com/springoffensive]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/spring-offensive-pull-us-apart/feed/ 1 http://www.indieshuffle.com/tempo-no-tempo-waking-heat/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/tempo-no-tempo-waking-heat/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:48:38 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8125

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To celebrate Jason’s return to the City by the Bay, last night we trekked out to the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco to catch the final live performance of Bay Area trio Tempo No Tempo. For their last act they put on an energetic show in support of Born Ruffians (who were themselves phenomenal, but this post isn’t about them). After five years, two EPs, and, most recently, a full-length, vinyl-only release, the boys have decided to call it quits and move on.

Everyone who dug the show yesterday understands how tragic this news is, but it’s even more unfortunate for the folks who never got a chance to see the group rock their hearts out performing Peaches’ ‘Fuck the Pain Away.’ The good news is they probably won’t mind if you illegally download an MP3 of theirs from this site. And even better news is that there’s no reason to download anything since they’re selling all of their releases for only $1 a pop. Their latest release, Waking Heat, is worth plenty more than that sticker price and would make a fine addition to the collection of any dance-punk enthusiast.

myspace | myspace.com/temponotempo]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/tempo-no-tempo-waking-heat/feed/ 2 http://www.indieshuffle.com/foals-total-life-forever/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/foals-total-life-forever/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 01:15:03 +0000 Jason Grishkoff http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=7883

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I fell in love with Foals in late-2008. Their debut album “Antidotes” actually played a huge role in my starting to blog about music in the first place: I had to share it with as many people as possible, thus starting a mailing list that eventually grew into two successive websites. Tada! Almost two years later, here we are at round two. Unfortunately for many bands, I tend to look at sophomore albums very critically, and I know I’m not the only one. That makes for an insane amount of pressure on bands like Foals, who made a great splash on debut. Sometimes follow-up albums repeat the tried and true formula. More often, they attempt to take things in a new direction which sometimes ends up completely failing. With “Total Life Forever”, Foals have done a little of both. The end result? A bit of a relief.

The first single released for the album was “Spanish Sahara”, and in hindsight I think that the Oxford five-piece was trying to throw a curve-ball at us. The song starts of slowly and quietly, building to a huge crescendo after a few minutes. While I don’t think that the song itself is entirely reflective of the sound produced by Foals, it does embody much of the formula used by Foals in this album: build-ups. The beauty is that on “Total Life Forever”, the majority of these build-ups explode into the math-rock evinced in their first album, fulfilling the expectations of those fans of “Antidotes”. The song above, “After Glow”, perfectly exemplifies this tactic. The result is at once unique and rewarding (though you would be right to point out that it takes a certain amount of patience to get through it).

I’ll cut the review short there. After all, I don’t think most of our visitors are here to read. You’re probably here to listen. I can simply end it by saying, with confidence, that after their sophomore release, Foals remain one of my favorite bands.

myspace | myspace.com/foals]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/foals-total-life-forever/feed/ 3 http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-splinters-kick/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-splinters-kick/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 04:20:17 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=7383

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Sounds like: The Ramones, Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre

I hesitate to describe what The Splinters play as punk—it’s just too darn cute to really be anything but pop music. But it’s pop music at its very most earnest, like a Kimya Dawson with jangly guitars and the unremitting clamor of a tambourine.

The lyrics are definitely girly, but there’s no overt third-wave feminism message or Powder Puff Girl pride in the vagina. Of course, it’s likely because of those 90’s girl groups that The Splinters feel more or less comfortable playing rock and roll in what’s still largely, and unfortunately, a man’s world.

Word has it that Oakland will be losing these UC Berkeley graduates soon as they journey to the Big Apple to make it in the world. I wish them the best, but their music, attitude, and aesthetic is so perfectly Left Coast, laid back, rocker girl, that I’m unsure how well it’ll fit in the Holy Land of indie rock (or overhyped cesspool of indie rock, depending on how you look at it) out in Alphabet City. Kick was released last month on Bay Area record label Double Negative and are playing soon at a venue near you (assuming you live in San Francisco).

Elsewhere on the Web:
myspace | myspace.com/thesplintersband

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Sounds like: Bloc Party, Foals, Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend

On the flip side, however, I heard a number of individuals saying, “WHO WERE THOSE GUYS? SO AWESOME!”

Two Door Cinema Club hit the jackpot touring with Phoenix, and the relationship between the two makes perfect sense, both stylistically and characteristically (not to mention sharing the same label).

