Stockton, California’s Craft Spells were first brought to my attention several months ago (according to the notes on my phone 118 days ago) by the Transparent blog for their track “The Fog Rose High,” and again this past weekend when I saw Weekly Tape Deck‘s post for “Ramona.”

Honestly “The Fog Rose High” was good enough to post on it’s own, but it took hearing a couple more tracks from these Northern Californians who at heart live in the 80′s to get me off my ass and start writing.

Craft Spells is comprised of Justin Vallesteros  and Frankie Soto and their first track “The Fog Rose High” originally resonated in my head as a Magnetic Fields mid era (Charm of the Highway/Holiday/ Get Lost) inspired track in all of it’s electronic pop glory, but as I listened to it more I started to hear that a little bit less and pop giants of the 80s started to come to mind.  Bits of the Cure and a good dose of New Order started to rise to the top, and not in the way where you are like this sounds like that, but in the sense that it hits the same parts of your brain.

Delicate guitar melodies over electronic beats, and smooth synths create a track that works for both the heat that New York is currently suffering through, and I imagine it would be even more enjoyable on the beaches of Northern California (oh how I wish there was an ocean breeze here).  The b-side to the “The Fog Rose High” is a bit faster and a little more lo-fi sounding, but still showcasing the same traits.  It is available as a free zip file enclosed with “The Fog Rose High” from their myspace, but I’ve been so into their songs I thought I would post it here as well:

[mp3] Craft Spells- “The Fog Rose High”

[mp3] Craft Spells- “You Should Close the Door”

Craft Spells’ newest single is “Ramona.” A more subdued melody lets the vocals relax creating more of a soulful dance vibe intertwined with that same blissful 80s influenced pop that caught my attention on their first single.   Part of me wants this song to be a Scott Pilgrim reference but I doubt that is the case.  “Ramona” combined with the three new tracks posted to their soundcloud in the past 16 days makes me really excited for new things to come from from this young band who is growing in depth and refining their style with each new track…we should be expecting a release titled Idle Labor any time now, and I honestly can’t wait.  I don’t want to burn out the three mp3s that have been on repeat on my iPod all week.

[mp3] Craft Spells- “Ramona”

[stream] Craft Spells- “Gold Wing,” “Party Talk,” and “Azelea”

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.
  • You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here
• Photo by Yadira Varela.
• learn more about Craft Spells:
  • blogspot
  • myspace
  • soundcloud
  • twitter
  • keep an eye out for Idle Labor, due out sometime this summer.

From the ashes of Desolation Wilderness rises Nick Zwart’s new solo recording project Electric Sunset, who’s debut self titled album is set to be released on K Records on September 7th.

While it’s obvious from the first single, “Soda,” that Electric Sunset is farther than a stones throw from Desolation Wilderness, but once you look a little bit deeper I start to see aspects of that shoegaze band that I’ve pined over for the past couple years.

“Soda” is an ambient pop jam that starts with the slow pulse of electronic drum beats leading into wavering tones creating a perfect vehicle for Zwart’s soft sweet vocals.  The guitars kick in you witness the coming together of the two styles as the wall of sound of shoegazey guitar meets ambient electro pop creating a delicate but jangly noisy back drop.  Zwart has created something new and unique with aspects of eltronic pop and psychedica using synthesizers, guitar, modified samplers and computers…something that will appeal to fans of Desolation Wilderness and the Postal Service a like…and that is a large gap to bridge.

[mp3] Electric Sunset- “Soda”

A full review of this album will be posted once I let it settle, but I really like what I’m hearing…and that being said I’ve listened to it like three times today.

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Electric Sunset has a couple West Coast tour dates lined up too:

• 07/07 – Berkeley, CA 2703 Fullerston w/ St. Stag Hare & Gkfoes vjgoaf
• 08/21 – Rochester, WA Helsing Junction Farm

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.
  • You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.
• more on Desolation Wilderness here.
• more on K Records here.

Dream Cop, known to the his friends as Tommy Davidson, submitted a couple tracks recently and they have really stuck with me.  The name of his musical outlet sat a little bit funny with me (as most things related to the police do) so I thought I would do some investigating.  Tommy told that the name of the band is pulled from William S. Burroughs’ Interzone, and that put my mind a little more at ease.  Davidson started making music under the name Dream Cop in December of 2009, and  hails from Blacksburg, VA which is the small college town where Virginia Tech is located, as well as the home of Wild Nothing (now signed to Captured Tracks).

