EXCLUSIVE NEW DOWNLOAD: The Subjects - Winter Vacation
When a band has an origin story like The Subjects’—two high-school teachers plus two of their students form a band, more scandalous than cats and dogs living together in sin—you might think that at some point they’d begin to shy away from school-related topics in their songs. And…you’d be wrong. “Winter Vacation,” from the new Subjects’ EP, New Soft Shoe, is a classic indie-pop nugget with harmonies that hit the skies even as a chugging guitar line stays rooted in the earth. A winter vacay might also be what the band is looking forward to after a busy year of touring, including an upcoming run of dates with Bad Veins, which you may find after the break, and after you hit REPEAT on the tune a few times.
The Subjects - Winter Vacation
Previously:
DOWNLOAD: Continental Divide - Crime Isn't Our Problem
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The picture above is priceless. I've been staring at it now for a good five minutes. Considering I battle a (thus far) undiagnosed case of chronic computer ADD, (at any given time I have at least 2 screens open, 6 tabs each), that says a lot. Sure it's a grimy low-res shot - but the facial expressions of the band mates couldn't be better. I'm guessing it also indicates the jovial spirits of the band featured. They're called Continental Divide and are from Florida. They craft joyous, hazy garage jingle pop that's got a lot of fuzzed out guitars and the gentle pattering of a keyboard. Imagine 21st century Beatles with severe ADD and a bit of humor. The beats are inherently youthful and optimistic ala the college-boy-turned-man bands Bishop Allen or Vampire Weekend. "Crime Isn't Our Problem" is a cute shimmering lullaby thanks to a tambourine. Dig it below.
Sounds Like: Bishop Allen, Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend
Download: Continental Divide- Crime Isn't Our Problem
Download: Continental Divide - Golden Throat
STREAM: Starf*cker - Burnin' Up
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Starf*cker: Definition
#1: A person or persons who uses popularity and celebrity acquaintances to get further in business or social situations, sometimes without even having sex. (Thanks Urban Dictionary; Jamie Burke, we're looking at you).
#2: An individual who enhances his/her self worth by sexual contact with the perceived power figure in any given situation. (As Monica Lewinksy said herself, "I'm well-known for something that isn't great to be well-known for.")
#3: A Portland Oregon-based band that has the balls to take a well-known kareoke favorite, written by the biggest sex symbol in the world, (Madonna folks, it's Madonna) and turn it into dripping-basement White Williams-esque lo-fi grind, complete with gritty keyboard, synths, computer gadget whispers and slurring effeminate male vocals. A band unafraid to make sweet happy-go-lucky humorous pop unfettered by any petty, negative 'top 40' connotations. See: German Love and Rawnald.
Sounds Like: White Williams, Deer Hunter, Atlas Sound
Stream: Starf*cker - Burnin Up (Madonna Cover)
Download: Starf*cker - German Love
Download: Starf*cker - Rawnald
Starf*ckers @ Bad Man Recording Company
DOWNLOAD: Jukebox The Ghost - Hold It In
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What do you do when it's dismally hot and sticky and you're feeling kinda grumpy, kinda shitty, and your brain synapses are craving a beer more than your tummy (which is rare), and you want to burn your suit and tie or all those damn kids who are wearing Kayne's slitted shades. Or maybe it's just you need to chill out for a freaking minute but your i-phone keeps ringing off the hook and your boyfriend's/girlfriend's mad at you and food is rotting in your fridge and you're $5 to broke, not including the amount that non-affiliated bank will extort from you for using their snot-encrusted ATM on Bleeker Street the other night?
Have no fear. Jukebox The Ghost is here.
Yeah that's right.
Jukebox The Ghost are performing a FREE concert tonight at 5:30 pm at Union Square, NYC.
The PERFECT excuse to bust out of your day job and go sit on the steps, brown-bagging (shh...) and mingling with the 60 year old chess players and teenage tan hipsters, as the blissful indie pop rock of Jukebox The Ghost filters through your ears.
Cause noone owns you man.