To the untrained ear, it almost sounds as if they’re playing hit after hit. That makes sense, though. In contrast to the act for whom they were opening (Phoenix), Two Door Cinema Club has only one release to date. It just so happens that practically every song on there is a powerful pop hit [see review here].

General conclusion? Bloody good live performance. I only wish it’d been in a small warehouse, rather than an over-sized orchestral concert hall. Regardless, I’m certain they walked away with a few thousand new fans.

Bonuses:
Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work (Ted & Francis Remix)

Elsewhere on the Web:
myspace | myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub

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Sounds like: Weezer, The Shins, Kings of Leon, Buffalo Killers

The band doesn’t get too technical, doesn’t employ too many effects, and generally rocks in an old-school fashion. For me, this is a pretty refreshing audio journey. Start to finish, “Stuck on Nothing” gives the listener something to bob head / stomp foot / whistle / sing-along to, without too much thought involved. Pick this up, tune in, chill out, and enjoy the listening.

Elsewhere on the Web:
myspace | myspace.com/freeenergymusic

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Sounds like: Art Brut, Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, Maximo Park

The Futureheads are well aware of this. In fact, frontman Ross Millard acknowledges that ‘there’s been a real shitstorm to deal with’. So, in response, they’ve had a look at the bigger picture, and in doing so have produced their best record since their debut, released all of six years ago. Where’s the time gone?

The Sunderland group have clearly stepped up their game; they’ve even gone as far as describing the new songs themselves as ‘complicated’. By the end of the first song, the album’s title track, it’s not hard to see why. They’ve added prog elements to their sound, and it’s done them a lot of good.

Musically, there is quite a lot of ground covered here. Over the course of ‘The Chaos’, we get things like the riff-driven tracks that they’re known for (‘Struck Dumb’, ‘The Connector’); forays into pop-punk and math-rock, respectively (lead single ‘Heartbeat Song’ and ‘Stop the Noise’); dark, brooding tracks like ‘Sun Goes Down’ and moments of sheer madness (and brilliance, it has to be said) like closer ‘Jupiter’, which features an a capella section. A capella! In a Futureheads song! Who’d have thought it?

As far as the lyrics go, well, as indicated by the album’s background, they’re quite miserable in places. Topics like unemployment (‘The queue is a thousand strong / The town is closing down’ – ‘The Baron’); emigration (‘We’re leaving here this weekend on an aeroplane / We won’t be here on Monday when it starts again’ – ‘Dart at the Map’); and depression (‘The negativity is ruining your sleep, it makes you want to cry on your pillow’ – ‘Struck Dumb’) crop up, making for uneasy listening.

There is little optimism to be found here on the whole, which means that the two tracks that venture into less distressing lyrical territory, ‘I Can Do That’ (which quotes George Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’) and ‘This Is The Life’ seem positively loaded with irony.

For all this doom and gloom, however, the album itself is the quartet’s most consistent to date: nor is there much filler. The band have, well, finally gotten their quality control under control, and sound bigger, bolder and more impassioned than ever before. Welcome back, guys, we missed you.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/thefutureheads

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Guther, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Laura Viers

What’s so good?
I first bumped into Kaki King on a compilation EP (“Black Pear Tree”) that she put together with John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. I’m not sure if I immediately ran out to get her 2008 LP, “Dreaming of Revenge”, or if I just happened to be fortuitous enough to bump into it elsewhere. Either way, its soothing undertones became a repeated fixture on my morning Metro commute. As such, it was surprising to me that with 2010′s release of “Junior”, the acoustic/instrumental songs that marked her last album have been jettisoned to the interludes; in their place are a number of eclectic tracks that range from dance-punk to indie-rock. It was the last thing I was expecting from this album, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Frequent readers might note that I have never been one to shy away from my strong belief that for an artist’s follow-up album to be successful (to my ears, at least), they must attempt to break themselves from the norm established in their last album; they need to evolve, even if only slightly. In the past, a lot of artists have let me down (as if they owed anything to me?). Fortunately, Katherine Elizabeth King must have taken this in mind, for her new album provides the perfect balance between upbeat, jarring and soothing.

Her vocals aren’t always perfect, and the ambient lo-fi sound can sometimes remind one of the mid-nineties indie scene. But that shouldn’t fool you. Kaki King’s new album isn’t something you can just throw on in the background and zone out to. Rather, it’s a fantastic work of alternative-rock that demands full focus and attention. Fortunately she leaves a few of those interludes to allow us a chance to catch our breath in between!

