Montreal band Braids are back with their first new music since the release of their excellent 2011 LP Native Speaker. The band will come out with a new 12" single In Kind // Amends on June 12th. The release will include the songs "In Kind", "Amends", "Near Enough" and "A Dawn in Me"
Braids will also be releasing a full album some time later in the year.
The group have completely moved away from guitar music and embraced the electronic sound that lead singer Raphaelle Standell- Preston used so effectively in her other band Blue Hawaii. Listen to the first song from the 12", "Amends" below:
"Passionate Friend" was released in 1981 and was the first single from the The Teardrop Explodes second and last album, Wilder.
News came this week that the seminal 80's post punk band will be reissuing Wilder in a two disc CD set. The first disc will contain the original eleven song album and the second disc will feature a plethora of b-sides and BBC sessions including those recorded with the legendary John Peel.
Wilder originally had a poor showing in the charts when it was originally released back in 1981 and deserves a second chance. The colourful art rock sound of the album simply didn't gain an audience.
Shortly after they concluded the tour for the album the band went through major upheaval with infighting and disagreements between members. In 1982 lead singer Julian Cope decided to leave the group and he went on to forge a successful solo career.
Wilder will come out on June 24th via Mercury/Universal Music catalogue. Look for it in record stores.
The guys in WU LYF were just as surprised that singer Ellery Roberts left the band as the rest of us. Important members leaving up and coming groups is happening all too frequently recently e.g. Girls and most recently Yuck. The rest of WU LYF have picked up the pieces and joined forces with members of FAMY and Profondo to form a new eccentric indie pop band called Los Porcos.
The band describe their music as yacht rock which you can definitely hear in their 70's soft rock disco throwback debut songs "Jesus Loves You Baby" and the six minute " Do You Wanna Live?" Listen to the quirky songs below:
For fans of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Yacht Club.
Roman á clef is a new indie pop group that features members Ryan Newmyer and Jen Goma of A Sunny Day in Glasgow and Kurt Feldman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Listen to their summery, infectious new song "Lucky Toasts" below:
For fans of Prefab Sprout, Aztec Camera, China Crisis
Toronto indie band The BB Guns were featured on the awesome compilation album Psych Pop From Toronto late last year and now they have announced they will be releasing a new EP. The 4-song Baby I Hate You was produced by Brain Borcherdt (Holy Fuck/Dusted) and will be available May 7th via Marineville Records.
Watch the video for the fun surf punk song "Pennie Lane" that was partially shot at Toronto's Sunnyside Beach (best place in Toronto to run....and drink beer) and the Parkdale No Frills grocery store ( a place where I used to buy groceries regularly).
The BB Guns will be opening for Bleached at The Silver Dollar Room here in Toronto tomorrow night.
Girl Group are an Irish noise punk band that are being heavily hyped by NME and were included in that magazine's Best New Bands of 2013 issue. Stream the Nirvana/Jesus Lizard influenced single "You're a Dog". The band have a 6-song EP that you can downloadhere.
Another band being heralded by NME is Swedish shoegaze group Here Is Your Temple who were featured in the the magazine's The Buzz page. The band have a new EP, So High, that is out now and you can stream it on Soundcloud.
Watch an acoustic performance of the title track.
Strange Namesare a rising Minnesota indie rock duo who recently debuted their video for "Once an Ocean" over at A Heart Is A Spade. The track is the b-side of the band’s Minor Times/Once an Ocean 7”, which was produced by Lewis Pesacov (Best Coast).
The single is available now via White Iris. Watch and listen below:
Dum Dum Girls member Sandra Vu steps out from behind the drums to show off her multi instrumental skills and vocal talent with her new project SISU.
Much like Dum Dum Girls original drummer Frankie Rose, Vu's sound is much more shoegaze/dream pop than her regular gig. Listen to "Light Eyes" which is the title track from a new five song EP that is available for purchase on Bandcamp.
For fans of Dum Dum Girls, Frankie Rose, Black Tambourine.
