New Music Round Up: 3/13/09

This post was written by TNG co-founder Zack.


The TNG headquarters receive a ton of new music in the mail. Its a tough job, I know, but I've valiantly taken some time out of my work week to listen to them all and let you know which are worth your time and which wouldn't even be suitable to cover up the sounds of the never-ending construction that's happening in the alley behind your bedroom.

Full list, in descending order of awesomeness, below the fold:

Really Awesome:

Artist: Black Lips
Album: 200 Million Thousand
Who the hell are they?: Atlanta garage-rockers known for homoerotic stage antics
Sounds like a combination of: The Velvet and Underground
For Example: Starting Over
Recommended?: For people who aren't mirthless curmudgeons that dislike The Velvet Underground.
Release Date: Feb. 24

Artist: Chairlift
Album: Does You Inspire You
Who the hell are they?: Brooklyn dreampop trio. If I type "Brooklyn" in one more of these I'm going to throw my keyboard through the window.
Sounds like a combination of:His Name Is Alive and Massive Attack
For Example: The Most Evident Utensil
Recommended?: Wholeheartedly, though the second half gets a little wacky.
Release Date: April 21

Artist: Friendly Fires
Album: Friendly Fires
Who the hell are they?: Hyper-kinetic English dance-punks
Sounds like a combination of: Talking Heads and The Rosebuds
For Example: Paris
Recommended?: Yes, but I think most of you knew that already. I'm late to this game.
Release Date: Sept. 23, 08

Artist: Swan Lake
Album: Enemy Mine
Who the hell are they?: Indie supergroup composed of Dan Bejar (of Destroyer and The New Pornographers) Spencer Krug (of Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown) and Carey Mercer (of Frog Eyes and Blackout Beach.)
Sounds like a combination of: David Bowie and Destroyer
For Example: A Hand at Dusk
Recommended?: Yes. (Also, there's a song about someone named Jackie. Whats with Dan and that name?)
Release Date: March 24

Pretty Awesome:

Artist: Dan Deacon
Album: Bromst
Who the hell are they?: Eccentric Baltimore electro/whatever musician
Sounds like a combination of: An aphasiac robot and two computers having tempter tantrums
For Example: Get Older
Recommended?: For making people wonder if you're dancing or having a seizure.
Release Date: March 24

Artist: Eulogies
Album: Here Anonymous
Who the hell are they?: Catchy California Indie Band
Sounds like a combination of: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Human Highway
For Example: Bad Connection
Recommended?: More and more with repeated listens
Release Date: April 7

Artist: Mika Miko
Album: We Be Xuxa
Who the hell are they?: San Fernando Valley punk band
Sounds like a combination of: Joan Jett and The Coathangers
For Example: On The Rise (MySpace player, track one.)
Recommended?: Yeah.
Release Date: May 5

Not Very Awesome at All:

Artist: Eleni Mandell
Album: Artificial Fire
Who the hell are they?: Sultry-voiced LA singer/songwriter
Sounds like a combination of: Feist and mundanity
For Example: Artificial Fire
Recommended?: For the above track only.
Release Date: Feb. 17

Artist: Jeniferever
Album:Spring Tides
Who the hell are they?: Sleepy Swedish indie band.
Sounds like a combination of: Mercury Rev and nondescript
For Example: Green Meadow Island
Recommended?: For napping.
Release Date: April

Artist: Kinetic Stereokids
Album: Kid Moves
Who the hell are they?: Flint, MI rap/rockers
Sounds like a combination of: Everlast and Linkin Park
For Example: Free Money
Recommended?: For desensitizing yourself to the horrific return of rap/rock
Release Date: March 17