The Futureheads

"Decent Days and Nights"
from the album The Futureheads
2004
[iTunes]

The Futureheads is a four-member rock band from Sunderland, England. They amaze with their vocal prowess, blending their four voices over around and between the choppy retro guitars and chunky bass lines. They don't just have one vocalist -- everyone sings.

The band began as a trio of Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar), Jaff (bass), and Pete Brewis (drums). They first performed in 2000, and through word-of-mouth their reputation in the local area grew. Ross Millard (vocals and guitar) and Hyde's younger brother Dave (replacing Brewis on drums) joined later, and their first single was released in 2002.

The Futureheads released their self-titled debut album in September 2004. Their music has been described as energetic, witty, and cheerful in style. The band recently toured the USA in support of Franz Ferdinand, and they return stateside this summer.

Watch the video for "Decent Days and Nights" for free at the iTunes Music Store.

The Futureheads

The Music

"Breakin' "
from the album Welcome to the North
2004
[iTunes]

Brit pop got a new face in the new millennium thanks to the popularity of Coldplay, the Vines, and Doves. Oasis weren't exactly supreme kings anymore, therefore the Gallaghers didn't have much of a choice when making room for some these younger lads. The Music was a part of that fresh-faced crowd and took the UK indie charts by storm in summer 2002.

Comprised of schoolhood chums Stuart Coleman, Adam Nutter, Robert Harvey, and Phil Jordan, the Music emerged from the suburbs of Leeds in 1999. They were just teenagers at the time and practiced between studies and dinner time for the next two years. By early 2001, Radio 1 celebrity DJ Steve Lamacq hailed the Music as the "best unsigned band in Britain." The raw, rock power of their demo "Take the Long Road and Walk It" started it all. Fierce Panda secured the album and released a limited edition of 1,000 copies in May 2001.

England's Hut Recordings won a bidding war with the Music and released the band's debut EP You Might as Well Try to Fuck Me that same spring. NME touted the Music as "potentially the most important group since Oasis." The People EP appeared in spring 2002, and with the English press still abuzz, America attempted to capitalize on them as well. Capitol Records snatched up the Music in mid-2002. A self-titled full-length came in fall 2002 in the UK, followed in America in February 2003. A month later, the Music hit the road with Coldplay for a two-month run in the States.

Their second album arrived in fall of 2004, lead by first single "Freedom Fighters" and followed by "Breakin'." ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide

The Music

Scissor Sisters

"Laura"
from the album Scissor Sisters
2004
[iTunes]

Although a New York-based band, Scissor Sisters (as evidenced by their debut disc) are definitely not part of the typical New York scene, forgoing garage and new-wave to embrace campier, glammier '70s and '80s rock 'n' dance sounds.

The album begins with "Laura," an awesome and catchy tune you'll find difficult to get out of your head. It begins with a strong piano before Jake Shears jumps in with his unique and recognizable vocals. There's so much going on in this track, you'll hear something new each time you listen to it.

Watch the video for "Laura" for free at the iTunes Music Store.

Scissor Sisters

Oasis

"Lyla"
from the album Don't Believe The Truth
2005

Bombastic, brawling, brilliant ... there are many adjectives that have been used to describe Oasis -- and many of the most flattering ones have come directly from the group itself.

As with anything the marble-mouthed Manchester lads put out, Don't Believe the Truth, their first album since 2002's Heathen Chemistry, is sure to earn them many more colorful descriptions.

"Lyla," the first single, will sate any hunger pangs for Oasis' familiar guitar jangles. But if you ask Noel Gallagher, he'll tell you the truth about the song: It wasn't his first -- or even second -- choice.

"We'd just forgotten about recording it, so we hastily cobbled together my original demo and did a bit more work on it, mixed it, and it's come out pretty well," he said. "But it's not a fair representation of the album to me. It's not even like the fifth or sixth best track on the album, but it's the most radio friendly. So we're basically saying we don't get to choose our own singles anymore; it's something I will be addressing before I sign a new record deal."

Alrighty then. The short-fused Gallagher let loose when asked about the recently shot "Lyla" video, as well.

"Let me clear that up," said Gallagher, who promises to switch off the telly when the video airs. "I f---ing loathe videos. This is not the reason why I started a band, to stand on a video stage all day and mime a song 500 times, knowing that when you get to the end of the 499th, you're thinking, 'I don't even f---ing like this song anymore, it's stupid.' But it's a necessary evil for me.