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/kakiking

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: The Black Keys, R.L. Burnside, Black Diamond Heavies

What’s so good?
Grab your whiskey and get ready to rage. I’ve never heard a more powerful and gritty blues rock duo than these guys. Left Lane Cruiser is a two man outfit out of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. They’re a couple of thrashers that can play the hell out of some punkesque garage blues. Think along the lines of a possessed Black Keys, Jack White without his cute peppermint outfits, or even ole’ R.L. Burnside fresh off divorcing his sixth wife and a four day bender. These guys don’t F around.  Brenn “Sausage Paw” Beck plays the ever lovin’ shit out of some drums (no joke, dude broke his hand 5 songs into a set a couple years back) while Freddy J IV tears you apart with insane licks off the slide. I dare you to try and listen to these guys and not immediately want to stay up all night slamming shots of Old Crow.

Been listenin’ to these fellas for a few months now and regret nothing. Definitely check out their older albums too: “Bring Yo’ Ass to the Table” and “Gettin’ Down On It.” Both contain equal amounts of energy and are phenomenal in their own right.

Somewhere there’s a world where Left Lane Cruiser is blasting out of every ’72 Chevy Nova and broke-ass VW van, the road a bleared smudge in the rear view mirror. Drums that burn down bridges full of oil and fire, a guitar fucked into submission with god shining his face across six strings of hillstomptrash skull-fuckery. Above it all a voice all cracker-ass kick and wail…”feed me, baby, and I’m yours.” It’s filthy Delta swamp debris, washed ashore and hitchhiking it’s way to the heart of last night’s ramble. – Big Rock Candy Mountain

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/leftlanecruiser

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Sounds like: Bloc Party, Foals, Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend

What’s so good?
What do you get when you cross three Irish dudes, some guitars, and some heavy electronic influence? Well, you can get a ton of things, one of which is the sound produced by Two Door Cinema Club, a modern contemporary trio bringing us some seriously catchy tunes on their debut, Tourist History. While we wrote about them back in April of 2009, this album illustrates the band’s range while simultaneously keeping to a central theme of guitar-driven electro-pop and lyrics that cling to your brain like… brain glue? Really, it’s surprising how far they’ve come!

Okay, I’m not sure about the brain glue, but song after song has me humming along and thoroughly enjoying myself. Totaling just over 32 minutes, this album comes on fast and ends somewhat abruptly, but like any good quickie, this album holds onto its high energy throughout the duration. While not overtly striking in terms of either lyrical or musical genius, this offering from TDCC (take note: acronyms make bands sound at least 37% more badass) provides an enjoyable and feel-good listen, exactly what the doctor ordered as a pick-me-up during the winter doldrums — at least in this reviewer’s neck of the woods.

The album will be released March 1, 2010, but be sure to click the image above to see more of the artists’ work in iTunes.

So, as it turns out, the BBC’s Sound Of 2010 is much as the same as the Sound of 2009. We have quirky female songstresses, electropop types, grime MCs and angular indie merchants.

It’s this latter category that Belfast’s Two Door Cinema Club, who were named on the longlist of Sound of 2010 but who failed to make the top 5, fall into. And if you’re wondering whether the world really needs another Foals and Bloc Party hybrid, you’d be forgiven.

Except that Two Door Cinema Club are a much better prospect than the generic indie guitar trio that they appear at first glance to be. Their songs are instantly likeable and catchy, they sound genuinely exciting at times and already seem like pop stars in waiting – Music Omh

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub

Click here to get the full album

Sounds like: Vampire Weekend, Foals, Born Ruffians

What’s so good?
Ah! Finally a band to put a bit of step into these cold gray winter days: I bring you Little Comets, straight out of Newcastle.  With their glorious yelps, full band, and indie rock sound, I feel myself washing away the days of sad quiet folk and dancing my way into new love for England’s answer to Vampire Weekend. However, unlike Vampire’s hit-or-miss singles, I’m finding myself amused by all of Little Comet’s songs.  There is range in style, but fluidity to their sound. At times, through the northern accents, I even hear a little Kings of Leon twang.

Little Comet’s songs are layered indie rock anthems with ska-ish beats driving many of the songs.  In 2009, the band signed with Columbia Records, which means it’s only a matter of time before these guys really make it big. The single we’re spotlighting here is a great introduction to get you hooked.

