Earlier this week Chicago indie rockers Smith Westerns released their second LP Dye It Blonde. With an upbeat retro rock and pop sound (think 60s and glam rock eras), they kill it with whinny guitar riffs and not complex lyrics to put together a disc full of catchy tunes. Having been on tour in the past with Girls and MGMT, check this trio out as headliners rather than being known as the supporting act. Listen to the title track “Weekend” as well as “End of the Night” and “Dance Away.”
My excitement for Coachella is probably not going to subside until the festival has come and gone so here’s a taste of some music to check out before April from an indie-pop band you may not be familiar with, Foster The People.
Their jam “Pumped Up Kicks” which has been out for close to a year now will have you forgetting about the cold of winter and dreaming of the sun shining with the wind blowing through your hair and a smile on your face as large as the Grand Canyon.
The LA based rockers just released a three-song EP on iTunes yesterday and a full LP is slated to drop soon.
If you’re a fan of MGMT and Peter, Bjorn & John you must listen to these guys.
Does anyone else miss Andre 3000? I for one sure do. I definitely didn’t see this one coming but Ke$ha was able to tap Dre and his irreplaceable voice for the remix of “Sleazy.” His verse is at the beginning so…..
(If you only want to listen to Andre’s verse)
Big Boi is talented as hell and keeps cranking out jams but I can’t help but wish Andre 3000 was back in the fold for the return of OutKast and that his long rumored solo album eventually drops (Big Boi claims a new OutKast album once Dre drops his solo LP).
Brace yourself: At first listen I actually like Britney Spears’ new song “Hold It Against Me.” There, I said it and I know I may be kicking myself for writing it but the track is catchy and has serious club play written all over it. I actually shouldn’t be a bit surprised I like the track considering one of the producers is Dr. Luke. Seriously he is on one heck of a run and every track he touches turns to gold.
I know this EP has been out for almost a year but as of late I’ve really been digging Selah Sue‘s Raggamuffin. The Belgian songstress has an amazing voice and should have one heck of a career ahead of herself. Her reggae, soul is contagious; give a listen and see for yourself.
She also appears on Cee Lo Green’s international release of The Lady Killer on the track “Please.”
The latest band of the week for me is Tennis. I just can’t get enough of the husband and wife duo of Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore. To me if Little Joy and Beach House had a baby it would sound something like this duo from Denver with their retro pop sound. Birthed from their adventure of purchasing a boat and sailing the Atlantic, Tennis has garnered a lot of attention the past six months (well deserved too) and on January 18 their first full length disc, Cape Dory, drops. Check out a couple of their tunes and be on the look-out for Tennis in 2011.
Four days into the new year and there is so much new music to be excited about. First band out of the chute that has my attention, Frankie & The Heartstrings. From across the pond, the Sunderland, UK quintuplet exude indie pop in a way that you can’t help but get addicted to fast! Their forthcoming album Hunger drops on February 21 but check out the below for a taste.
Check this out, my friend DJ Roger Gangi recently remixed Katy Perry’s “Firework” and he even has the video remixed to it as well. Click HERE to download the track and check out the video below. Great stuff Roger!
Do You Hear The Music? 