"I turn up, they put their little cross [of tape] on the stage, and they say, 'You stand there and do your thing,' and you do it as best you can and hope that the guy who's doing the video does a good job. There's only ever been one criterion, and that's to make us look 10 years younger. You get that right and I'm fine."

Perhaps the fact that the band recorded some of the songs for Don't Believe the Truth in California created a slightly sunnier experience for the group? Nah: crossing the pond to work at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles was a dicey deal, according to Gallagher.

"It's like they can't do without the doughnuts and the coffee and all of that," he said. "So we got into a huddle in the corner [and said], 'Do we really wanna go?' Because it's like that scene in 'Star Wars' when the little ship flies into the Death Star. It's kinda like that with us."

On the other hand, the two months spent in the U.S. were "actually the longest time I've spent in America without anything going t--s up, which was incredible."

All four members wrote for the album. It opens with Andy Bell's "Turn Up the Sun" and Liam Gallagher's "Love Like a Bomb," then delves into "The Meaning of Soul" and "Guess God Thinks I'm Abel," a title that perplexed Noel when he figured out how to spell it.

"For about three months, we all thought that song was called 'Guess God Thinks I'm Able,' as in an able-bodied man," he explained. "So we're coming to write the track listing one day and [Liam] goes, 'It's not f---ing "Able," it's "Abel," ' and he wrote it out and we were all kinda looking at each other, going, 'Hmmm.' I had to go back and listen to it, and then I was just sat down thinking about it and the story of Cain and Abel."

After some contemplation, he added, "I'm thinking, 'Well, that's very religious and biblical and it's a bit deep.' But ... the first line of the song is 'You could be my lover' which ... you'd have to speak to Liam about. He has a religious fixation with [Abel] and Jesus, I think. It's very strange."

Oasis plan to tour the States later this year, but fans awaiting the June and September dates might want to light some candles and pray for the rowdy group to ensure all goes to plan. Gallagher is already predicting some mayhem. "There's gonna be us and Jet and [Kasabian]. That's gonna be f---ing mental. I'm gonna need to have a liver transplant when I get back. It's gonna be good, though, I can't wait."

As for whether the relationship between the brothers Gallagher will hold up for the entire trip, "It's always the same," Noel said. "It starts off great and then somewhere, usually in America, I don't know why ... probably the sight of cactus plants or something like that ... [it] freaks [Liam] out. Then he oversteps the mark a little bit and ... it degenerates from there. It starts out great, then it just ends up being a bit of a shame, really. We'll see what happens this year."

Don't Believe the Truth is due May 31.
~ MTV.com

You catch the video for "Lyla" at Yahoo! Music or MTV.com.

Oasis

Pitty Sing

"Radio"
from the album Pitty Sing
2005
[iTunes]

Download a free MP3 of "Radio" from Insound.com [right-click/save-as]

Watch the video for "Radio" for free at the iTunes Music Store.

Ask Pitty Sing frontman Paul Holmes where his songs come from -- why they sound like they do -- and he'll admit he's rather miffed about it. Critics have compared the group's instantly classic yet fresh and experimental sound to such beloved '80s acts as Simple Minds and the Smiths, but Holmes and his young band mates -- JJ (keyboards, sequences, guitars), Dave Greenwald (drums), and Andrew Puricelli (bass) -- did not grow up listening to any of those groups. And, while they're now familiar with those bands, none directly influenced or inspired his own group's sound. Believe it or don't. But take one listen to Pitty Sing's self-titled debut album and you won't be able to deny the ingenuity or quality of their music. The songs stick with you in a way that few do today.

Ask Holmes and he'll tell you: the New York based band is not shooting to emulate a particular sound. What comes out just comes out. Again, believe it or don't. But the four young guys who make up Pitty Sing have delivered a tour de force debut album that reflects not only surprising depth but also an uncommon maturity and confidence. Songwriter and lead singer Holmes, who was born in Manchester, England but raised in the States, is both baffled by it and in awe of it. Remembering the night after an early rehearsal session, he says, "We had some gig coming up and we were doing these big, epic journeys through pop and electronic, real long and emotional. And I remember we were on the train on the way back home from practicing, and we just went, 'What did we just do? This is fuckin' amazing!' We went back home and listened to the cassette we made during rehearsal, and I was like, 'There's no way just anybody could do this. This must be something special.'"

While the music they made that night was sprawling, the songs comprising the band's debut album, the 13-track Pitty Sing, are much more to the point. With Holmes' breathy, British vocals recalling everyone from Suede to Morrissey, the tracks are full of beautiful and strikingly complex melodies, delivered with teeth and a tenacity that sets Pitty Sing apart from so many of today's groups.

