[on repeat] I'M SORRY WE LIED by Blood Orange

I'm Sorry We Lied

Sutphin Boulevard

Blood Orange is the new solo project from Dev Hynes of Test Icicles (with whom he collaborated on with Tom Vek), and then moved on to the Lightspeed Champion moniker. His new LP, Coastal Grooves, was released August 8 (buy) on Domino Records under his new name and a very new sound. 'Eclectic' doesn't really even do the project justice. The record takes

THE PULL by High Places

The Pull

Year Off

L.A. (transplanted from Brooklyn) electronic experimentalist duo High Places are releasing their third proper LP, Original Colors, on October 11 from Thrill Jockey Records (pre-order).  This record sees their level of experimentation growing even more and if I were more of an electronic enthusiast I'd see this having a much greater impact on me, but nevertheless, they entranced me in 2008 with their self-titled LP and now

[on repeat] GOLD SNEAKERS by Wax Idols

Gold Sneakers

Dead Like You (previously on CWR)

Wax Idols' debut LP, No Future, from the wonderful folks over at Hozac Records, has finally made its way to me and it's a scorcher as expected.  Hether Fortune spent some time with other Bay Area acts like Bare Wires and Hunx and His Punx, but the fit was never right for what I'm sure were a variety of reasons.  However, anyone who knows relatively

VANITY by Hello Moon

Vanity
Three More Inches

Shrilling guitars that create an almost deafening brilliance is the best way I can describe the song 'Vanity' from Dublin, Ireland's Hello Moon.  Their debut LP, Only Count The Sunny Hours, was released Sept. 10 from Any Other City Records (buy).  It's a jangly twee sounding affair for the most

DO WHAT'S RIGHT BY YOU by The Routes

Do What's Right By You

I have just stumbled upon this trio out of Japan and am now trying to get my hands on some more releases with no success (yet!).  You're going to listen to this and swear that it came out of the 60's garage scene, but these guys are around today and they're putting out some genuine blues, garage/psych, 60s British invasion revival sounds that makes you wonder whether they've listened to anything in the past 4 decades.  Give the song 'Do

[on repeat] CATHEDRAL by Lilac

Cathedral
So Young

Because there aren't enough good bands out of San Francisco already, Lilac, which released a self-titled EP this past June on Omega Records, was formed by lovebirds Kirsten Knick and Will Ivy, who has been involved in other SF projects like Hunx and His Punx and Girls over the years.  The five tracks on the new EP are all solid rock/pop gems that see

SUMMER 2011 Mix

Goodbye, summer. I'm sad to see you go, but there were some great new tunes that came out the past three months so lets reflect back by streaming the playlist above.  The whole set is available for download here or you can access and subscribe to the playlist via Spotify.  Playlist after the jump.

CATAMARAN by Allah-Las

Catamaran
Long Journey (cover of The Roots)

I've been wondering when we'll get more from the lo-fi, woozy vintage L.A. quartet Allah-Las.  They played a whole month's residency at Echo every Tuesday in August and apparently they practice incessantly so you'd think they'd have more out than the sole 7" single for 'Catamaran' that came out mid-April from Pres Records.  Well, for now, that's all we have and I've heard no news of a subsequent LP, EP, or even another

[on repeat] I DREAM by Orca Team

I Dream

Vancouver B.C.

Listening to Portland trio Orca Team makes you want to go to a drive-in theater or a high school dance after a day at the beach in the 60's.  They self-released their impressive debut LP, Let It Go, last year and have followed it up with more jangly, rusty surf-pop inspired tunes on the digital/cassette

[on repeat] BALANCE by Future Islands

Balance
Before The Bridge

The smooth 80's influenced synth sounds of Future Islands gained recognition after the 2010 release of In Evening Air and it continues with full force on their third LP, On The Water, scheduled to be released on October 11 from Thrill Jockey Records (pre-order).  This Baltimore trio has released the LPs first single, 'Before The Bridge,'