The lyrics each tell mini stories, sometimes of difficult times, always with an upbeat tune.  “One Night in October” is already looping in my head…

Oh intensive care
Intensively she’s aware
That I, I miss the heat
Solace and sway of the sheets
Oh, this dashboard’s so hard
Can’t cushion the beats of my heart

Their newest single, “Adultery” is worth tuning into too. Maybe it’s the accents that do it to me every time, but I’ll never escape my love of great cheeky Brit-rock power tunes.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/littlecometsmusic

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: At the Drive-In, Get Up Kids, Colour

What’s so good?
Emocore! Okay, it isn’t. But some of you might claim it to be borderline. I, however, would maintain that these guys bring a raw and exciting sound to an already well-travelled genre. And because that isn’t the easiest thing to do, I feel as if this English post-punk/alternative trio, Tubelord, deserve to be featured on Indie Shuffle. Indeed, their catchy hooks, entrancing bridges, and bright math-pop sound does, at the very least, evoke a range of contrasting opinions

No hook is ever expanded upon too thoroughly, or even played long enough for it to become familiar. Tubelord, it seems, suffer – though perhaps to our benefit – from a sort of musical attention deficit disorder. This keeps the listening experience fresh, if not a bit exhausting, throughout the length of this stunning debut album – Music Ohm

In contrast, however, others have found the lack of expansion to be frustrating:

It’s not like these guys can’t write a hook: there are catchy riffs here that make you prick your ears up and go ‘ooh, that’s interesting/clever/nicely done’. Perhaps half the problem is that those quirky little moments are used all too sparsely, and wrapped up in songs that, in the main, sound unoriginal and generic. That, too, is maddening: after all, Tubelord are pulling their influences from a lot of places, which you would think – or at least hope – would result in something interesting. Instead, it’s more like the distinctiveness has been blended out, creating a competent yet oddly bland outcome. It’s like a homemade smoothie with too much banana and not enough pineapple – Drowned in Sound

It’s all subjective, in the end, so give the song a listen and see if you like. It has certainly grabbed my attention for the last few days.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/whiterabbits

download:
Tubelord – Night of Pencils.mp3

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Bloc Party, Battles, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons

What’s so good?
Be warned: this isn’t the newest, cutting-edge music. It is, however, some of the best. I haven’t written about Foals on Indie Shuffle yet, but I can say that hands down, this is easily one of my top three favorite albums to have come out of 2008. Not everyone will like it, but I have consistently found myself playing it on an almost-daily basis, whether it be at work or while riding the Metro. Simply put: this album stands up to all my standards.

One could easily draw the comparison to Bloc Party while listening to the the Foals’ first major release, Antidotes. And not the new Bloc Party that has driven themselves into the ground. Nope, this is like the good old stuff. And what’s more, they’ve done it all themselves. While the Oxford group had originally enlisted TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek to mix the album, they decided that his use of reverb was a little too much for their liking. Taking the reins themselves, they produced a punctuated and sharp sound featuring just the right amount of ambient background noise to keep the rigidity in check.

If some of the UK press have seized on “math rock” as a way to describe the largely 4/4 Foals it’s less because they fit the genre and more that their best tracks sound like they were plotted on grid paper: oblique instrumental vectors crossing, rotating and transforming. In concert videos the guitarists face each other, instruments high and tight against their chests, reflecting one another on an invisible y-axis, shutting the audience out. The stances fit the songwriting: Foals are a band who offer their listeners little in the way of graspable emotion or explanation, but sometimes make up for that with momentum and intrigue – Pitchfork

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/foals

download:
Foals – Balloons.mp3

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Sounds like: Beach Boys, Vampire Weekend

What’s so good?
The Drums’ website sums up their sound as, “We only write about two feelings: one is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you’re walking alone in the rain and realize you will be alone forever.”

“Let’s go surfing” makes me feel like summer might go on forever (even as the winter seems fast approaching). This EP, Summertime!, sounds like endless days of surfing. I think of days that stretch before you, no plans in mind, where road trips and wanderings are possible. It’s probably this surf-pop sound that leads reviewers to say, “Beach boys!” True, but not totally true.

Some of these songs sound like they could be played in an empty factory. Maybe Andy Warhol would have played some of the darker tunes, and where’s the beach boy sound in that? The darker songs are fuzzy, post punk sounds.

“Let’s go surfing” is the best song I’ve heard by the drums yet. There’s some Vampire Weekend with a britpop Joy Division twist in there. Other songs are digging a little more on the old school back to basics synth-pop. The drums are already being touted as best breakout of 2010. Do you believe all the hype?