The songs are music from a parallel dimension, reminding of a time before Britney, before Blink-182, before grunge. The band, formed in Boston but now residing in New York, has come up with a sound that is vital, but completely unaffected by the pop music of the current day. It is music from an alternate universe that projects a vibe hip enough to help create its own scene and alter the direction of what's ruling the charts.

For Pitty Sing, part of making good music is testing the limits. "If you looked at how people were pushing the envelope of pop in past decades, it seemed as though it had no end," Holmes says. "It seemed as though you could just keep pushing it and pushing it, and new things would come and change mainstream pop. But I've felt that for quite a while now, we've given up or we've digressed, or something. And if people try to push it creatively, they end up pushing themselves into another market, into a more experimental thing."

When Holmes moved from England to his mother's native Erie, Pennsylvania in the early '90s, he dove headfirst into the colossal grunge music of the era. But it wasn't long before he moved on to the bands that were then blowing up in his native country. "I remember putting on Suede's second album Dog Man Star and thinking, 'I've been so wrong. What have I been doing?' The ambience of that record is unparalleled. It just has this sort of class, this regal brilliance about it. I remember thinking, 'I want to do that.'"

It wasn't long after he moved to Boston that Holmes and the other members of Pitty Sing began making brilliance of their own. Rising independent label Or Music, home to platinum-plus Texas rockers Los Lonely Boys, signed Pitty Sing on the strength of a demo, even though they had only a few shows under their belt. In mid-2003, the band issued a self-titled, three-song demo that received critical acclaim and kick-started a growing local and online buzz.

Pitty Sing's music has evolved into something that is quite positive and uplifting one minute and dark as night the next. And, to Holmes, that seems totally natural. "Sometimes on the dark songs I feel so dismal and dark and destructive, but it's like I don't know anybody who's ever really ever in one state of mind. I mean, everybody has a day where they're like, 'Motherf--ker. I want to kill him.' And some days, I'll be like, 'I love everybody.' I just feel like there's just so many different things I feel in a day. It's like, why shouldn't that be expressed in the music? It's a natural thing for me."

Pitty Sing takes its name from the Flannery O'Connor story, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find," in which a cat called Pitty Sing drives a group of escaped convicts to murder an innocent family. From the very first time they started writing their own songs, Holmes and his band mates were a bit perplexed by what they came up with: Their music was recalling the best elements of classic '80s bands, even though the four guys comprising Pitty Sing hadn't really delved into their albums.

"If it resembles other things, it's just sort of an accident," Holmes says. "When we write, it's more like a channeling of things, it's more driven by emotion, the creativity comes out of extremes in emotion. It's almost like the songs themselves are stones in the sand, and all we have to do is brush off the sand. We're not really trying to do something, or sound like anybody, we don't even really know that stuff."

For Holmes, now 21, there's a goal, it's to come up with a memorable melody. "For some reason, I just remember from being very, very young that melody from Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark's '80s hit 'Souvenirs.' I haven't listened to it since, but it just stuck with me for some reason. And that's the vibe I want to get in my writing, and where I want to direct the band in the time being. I want a melody like that, a melody that would pierce right through to people and make them feel like their sixth birthday party, back to that innocence."

After scoring the deal with Or Music, Pitty Sing headed to Dallas to lay down its first official recordings. Working at an unknown jingle studio with a series of increasingly befuddled engineers, the band slowly built up the tracks that would end up as their debut album. The EP Demons, You Are The Stars In Cars 'Til I Die, featuring the first single "Radio," was released in October 2004. Pitty Sing, the debut album, arrived in January 2005. ~ Launch.com

Pitty Sing

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

"Let It Ride"
from the album Cold Roses
2005
[iTunes]

Ever-prolific singer/songwriter Ryan Adams has three releases on tap this year, the first of which will arrive May 3 via Lost Highway. The 18-song, double-disc Cold Roses is credited to Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, consisting of guitarists J.P. Bowersock and Cindy Cashdollar, drummer Brad Pemberton and bassist Catherine Popper. Rachael Yamagata guests on the tracks "Let It Ride" and "Cold Roses."

Cold Roses will be followed this summer by the album September and in the fall by the set 29, produced by longtime collaborator Ethan Johns.
~ Billboard.com

Ryan Adams

Coldplay

"Speed of Sound"
from the album X&Y
2005
[iTunes]

Coldplay is back with their third album X&Y on June 7. The first single "Speed of Sound" is already becoming a huge hit, as it's currently the No. 1 download on all fifteen of the iTunes Music Stores -- Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Before that, though, it was a hit ringtone.

