Ethan Kennedy – Raucous

January 15th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in blues, psychedelic, rock  |  3 comments

Ethan Kennedy is the new Black Keys. He is better than the Black Keys. The Black Keys ruined themselves by following up a mediocre Attach+Release with an even worse BlakRoc. Ethan Kennedy is o fresh that he can’t possibly ruin himself yet. He is the Black keys to the power of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Frank Jordan. He is intricately more interesting and far more exciting. The world needs to hear this stuff.

Real Estate – Real Estate

January 2nd, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in dreamwave/chillwave, garage, psychedelic, rock

In the same vein as all my blog favourites such as Surfer Blood, Girls and Best Coast – Real Estate make snippets of 60s pop psychedelia coated in fuzzy reverb and drenched in sunny harmonies. The difference between this band and the others is the total chillout mentality they show across their entire self-titled debut album, leading to a whole load of comparisons to the other chillwave bands of late.

Huron – Huron

December 30th, 2009  |  by b aiken  |  published in blues, psychedelic, rock  |  1 comment

Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Huron is a self-described rock and roll band, but I would say they are a bit more dynamic than being pigeon-holed into the massive genre of ‘rock and roll.,’ I’d define them as ‘real, good, music.’ It’s certainly clear that Huron stays close to their rock roots; with influences ranging from the Beatles to Neil Young and Pink Floyd, Huron spans both the psychedelic and southern rock musical spectrum.

Apse – Climb Up

December 10th, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, post-rock, progressive rock, psychedelic  |  1 comment

If Mr. Gnome had a male singer, they’d sound like Apse. And if you like Mr. Gnome, then the psychedelic, post-rock, experimental grooviness of Apse is sure to garner your attention. This music isn’t pop. It isn’t meant to sit in the background while you work hard on homework. Rather, it commands your full focus.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band – The Phenomenal Handclap Band

December 4th, 2009  |  by daniel surwit  |  published in funk, indie rock, psychedelic  |  1 comment

To be fair, the Phenomenal Handclap Band probably can’t do all things for all people. In some ways, with an end product that is not overly unique or extraordinary, this group might not be able to live up to it’s own name (can you think of a catchier one in recent memory?). But with a core of members from other bands such as TV on the Radio, L’Trimm, Calla, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Mooney Suzuki, and Sí Se, as well as the accompaniment of multiple other cameos, this collective puts forth an album that is undeniably magnetic.

Best Coast – When I’m With You

November 22nd, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in female vocalists, indie pop, psychedelic

Without a doubt, Best Coast is one of the most exciting emerging garage pop artists on the scene at the moment. Her songs will take you away, and make you want to move out there, forever. She’s a very talented individual, and at 22, has many years of life on the ‘best coast’ ahead of her.

au – versions

October 7th, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in experimental, indie pop, psychedelic  |  1 comment

where this album shines, it does so emphatically and with balls. au is a portland-based group (reduced to only two members since their last album, verbs) that present an experimental style of indie-pop that sounds an awful lot like wild beasts (with a bit more piano).

edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros – up from below

August 16th, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in experimental, freak-folk, psychedelic  |  1 comment

“Alex ebert could easily double as some kind of indie-rock messiah. Fronting his new band, the 11- or 12-member strong Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Ebert appears onstage shirtless and barefoot, strands of shoulder-length hair tied back in a faux crown as he conducts his smiling, face-painted ensemble like a giddy choir director. At those moments, he is no longer Alex Ebert, hard-partying lead singer of the dance-rock band Ima Robot; he becomes Edward Sharpe, his boyhood alter ego, and his band is his family. His agenda, as 1960s as it sounds, is little more than love and honesty.” – the la times