Summer Twins - "Demons"

Sisters Chelsea and Justine Brown make up the core of Summer Twins. The desire to form a band came before actually forming a band, and in October they have their sophomore album due out.

"Demons" reminds me of the retro girl groups that seem to come out every few years, like The Pipettes or Those Darlins'. "Demons" comes across as a more polished version of that, throwing back to 50s sock hop music and 60s garage rock. And then the guitar comes in, and it's just a dirty noise rock blast. While Summer Twins might look back at the past, they're not a retro act at all. It's a perfect mixture of retro and today.

Summer Twins' second album, Limbo, is due out on October 2 on Burger Records. You can listen to "Demons" below. For some more information on Summer Twins, check out their website and Bandcamp.

He's My Brother She's My Sister - "Easy Days"

It's been a while since we've heard from He's My Brother She's My Sister. In the past couple years the members have welcomed a baby and a couple got married. They're back to making music, and have just come out with their first new song in years! "Easy Days" is literally the perfect summer song, particularly for late summer when it seems 80% of everyone you encounter is on vacation, and no one seems to really want to do anything remotely productive. It just oozes southern California in a way no band has since the Beach Boys. It seems a little more straightforward than some of He's My Brother She's My Sister's previous songs, but it could represent some serious growth for the band.

"Easy Days" is available for download on Bandcamp. Sure it's $2.00 for one song, but all money it brings in goes to Musicians on a Mission, which helps disadvantaged kids learn to play a musical instrument. You can listen below, and if you're in California, you have a few chances to see He's My Brother She's My Sister live soon. Also, be sure to check out their website for more info.

Friday, September 18th: SOHO, Santa Barbara

Saturday, September 26th: Teregram Ballroom, Los Angeles

Friday, October 2nd: The Independent, San Francisco 

David Wax Museum - "Guesthouse"

Photo by Ken Sears

With the release of their 5th album scheduled for release in October, blog obsession David Wax Museum have unveiled the title track. "Guesthouse" is a wonderfully positive tribute to all the people that have welcomed the band into their homes while on tour. It has a carnival vibe to it, and also celebrates the Mexican culture that, while embracing it fully in their music, the band has never been fully a part of, but a welcome guest. "Guesthouse" has a very slight growth in it, which shows that Guesthouse will be another step in David Wax Museum's constant evolution. From album to album there isn't a huge shift in band direction, but when you go back two or three you see an impressive array of growth. I can't wait until October for Guesthouse to be released officially.

Guesthouse is due out October 16 on Thirty Tigers. You still have four days to pre-order on their Indie Go Go campaign, and get some very cool bonuses. Make sure you head on over to their website for some pretty extensive touring they have planned. Their live show needs to be experienced. NPR currently has an exclusive first listen to "Guesthouse." You can find that here.

Ransom Pier - If They Can't Take a Joke

Queens, NY's Ransom Pier blew me away with their first single, "Turn Your Head," and quickly threatened to become a blog favorite, which is pretty amazing for a band that formed earlier this year. Well, they're about to release their debut EP, and I'm pretty sure they've reached blog favorite level. They mix this great combination of indie roots and soul, which is something I didn't know I needed in my life. 

The album starts off with "I Must Say," which is a mixture of The Black Crowes' The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion and Sallie Ford. They have this great classic folk-rock sound while sounding completely modern. It's perfect for anyone who likes any portion of the Americana genre. "Love's a Bitch" might be one of the best soul anthems of the year, second only to Leon Bridge's album. This is a great debut, even if how recently the band formed drives me a little insane.

If They Can't Take a Joke is due out on August 13. You can pre-order and preview two tracks on Ransom Pier's Bandcamp. Also, be sure to check out their website.

August 13 - Arlene's Grocery, NYC w/Psychobaby

August 18 - Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theater, Wellfleet, MA w/Eleanor Dubinsky

September 26 - The Bitter End, NYC

First Listen: New Releases for August 7

Looks like we might be exiting the summer doldrums.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Langhorne Slim and the Law
Album: The Spirit Moves
Quick Description: Latest album from the folk revivalist.
Why You Should Listen: You enjoy upbeat folk music with a retro feel.
Overall Thoughts: I'm not sure I'm willing to call this Langhorne Slim's best album yet, but it might be in the discussion. "Strangers" in particular is a bit of a barnburner and the whole album feels cohesive and modern while retaining that sort of retro touch. Langhorne Slim doesn't get enough credit for what he's doing, and this should be a mandatory listen.
Recommendation: Absolutely the best listen of the week, highly recommended.

Artist: HEALTH
Album: Death Magic
Quick Description: First album in close to 6 years from the noise rock group.
Why You Should Listen: Noise rock is your thing; You like music that tries to push boundaries but doesn't really do it.
Overall Thoughts: This album will be thrown out there are weird and jarring and too far off the beaten path, and that's not entirely wrong. It's not an easy album but it's decidedly more mainstream than their past work and it's a nice jolt of often-melodic noise rock that might end up being your thing if you're feeling like a change.
Recommendation: Not for everyone, but worth a listen for the adventurous types.