The band first debuted the lead single not on the radio but as a Cingular ringtone. A thirty-second sample was made available through Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless' ring tone store. This was nearly a week before the song's radio debut and nearly two months before the album's Capitol Records release.

The ringtone debut may signal a major step for the music industry, which previously relied almost exclusively on radio and television. The step also lends credibility to the rapidly expanding ringtone market. This was the first installment of a Cingular service called Cingular Sounds, which allows subscribers a first listen to songs before they hit radio.

Coldplay

The White Stripes

"Blue Orchid"
from the album Get Behind Me Satan
2005
[iTunes]

When publicists for The White Stripes circulated a carefully drafted press release stating that the band's new record, Get Behind Me Satan, was written entirely on "piano, marimba and acoustic guitar," fans (and journalists) had to wonder, "Was this the same primal-blues duo we've grown to love? The same candy-cane characters who busted out jams like 'Seven Nation Army' and 'Fell in Love With a Girl' ?"

Had the White Stripes gone -- dare we say it -- soft? Not in the least.

Because when Get Behind Me Satan made its world premiere last week at New York's splashy Splashlight Studios -- before an assembled crowd of around 100 rock journos -- one thing became clear: Satan is not only the hardest, sleaziest, gutpunchingest album the Stripes have ever made, it's also the prettiest, subtlest and most confounding thing they've ever done.

The lead track (and first single), "Blue Orchid," charges in with such a loud blast of amplified guitar, you'd swear this was the new Electric Six disc. Jack White's falsetto has never been higher, his guitar never more reminiscent of Led Zeppelin. And as the tune sped along to its conclusion, many in the room were left wondering what happened to those new, soft Stripes they'd been reading so much about.
~ James Montgomery, MTV.com

The White Stripes

Spoon

"I Turn My Camera On"
from the album Gimme Fiction
2005

Is it too soon for a repeated band? I know how much I hate it when I turn on the TV to watch, say, "According To Jim," only to find a repeat episode. I featured Spoon here a couple of months ago, and they have since announced a May release date for their fifth full-length album, Gimme Fiction. I like them band so much that I decided to bring 'em back.

You can download a free MP3 of "I Turn My Camera On" at the Matador Records website.

Spoon

Louis XIV

"Finding Out True Love Is Blind"
from the album The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
2005
[iTunes]

Scottish art-rock juggernaut Franz Ferdinand took their name from an Austro-Hungarian archduke; San Diego's Louis XIV skipped the minor royalty and went straight for a French king. It's too early to call the latter a greater talent, but it does show the quartet's cojones. On their debut full-length, The Best Little Secrets Are Kept, they come out swinging, all hot-breath swagger and sex. And they've already caused a minor scandal with their album cover, which shows a portion of a woman's bare backside. Singer Jason Hill, however, thinks it's only fair. "[A rapper] can have an Uzi strapped to his back, and that flies, but you can't have a girl's backside out there on the rack? I mean, come on."
~ Entertainment Weekly

WHO: A sex-obsessed, T.Rex-loving, glam foursome from San Diego, whose self-released album and EPs scored local radio play, a slot opening for the Killers and a major-lable deal.
SOUND: Dirty-sweet guitars, swinging beats and lead vocalist Jason Hill's talk-singing dominate the band's new CD, The Best Little Secrets Are Kept. Lines like "We don't have to go to the pool if you want me to make you wet" sound like a parody of Eighties hair metal, but they're no joke, says guitarist Brian Karscig: "There's decadence in certain aspects of our lives. We're big fans of women." Adds Hill, "On the Killers tour, there were lots of little girls, and that's who I like playing to. One night in Seattle, there were some guys up in the front trying to start a mosh pit, and I was thinking, 'Get the fuck out of here.' "
CITY OF LIGHTS: In 2003, Karscig and Hill (friends since childhood) and drummer Mark Maigaard bolted from an alt-rock ensemble called Convoy. "There was too much compromise," says Hill, "too many things that weren't right." Weeks later, they jetted to Paris, where they recorded Louis XIV's first songs in an empty magazine warehouse beneath a friend's apartment. Even before the Paris sojourn, they had decided to name their new group after the Sun King, in homage to a song they'd penned with that title. "It was a king of a song," says Hill of the track, which kicks off their new album. "As soon as we started banging around with the riff, we knew that it was going to change everything."
~ Rolling Stone

Watch the video for "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" for free at the iTunes Music Store.

