Foxtails Brigade

Gifted with a heavenly voice that floats comfortably on top of a beautiful construct of wistful guitars, it's no surprise that the main vocalist of Foxtails Brigade, Laura Weinbach, anchors the San Francisco band's new single "The Unloved".  The tracks comes off of the group's newly released album, Time Is Passed, which actually came out two days ago on November 27th.  "The Unloved" is a delicately put together piece of drifting strings, gently guiding each and every note along slowly.  The subtle picking, accented with drawn out violins and fragile percussion, creates the dreamy wash that looks at the "lonely and forsaken".  The end result is quite gorgeous, and is worth a listen even if just for Weinbach's mesmerizing voice.  I've posted an embed below for streaming with another track available on SoundCloud.  If you're looking for the album Time Is Passed, you can find it on their Bandcamp page.  For a free download of "The Unloved", all you have to do is hit the 'like' button their Facebook.  For more info, you can always make haste towards Twitter or their homepage.  Enjoy!

 The Unloved (Radio Edit) by FoxtailsBrigade

the night

It's hard to imagine that the Sydney band the night was once a solo project.  At this time the whole goal was recruiting guest musicians and having them appear on any future releases, which they did in 2008 with an EP. Now, the whole one-man band idea is a distant memory with six members making up the team.  Most recently they've been busy prepping their six track EP, i am, and say., for an early 2013 release, and their driving single is "Like This".  The track solidifies the group as a unit, not a solo endeavor; it's full of sounds that build up and crumble, spreading the strings over a three-and-a-half minute spectrum that simmers as it builds.  "Like This" also includes a tinge of melancholy, the emotion seeping through the empty spaces of the song, thus helping the band sound genuine and honest.  Check it out below, then hit up the SoundCloud and Facebook pages.  You can also visit their homepage, which is chock-full of info.

 the night - Like This by thenightishere

Neeco Delaf

After a busy afternoon of running around, all I wanted to do was kick back with some music to calm my racing mind.  I was lucky, because Neeco Delaf's new release "Walking Alone" was just what I needed.  The song isn't entirely fresh, though; it appears on Delaf's debut album You Don't Know, which came out earlier this year on October 7th. The version that appears on the LP is largely instrumental, give or take a few whispered vocals, but this recent reenergized rendition incorporates the beautiful voice of Rubyrax, a musician from Toronto.  The addition is absolutely stunning, and it complements the slow, drawn-out beats of the original "Walking Alone".  The track is chill by most standards, giving you a legitimate reason to lay down with a good pair of headphones and close your eyes.  I feel like my brain is dripping with a tranquil serum.  I've posted "Walking Alone" below for you to find out for yourself, then be sure to head over to his SoundCloud for some extra songs.  You can also purchase You Don't Know over at Bandcamp with additional info over on Facebook.  You can snag a free download of the track here.  Enjoy!

 Neeco Delaf - Walking Alone (feat. Rubyrax) by Neeco Delaf

Last Lynx

So I come back from Thanksgiving break and amongst the e-mails I received in my past week of dormancy is one from the Swedish group Last Lynx. Lemme tell ya, the quintet from Stockholm hit it right on the mark...their new song is just what I wanted to hear to kick things back into the gear.  "Killing Switch" is the newest song to come from Last Lynx and the first original tune being released for about 11 months.  The track has instant likability, hooking the listener with a steady drum beat and infectious guitar lick.  The bass helps carry the song throughout its duration, aiding the edgy rhythm in cutting forward.  All in all "Killing Switch" is undeniably catchy, and it's sure to warrant multiple listens.  Have a listen to it below, then be sure to head over to their SoundCloud for more tracks and Facebook for more info on the band.

 Last Lynx - Killing Switch by LastLynx

Mr. Moccasin

When it came to starting Mr. Moccasin, the duo that comprises the band has been quoted as saying that they wanted their music "to play with impossibilities and chance".  One doesn't need to look far to see why; lead singer Hanna Badalova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan where she developed an interest for poetry, a hobby that would act as a medium for telling the stories of her family fleeing genocide in pursuit of greener pastures in Baltimore.  It is here that she met Jared Fischer, who shared a passion for music and had actually been in a band for quite some time. Somehow, someway, despite starting their lives half a world away from each other, the two met.  Chance; it's what Mr. Moccasin was born from.  While this isn't an entirely uncommon occurrence in the world I mention it because it's important to the band's identity, and it shines through in the group's new single "Black On Black".  Coming from the forthcoming album XAHA, the track is an adventurous dive into the use of atmospheric, guitar-driven rhythms.  "Black On Black" draws a line between rock, folk, and punk, incorporating such styles and sounds without putting too many cards into one genre, instead coming across as universal.  Still, utilizing these aspects Mr. Moccasin is able to create a unique quality that sounds as equally ambitious as it does genuine. Considering their history, anything else would be a surprise.  Check out "Black On Black" below, and then be sure to grab the song for free over on Bandcamp.

Black On Black

Josh Kumra

If there is one thing that can be said about Josh Kumra's new single "Waiting For You", it's that his inspiration for the song comes from a wide array of origins.  He uses his raspy vocals to accentuate the underlying blues, acoustic, and rock tones that serve as the foundation.  As "Waiting For You" builds along its path, Kumra creates drum beats and guitar licks that appear to lurch forward in an attempt to escape the speakers its caged in.  The accumulation of these separate elements creates a unique and catchy song, one that makes it clear why he has been growing in popularity across the pond in the U.K.  "Waiting For You" is the first track available to hear from Kumra's upcoming album, which doesn't have a title or official release date yet.  Still, if anything "Waiting For You" clearly displays Kumra's songwriting potential, and will certainly get a majority of people excited to hear the full LP. Stream the track below, then be sure to make some visits to his Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud.