“Marooned” is a great introduction to Dream Cop showing that not only does Davidson have a pop sensibility he can also create an upbeat rock songs while incorporating aspects of psychedica, glitchy electronics, shoegaze, and at times a beautiful haze of white noise to bring a whole additional layer to a track that already has so much depth.  Davidson’s vocals smooth over the track giving a vibe that is both familiar, and new.

[mp3] Dream Cop- “Marooned”

While “Marooned” is the track that initially caught me “Beach City/ Carol, I Know” can’t be discarded.   This track exemplifies Dream Cop’s ability to slow down and create something more delicate.  Almost giving his pop an ambient air. Dream Cop borrows lyrics from the Beach Boy’s “That’s Not Me” and “Caroline No” (which was originally titled “Carol, I Know”), and presents to us, not a cover, but his own reinterpretation of these classic pop lyrics.

[mp3] Dream Cop- “Beach City/Carol, I know”

Dream Cop is one man, and after hearing these songs you know that he is a talented person incorporating many instruments, and mastery of his recording process. Between these two tracks Dream Cop has shown depth and diversity, and I’m excited to hear his upcoming release on Output Noise Records.  Davidson has also said that there are several remixes in the works.  I hope all of these things will be shared with us in the near future.

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.

A few weeks ago Zachary Cale sent over the tracks from his new 7″ Come Quietly, which was released on All Hands Electric. All of the songs submitted to the Great Pumpkin are thrown into a mix, and when I listen I don’t look at the artists’ name.  I think this is a fair way to listen to new music in an unbiased manner.  On this particular mix there were two songs that I kept coming back to, and they happened to be “Come Quietly” and “The Wedding Party” both the a-side and b-side from Cale’s newest record.

Zachary Cale lives in Brooklyn, and claims the Gowanus as his home.  He was formerly the front man of the Illuminations (who were also based here in Brooklyn). Cale has the voice of a singer songwriting, the type we know and love from the late 90′s and early 2000′s, and while extremely emotional his voice never turns whiny.  While Cale is a new name to me he has been making music since 2003, and the maturity that comes with time is something that can’t be faked.  Cale brings two amazing songs, both mellow and melodic about love, and pain that take only one listen to engage the listener, and make them realize that they have found something special.

The Come Quietly 7″ was recorded when Cale recorded his last full length, Walking Papers, but they were never released.  These two tracks both stand on their own, but “The Wedding Party” seems to be sticking around in my head, headphones, and now on my turntable.   This track has been also getting radio play over at my beloved WFMU.  A track that is mellow and upbeat at the same time with Cales sweet soothing voice which rides the music like a wave.  These two tracks lead me believe that Cale’s songs are going to be around my home for a long time to come.

[mp3] Zachary Cale- “The Wedding Party”

I recently acquired both Cale’s Walking Papers and See-Saw by the Illuminations.  I’ve very curious to explore more of this talented young man’s music.

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.

Denver, Colorado’s Weed Diamond have been making their way on to my computer for many months now.  One of the most unique, and unexpectedly awesome ways was from Get Off the Coast’s DENVER’s Show and Tell: TV Themes post where Weed Diamond covered the theme to Pepper Ann (there are two other covers on that post by other Denver bands, and believe me all worth checking out).

While I’ve been enjoying their tunes for some time nothing had hit me as hard as their new tracks from their new 7″ on Transparent (pictured above).

“Oklahoma” is a song that just rings out from the first note.  The lead up is a little bit of feedback into the crystal clear upbeat guitar riff sets the tone for the entire track.  As the drums and the tambourine kick in you can anticipating the vocals about come. The slightly hollow blown out are the perfect acompanyment to the the sing song chorus.  The chorus almost reminds me of an oldies tune revamped by these very talented men from Denver.  This track has been stuck in my head for days(humming the chorus while I ride my bike is something I commonly find myself going), and I’m starting to wish I knew the lyrics.

[mp3] Weed Diamond- “Oklahoma”

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The a-side of this 7″ is the slightly more fuzzy “Snowmelt” and Jheri from Get Off the Coast recently did an amazing video for this track…I won’t say any more….just watch:

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• Buy this 7″ from Leftest Nautical Antiques in the USA here.
  • or Pure Groove in Europe here.