Psst. a new track below to alleviate the headache till then (ironically called "Hold It In").....and an oldie but goody.
Chin up sonny.
SOUNDS LIKE: Ra Ra Riot, Spinto Band, Vampire Weekend
Download: Jukebox The Ghost - Hold It In
Download: Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day
VIDEO THRWBCK: The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before (1987)
Surprisingly, it's taken us this long to THRWBCK to the Smiths, who are categorically the band we refer to as "the best ever" when we are posed with such a ridiculous questions as "who is the best band ever?" Our favorite Smiths album varies from hourly, but lately it's been Strangeways Here We Come, their 1987 swan song, which is by far their most realized and complete LP (and Morrissey's favorite, legend has it). If you've ever not wanted to ride your bike through a foggy Manchester morning, this video will change that.
EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD: Sonya Kitchell - For Every Drop
Sonya Kitchell = 19. Dad = abstract painter. Home = western Mass. Sonya at 10 years old = hours of vocal jazz study.
The rest is a less easy equation. A couple years ago you could have picked up her album along with your cup of joe at Starbucks. CDs that are for sale mass-market at your neighborhood Starbucks aren't usually RCRD LBL's 'cup o tea' (pun completely and nauseatingly intended). But screw that. Sonya's sound has evolved in these two years, Starbuck's record is pulling back from their CD selling tactics, and we're really digging Sonya's new jive. The song "For Every Drop" is new wave jazzy, breezy, Feisty, cheeky, and pop strong. We ain't gonna hold grudges or judge. We hooked you up with this exclusive to prove it.
Sounds Like: Feist, Adele, KT Tunstall
Exclusive Download: Sonya Kitchell - For Every Drop
DOWNLOAD: Softboiled Eggies - She Fell Through the Trees (Live at the Echo)
Oh, serendipity. We’re still coasting on an indie pop high from seeing the Vaselines in all their glory last night, when who should post a track by post-C86 band Softboiled Eggies but the Spaceland RCRD LBL blog. Softboiled Eggies can be often found at the Echo, at the venue's Saturday night indie party Part Time Punks (named after the Television Personalities single, natch), and much like the Vaselines, they’re a girl/boy duo with a whole bunch of tongue-in-cheek ire and wit. “She Fell Through the Trees” makes us really want to check this band out live, nothing is better than homegrown local bands that can really bust out the post-punk melodies.
Sounds like: Television Personalities, The Wake, Lydia Lunch, Chairlift
Download: Softboiled Eggies - She Fell Through the Trees (Live at the Echo)
VIDEO THRWBCK: Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh (1987)
And now, the twee-est of the twee. Warning: Talulah Gosh, the mis-matched band of bowl cut-adorned indie popsters who barely survived 1987 aren't for the weak at heart. We're talking serious butterflies and blueberry scones here. But somehow "Talulah Gosh" remains fun and catchy, and is only slightly grating because, well, that's the whole point. Once again, BOWL CUTS.
STREAM: Pete and The Pirates - Bear
While relishing the plentiful (if rare) sunshine in London last week, I enjoyed this Reading-hailing band's brand of indie pop at London's 02 Wireless Festival. Pete and The Pirates sing about being too sad to get out of bed - over an upbeat pop tune - the irony of which is rather endearing instead of perplexing. They remind me of the witty indie-pop-but-anti-hard-rock ivy American league bands, Bishop Allen and Vampire Weekend, that are unafraid of playing light, charming, zealous pop while sporting carigan button-downs and glasses. i.e. they are the kind of rock bands that are ok to take home to mom.
Sounds Like: Bishop Allen, Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot
VIDEO THRWBCK: Shop Assistants - Saftey Net (1986)
We're gearing up for the Vaselines show on Thursday by going through our amazing indie pop collection and getting into some hidden gems--notably this AMAZING song by Shop Assistants, "Safety Net". Unfortunately this video cuts off the song's awesome bass solo intro, but rest assured, the rest is just as spectacular. I mean, can we talk about that girl's ponytail? And the Club MTV, Downtown Julie Brown camera angles? Can this band reunite, please?
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