Louis XIV

Longwave

"Wake Me When It's Over"
from the album The Strangest Things
2003
[iTunes]

Post-punk popsters Longwave got their start in 1999 when Steve Schlitz (vocals/guitar), Shannon Ferguson (guitar), Dave Marchese (bass), and Mike James (drums) congregated in a small New York studio to record some demos. The lineup had been fledgling for a number of years and Schlitz had been sitting on a stack of sweeping melodies, but once Ferguson left the sunny skies of California behind Longwave developed a space rock-tinged sound.

Gigs in lower Manhattan melded the group's U2-inspired sound and also caught the eye of Luna Lounge owner Rob Sacher. Sacher founded Luna Sea Records soon after spotting Longwave and offered the band a deal. Endsongs marked Longwave's debut in fall 2000. It was an impressive first record full of lush string arrangements surfing around heavy guitars, certainly a different fit to what was currently happening in New York City at the time -- the Strokes were hot and Detroit's own White Stripes were on a rock rampage.

In 2002, Longwave formulated a darker disposition for the Day Sleeper EP. Within a week of its release, the Strokes' manager asked Longwave to play three dates with his stylish, rambunctious five-piece. The Strokes were so impressed, Longwave landed the opening spot for the rest of the tour. Such an opportunity allowed great publicity for the band, not to mention a contract with RCA.

Producer Dave Fridmann (the Flaming Lips, among others) collected the band in his Tarbox Road Studio in up-state New York to work on Longwave's major-label debut before the year's end. What followed was the dreamy williwaw of The Strangest Things released in March 2003. Shortly after the June 2004 release of the Life of the Party EP, founding members Marchese and James left the band.

Drummer Nic Brown and bassist Christian Bongers stepped in as temporary replacements so the band could resume recording their sophomore album There's a Fire (due later this year) with producer John Leckie.
~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide

Longwave

Rhett Miller

"Come Around"
from the album The Instigator
2002
[iTunes]

Solo debut from frontman and main songwriter for acclaimed Dallas alt-country quartet Old 97's.

Midnight Movies

"Mirage"
from the album Midnight Movies
2004
[iTunes]

Midnight Movies formed in Los Angeles in 2002. Comprised of Gena Olivier (vocals, drums), Larry Schemel (guitar), and Jason Hammons (keyboards, guitar), the indie rock trio quickly crafted a moody and stylish sound.

They became a major face on the L.A. music scene within a year, earning a nomination for Best New Artist at the L.A. Weekly Music Awards in May 2003. Just as their self-released six-song EP arrived, Midnight Movies followed up their previous nomination with a Best Pop/Rock Band nomination in spring 2004.

Midnight Movies' self-titled studio-length debut was released on Emperor Norton records the following August.
~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide

Watch the video for Mirage for free at the iTunes Music Store.

Midnight Movies

Jimmy Eat World

"Just Tonight..."
from the album Futures
2004
[iTunes]

The road to success is not an easy one -- but some handle its hurdles better than others. In 2001 Jimmy Eat World was a widely adored but criminally underappreciated band capable of drawing capacity crowds all over the world, but unable to find a record deal to their liking. Having just been unceremoniously spit out of the major label machinery, the band opted to record a new album entirely on its own dime and let labels come a-calling -- or not -- after the fact.

The gambit more than paid off, with the resultant Bleed American (later re-titled Jimmy Eat World soon after 9/11), yielding the hits "The Middle" and "Sweetness," and ultimately selling over 1.3 million copies in the U.S. By the time two full years of touring had wound down, they'd made triumphant breakthroughs everywhere from "Saturday Night Live" to a sold out Brixton Academy, been nominated for an MTV Video Music Award, seen their name on Blender and Alternative Press' Best Albums of 2001, SPIN and USA Today's Best Singles of 2002, and been awarded an Album of the Week by People and a spot on Rolling Stone's annual Hot List.

Not bad for a little band from Mesa, Arizona. But then came the problem once all your rock dreams come true, what do you do for an encore?

The band's latest CD, Futures, is the answer to that question. It's a sprawling, gorgeous, heavy-yet-quiet epic. And it took a long time to finish. "We've always felt you're putting your name on something, you have to make sure it's the absolute best work possible," says Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins, "This time it took a while to achieve what we wanted. We had to get our heads into the zone where we were ready to kill ourselves to finish this. And did."

Adkins credits the band's home state for providing them with enough inspiration to finish the record. "It's a grounding force for us, living here," says the singer. "The music scene consists of people who care about satisfying themselves through their creative ambitions, and not trying to be anything more than that. We wanted to get back to that idea, where you just forget about everything except writing songs."

