When I first heard “All the Bros Say” by Abadabad, I did a double take.  Not because of the name, but I had to confirm that I was listening to a band that didn’t exist when I was born.  ”All the Bros Say” sounds like it was written while the group was literally surfing in Malibu in 1960, not while the Massachusetts fivesome was putting together their debut EP, The Wild, in Boston last year.  Anyway, they have me fooled (which is easy to do).  ”All the Bros Say” is a fuzzy, ‘beach pop’ track with a haziness that mimics recordings on vintage analog equipment. Even with its old school vibe, Abadabad emits a modern energy matched with less throwback-ish lyrics (and i aint spending my summer wondering where you are/so get the hell out of my car).  Enjoy.

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Side note:  Frontman Jeremy Lee Given may be the first guy to make telling a girl to get the hell out of his car sound endearing.  Kudos.

Ducktails, which started out as the solo project of Matthew Mondanile of Real Estate, has slowly turned into a group effort over the course of four albums, with Mondanile incorporating friends and colleagues into the music making process.  Ducktails’ most recent album, the slightly soulful The Flower Lane, released in January of 2013, has a nostalgic feel with pop melodies that mimic the styles of 70s jazz and 80s synth.  The standout track is “Letter of Intent,” a smooth, lo-fi tune that lays down a funky clarinet solo and borrows the soft, angelic tones of Future Shuttles’ Jessica Farkas.   “Letter of Intent” proves that Mondanile should invite his friends over to play more often.  Enjoy.

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Side Note: Am I the only one who thinks the clarinetist is Macauley Culkin’s doppleganger?

Indians was created by Copenhagen’s Søren Løkke Juul with a desire to create new challenges for himself.  After forming, the band quickly signed with famed label, 4D, and released its debut album, Somewhere Else, which still sounds like a solo affair for Juul.  Somewhere Else is a deliberate, tranquil record, with Juul’s falsettos filling the corners of every song and his keyboard doing the rest of the work.  Guitars play a subtle role throughout the album and at most times, the percussions feel nonexistent.  But this minimalist approach has a purpose, resulting in a hazy synth album with hints of folk and scattered bursts of pop energy that play out like moments of discovery amidst Juul’s expansive exploration of his new creation.

Best Tracks:

“Somewhere Else”

“Lips, Lips, Lips”

When & Where:

Somewhere Else is perfect for that stage between awake and asleep, where you don’t know what the hell is going on, your body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, and everything is moving in slow motion.  Just agree with me so I don’t feel weird.  Thanks

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It took five years for Sweden’s Junip to release their sophomore album, Fields, and another three for me to post about it.  But the appeal of the trio’s folk album and its ability to meld perfectly with the current state of folk music is a testament to the complexity and layers embedded in the album.  Fields sounds incredibly simple at first listen, but there is a greater sophistication at work. Frontman, Jose Gonzalez, calmly delves into all emotional terrain, and at times, reflects some of the vocal tones of Jim James.  Even at their most subdued, the guitars maintain a quiet strength and the synths are dealt with a gentle hand, never sharp or aggressive.  Junip is expected to release its new album on April 22, 2013, and Fields should acquaint you to this impressive Nordic outfit and make you eager for what is to come.

Best Tracks:

Always

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Without You

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Sweet and Bitter

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When & Where:

This is fire crackling, alone on a cold mountain in a log cabin kind of album.  Just ignore the fact that most horror movies usually begin with that kind of setting.

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Widowspeak returns with their sophomore effort, Almanac, and the band has lost none of the magic that made self-titled debut one of the most impressive albums of 2010.  Widowspeak encapsulate that 70s era Americana, a wistful nostalgia that is practically nonexistent in the current musical landscape. Almanac showcases Widowspeak‘s hazy sweetness, which gives each song a smoky, vaporous structure, like a dream with no discernable beginnings, ends or boundaries.  Expanding on the sound they created with their debut, Widowspeak injects more visceral guitar solos into Almanac (“The Dark Age” and “Ballad of the Golden Hour”), reflecting a broadening of influences and ability to extract attributes from folk, psychedelia and hard rock.

Best Tracks:

The Dark Age

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Ballad of the Golden Hour

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Sore Eyes (incredible studio session)

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When & Where:

Maybe it’s the earthy album cover, but seriously, imagine being deep in the woods, with giant trees staggered around you, sunlight breaking through the branches and leaves, and Almanac quietly playing in the background.  Yeah, sounds a little hippy dippy, but you know I’m right.

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If you scare easily, maybe Alek Fin’s “Waiting Like a Wolf” isn’t for you.  Alek Fin a.k.a Adam Finkel, is a Cali-based solo electronic artist who released his first album, Better When Seen From Above, in 2010.  In 2012, he returned with a 4 track EP, Mull, which includes the haunting “Waiting Like a Wolf,” an appropriate title that – even with the stuttering electronics a la Radiohead’s Amnesiac – moves patiently as each verse slowly creeps into near sinister harmonies that can send a chill down your spine.  Ok, I’ll admit it.  I’m terrified.  Enjoy.

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Buy “Waiting Like a Wolf” here or download it for free off Soundcloud.

My timing may be off (or maybe I’m just being mean) by bringing you “Summer Days” by The Reflections in the dead of winter, but it is quite possible that what we need most right now is a reminder that this brutal cold only lasts so long.  The Reflections are pretty new to the indie scene but have quickly grasped the concept that even breezy, ethereal pop tracks need a depth and complexity in both lyrics and production to survive beyond flavor-of-the-month status.  They seem to have done just that with “Summer Days,” the first single off their soon to be released debut album, Limerence.  ”Summer Days” is a track that at first listen embodies the lazier, euphoric summer moments but if you dig deeper, you find that Darian Zahedi contradicts the melody, singing about the isolation that results when something sweep you away and inevitably come to an end.  Enjoy.

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Download Summer Days for free here

A recent trip to Hawaii served as the inspiration for Other Worlds, the new album by Victoria Bergsman a.k.a Taken by Trees.  The influence of the tropical, calming excursion is no more evident than on Dreams, the standout track from the October 2nd release.  The guitars, clacking percussions, and Bergsman’s soothing tone seem to echo into oblivion.  So lay down or hide under your desk with a pillow, because this song is about as chill as it gets.  Enjoy.

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Check out Taken by Trees here

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Super Skeleton, by San Diego’s Cuckoo Chaos, is undoubtedly one of my favorite songs of 2012.  Not many bands can integrate so many genres as seamlessly as Cuckoo Chaos.  Released on September 18, 2012, Super Skeleton is Chaos’ first track since their debut seven track EP, and sports a psychedelic, reggae-infused intro, a gritty, garage rock guitar solo, smooth, and 50s era West Coast harmonies into a multidimensional track that will have you completely entranced and utterly confused.  Super Skeleton requires a minimum of about 50 listens in order to absorb each delicate nuance woven into the track.  Enjoy.

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When I first posted about the alt rock group, Battleships, in July, I had a feeling that the band’s subtle complexity was just too impressive to be maintained.  There was a depth of feeling coupled with a remarkable musical restraint that could easily be chalked up to fleeting brilliance.  Their recently released debut EP, To You, consisting of their three previous singles and four new ones, lays all concerns to rest.  With a richness of tone, misty vocals, and emotions so heavy they could crush buildings, To You, is one of the most haunting and inspiring EPs you’ll hear all year.

Best Tracks:

Another Way

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Inside

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When & Where:

For the times when you need music to help nurse a rejection.  I had a mullet, braces and purple jeans in middle school.  I really could have used this EP…a lot.

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Buy To You here