HOT TRAXXX: CHVRCHES - Recover [STREAM]

After a slam dunk of a debut single, CHVRCHES return with a stellar layup: "Recover" is the title track from the group's forthcoming ep, out March 26th in the US on Glassnote.

Sky Ferreira - Everything is Embarrassing [VIDEO]

Sky Ferreira
"Everything is Embarrassing"
Ghost
Capitol 2012
Director: Grant Singer

Ferreira's ep Ghost comes out this month, on the 16th; hopefully the rest of the songs hold up as good as "Everything is Embarrassing" (though I've heard "Red Lips", and that one doesn't).

JEFF the Brotherhood - Sixpack [STREAM]

Hypnotic Knights is a new EP from the rifftacular JEFF the Brotherhood, produced by Dan from the Black Keys. That's a damn fine blend, and you can get your first taste right now with a nice refreshing "Sixpack".

FUCK YEAH: Poor Sons - Scales [VIDEO/MP3]

MP3: Poor Sons - Scales

Poor Sons
"Scales"
Dunes
Burger Records/Under the Gun Records 2011
Director: Poor Sons

Besides owning this on tape, you can and should download their ep for free right here. It rules.

New Kurt Vile: The Creature

MP3: Kurt Vile - The Creature

Looks like come November 8th Matador Records will re-release this year's great Smoke Ring for My Halo because... um? But the bright side of such a pointless endeavor is that it's being packaged with (and thankfully available on it's own 12 inch vinyl release) So Outta Reach, a new ep of 6 songs from those sessions, touched up upon and thrown at an adoring public. Oh and one of the songs is a cover of Boss classic "Downbound Train". You know, this one:

Maybe it sounds like this?

Thanks for the wreck: Buddyhead

MP3: Lilac - So Young
MP3: Lilac - Moon

Those OG's over at Buddyhead may be a bit slower in the posting realm, but when they do, they post quality. Whether it be about the brace of upcoming Icarus Line records (which we're totally stoked on) or their reviews, they're always on point. This falls into the latter, where they've recently posted a review of Lilac's debut EP, and I cannot wait to hear the rest. Feel good summertime jams are always welcome around these parts, and thanks to Travis et al for this one. Enjoy.

Drag queens

MP3: Boy Friend - Lazy Hunter

Boy Friend is the new project from ex SLEEP ∞ OVER slumber partiers Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown. The sound of it? Second verse, same as the first... but in a good way. Download their 4 song ep for free at their Bandcamp page.

Silver lining

MP3: The Velvet Teen - No Star

My excuse was that I was in internet hell for 3 months, but what's yours? The Velvet Teen released a digital ep that was completely slept on last year that's 4 songs as a 4 piece and it slays completely: it's evil, fucker.

I can understand that since the release of "Cum Laude", the world has changed so much (RIP Slowdance), but TVT have returned to continue construction on the planet they started building many moons ago and I can't wait to move in.

Stream this thing for free at their Bandcamp and then pay money to download it.

Golden world, girls.

MP3: Golden Girls - Girl World

A fine place to post our first music post since fucking September (I know, I just barfed too): Golden Girls return with a fucking winner of an ep: Girl World. Snag it at their Bandcamp and check out the video for the title song below. It's another keeper!

New Kurt Vile: Invisibility : Nonexistent

MP3: Kurt Vile - Invisibility : Nonexistent

To ease the pain between Kurt Vile records, the "Square Shells" ep has been conceived and will be birthed May 25th from Vile and Matador. Check out “Invisibility : Nonexistent”, the first ultrasound from the power duo.

The Besterberg, mother fuckers.

MP3: Paul Westerberg - Good As The Cat

Heyyyyy, I took a day off yesterday. Pretty cool shit. Now I'm back, and holy shit, so is Paul Westerberg who just released an ep called "PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys" (it's title borrowing a word per song). It slays pretty fucking hard and is fine example of how this mother fucker can write a fine rock and roll tune: there's some folksy ditties and also some bluesy rockers, all of them making damn sure to sound like PW had a few pints in the basement and just jammed these. Because that's what he can do: jam the perfect song.

Between this and his recent digital output, PW is letting you know he's still your superior, and that you may lick his boots clean while you're on the ground bowing down. Fuck yeah!

Reviving with Abe Vigoda.

MP3: Abe Vigoda - Don't Lie

It's the make over nobody asked for: in less than year's time, Abe Vigoda return with their most defining and rewarding work yet, in an ep titled "Reviver". A strange title and concept, considering this is a band that sounded near fucking perfect on last year's "Skeleton", but when music gets changed up to something this good, there is no reason what so ever to complain.

This ep leaked hard, and it's a testament to this band's popularity when you can do a Google search to download the thing. That's great that they're highly in demand and enjoyed so much, they really deserve it. Abe Vigoda seems to work hard and have a blast in what they do, which is so goddamn rare to find in music these days. I hope that this ep and these dudes set the standard of the year in music and general niceness.