With the songs written, Jimmy Eat World decided to work with a new producer for the first time ever, Gil Norton (The Pixies, Foo Fighters). "Gil didn't know us well, which was good," says Adkins. "It made us step up and really make an effort. We had only made albums with one person in ten years. It helped to have an outside perspective. "

Futures is perhaps the best sounding record in Jimmy Eat World's career. It's also the most eclectic, with songs ranging from ambitious hard rock ("Just Tonight...", "Pain") to epic ballads ("Drugs or Me," "23") to every kind of crystalline pop/rock formation in-between ("Work," "Kill"). There are a few new wrinkles to the band's sound, including more intricate vocal harmonies, more prominent keyboards and strings, and a surprising number of guitar solos. "You just get to that point in a song and it sounds cool," says Adkins, laughing. "But we had a reason to do all of this. Our last record, we purposely cut all the fat. But this time, we wanted to let the songs breathe a bit, give them more space. I think this album is kind of like a sequel to (1999's) Clarity in that way. It's just more ambitious."

An early Futures standout comes with the third track, the guitar-pop stunner "Work" featuring Liz Phair on back-up vocals. "The demo sounded like 'Divorce Song,' that old Liz Phair track from Exile in Guyville," says Adkins. "So I sort of jokingly thought, why not just co-opt the song completely and get her to sing on it?" Phair readily agreed, and the end result is an absolutely perfect summer radio song that stands up to "The Middle," "Sweetness" and "Lucky Denver Mint," as one of the most indelible melodies of the Jimmy canon.

From its first lines -- the seemingly politically charged "I always believed in Futures/I hope for better/In November" -- Futures is possibly the most lyrically cohesive Jimmy Eat World record to date, with nearly every lyric wrestling with pivotal life choices and their repercussions. "I usually don't talk about lyrics, because that's unfair to the listener," Adkins says. "But I can say that, thematically, this album is about making life decisions, and sometimes not realizing the full picture of what's ahead. When you're younger, everything seems like such a big deal. Then you get older and you kind of laugh at how seriously you took everything, but you're kind of crushed by the fact that everything meant a lot to you back then."

Following the release of Futures, the band intends to spend the next "two and a half years" on the road. The group has also contributed a song to Future Soundtrack for America, a compilation put together by the political activist organization MoveOn.org in collaboration with the literary journal McSweeney's and indie label Barsuk. "We've never felt qualified to stand on a stage and espouse our political beliefs," says Adkins. "But now, I don't think you can escape having a heightened awareness of current events and government policies. Maybe that comes from being older, where you see how decisions actually affect people."

With a new record, a new found sense of purpose and a two-plus year trek ahead of them, Adkins does take a little time to reflect on what it all means. "If there was a goal for this, it was to make a record for people who've always liked us," says Adkins. "We wanted this to be their favorite Jimmy Eat World record. We'll see how that goes."
~ VH1.com

Jimmy Eat World

Astaire

"L-L-Love"
from the EP Don't Whisper Lies
2004
[iTunes]

Astaire is a brother/sister duo composed of vocalist/keyboardist Erica Driscoll and guitarist/drummer Bruce Driscoll. They transplanted to New York City via Michigan from Brazil and late last year released their debut EP Don’t Whisper Lies.

Lead track "L-L-Love" has a dreamy pop feel similar to the sound perfected in the late 1990s by Swedish band The Cardigans ("Lovefool," "My Favourite Game").

A fun fact about the EP is that Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne fame guested on one of the tracks.  While nothing on the disc is as immediately catchy as his band's “Radiation Vibe" or "Stacy’s Mom,” it's still a pretty good debut and it will likely lead into a nice first LP.

The Strokes

"Under Control"
from the album Room on Fire
2003
[iTunes]

The Strokes are one of the more well-known bands that I've featured here, but I figured I liked them enough that I'd write a few words even if my handful of readers already know them. But here's a quick rundown if you haven't given them a hear...

The Strokes are a New York City rock and roll band who gained fame for their live shows, and their initial EP release The Modern Age sparked a bidding war among record labels in 2001. The band signed with RCA and that October released their debut album Is This It, and their second album Room on Fire followed two years later in October 2003. Along with other NYC-based rock bands, the Strokes helped to launch a revival of a raw post-punk garage sound genre.

A well-known fact about the band is that drummer Fabrizio Moretti is engaged to actress Drew Barrymore. A lesser-known fact is that frontman Julian Casablancas is the son of Miss Denmark 1965 Jeanette Christjansen.