Indian summer arrives in the form of a band to fall in love with… This EP couldn’t be any more giddy with promise. Let’s just hope these cads don’t leave us with summer dreams, ripped at the seams… – NME

Ever wonder what kind of music the Cure’s Robert Smith would make if he took some Prozac and got a tan? On their debut six-song EP, Summertime!, this Brooklyn quartet pump out spiky post-punk jams spiced up with whistling, schoolyard chants, Eighties synths and so much joyous hand clapping, you’d think you were at a high school pep rally. These guys look like skinny hipsters, but their tunes are the furthest thing from uptight: They dig bike rides, cute babies and Sixties-style love-ins (“Saddest Summer”). And when frontman Jonathan Pierce beckons you to the beach on “Let’s Go Surfing,” it’s enough to make the most subterranean art rocker hang five. One of the best indie-pop debuts of the year – Rolling Stone

But the key to ‘Summertime!’’s success is the melodies. Members of The Drums have already consistently expressed their desire to write “the perfect pop song”. And although that’s a far from abnormal aspiration, it’s the kind that seems to dominate the band’s outlook when it comes to writing almost every note of a song. The finest three-and-a-half-minutes comes in at the climax; ‘Down By The Water’, a ‘Stand By Me’-esque, welled-up, childish declaration that “I just wanna love you deaaar!”. It’s the kind of hands-in-the-air anthem that made bands in the 60’s and it’s very much because of that melody. So far, The Drums are setting their own goals and by God, they are meeting the targets – Music Fan’s Mic

elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/thedrumsforever

download:
the drums – let’s go surfing.mp3

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Sounds like: Byrds, The Velvet Underground, The Talking Heads, Yo La Tengo

What’s so good?
Sure, this album was first released in 1980, but it was just re-issued by Bar/None Records, so I don’t feel I’m stepping out of line by bringing it to your attention. When The Feelies came to manhattan in the late 70s (from somewhere in the suburbs of New Jersey), they brought a jangly upbeat new-wave punk that sounded fresh. Pretty soon their uber-nerd look had enraptured the hearts and minds of many upcoming artists, from R.E.M to Weezer (see the Blue Album cover). Their album, however, flopped.

While the pure, raw sound of this music gets me interested, it’s the percussion that really draws me in. Pitchfork puts it quite well:

The focus and direction of the sound hangs on Mercer and Million’s guitars, but the essence of the album– the DNA sequence not found anywhere else– is its percussion tracks. Cymbals and hi-hats are ignored almost entirely– too cathartic, too showy. Almost every track is overdubbed with a dry chorus of cowbells, claves, woodblocks, bells and maracas. Glenn Mercer’s credit on a cover of the Beatles’ “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” reads: “other guitar, vocals, bell, coat rack.” Drummer Anton Fier thumps out the words NOT TIRED YET NOT TIRED YET NOT TIRED YET in Morse code on his tom-toms. Presumably, shows ended with the rest of the band unplugging him – pitchfork

The simple formulas featured in Crazy Rhythms proved to be The Feelies’ lasting legacy. It took them six years to produce their follow-up album, Good Earth, which was, by comparison, considerably more folksy. Gone were the jangle, the percussion, the two-chord repetition. Gone was any hope of breaking into the main-stream. Two more attempts and little success later, the band disbanded in 1992.

The 2009 bar/none re-issue features remastered originals, as well as a cover of The Beatles’ “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide”. I haven’t a clue what inspired bar/none to bring The Feelies back out of hiding, but i’ve gotta hand it to them: this album fits perfectly in today’s modern (and oft-nostalgic for the 80s) indie scene.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | http://www.myspace.com/domakesaythink
pitchfork feelies review | http://www.pitchfork.com//
the big takeover review | http://www.bigtakeover.com/
paste magazine review | http://www.pastemagazine.com/

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Sounds like: Frightened Rabbit, Futureheads, Bloc Party

What’s so good?
“There’s nothing particularly complex or erudite about These Four Walls. Instead, We Were Promised Jetpacks prefer to rely on things a little closer to hand and a little closer to home. While its emotions are often very raw and its lyrical disclosures seem uncomfortably close to the bone, the album always feels more exciting than it does lugubrious. These Four Walls is rousing, pop-like in its immediacy and pretty damn enjoyable. We should welcome such brave Scottish hearts.” – music omh

This summer, my job has literally been to listen to music for NPR’s All Songs Considered podcast. That being said, this may be the most addicting song I’ve heard all year. It caught my attention the minute the fast-paced, skittering post-punk drums kicked in, and I was completely hooked by the end of the songs emotive climax. If this doesn’t get your heart pumping and/or throbbing, you may not have a pulse.

