If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Aileen Lam The trend in shoegaze these days is to mix up the formula and cross pollinate it with other musical genres. Hong Kong's Lucid Express aren't doing that on "Something Blue," and have released one of the most pure shoegaze songs of the year. The song feels like you're dreaming. It's hazy and fuzzy, with just the right amount of loud/quiet/loud. The feedback squall that telegraphed the first loud chorus was just about perfect, and gave me some 90's college flashbacks. "Something Blue" is a gorgeous and breathtaking track, and fans of classic shoegaze are going to be transfixed by Lucid Express. You can watch the video for "Something Blue" below. Instant Comfort is due out February 20 on Kanine Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Lucid Express, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram .

Photo by Alexa Viscius Chicago's Bnny are quickly becoming an indie rock favorite around here, and really everywhere. The band's latest single, "Something Blue," is just modern indie rock perfection. It lives in that world of 90's inspired indie rock that has a modern pop sheen over it. Jessica Viscius provides vocals that have a touch of the slacker vibe to them, but it's obvious she cares far too much about the subject to truly be a slacker song. "Something Blue" kind of sounds like if Mazzy Star decided to rock out a bit harder, and used some Sonic Youth guitar tunings. You can watch the video for "Something Blue" below. One Million Love Songs is due out April 5 on Fire Talk Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Bnny, check out the artist's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the video. Fri. Apr. 19 - Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle (Record Release) Thu. May 9 - Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown Tue. May 14 - London, UK ...

A ska/pop-punk cover of a Beatles classic is something you already know if you want to hear. Orange County's Half Past Two have chosen to cover "I Will," which is one of the most underappreciated Beatles songs out there. The original is a quiet, slightly upbeat ballad that may very well be the first ever twee song. Half Past Two's version is restrained for ska/punk, but definitely more upbeat than the original. This is a 90's throwback ska song, sounding more like Reel Big Fish or Save Ferris than earlier ska. It's a ska cover of a Beatles song, and in the tradition of ska covers of classic rock songs, this is purely fun. You can watch the video for Half Past Two's version of "I Will" below. Something Blue , the new EP from Half Past Two, is out today. You can get a copy via Bandcamp . For more on Half Past Two, check out their website .