Here begins a series I’ll continue until the end of the year: Rare tracks by bands who I picked as being the best of this year (see “2008-Best” tab at the top of this site). You need to buy their records but, even if you do, you won’t find these cuts on them. Dig it. [...]

I haven’t given away anything in a long time, so when I had the chance to offer some rubbers, I went for it. This is all part of Trojans’ promotion of its new youtube channel and the Trojan Evolve Website, which has teamed up with tons of indie and indie-minded artists like Paper Rival, The [...]

Here’s a record that won’t change your life, but just might make you happy. From Boston, Fugitive Kind’s debut, “You’re Being Watched,” a January ’09 release, was produced by Ed (Ramones, Talking Heads, Mick Jagger, Soul Asylum) Stasium so, as you can imagine, it’s got a heavy late-‘80s powerpop sound—the perfect compliment for Lydia Marsala’s [...]

Dan Koch of Sherwood tells me his band is giving away an original Holiday tune–no cover, nothin’ about Santa–called “Snowing In Seattle.  It’s got a laid back Nada Surf-erish feel.  Good stuff.  Dan tells me they have an album coming out in the summer, and hopefully we’ll get the chance to review it.  (It’ll be [...]

Part one. Part two. The best posts of the year, from The Archive! We left off at S, but I have a few more of those: S is for Adam Raised a Cain (Springsteen)-Drive By Truckers. One of the world’s best live bands, they got a little lazy this year. Far as I know, the [...]

We’re continuing this celebration of 2008 covers from the Archive. Here’s part one. J is for Staple it together > whole lotta love-Jack Johnson (Led Zeppelin cover) I’m not a huge surfer music fan, but I think JJ is generous to provide his material, and his covers are cool, laid back funk. K is for [...]

In some strange way, lead singer/guitarist Jai Henry of The Minneapolis Henrys sounds like The Cure. But it’s obvious from the first moment on the band’s debut, as a few light chords jump into a chug-a-lug bassline that you’re not here for the vocals. Honestly, I have trouble focusing on the lyrics because the music [...]