New York – The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. On January 27th, 2015 Alvvays was selected for their outstanding achievements in the “Breakthrough Group Of The Year” and “Alternative Album Of The Year” categories. The fuzz-pop quintet
San Francisco – Relative newcomers Young Ejecta have returned with a new EP—or “mini-album” as they choose to call it—entitled The Planet. The electronic duo consists of Joel Ford (of Ford & Lopatin fame) and Neon Indian’s female vocalist Leanne Macomber. Back in the late fall of 2013, the duo released their first full-length LP
San Francisco – Viet Cong are a fantastic Canadian band whose illustrious eclecticism has torn a new one in the figurative behind of modern independent music. Their self-titled debut LP is one for the ages, and at just seven tracks long, its prowess is both defiant and terrifying. The band consists of two former members
Nashville – With their latest self-titled release (via Burger Records), Cotillon once again shines with an ethereal follow up to their breezy 2013 White Roses EP. Led by the visionary singer-songwriter Jordan Corso, and known for their warm, floral sound that evokes the glory days of California surf pop, it seems that the band is
Portland – Often in rock music, the adage “less is more” holds true. Range Anxiety, the new album from Melbourne-based Twerps (out this week on Merge Records in the U.S.), is a prime example of how accurate that statement is. With two guitars, bass, drums, and vocals shared by every member, the four-piece act has
New York – Jessica Pratt is an acoustic folk singer-songwriter out of Los Angeles whose spellbinding work seemingly resonates from a distant decade. Her most recent achievement is On Your Own Love Again, out this week via Drag City, and the record is a meditative masterpiece and a dream catcher of a compilation. Listening to
Chicago – It was a homecoming of sorts for Islander this past Sunday. The South Carolina nu-metal band was in Chicago, home to their label Victory Records. Swarms of label employees came to see the band they’ve been praising as “the next big thing,” in alternative metal anyway. Seeing as the foursome was hand-picked by
Los Angeles – Templeton, California band Night Riots is a five-piece outfit, which includes Travis Hawley (vocals), Nick Fotinakes (guitar), Matt DePauw (guitar), Mikel Van Kranenburg (bass), and Rico Rodriguez (drums). Their brand new second EP, Howl, from Sumerian Records is a supercharged record that combines the sounds of 80s and modern rock into one
Melbourne, Australia’s Courtney Barnett, singer-songwriter, guitar virtuoso, visual artist and label owner whose 2013 release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas set the music world alight, is releasing her debut LP Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit on March 24 via Mom + Pop Music. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I
Austin – Is there a blues revival underway? Probably not. More accurately, if you can’t hear the Muddy Waters influence in artists who claim blues as a source of inspiration, nobody should blame you. In the music of Angel Olsen (a Best New Bands 2013 Best New Female Artist nominee) or Max Frost, the twelve