Sunny pop hooks clash with punk riffs and witty lyrics/vocals in The Everson’s debut LP, Summer Feeling. Influences run rampant, ranging from a predilection toward the vocal harmonies of 60s pop, early pop-punk, and more recent art wave.
The New Zealand band’s guitar-based features Mark Turner of Little Pictures as lead vocalist (well, one of them; Chris also sings lead/writes songs, and a few other members take lead on a few songs), who messaged me about this new project. It wasn’t the first time he’d messaged me; I …

Referencing early indie pop artists like Orange Juice, Electricity In Our Homes is precisely what I look for in a pop band: a hint of jangle guitar, some catchy harmony vocals (a male, a female, maybe more) and a melody that gets stuck in your head. “Oranges” has an off-beat sound that is hard to ignore.

Last weekend was my grandmother’s Celebration of Life. It would have been her 92nd birthday. We all had margaritas (it was also Cinco de Mayo; I had three) and told funny stories about her life. It was a blast, a good closure and celebration to a woman who meant a lot to a lot of people.

Insanely infectious, “Try Me Out Sometime” is a homage to the heyday of 70s puck rock. Broncho makes the song’s rapid pace seem almost laid back, a hint of unbounded garage-pop. This is, no surprise, emphasized by Ryan Lindsey’s punchy vocals and complemented in full by a backing band that includes Johnathon Ford on bass, Ben King on guitar and Nathan Price on drums.

An avid fan of eccentric jazz of avant garde nature, I was immediately drawn to Nat Baldwin‘s new LP, People Changes. As an upright bassist, Baldwin can be found pouring his soul into Dirty Projectors, a band that prides itself in obscure pop sensibilities. His solo stuff, however, is where he truly shines.

I love it when music videos come with a warning. Be it the infamous (and slightly coveted) NSFW label, or, in the case of “All Night Low” by Violens, the Epileptic-inducing, flashing lights, strobe-effect warning. Whatever the warning may say, this is what I read: we’ve got something a little different for you, we’re taking things to a whole new level, and get ready for awesomeness.

What began as an over-the-phone collaboration between Nashville resident (at the time) Stuart Edwards and Andy Holmes of their mutual hometown of Rocky Mount, NC ultimately became Old Bricks. The story is one of some length, and includes a now non-existant band, a little moving around, and the disillusionment of a self-satisfying local scene.

Orcas is the collaborative project of Benoît Pioulard and The Sight Below. True to the nature of both artists, both “Carrion” and “Arrow Drawn” are hazy, minimalist pop songs, inherently dreamy and obscure. Its curious balance between ambiance and resonance makes this band both mysterious and endearing.

Trails And Ways is a dream pop outfit based in Oakland. “Tereza” is a just-released single off their forthcoming debut LP, called Trilingual; there is meaning behind the name, as Trilingual will feature Spanish, English and Portuguese vocals. With “Tereza”, they stick with English.

The time has come to ramp up training for the STP (Seattle to Portland bike ride). Last weekend, I took a ride out toward La Conner along my normal route, which takes me down McLean. This particular road is on the path toward the famous Skagit Valley Tulips, and being in the middle of the Tulip Festival, traffic was anything but light.