"Under Control" was not released as a single off Room on Fire but is nonetheless one of their best songs; a bit of a change-of-pace from single hits such as "Last Nite," "Hard to Explain," and "12:51." In fact, "Under Control" is ballad-esque different. If you poo-pooed the Strokes after giving their hits only a listen or two, give "Under Control" a chance to see if it sparks a different chord.

The Strokes

Zero 7

"Destiny"
from the album Simple Things
2001
[iTunes]

You can download an MP3 of "Destiny" for free at Amazon.com.

The men behind U.K. soul outfit Zero 7 -- producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker -- launched their careers in the music industry as tea boys at a London recording studio. Soon after, however, both were in the thick of action, working alongside a string of well-known British musicians such as the Pet Shop Boys and Robert Plant. They spent the best part of the 1990s honing their production skills behind the scenes.

Then, after taking on the name of a nightclub in Honduras, the duo gradually began unleashing their own ideas onto an unsuspecting public. First came a couple of remixes; Radiohead's "Climbing up the Walls" and Terry Callier's "Love Theme From Spartacus." In 1999, Zero 7 released their first EP, the suitably titled EP1. Only a handful of copies were made and they sold out in a matter of days. A similar fate awaited their second release EP2.

Their first album, Simple Things, came out amidst much salivating from the media in mid-2001. A collection of laid-back soul, acid jazz, and funk tracks, the album carried collaborations with respected vocalists Mozez, Sia Furler, and Sophie Barker. Highlights of the album include "Destiny" and "In The Waiting Line" (which was included on the "Garden State" movie soundtrack).

Their sophomore album, When It Falls, appeared in March 2004.
~ David Peter Wesolowski, All Music Guide

Zero 7

Jason Mraz

"You and I Both"
from the album Waiting for My Rocket to Come
2002
[iTunes]

Jason Mraz might look like he needs to buy a vowel when it comes to the spelling of his last name, but his awkward-to-pronounce surname seems to work just fine for the title of his new album.

The singer/songwriter who drops verses like Madlibs has finished work on Mr. A-Z (you know, like "Mraz," get it?), the follow-up to his 2002 platinum debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. The first single, "Wordplay," will hit radio in late April, with the new album dropping in stores on August 23.
~ MTV.com

Jason Mraz

Kings of Convenience

"I'd Rather Dance With You"
from the album Riot on an Empty Street
2004
[iTunes]

You can watch the video of "I'd Rather Dance With You" for free at the iTunes Music Store

Forget the headphones. You can blast the new Kings of Convenience album as much as you want and the neighbors will never complain. Yes, it's that hushed. With Riot on an Empty Street, Eirik Glambek Boe and Erlend Oye, Norway's kings of fey indie pop (with due apologies to wunderkind Sondre Lerche), deliver on the promise of their 2001 Astralwerks debut, Quiet is the New Loud. That album's title is still their beloved mantra here, but happily the duo has returned with a keen sense of variety and livelier instrumentation while continuing to highlight their lilting harmonies. In fact, the two men's voices mesh so succinctly and warmly, you could mistake Kings of Convenience for a knockoff of Simon and Garfunkel -- circa "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" -- as one friend surmised upon first listen. But songs such as "Live Long," with its bright trombone notes, contrast a sunny side to the rainy-day fare; even the few attempts to sound peppy work nicely, particularly the bouncy "I'd Rather Dance With You." Out of the blue, Leslie Feist of Broken Social Scene provides extra vocals, and she's used to minimal but optimal effect. After you've listened to the disc, one particular line from the opening track, "Homesick," seems prophetic: "But I can't stop listening to the sound of two soft voices blended in perfection." ~ James Reed, Boston Globe

Kings of Convenience

Dogs Die in Hot Cars

"I Love You 'Cause I Have To"
from the album Please Describe Yourself
2004
[iTunes]

Even though their bright, peppy pop recalls Dexy's Midnight Runners, Big Country, XTC, Talking Heads, and other new wave luminaries, Scotland's Dogs Die in Hot Cars grew up on a musical diet of Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The band -- who allegedly stumbled upon their odd name while inhaling helium balloons -- got their start while vocalists/guitarists Craig Macintosh and Gary Smith, bassist Lee Worrall, keyboardist/vocalist Ruth Quigley, and drummer Laurence Davey were still in high-school. After playing gigs at their school, the group graduated to playing covers at local pubs, eventually sneaking a few of their own songs on to the set list as well.

A few years later, after saving their money, buying equipment, and writing songs, Dogs Die in Hot Cars moved to Glasgow to focus on their music. In summer 2003, the band released their first single on Radiate, "I Love You 'Cause I Have To." The song's mix of ska rhythms and new wave pop hooks won the band critical and commercial acclaim, leading them to sign with V2.

