New Music: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Simple and Sure

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart sound like they made a trip to the Wax Bar because they have totally removed the fuzz from their music. The band announced a new LP titled Days of Abandon the other day, and today singer Kip Berman elaborated on how the album will sound by stating that the record would be “joyful and full of light, even if the subjects were often dark.” Their first single "Simple and Sure" is a lot cleaner than the songs on their previous records, and that enhances the melodic pop music they are known for. Now they are a lot less Pastels and a lot more Aztec Camera. Listen below:

Days of Abandon will be out April 22nd via Yebo.

New Music: Fear of Men- Alta/Waterfall + Luna

Not sure why I missed hearing about Brighton band Fear of Men before this week, but better late than never. These guys released an EP titled Early Fragments (an EP I really need to check out) last year, and now they will be dropping their debut LP, Loom, on Record Store Day. The first single "Alta/Waterfall"is actually two songs in one. "Alta" is a short 50 second instrumental opener that lapses into the gorgeous dream pop of "Waterfall". And building on that first single is the hazy "Luna", the second track to be previewed from the album. Check them out below:

Loom will be out April 21st via Kanine Records.

New Music: Kevin Drew-Mexican Aftershow Party

"Mexican Aftershow Party" is the second track to be previewed from Kevin Drew's upcoming new LP Darlings. The Broken Social Scene front man will also make a couple of appearances at Toronto's Field Trip festival on June 7th and 8th, both with his solo project and with his band.

Darlings is out March 18 via Arts & Crafts.

New Music: Hamilton Leithauser- Alexandra

New York indie rock band The Walkmen broke up, got back together to play some NBA all star game benefit show, and then during the last song of that gig announced that it would be the last song the band would ever play. And now, just a few days later, The Walkmen lead singer Hamilton Leithauser has announced a new solo album titled Black Hours.

The boys in the Walkmen have made a lot of friends over the years, and Leithauser's new LP reflects this with a pretty impressive guest list. Among the contributors are Morgan Henderson (Fleet Foxes), Richard Swift (The Shins), Amber Coffman (Dirty Projectors) and Paul Maroon (The Walkmen). Also helping out is Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij who produced and co-wrote the first single "Alexandra", a song not too far removed from Leithauser's work with The Walkman, albeit way more uplifting and less forlornly than the songs of his previous band. Watch the video for the track below and watch for a cameo from the aforementioned Rostam Batmanglij.

Black Hours will be out May 6th via Ribbon Music.

New Music: Cousins- Mess

Halifax Nova Scotia indie rock band Cousins have been a fixture in this part of the world for a couple of years now. The group are well known for putting on a ferocious live show and that has garnered them a lot of attention. In fact, so much attention that they have just signed to popular indie label Hand Drawn Dracula and have announced a new LP titled Halls of Wickwire.  Listen to the album's garage-y guitar rock first single "Mess" below:

The album will be available May 13th.

New Music: The Horrors- I See You

UK shoegaze band The Horrors premiered a brand new song titled "I See You" on BBC Radio earlier today, and now it is available for all to take in via a lyric video. The track will be part of the just announced new LP Luminous which will be available on May 5th. "I See You" is two songs in one-the track starts out like a synth-y post punk pop song, but after a couple of minutes it transitions into a extended glistening psychedelic jam. Listen below:

New Music: The Wytches- Wire Frame Mattress + Gravedweller

The Wytches are a new buzz band hailing from Brighton, England who possess a unique sound that mixes 90's alt rock with 60's Dick Dale surf guitar. These guys are being compared to everybody from The White Stripes to The Smashing Pumpkins. Me, I think they sound like a better version of Strange House era The Horrors. Take a listen below to their first single "Wire Frame Mattress" and then stick around to watch their video for the song "Gravedweller". BTW, "Gravedweller" is available as free download here.

New Music: Yuck- Another One

I just realized I have not bought Yuck's Low and Behold album on vinyl yet. I better hurry up because the band are almost set to come out with their new EP Southern Skies. There is still no release date for the EP, but they did just drop their second single "Another One" the other day and this one is layered with extra fuzz. Take a listen below:

New Music: Sleep Thieves- City Of Hearts

It's been a while since we've featured some really good 80's infused, Johnny Jewel-esque synth pop on the blog and in the middle of this cold, snowy winter it would be really nice if someone would come along to provide a bit of musical warmth. Well, Dublin band Sleep Thieves provides just the anecdote with their dreamy electro pop single "City of Hearts". Check it out below:

New Music: Trust- Are We Arc?

A slightly less gloomy new track from Toronto synth pop artist Trust. Although "Are We Arc?" is dark in texture it is actually pretty dreamy and really showcases the vocals of singer Robert Alfons. Listen below:

Trust's new LP Joyland is out March 4th via Arts & Crafts.