It’s hard to say whether it’s their youthful energy, the intense earnestness behind the music, or adam thompson’s thick scottish accent, but there’s something about this band that makes their music so compelling. It’s not surprising that their first show was a battle of the bands competition they won while they were still in high school.

There are certainly flaws in this album (they can get a little repetitive and over-dramatic at times), but the spirit and sincerity behind even the cheesiest parts make it easy to forgive, especially considering how young they still are. Give them time to mature and master their songwriting, and we were promised jetpacks could very well become the pride and joy of scotland’s indie rock scene.

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Sounds like: The Dead Weather, The Ergs!, The White Stripes

What’s so good?
I won’t lie: I wasn’t a big fan of this album. but i’m still compelled to throw this up because i think people should know about this band. it may not translate on CD, but these guys have one of the most raw, powerful live sets i’ve seen in a long time.

I saw them open for “The Dead Weather” a few weeks ago, and they totally caught me off guard. Out comes this three piece led by a girl that looked like she could have been thirteen years old in a shabby pilgrim dress looking down at the ground. Then she opened her mouth. Marissa Paternoster may be the only true female in the band, but she lives up to the “Screaming Females” name. And man can she play the guitar. I don’t mean ‘oh, she can play guitar well for a girl;’ I mean this girl can fucking shred. And she thrashes around and slams to her knees as she wails. It was a sight to see, and didn’t feel forced or staged at all.

As punk music continues to evolve into something that looks more and more like whiney glam-rock, it was awesome to see a band play with the pure, genuine spirit and energy of punk rock untainted by a fashion or convention. “Screaming Females”, above all else, are themselves, and they absolutely rock.

Check out this cool “Screaming Females” documentary:

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Sounds like: Tilly and the Wall, Flakes, Metric, Matt & Kim

What’s so good?
What’s with San Francisco pumping out all these good bands? That’s a rhetorical question, you say? Yeah, kinda. I’ve been really into the band “Flakes” lately, so there’s no surprise that this group drew my attention upon first listen.

When I first played “My First Earthquake’s” new album, “Downstairs”, I was initially expecting them to groove to a similar style as the aforementioned “Flakes”. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to find (as you’ll notice that half-way through the song I’ve posted above) that they pump in a “Tilly and the Wall” influence that generates a pretty catchy sound. But why would you want to listen to a band that sounds like two others have already established somewhat established themselves? Well, that’s simple: it’s the electro pop twist!

“My First Earthquake” use of plenty of synth, electronica and smart lyrics brings an originality, danceability, and edginess that no doubt makes this group worth a moment of your attention. Whether “Downstairs” will find itself looping on my iPod like “Flakes” has been is yet to be seen. What I can say is that if you’re looking to round out your library with some female-vocal “umph!”, you’ll want to check these hipsters out.

“Who among us can resist that sweet spot between synthesized electro-pop and hooky indie rock — that fertile, eminently familiar territory mined by modern outfits like Mates of State and Matt and Kim? Not San Francisco group My First Earthquake, whose debut blends those bands’ pop might and indie cool with strong, irreverent female vocals to varying degrees of success” – Eastbayexpress.com

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Sounds like: Flamingo Crash, Battles, Anathello, Friendly Fires, Foals

What’s so good?
“Their intricate songs are full of danceable beats, driven basslines and enthusiastic vocal harmonies that hide themselves deep within your brain for you to find yourself singing days later.” – The 405

Right, so all they’ve released is an EP, but there are two songs on it that I’m tripping over. That is to say, they’re bloody amazing. Namely, “Black Morning” and “That’s All.” Seriously give these guys a check see if you’re into indie/danceable stuff.

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Sounds like: Say Hi (to Your Mom), Cajun Dance Party, Vampire Weekend, Two Door Cinema Club

What’s so good?
Would you look at how young these fine lads are?! Just out of high school, they’ve wisely postponed college to work on their debut album, and if this single is any hint at what’s to come, we’re going to be in for a treat. I should add that the moment I heard this single, I rushed out and got their two other EPs, and they haven’t let down. Check it, check it. I’ll be keeping my ears posted for more news on them.

Bombay Bicycle Club’s “new single ‘always like this’ …[is] a deliciously danceable number, with an almost afro-pop melodious riff that would make vampire weekend jealous. topped with bombay’s typically quivering, devendra-esque vocals then, the track looks set to soundtrack the summer” – the music journal