While the band were touring in support of the single, Macintosh was electrocuted during a show they played at Dundee's Cotton Club. Despite suffering burns on his hands, Macintosh was otherwise unharmed and decided to continue the tour. After another tour that fall, Dogs Die in Hot Cars recorded with Clive Langer, who also worked with Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Early in 2004, the band made their major label debut with the EP Man Bites Man, which they followed up a few months later with another single, "Godhopping." The band's debut album was released at the end of the year.
~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Dogs Die In Hot Cars

The Golden Republic

"You Almost Had It"
from the album The Golden Repubic
2005
[iTunes]

The Golden Republic originally formed in 1999 as a five-piece glam-rock band called the People. Their first few years brought numerous lineup changes -- the band estimates eleven People have played in the band at one time or another.

They finally settled on the current lineup in October 2001 and self-released a few records. In 2004, the band signed on with Astralwerks and changed their name to The Golden Republic.

The Golden Republic

Tilly and the Wall

"Reckless"
from the album Wild Like Children
2004
[iTunes]

Instead of using a traditional band set-up, Omaha's Tilly and the Wall toss aside the notion of having of a proper drummer and instead opt for hand claps and tap dancing and various other forms of percussion. The beats are infectious regardless of what they are made with; they use non-conventional instruments to create vibrant and catchy bursts of sound.

Wild Like Children was the first release on Conor Oberst's new record label, Team Love, which is a subsidiary of Saddle Creek.

In addition to an in-store release, the entire Tilly album was made available on the label's website in MP3 format, completely free of charge. Team Love will be making all of their music freely available and in doing so aims to refute the record industry assertion that downloading hinders sales and success.

You can watch the video for "Reckless" at the label's website.

Tilly and the Wall

Magnolia Electric Co.

"The Dark Don't Hide It"
from the album What Comes After the Blues
2005
[iTunes]

Jason Molina used to go it alone under the name Songs: Ohia, bringing in guest musicians. With his new moniker Magnolia Electric Co., a regular line-up has been established.

A highlight on the debut album is "The Dark Don't Hide It," where a robust acoustic guitar goes toe-to-toe with aggressive leads played on electric and steel.

"Everybody in the band grew up listening to a lot of '70s classic rock," Molina says. "The acoustic guitar is a prominent part of all of your favorite classic rock hits."


You can download an MP3 of "The Dark Don't Hide It" (Right-click/Save-as...)

Joshua Molina Magnolia Electric Co.

Carina Round

"Into My Blood"
from the album The Disconnection
2004
[iTunes]

Carina Round has a fast-spreading reputation as one of the best female performers around. She is often compared to P.J. Harvey, especially when listening to this track from her much-praised second album The Disconnection (her first U.S. release). She was supposed to be part of last summer's cancelled Lollapalooza tour.

Maximo Park

"Apply Some Pressure"
from the album A Certain Trigger
2005
[iTunes]

Maxïmo Park are a British band who join in the "New Wave is Back" brigade along with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, The Bravery, Interpol, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, et al.

Their single "Apply Some Pressure" was released last month and made it into the Top 20 of the UK Chart. The debut album A Certain Trigger comes in May.

Check out the video from the band's website.

Maximo Park

Belle & Sebastian

"If She Wants Me"
from the album Dear Catastrophe Waitress
2003
[iTunes]

Belle & Sebastian, a Scottish indie-pop band based in and around the city of Glasgow, formed in 1996 by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David and recorded their first album, Tigermilk, at Stow College in Glasgow. Their most current release, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, is the band's sixth full-length.

The name Belle and Sebastian is taken from the novel "Belle et Sebastien" by French author Cecile Aubry, about a boy Sebastien and his Pyrenees mountain dog Belle. The book was turned into a popular children's television show in France and then around the world in the early 1970s. The name bears no particular reference to the band or any of the members.

The band are notorious for their lack of publicity in the music press and seldom do interviews, a fact that may have prevented them from becoming much more popular.

Belle & Sebastian

Tom Vek

"If You Want"
from the album We Have Sound
2005
[iTunes]

We Have Sound is the debut album from 23-year-old Londoner Tom Vek. A multi-instrumentalist, Tom recorded the entire album in his dad’s garage. Tom Vek (the live band) have been touring abroad for the last year, supporting the likes of Graham Coxon (formerly of Blur) and Bloc Party, among others.

Click here to watch the video, courtesy of his website.

Tom Vek