New Music: Eternal Summers- Never Enough + A Burial

Eternal Summers have dropped a couple of great new tracks to tide us over before they release The Drop Beneath in early March.  "Never Enough" has that familiar fuzzy dream pop sound that make Eternal Summers so great, while "A Burial" sees the band take a slight turn to the dark side. Check them out below:

The Drop Beneath is out March 4th via Kanine Records.

New Music: Tashaki Miyaki- Cool Runnings

It's been a couple of years since we have heard from Los Angeles dream pop band Tashaki Miyaki. Now, the trio are back with the short but sweet "Cool Runnings", a mellow song, but a quiet song that is enhanced by the wonderous, sexy voice of singer Lucy Miyaki. Listen below:

The single will be available on 7" February 25th via their own imprint Blonde Dog.

New Music: Hockeysmith- But Blood

British sister duo Hockeysmith have made a bit of a buzz in the last couple of months-including here- by releasing a couple of really good electro songs, "Let's Bang" and "Meanwhile". At the time, much was made of the girls recording their music in a caravan park in Cornwall England (Trailer park to those of us on this side of the Atlantic). After the success of their earlier output, I highly doubt that they are still living in an RV.

Now, comes word the sisters are set to release a new EP, with the first single being "But Blood". The track is a bit heavier than the electro of their previous songs, and near the end one of the sisters-Georgie or Annie?- absolutely shreds it on guitar.  Check out the video for the song below:

New Music: Woman's Hour- Her Ghost

Last September this blog helped introduce to the world new synth pop act Woman's Hour and their brilliant single "Darkest Place b/w Thunder." Indie record label Secretly Canadian must have been paying attention because they snatched them up and signed them to a new deal. The first single the band will release with the label is "Her Ghost", a song that is minimal in nature but possesses some stellar reverb guitar, deep dark synths and the beautiful voice of singer Fiona Burgess. Listen to the warm and moody track below:

"Her Ghost" is available now digitally and the 7" will come out on March 24th..

New Music: Beck- Waking Light

I am late to the party on this one. I meant to post this song last week, but I was too busy to get around to it. Beck's new album Morning Phase is poised to be one of the best releases this year. Don't believe me? Well, we have already heard "Blue Moon", a song that wouldn't have been out of place on Beck's best album Sea Change, and now he has come out with the equally good, melancholic song "Waking Light." Looking forward to February 25th when the new album will be available.

New Music: Beverly- Honey Do

Frankie Rose was a busy girl last year, releasing the excellent Herein Wild LP, and following that up with an extensive tour. The former Vivian and Dum Dum girl is not slowing down in 2014, and has joined up with her touring partner Drew Citron to form a new project called Beverly. The first taste from the duo is the lo-fi "Honey Do", a song that takes Rose and Citron into twee sunshine pop territory. The song will be included on the Kanine Records compilation  Non Violent Femmes with similar sounding bands Joanna Gruesome, Bleeding Rainbow and Eternal Summers. The compilation will be available April 19th (Record Store Day). Check the song out below:

The duo is signed to Kanine Records and will release their debut album later this year.

New Music: Klaxons- There Is No Other Time + Children Of The Sun

British indie rock dance band Klaxons are back with a couple of new tracks from their upcoming new LP. Hard to believe these guys have been around since 2006 when they led a new musical style called new rave, a genre that came and went faster than you can say chillwave. Even though new rave died long ago, they really haven't changed their style that much and have enlisted the help of some big time dance producers for their yet to be titled new album, including James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers. Check out the first new songs from the LP, "There Is No Other Time" and "Children Of The Sun" which was produced by the aforementioned Mr. Rowlands.

The new album should be ready by the summer and let's hope the album cover is as awesome as this:

New Music: Doomsquad- Disremember/Dismemberment + Waka Waka

New sibling band Doomsquad are poised to be the next big indie act to emerge out of Toronto. The band like to mix it up and have a sound that drifts from synth pop to post punk to space rock, in other words very dark and experimental. Check out a couple of gloomy new songs from the band, "Disremember'Dismemberment" and "Waka Waka," + a bonus track they did in collaboration with Toronto synth pop artist Digits titled "Shake Your Body Down."

Doomsquad will release their forthcoming new album Kalaboogie on February 22nd via Hand Drawn Dracula/No Pain in Pop.

New Music: Sales- Chinese New Year

I wish I heard this song earlier last week because it would have been perfect timing to feature it on Friday, the actual Chinese new year- although, I do believe they are still celebrating because today is an official holiday in Hong Kong. Sales are from sunny Orlando Florida and you can here the tropical influence on their single "Chinese New Year", a song that is both twee and sunshine pop all rolled up into one. Check it below: