cootie catcher - "Puzzle Pop"

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Photo by Colin Medley

We've been looking forward to the upcoming album from cootie catcher, and the Toronto band's latest single has not changed that at all. "Puzzle Pop" fits nicely into the indie rock meets indie pop sound the band has crafted on previous singles "Gingham Dress" and "Straight Drop." It's upbeat and breezy, but I'm also sensing some melancholy on this one. Plus, there's this interesting point where they loop and sample themselves, giving the whole song an oddly quirky feel. More than the previous singles, "Puzzle Pop" has a roots music vibe to match with the indie rock/pop sound. This is an interesting little song that's going to win cootie catcher over some fans, and get all of us even more excited for their upcoming full length.

Singer/guitarist Nolan Jakupovski says of the band's new single:

“It’s a song about how I should ask more from people but I don’t."

You can watch the video for "Puzzle Pop" below. Something We All Got is due out February 27 on Carpark Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on cootie catcher, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.


3/4/26 - Montreal, QC @ Sotterenea *

3/5/26 - Albany, NY @ A.I.R. (w/ Bruiser and Bicycle)

3/6/26 - New York, NY @ The New Colossus Festival

3/7/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Hidden Fortress

3/8/26 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop §

3/9/26 - Richmond, VA @ Gallery5 &

3/10/26 - Durham, NC @ Pinhook ¶

3/11/26 - Asheville, NC @ Static Age (w/ Trust Blinks)

3/12/26 - Atlanta, GA @ Factors **

3/15/26 - Hot Springs, AR @ Valley Of The Vapors

3/19/26 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Room +

3/20/26 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Bookish ~

3/21/26 - St Louis, MO @ CBGB

3/22/26 - Cincinnati, IN @ Lambda Research ^

03/23/26 - Chicago @ The Hideout

3/24/26 - Detroit, MI @ Lager House %

3/28/26 - Hamilton, ON @ Corktown Pub

3/29/26 - Toronto, ON @ Garrison !


*  Frownline, Fireball Kid

§  Aunt Katrina

¶  Edna Mode, Charlie Paso

& Kitty Corner, Hotspit, and The Lampreys

** Hill View #73, Strumbrush, and Mood Room

+  Paper Jam, Palefire

~  Powdr, Lust Online

^  Artificial Go, Spoils

%  Dryfruit, Bonnie Hook

!  Good Flying Birds, Touch Girl Apple Blossom

On Repeat...

Monday Mix: Newport Folk Festival 2014 Must See Bands

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With this weekend's upcoming Newport Folk Festival, we thought we'd highlight some of this year's can't miss acts. We're focusing on the bands playing smaller stages and earlier in the day. I mean, you're obviously going to see Ryan Adams and Jack White. Instead, these are the acts worth getting there early for, and seeking out the smaller stages. Phox Friday, 1:50, Quad Stage Phox hails from Baraboo, WI, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers' Circus. I'm not sure if that is connected to their music or not, but Phox has an otherworldly charm and a magical feel. They come across as a more grounded St. Vincent or a less intense version of early Tori Amos. Their music is simply beautiful and uplifting.  Reignwolf Friday, 2:55, Quad Stage Truly pushing the boundaries of what can be considered "folk" are Reignwolf. Reignwolf is Jordan Cook, who sounds like a mixture of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with just a lit...
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Minibeast - "High Sea"

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Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
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The Cairo Gang - "Be What You Are"

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Photo by Rachel Cassels The Cairo Gang is mostly Emmett Kelly, who recorded most of their upcoming album, Goes Missing,  on his own while travelling. "Be What You Are" is pure pop gold, reminiscent of British invasion bands like The Kinks and The Zombies. It features jangly guitars and some of the most infectious layered vocals you've heard in years. Luckily the beauty of this style of music is that it never quite sounds dated. It might sound like it's from a certain era that happened 50 years ago, but everything you've ever listened to since then borrows so heavily from it that it always sounds current. It's the kind of music you wish you hadn't missed, only now you haven't. Goes Missing  is due out June 23rd on God? Records. You can pre-order the album now, and be sure to check out The Cairo Gang's Facebook . Listen to "Be What You Are" below, and below that are tour dates, many opening for Mikal Cronin. Sat. Sept. 5 - Portlan...
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