White Lung

Well, there just have to be something in the damn water up in the Pacific northwest. For a good twenty years they’ve been giving the world amazing bands that delivers an excellent mix of gloom and punk – yes, again I’m gonna mention The Wipers – and the latest great outfit is Vancouver quartet White Lung! Their second full-length album Sorry released in May 2012 offers up ten tracks that perfectly blends the gloom with punk energy bringing to mind the best of the post-punk sounds of the 80s.

Great musiciansship, great, varied songs and great vocal delivery the band perfectly mixes youthful freshness with a retro, “arty” vibe with the occasional hardcore surprise popping up now and then. I hear tons of influences and even some Dead Kennedys in the guitars! Back in say 1984 these guys would’ve been signed to IRS Records and making zillions. I am not kidding. Check ’em out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://whitelung.bandcamp.com/
Website: https://www.facebook.com/whitelung

Beyond Veronica

More emails, this time from Portland’s Beyond Veronica hepping me to their second album Hard Times For Dreamers released earlier this year on Fetish Pop Records. A dozen tracks are offered here, mostly of the mid-tempo variety with some nice hooks and a pretty retro 70s Power Pop feel – musically they actually kinda reminded me of Seattle legends The Heats!

The band is good and tight, vocalist Bonnie Veronica got a nice voice that kinda brings to mind early The Pandoras (especially on tracks like Fade Away where that 60s retro garage feel gets more evident) and unlike a lot of bands these guys offers up a wide variety when it comes to the song material, making it a pleasant experience for the listener. Check ’em out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://beyondveronica.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.beyondveronica.com/

Charity Numbers

For a nice dose of classic US lo-fi pop, check out The Charity Numbers‘ self-titled debut EP! Not too much info about the band I’m afraid (no links and no bio) but with Berlin added as a tagline I’m guessing they’re a German band. We’re talking some really nice melodies delivered with a decent amount of distortion and tape hiss, occasionally bringing early Weezer to mind.

Six nice songs including one instrumental track and an homage to actress Thora Birch. Thick, layered guitars, lots of hooks and good vocal performance make this a nice release for fans of early Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh. The EP is available as a free download so check it out.

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://charitynumbers.bandcamp.com/
Website: N/A

Cellophane Folks

Chilean five-piece Cellophane Folks offers up something I’d like to call “garage indie” on their debut EP Late Nite Show. Nine tracks blending the sort of modern stylings of The Strokes with some Weezer pop sensibilities (especially fifth track Bermuda’s Triangle that reminds me of the latter’s Say It Ain’t So), they have a definite UK indie feel and remind me of a more laid back Jacob’s Mouse.

Nice hooks, occasional noise, some cool post-punk dance floor rhytms and good lo-fi production, check ’em out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://cellophanefolks.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.facebook.com/cellophanefolksmusic

Gross Magic

For a blend of UK indie, grungy US pop and a slight Bowie-influence, make sure you check out the Teen Jamz EP from British outfit Gross Magic. Sweet, lush new wave-ish melodies served up somewhat lo-fi with nice, grungy guitars and soothing vocals.

Perfectly underproduced sort of minimalistic yet catchy pop that manages to combine hooks with non-fomulaic music. Also available as a 12″ EP on Sounds Of Sweet Nothing.

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://thesoundsofsweetnothing.bandcamp.com/album/teen-jamz-ep
Website: http://www.myspace.com/grossmagic

Young Aviators

Glasgow-based Irish outfit The Young Aviators oddly enough consider their own music grunge, when I’d be more likely to call it indie pop. On their new three-song EP Hunting For Heaven they offer up classic UK/US indie sounds with nice hooks and just a little bit of dirt added to make the sound interesting for garage fans like myself.

Not much more info available I’m afraid (although they mention an email list, but I can’t find it!), so check out their Bandcamp (their Email Download EP is available for free!) and let’s hope they add more information later on.

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://youngaviators.bandcamp.com/
Website: N/A

Gods And Queens

Philadelphian trio Gods And Queens offer up a noisy, melodic sound reminicing (and admittedly heavily influenced by) the sort of  “hardcore indie” that existed way back in the 1990’s. Listening to their recent EP Untitled 3 I couldn’t help thinking they could be one of the more commercial entities on the now defunct Amphetamine Reptile Records. Heartfelt screaming vocals (that oddly enough actually reminds me of The Melvins of all things!) with that noisy rock/pop/”produced by Steve Albini” thing going.

Recently back home in the States after finishing up their European tour, the band has so far released one album and two EP’s – all of them untitled, with untitled songs to boot!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://godsandqueens.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://godsandqueens.wordpress.com/

Odonis Odonis

Hollandaze is the first full length from Canadian outfit Odonis Odonis on FatCat Records. Seemingly a one-man project run by Dean Tzenos, collaborators include members from New Pornographers, Pretty Girls Make Graves and  Kurt Vile. After a debut 7″ and a split 12″ EP, the album offers up eleven tracks of noisy indie pop with some garage-y influences.

A reverb-drenched blend of early goth, Jesus & Mary Chain with some slight hints of Big Black. Check ’em out.

Sample track:

Bandcamp:  http://odonisodonis.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://odonisodonis.com/