[stream] The Spyrals – “Love Me Too”/”Reflection”

I’ve been immersed in the sounds coming out of the Bay Area for a few weeks now, and one of the better singles I’ve caught so far is this one from The Spyrals.  The skuzzy + shimmering “Love Me Too”/”Reflection” dropped last summer – looks like there’s 1 copy of the 7” left at the time of this writing.  With a handful of singles and EPs under their belts over the past year or so, the band’s just released a self-titled debut.  I haven’t given it a spin yet, but look for more on that one in the near future.

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[stream] Disappears – “Replicate”

It seems like it’s becoming clockwork that a new year rolls in and with it comes an announcement of a new record from Disappears.  The mighty Chicago post-punk act will drop Pre Language, their third album in 3 years and once again via Kranky, on March 1.  Touring drummer Steve Shelley (of Sonic Youth fame) was in studio for the recording and is now an official member of the band.  Have a listen to “Replicate” below, which leads off the 9-song LP.

(from Pre Language. Info here)

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Stream 2 New Craig Finn Songs

Here’s a couple of Americana-leaning new tracks from the solo debut of Hold Steady shouter Craig Finn.  “New Friend Jesus” is a dusty, up-tempo jaunt with the choice line “it’s hard to suck with Jesus in your band”, and “Honolulu Blues” turns up the volume and keeps the vivid religious images coming.  Clear Heart Full Eyes drops January 24 from Vagrant, the first 500 preorders get a free limited edition bandana, which will come in handy for when you want to look like a biker or an ultimate frisbee player.

“New Friend Jesus”

“Honolulu Blues”

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[mp3] Memoryhouse – “The Kids Were Wrong”

The muted, gauzy indie-pop of Memoryhouse got a lot of attention last year in large part for the hauntingly beautiful single/video “Lately” from the EP The Years.  Now signed to Sub Pop, the Canadian duo is ready to release The Slideshow Effect, their full length debut, on February 28.  Check out the excellent (and surprisingly jaunty) lead single “The Kids Were Wrong” by donating an email address here.

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[stream] Four Tet – “Moma”

Check out a new track from Four Tet.  The patient, slowly spiraling “Moma” will appear on We Are the Works in Progress, a 14-track compilation being curated by Blond Redhead’s Kazu Makino to benefit victims of the Japanese tsunami from earlier this year.  Deerhunter, Interpol, Pantha du Prince, John Maus, and Broadcast contributed tracks as well.  Info here. 

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[stream] Tennis – “Origins”

 

 

It hasn’t taken nautically-minded indie-pop duo Tennis long to figure out what their next move will be.  Following a batch of truly great singles released in 2010 and this year’s excellent full length Cape Dory, the band will release a brand new record called Young and Old in February on Fat Possum.  Young and Old was produced by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney.  Prior to the album release the band will drop a limited, double A-side  7” single on Forest Family featuring album track “Origins” and another track called  “Deep in the Woods”.  Check out “Origins” below and look for the pre-order here. (via)

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[stream] French Kissing – “Let Yourself Go”

London’s French Kissing burst onto my radar last year with the infectious surf-pop jam “Oh Suzanne”, one of my favorite songs of 2010.  It’s been quiet on the French Kissing scene pretty much ever since, but word came today that the band is readying a new EP.  Check out skuzzy garage rocker “Let Yourself Go”, which was recorded while “hiding from the London riots”.

Previously:

MP3  ::  Oh Suzanne

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[stream] Weekend – “Hazel”

San Fran noise-pop auteurs Weekend (not to be confused with the sleek R&B of The Weeknd) are following up their 2010 debut Sports (which featured “Coma Summer”, one of last year’s most intensely awesome rock songs) with a brand new 5-song EP.  Red will be released by Slumberland on 9/20 and features a propulsive, melodic freak out called “Hazel” that was recorded around the same time as Sports.  Check it out:

Previously:

MP3  ::  Coma Summer

(from Sports. Buy here)

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[stream] David Shane Smith – “Shampoo”

Perennial PHW favorite David Shane Smith has released a free sampler EP (along with the kinda creepy cover art as seen above).  Unfortunately, there’s no new material to be found here from the hyper-prolific L.A. songwriter.  Instead, the Shampoo EP collects one song from each of his past three full length albums and acts as a sort of introduction to Smith’s experimental, anything-goes avant-pop.  Check out the gauzy, slow-marching ballad “Shampoo”, which first appeared earlier this year on Controls SM.  Download the others – “Actor” (from Cloud Pleaser) and “Beach” (from Perfect Forms) – here.

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[stream] Great Elk – “Walk Down Your Own Road” & “Falls”

There’s two new Great Elk tracks floating around out there for you to check out – first, the Brooklyn-based indie/folk band contributed “Walk Down Your Own Road”, one of my very favorite Paul Basile songs, to the Local Correspondents’ recent benefit album for Japan called Songs for Japan.  The album contains 16 tracks from many of New York’s best singer-songwriters, including PHW faves Matt Singer and Secondstar in addition to Great Elk.  You can grab the album for as little as $5 (but suggested donations are $10-15) and all benefits go directly to those afflicted by the recent disaster.

Additionally, Family Records have made “Falls” available as part of their Singles Club.  Both songs will also appear on the band’s second self-released EP, February, which will drop in late May.  The label is also reporting that Great Elk will soon be recording their debut full length, due sometime in late 2011.  You can hear and buy “Falls” here.

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