Artist: Agent Fresco
Album: Destrier
Quick Description: Icelandic rock effort that is equal parts interesting and attention-grabbing.
Why You Should Listen: You like your rock music a little off-kilter but don't mind a challenge.
Overall Thoughts: This was close to my album of the week. I find this album hard to describe, as it's sometimes rock and sometimes lighter and I too often feel Icelandic music attaches a Sigur Ros/Bjork connotation to the whole thing that doesn't apply here. I look forward to spending more time with this album anyway, but this is one that needs more than one listen to fully grasp.
Recommendation: Give it a spin, you'll know pretty quickly if it's for you.

Artist: La Luz
Album: Weirdo Shrine
Quick Description: Retro-styled rock with solid harmonies and female vocals.
Why You Should Listen: You like a lot of the retro acts out there but wish the production values and songwriting was better.
Overall Thoughts: This was a nice, pleasant surprise for me. I loved most of this album, and it's one that's catchy and fun without feeling dated or derivative. It's a tough line to walk, but La Luz does it really well.
Recommendation: A fun listen that's worth your time.

Artist: The Mynabirds
Album: Lovers Know
Quick Description: Highly-anticipated third album from the indie pop project.
Why You Should Listen: You loved "Generals" along with everyone else on the planet; you like a bit of edge to your indie pop.
Overall Thoughts: "Generals" was such a good song (and the album it came from so solid) that it's not fair to expect Lovers Know to reach those heights, but it comes pretty close from time to time. My only negative for this album is how it feels a little longer than it needs to be, but the overall result is a solid record that may get overlooked given what else came out this week.
Recommendation: A good fun record that deserves a listen.

Artist: Ultimate Painting
Album: Green Lanes
Quick Description: A summery indie rock album.
Why You Should Listen: You've worn yourself out on the latest Real Estate album.
Overall Thoughts: This is a fun album but ultimately one that was instantly forgettable. I know I liked it, but I can't remember much about it, and, in a packed week like this one, that's a death knell.
Recommendation: If you still have time, give this a listen, but don't prioritize it.

Artist: Lindi Ortega
Album: Faded Gloryville
Quick Description: More rootsy folk-rock from the Canadian singer-songwriter.
Why You Should Listen: The words "rootsy folk-rock" pique your interest.
Overall Thoughts: I'll be honest: while this album is good, it's a shame it's not better, especially given the continued roots revival and with the attention given to singers like Lera Lynn as of late. Little Red Boots was a high point in that Ortega appears to be mellowing out a bit, and that's not always what I'm looking for from her work.
Recommendation: Give it a listen if this week's offerings aren't generally your style, but be wary.

Artist: Chelsea Wolfe
Album: Abyss
Quick Description: Latest album of goth folk/rock from the acclaimed singer-songwriter.
Why You Should Listen: You've loved her previous efforts; you're an emo kid who hates the whole emo thing; you like dark, brooding complicated songwriting.
Overall Thoughts: I realized midway through listening to this that Chelsea Wolfe gives me the same feelings I had when I discovered PJ Harvey about 15 years ago. The songwriting is a little different, the brooding tone and such have a lot wider appeal than you'd think, and, again, in a different week this might have been my favorite. Really solid listen, and easily her best so far.
Recommendation: Not for everyone, but it's absolutely one of the better releases of the week.

Artist: Frank Turner
Album: Positive Songs for Negative People
Quick Description: Newest album fro the folk punk favorite here at the blog.
Why You Should Listen: You're a fan of his previous work; you've looked for a place to dive in and haven't found it yet.
Overall Thoughts: Ken's been trying to get me into Frank Turner for a while. This is an album I really, really liked - "Get Better" hit me right away and I loved it, and the rest of the album is also pretty solid. It actually reminds me quite a bit of The Hold Steady in a few ways, with the sort of immediacy that we got from the earlier albums.
Recommendation: Find time for this. Even if you don't like the whole thing, there will certainly be parts you'll enjoy.


Also out this week:

* The Prodigy - The Night is My Friend EP

Lou Barlow - "Moving"

Photo by Rachel Enneking

With his 3rd album bearing just his name coming out next month, Lou Barlow has shared the first single, "Moving." It's a very minimal song, with instrumentation consisting of a detuned ukelele and some keyboards. It's a moody song (presumably) about his decision to uproot his life and move from Los Angeles back to western Massachusetts. If 2013's Sebadoh album Defend Yourself was Barlow's divorce album, Brace the Wave could be his moving on with life album. It's very fitting that this would be one of his more minimalist semi-acoustic offerings. 

Brace the Wave is due out September 4 on Joyful Noise Recordings. You can listen to "Moving" below. For more information, including tour dates, head on over to www.loobiecore.com. 

First Listen: New Releases for July 31

The dog days of summer are truly upon us.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Have Gun, Will Travel
Album: Science From an Easy Chair
Quick Description: Interesting indie rock album with roots influences about Shackleton's excursion 100 years ago.
Why You Should Listen: You like concept albums or albums that tend to subvert typical expectations.
Overall Thoughts: In what is a very short week for releases, this is a lot of fun but would likely be overlooked otherwise. It's got a lot of really great moments that make it worth your while, though.
Recommendation: Probably the one essential album for this week.