VIDEOTAPES by Blouse

Videotapes
Shadow

Portland trio, Blouse, help sustain the revival of shimmering 80's style pop with their single, 'Videotapes,' which is off their forthcoming self-titled debut LP out on November 1 from Captured Tracks Records who picked up the band after posting just two songs on their Bandcamp.  Up to now, they have two 7" singles:  Into The Black on Captured Tracks this past March and Black Shadow from

POLICE HELICOPTER by Black Bug

Police Helicopter

Shard Of Glass

Hozac Records has included the Swedish fuzz, electro trio Black Bug as part of its recent batch of releases.  Upon first listen I was instantly reminded of the brilliance known as Nice Face.  They include all the punk, fuzzed out energy of the aforementioned and warp it into a futuristic sci-fi sound with throbbing synths, hypnotic percussion,

THINK OF YOU by Bleached

Think Of You
You Take Time

The L.A. punk band Miko Mika has spawned bands such as Dunes and Cold Showers, and now sisters Jessica and Jennifer have formed Bleached.  Bleached is a natural progression from the Miko Mika sound, but varies widely from Jennifer's synth work with the electronic poppy outfit Cold Cave.  Bleached have two releases out from Art Fag

DEAD LIKE YOU by Wax Idols

Dead Like You
All Too Human (previously on CWR)

SF's Wax Idols caught our attention earlier this year with the amazingly infectious and thoroughly rocking single for 'All Too Human.'  The debut LP, No Future, will be released by the infallible Hozac Records in October and includes the track 'Dead Like You,' which wets your lips even more in anticipation for the full-length.  If the new tune isn't

RABID LOVE by Colleen Green

Rabid Love
4 Loko 2 Kayla

Colleen Green has been a regular part of the playlist rotation here dating back to the start of this blog.  And now, not only is she a resident of Los Angles, but she's getting ready to release her Cujo EP on Oct. 4 from Art Fag Recordings and has given the internet a peek at one of the tracks off the EP called 'Rabid Love.'  Colleen is starting a one month tour at the end of September with Crocodiles and

[on repeat] TIME KEEPS TIME by Grass Widow

Time Keeps Time (Neo Boys cover)
11 of Diamonds (from Past Time LP)

Grass Widow is yet another great band out of the Bay Area. The female power pop trio's newest release is a 3-track 7" for 'Milo Minute' (buy) on their newly established label, HLR Records. The A-side is a steady, fast-paced, post-punk guitar strummer that is hard not to like. The two other tracks consist of exceptional covers of the early 80s indie pop girl band Neo Boys and a tune from Wire.  The driving

AUTUMN SONG by Sea Pinks

Autumn Song

Peripheral Vision (previously on CWR)

Some of you may remember Sea Pinks, which is the side project of the drummer for Ireland's Girls Names.  Sea Pinks focuses on the same jangly, surf inspired sound, but with a simpler, sunnier disposition than Girls Names layered, a bit grayer sound.  Sea Pinks second LP, Dead Seas, came out in the U.S. yesterday on CF Records and

[on repeat] THE HAMMER by Total Control

The Hammer
One More Tonight


Electro, post-punk rockers from Melbourne, Total Control, have moved away from the heavy dose of pulsing electronica in their early 7"s (see 'Paranoid Video') to release their debut LP, Henge Beat on Iron Lung Records last month, which is filled with a noiser, darker, punk atmosphere throughout.  It's a side project consisting of members from Eddy

[on repeat] CHAMPAGNE & PEACHES by Nerves Junior

Champagne & Peaches

As Bright As Your Night Light

Nerves Junior are out of Louisville and are set to release their debut LP, As Bright As Your Night Light, September 6 on Sonablast Records.  The first listen through it reminded me of the same experience I had when I first heard Yeasayer's first album (the good one), or Cryptograms, or even the first time I heard Kid A.  I'm not saying this record

[on repeat] OTHER TIMES by The Art Museums

Other Times
Dancing With A Hole In Your Heart (previously on CWR)

It's with a heavy hand that I finally get around to posting about the disbanding of San Francisco's The Art Museums in July...very shortly after the release of a new 7" on Slumberland Records.  It appears to have been due to 'creative differences,' and to not have been the most amicable of splits