Thanks for the treat guys, we don't deserve it.

The "Reviver" ep sees release February 17th from Post Present Medium.

The Fine Arts Showcase

MP3: The Fine Arts Showcase - Friday On My Knees

NOTE: Today's second in a double shot of contributions comes from Matt Giordano, who sheds is temporary tough guy image for something from the Swedes. Like a jacket or something, since it's getting cold. Fuck yeah? Not really.

Woah, two posts from two of next year's projected best albums in a row? We here at Fuck yeah! Go team! sure love you all. What The Fine Arts Showcase gives us here is a logical progression from their last (and fantastic) album Radiola—their trademark brand of pop music, yet with their psychedelic influences brought further to the front. Enjoy, and anticipate.

Aloha

MP3: Aloha - Body Buzz

MP3: Aloha - The End

Don't make those best of lists just yet! With a new Ghostface album that dropped yesterday and a new Wu Tang to follow next Tuesday, it seems some of our favourites are popping up in December to challenge all previous discs with the promise of being more fresh in our minds and also being just as awesome. Case in point? Aloha's "Light Works", which hit shelves yesterday.

I still haven't taken it all in, but what a lovely little ep we've got here. First, the art is amazing. A beautiful cover, graced on a digipak with materials made from recyclables in a gentle package. Quite honestly, I could roll with the word "gentle" for this whole post. An ep meant to tide over fans before dropping a new lp in 2008, Aloha shows a gentle side that has been hinted at over the years, but finally delivered completely for the first time (and hopefully not the last!). The 7 songs go by somewhat quickly, just under a half hour, which is enough time to fall in love and replay for countless repeated listens.

They're all highlights honestly, but look out for the 2 gems I've posted here, "Passengers" which flows nicely with lovely harmonies backing Tony's sweet pipes and the closer "Equinox", which is a song built around around an improvised piece. It's all so carefree and inviting, very much worth checking out, even if you're not familiar with the band (but thankfully we all know that's not true).

It sounds perfect in these winter days and can morph quite nicely for the holidays, if you so wish. Thank you Aloha, see you next year!

{purchase aloha recordings from insound}

Gwenno

MP3: Gwenno - U & I

I've had this ep sitting on my desktop in the zip folder it was offered in on link from Gwenno's myspace blog since the day it was made available to the public, however I didn't even listen to it until today. Shame on me.

The draw for me at first was, of course, that it is from a member of the Pipettes aka my #1 album of last year (and maybe this year too, as it was issued here in the states finally last month with 2 brand new tracks, and plus nothing has come out in '07 that is anywhere near as good). I'd heard a couple of her solo tracks awhile back and they were quite good, but being that they were stuck on a website, they literally and figuratively didn't travel with me beyond that.

So today I decided to transfer that pesky zip file into my iTunes once and for all and give them the ears they deserved and just my luck, they're fucking brilliant and a welcome companion to "We Are the Pipettes". The "U & I" ep leaves behind the lavish production of WATP for keyboards and drum machines, bringing Gwenno's phenomenal voice to forefront more so than ever.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that this is just pure pop music. The songs aren't weighed down by it's lyrics or harmonies, but are just merely 2+ minute songs of sugary goodness and winning melodies: a winning formula for entertainment. She says these are just demos for the time being, but they're beyond good enough for me. Can't wait for an album (and more from the Pipettes of course!).

Fun fact: According to last.fm, Jennifer Love Hewitt is a similar artist. Am I missing out?

Juvelen

MP3: Juvelen - Watch Your Step

NOTE: Today's contribution comes from the original gangsta Matt Giordano, who hopes to get the band back together in December. Fuck yeah.

Juvelen is currently making some of the best flat-out pop music these days, and that's quite an accomplishment. He released his debut EP, which this track is from, this past January with an LP proper due later this fall. Resurrecting all that is great about pop music—and coincidentally what has been missing from it for almost two decades—Juvelen has actually brought sexy back, as opposed to those who have claimed to.

{purchase juvelen recordings from it's a trap}

Zookeeper

MP3: Zookeeper - I Live In the Mess You Are

People love Mineral. People love the Gloria Record. Thus, people love Chris Simpson. I was always a very casual fan but I still knew Simpson was a talented songwriter and he had a bit of lightning in his bottle. I remember seeing on some website that he was doing a new thing called Zookeeper and I decided to casually check it out on the myspace. The demos there were really promising and I made a mental note to stay excited and keep my eye open for a release.

That release now exists in a self titled ep bundled up in 5 lovely songs and one awesome cover (I'm a sucker for a good photograph on your cover and Zookeeper's is simple and striking). The songs are more accessible than Simpson's past bands (if you found them hard to get into) and jangle through nicely, rarely slowing down. Just hit after hit.

This ep is a great introduction to an exciting project and I am exciting for the upcoming lp "Becoming All Things", due November 6th on Simpson's Bellecitypop label.

{buy zookeeper recordings from bellecitypop}
{stream the zookeeper ep from fanatic promotion}