There must be some kind of secret rock ballad school in the UK that trains bands to craft emotional powerhouse tracks capable of leveling cities.  England’s Racing Glaciers definitely took notes because their recent single, “First Light,” off their third EP, Don’t Wait For Me, is one of those exhilarating songs that seems to make your heart race faster with each passing note.  The verses are delicately crafted and lead to choruses that soar with horns, mercilessly pounded bass drums, and open, inspiring lyrics.  Looks like they’ve graduated from that rock ballad school with honors.  Enjoy.

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Polyenso is something special.  Formerly named Oceana, the band disbanded, reformed, changed names, changed the lineup, and emerged as something far greater than what we could have expected.  Polyenso is an alternative rock outfit whose latest album and first under their new identity, One Big Particular Loop, immediately draws comparisons to the later releases of Radiohead.  Lead singer Brennan Taulbee has many Yorke-esque qualities to his vocals and the tracks have dark tones and off kilter, sputtering beats that are clearly influenced by the Kid A era (and beyond).  “Always Ending in You,” one of the best tracks on the album, and one of the best tracks I’ve heard in a while, has Taulbee’s pained voice begging for someone over tribal beats and a fragile melody that fades into a surprisingly fitting trumpet solo.  Definitely give Polyenso your attention because its groups like these that get us excited about being music fans.  Enjoy.

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Whenever a conversation about the most underrated bands is introduced, I typically go into a tirade about Radiation City, the Portland-based alt rockers who consistently release some of the strangest and addicting music you are likely to hear.  Radiation City seems like the perfect name for a band whose tracks sound like mutated indie rock – ominous harmonies, quirky, throwback melodies, and odd instruments, like the soundtrack for a haunted house in the 60s.  “Foreign Bodies,” off their recent LP, Animals in the Median, shows the band has no intention of normalizing anytime soon.  With heavy reverbed vocals, a fairyland flute opening, and the doo-wop inspired verses, “Foreign Bodies” is catchy, complex, and a perfect addition to Radiation City‘s eclectic, masterful collection.  Enjoy.

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Leagues, the Nashville-based trio, must figure out a way to bottle “Spotlight” so I can take shots of it whenever I need a boost.  From the “Hey Mickey” intro to the grungy blasts of the guitars to the youthful proclamations of frontman, Thad Cockrell (I’m never gonna give you up/Spotlight), “Spotlight,” the single from Leagues’ debut album, You Belong Here, released in January, has enough energy to keep you bouncing off the walls and begging for more.  Don’t let the Nashville roots fool you.  No country influence can be found anywhere on “Spotlight,” which melds garage rock and pop into a concoction that will fuel a party well into the morning hours.  Enjoy.  And enjoy.  And enjoy.

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So what if I’m arriving late to the party?  Sure, Blonds released their ominously impressive debut album, The Bad Ones, in August of 2012, and I’m only now talking about it, but who cares?  (Please say you don’t care.)  Since you don’t, let’s proceed.  This talented Florida duo craft 60s inspired melodies tinged with a bit of darkness.  Picture your nostalgia haunted by ghosts and then recorded with a warped Kubrickian vision. Cari Rae, who sings a few octaves lower than your typical songstress, adds a depth to each track and shakes away any semblance of kitschy pop that The Bad Ones could have been victim to.  With many murky layers, it sounds like Blonds don’t always have more fun.

Best Tracks:

“Run”

“Mr. E”

“Time”

When & Where:

For a nice relaxing weekend at the Overlook Hotel.  I highly recommend the garden maze in the back of the hotel.

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Australia’s answer to the Black Keys?  Quite possibly.  The Chemist have been churning out blues-infused rock music since their debut EP, Lullabies, in 2010.  On March 22, they released their debut album, Ballet in the Badlands.   Spaghetti western guitars strum in the background while frontman, Ben Witt’s jaded attitude oozes with reverb on “Spray Paint or Praise,” The Chemist’s first single off the new record.  Looking to put a little stank in your music rotation, experiment with The Chemist‘s “Spray Paint or Praise.”  Enjoy.

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Side note: Stank is a good thing.

London’s Phoria are not new to the scene.  They released their first EP, Yourself Still, in 2010, have shared a stage with the likes of Little Dragon, and three of the five members started playing together at the age of 6.  You heard right…6.  Over this long period of time, the members of Phoria have become masters of the art of understatement.  On May 2, they released their second EP, Bloodworks, containing five mood-setting tracks that surprisingly conjure up deep emotions while remaining mostly simple in construction and delivery.  “Scopes,” the second track off of the EP, is perhaps the most complex, with breathy falsettos and a dark electronic buzzing blending into the background that is contrasted by bursts of lush synths and guitars.  Enjoy.

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Side note: If you’ve been jonesing for music similar to The Antlers, then you are pretty much obligated to enjoy “Scopes.”

Who knew that a bunch of guys in their early twenties could harbor such heavy emotion…and actually be able to express it so well?  Dublin’s Kodaline aren’t making music to fill the nights at the pub with your buddies, but to fill the nights when you are in need of commiseration.   Kodaline’s songs are like a volcano, each slowly bubbling up with soft vocals and acoustic guitars that build to an eruption of drums and chants when the pain is just too much to bare. With their self-titled debut EP, Kodaline have chosen to go the literal route and not mince words.  The first song off their EP, “All I Want,” is indicative of Kodaline’s method: being lyrically about as subtle as a sledgehammer (“If you love me, then why’d you leave me?”).  But the bluntness of their message is countered by the infusion of contemporary rock merged with the ballads indicative of their Irish roots.  Heartbreak never sounded so good.

Best Tracks:

All I Want

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Pray

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When & Where:

If your friend is going through a hard breakup, give them Kodaline’s EP…and hide any sharp objects.

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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 discernible 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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