 Josh Kumra - Waiting For You by JoshKumra

Backlights

Sometimes it's just nice to get lost in the wash of breezy, jangly guitars and cavernous vocals that comprise the dream pop genre.  The instrumentation has a funny way of lifting the listener skyward, suspended along a journey, until the song gently places us back on solid ground. "Location", the current single from the Brooklyn band Backlights, follows a similar methodology. Starting with slow and delicate guitar picking, "Location" begins to take off near the middle of the song, introducing us to busier noises and more enthused vocals.  The build of energy pulls us in, bringing the listener through a wonderfully serene sonic voyage.  The track comes to us off of the newest EP by the band, High Ceiling Nice Fiction, which was released earlier this year on October 20th.  As of now, Bandcamp is offering "Location" as the singular stream on the EP with other songs available for purchase (as well as the EP, obviously).  I've posted "Location" below, so be sure to check it out, and afterward you can find out more by visiting their Facebook or Twitter.  Dig it!

Location

Work Drugs

The Philly boys are at it again!  Work Drugs, the glo-fi outift that has steadily increased their popularity over the past couple of years, is out with a new single entitled "Beyond Greenpoint". Singing about the life outside of "micro-bloggers, designer dogs, and high priced haircuts", the new song slows down the tempo and adds their smoothest saxophone to date.  This time around, Work Drugs is coming at you with a little bit of charity as well.  Over on eBay, the band is offering up one test pressing of their new album Delta, which is only one of four copies in existence.  The best part is that 50% of the proceeds go to the Hurricane Sandy Red Cross Fund, a worthy cause in light of the recent storm.  What's more is that Work Drugs has also released a music video to go along with the new track, it's a video collage produced by the Italian artist Marco Scago.  I've posted the video and audio stream below with an available download located on their SoundCloud.  For anyone interested in seeing the band live, they have two shows coming up; one on December 8th in Philadelphia at Ortlieb's Lounge and another at the Glasslands in Brooklyn on December 22nd.  Be sure to check it out!

 Beyond Greenpoint by Work Drugs

Villa Kang & Hazy Mountains

It's been a while since we've heard from Villa Kang, with approximately six months separating his newest single, "New Wings", from his last, "Touch of Evil".  In whatever he has released, Villa Kang has done a great job of allowing atmosphere to seep into his songs.  Even way back on "Hallucinating Arkansas" we feel a sense of space, like his synths are trying ever so hard to break free from the room.  The newest track finds the Toronto producer refining these ideas, and teams up with German musician Hazy Mountains to do so.  The matching is ideal, the glo-fi oriented ambient Hazy Mountains complements the need for Villa Kang's cavernous melodies.  To tie it all together, "New Wings" has a fluttering chorus that acts as both unique and familiar, like something you've heard before that you can't quiteeeee put your finger on.  The song is available for streaming below, but you can head over to Kang's SoundCloud for a download.  He also has Twitter and Facebook.  For more on Hazy Mountains, be sure to visit Bandcamp, Facebook, or SoundCloud.  Enjoy!

 Villa Kang & Hazy Mountains - New Wings by Hazy Mountains

The Aves

A lot of times I get the feeling that garage rock gets misrepresented as being dirty or grungy, and occasionally I get the sense it's a personal attack on a genre I respect so much.  Clearly, that's not the case, and every once in a while I have to remind myself of that.  The Aves, a Brooklyn-based quartet, have helped to further prove this fact with the release of their sophomore Anywhere Else EP. Indebted to older garage acts, The Aves carry that influence and yet are able to morph it into a clean, jangly style.  "In Vogue", the stand out track on Anywhere Else, exhibits the group's ability to tap into a pop-oriented mindset and churn out unique, melodious, and addicting rhythms.  Here, you will find no dirt or grunge, but instead an infectious garage rock tune that warrants one's attention.  Check it out below, and then head over to their page at Mirador Records for a download of the EP.  Happy weekends everyone!

 The Aves - In Vogue by Mirador Records

Dumbo Gets Mad

It was around a year ago that I found myself heavily invested in Elephants At the Door, the wonderful debut LP from the Italian group Dumbo Gets Mad, which for a while served as the provider for my psychedelic cravings.  The opening sax line of "Plumy Tale" still manages to bring a huge smile on my face, partly because its simplicity usually leaves me wondering why no one had come up with it before.  It all seemed so simple!  But then, just like that, they seemed to disappear off the face of the earth.  I heard no news, they didn't hint at any albums, and I never saw new songs.  Yet, today is another day, and just as easily as they vanished they're back on the radar.  Today, the band announced on their Facebook page the release of a new song "Radical Leap", which serves as the first single off of their forthcoming album in 2013 (date and title still known).  For lovers of bubbly, fun, and slightly quirky '60s psychedelic rock, "Radical Leap" is right up your alley.  If it's any indication of what the album will be like, I think we can expect to see them tap even more into their oldies roots, incorporating a baroque pop sensibility that wasn't quite there prior.  I might as well dress you up in a tie-dye tee, throw a headband on and sprinkle on some sunshine dust.  "Radical Leap" streaming below, so go give it a looksy!

 Dumbo Gets Mad - Radical Leap by Bad Panda Records