Artist: Titus Andronicus
Album: The Most Lamentable Tragedy
Quick Description: New album by indie art rockers.
Why You Should Listen: You're enjoyed Titus Andronicus before; challenging indie rock is sometimes your thing.
Overall Thoughts: Titus Andronicus hasn't ever really done it for me, and this album has a lot of good moments mixed in with some really strange conceptual stuff. You'll know pretty quickly how long your tolerance is for this - mine was about an hour.
Recommendation: Probably for fans only, and you'll get a better idea of what this band is about with their debut.

Artist: Lianne La Havas
Album: Blood
Quick Description: Second album by Prince-associated alt-R&B artist.
Why You Should Listen: You don't mind more groovy R&B but tend to look for something more.
Overall Thoughts: I grabbed this solely because she has toured with Prince/in his touring band. This is a very unique and different album that, in a way, defies characterization, and when it works, it is rather brilliant.
Recommendation: Worth a listen, you're very likely to find something you'd like.

Artist: Joss Stone
Album: Water For Your Soul
Quick Description: Latest reggae-inspired album by the young soul singer.
Why You Should Listen: You're a fan of her previous work and embarrassing lyrics don't bother you.
Overall Thoughts: This is not so bad musically, but, especially as someone who rarely notices lyrics, this is really painful to listen to. "Star" in particular is especially ridiculous.
Recommendation: Skip this. Even fans might find this a little hard to bear.

Artist: Albert Hammond Jr
Album: Momentary Masters
Quick Description: Strokes guitarist with a new album.
Why You Should Listen: You like your indie rock straightforward; The Strokes and his previous work did it for you.
Overall Thoughts: I liked "Born Slippy" a lot when I first heard it and offered it up here at the blog. What's stunning about Momentary Masters in particular is how momentary the album truly is. I listened to this and promptly forgot basically all of it shortly after. I think I liked it? It's just not memorable.
Recommendation: Give it a listen.

Artist: Russkaja
Album: Peace, Love, and Russian Roll
Quick Description: Russian ska-punk band with their influences front and center.
Why You Should Listen: You wish Gogol Bordello was more like a 1950s/60s rock band; you enjoy well-crafted ska-punk.
Overall Thoughts: I really enjoyed this album. It's imperfect for sure, and perhaps too all-over-the-place to really have any lasting qualities, but when I hear some old-school rockabilly breakdowns in the middle of a ska song, or when the acoustic love song hits in the middle? It's hard not to be charmed.
Recommendation: A must listen for this week, if only for the experience. You might even end up loving it.

Sweet Baboo - "You Got Me Time Keeping"

Photo Credit: Kirsten McTernan

I've had to come to terms with liking Sweet Baboo. His music is a little too polished and pop for what I normally like, and, quite frankly, I normally hate typical pop music. But Sweet Baboo is just a little different. Somehow the Brits have this ability to make straightforward pop that's just quirky and odd enough that it can still be interesting. "You Got Me Time Keeping" starts off super sunny and sweet, almost a 60s pop throwback. It changes into this heavily orchestral track, which keeps changing to the point where I lost track of how many different songs it could have been. By the end, it's back to the original sunny pop song. It's one of the most brilliant pop songs I've heard in years.

You can watch the video for "You Got Me Time Keeping" below. Sweet Baboo's new album, The Boombox Ballads, is due out August 14 on Moshi Moshi. Of course, he has a website and a Facebook that you should check out.

Sealings - "White Devil"

Sealings hail from Brighton in the UK. They have their debut album, I'm a Bastard, coming out on September 18th. The first song they've released from it, "White Devil," is a forward looking throwback to the glory days of the 80s indie scene.

"White Devil" reminds me a lot of Sonic Youth's "Death Valley 69," particularly the guitars and intensely methodical drumming. It also has some of the pop elements of The Strokes, but only when The Strokes are aping Sonic Youth. You'll also hear some of The Jesus and Mary Chain's drone behind the whole thing. And somehow they pack all of this epic sound into a compact 2 minute song.

I'm a Bastard will be released September 18 on Faux Discx and Italian Beach Babes. You can listen to "White Devil" below. Faux Discx has the album available for pre-order, and check out the label's website for more information.

 

The Needy Sons - "The Swimmer"/"Superficial Kid"

The Needy Sons are the latest project from Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom) and a collaboration with Mike Gent of The Figgs. They've been playing the occasional show around the Boston area, with a good chunk taking place in Janovitz's current town of Lexington, MA. The band has functioned mostly as a bar band, playing a ton of covers and songs from both Janovitz's and Gent's back catalog.

Now, we get the first original songs from The Needy Sons. "The Swimmer" is Janovitz's song, much funkier than his previous work. The song seems to be an ode to carefree summers of his youth, and seems like a natural extension from 2013's Walt Whitman Mall. Gent's contribution, "Superficial Kid," almost sounds like a lost Rollings Stones track mixed with Tom Petty.

To listen to/purchase "The Swimmer"/"Superficial Kid," check out Bill Janovitz's Bandcamp. If you'd like to follow The Needy Sons specifically, they have a Facebook page.