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Go see Weed Diamond on tour with TAN DOLLAR!  Tour dates can be found here.

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This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.

Floating in like a peaceful cloud in a surreal dream came “The Key” by Sleep ∞ Over from Austin, TX featuring Stefanie Franciotti, Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown (members of Silver Pines and Belaire).

I had heard a couple tracks by these ladies through Friendship Bracelet and Chocolate Bobka, but it took this one that Shawn from Night People sent over to truly get me excited.

“The Key” fades in to a haze of mellow dream pop that seems to be hitting my mind like ocean waves making me sleepy in the very best of ways.  The melancholy vocals are dark and hopeful at the same time like a slightly scary lullaby.  “The Key” stays in tune with with the other tracks that are floating around from Sleep ∞ Over all reminding me of that state that is between being in a dream and being awake…a magical time in a dream state, and these ladies seem to produce the perfect soundtrack to accompany it.  “The Key” is a  beautiful track, and a complete teaser to their upcoming tape on Night People Records that is out in April (rumor has it that it might already be out).

[mp3] Sleep ∞ Over- “The Key”

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Sleep ∞ Over is on the new Bathetic Compilation Dark As Night.  Pick that up here.

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This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.

More on Night People Records can be found here.

One of the most recent bands to sign to Merge Records is London, England’s Let’s Wrestle.  While not very many of Merge’s acts come from across the big pond (The Clientele being one of the few exceptions) Let’s Wrestle’s sound fits perfectly into the well curated catalog that Mac and Laura have scouted, and given the tools needed to grow.

Let’s Wrestle have been around since 2005, and released In the Court of Wrestling Let’s on Stolen Recordings last year.  This was the bands first full length recording, and it will be reissued on Merge Records in the US this month.  I’ve kind of been slow to catch on to Let’s Wrestle, because in the end it is no secret that they have been playing in New York what seems like all the time over the past two years, but when the single from this first full length “We Are the Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon” popped up on a recent mix I made it got suck in my head, and has stayed there for quite some time.

Even though “We Are the Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon” starts with a bunch nonsensical “ba ba baaaass,” something when used in excess I typically hate…for some reason it just works for this song.  The lyrics are fun, the music is catchy, and in the end Let’s Wrestle just seem to come across as good dudes.  I imagine if they have even a little bit of charisma they will be able to work a crowd, and even those who are unfamiliar with their songs you will be singing along in no time.  “We Are the Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon” is a super catchy first single, pop in a sense at least for me screams MERGE, and I think it might be able to bring a smile to your face…for me the line about “we’ve got enough money to by some G&Ts for the girls” pretty much does it.  I hope the whole album is as good as this:

[mp3] Let’s Wrestle- “We Are the Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon”

• out on Merge Records on 3/23/2010
  • buy it here.

A note on the name…friends have said they love it, and others have said they hate it…give a listen and decide for yourself.  I hope they hit NYC on the way back from SXSW…I would really like to see them.

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.
• more on Merge Records here.

It only makes sense that a great new band gets it’s introduction to the world on one of the music blogs I look to for new and emerging artists, but the most unique part about this is that they are both based in North Carolina.  Months ago Get Off The Coast posted a couple tracks by Gross Ghost, and “Golden T” has really proven to have staying power in my day to day listening.

Gross Ghost do what bands from Chapel Hill/Carrboro/ Raleigh/Durham area  do best, and make good straight up indie rock, and it doesn’t hurt that they have great pop sensibility.   In a day where where keyboards and electronics tend to dominate my intake of new music it’s nice to hear a band using just guitar, base, and drums.   Gross Ghost bring what I want to hear coming out of NC following in the steps of the states’ great indie rock past bringing melodic and catchy rock with vocals that can back it up perfectly.  Their use of backing vocals, almost as if it is the brief entrance of a chorus backing them,  on this track make the band seem larger than three members, and really fill out my speakers.  Mike from Gross Ghost told me that they are headed into the studio this month so hopefully we will be getting more tracks as good as “Golden T” from these southern dudes very soon. It’s exciting to see rising acts from North Carolina, and with Love Language‘s recent signing to Merge I hope this means big things are in store for Gross Ghost.

[mp3] Gross Ghost- “Golden T”

So much good music coming out of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia…where were these bands when I lived there.

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• This is part of my Speed Dating series.  You can read more about singles I have featured in this series here.