Written by bob_vinyl
Just because an artist has done all that can be expected of him and has earned the right to rest on his laurels, doesn’t mean the work he started is done. So it is with Bob Dylan, and The War on Drugs (MySpace) has picked up the cause and put their own spin on it with Wagonwheel Blues.

Written by Fense
I discovered Moto Boy way back when the group first signed to Songs I Wish I Had Written. That was back in mid 2007. Moto Boy is Oskar Humlebo and his melodies are pleasant and vibrant and a bit flamboyant. And these traits all surface in the song and surreal video for “Ride My Wild Heart”.

Written by Fense
Kosar is the first album review on FensePost to have been released on a minidisk. It’s one of those under-three-inch discs rarely found anywhere these days. I remember first seeing the technology back in the 90s in the hands of a friend who used it to record some live tunes. We were riding the school bus and people found the minidisk player fascinating. While the technology never really took hold to replace the larger compact disc, Kosar proves just how unique Grumpy Bear is …

Blitzen Trapper (MySpace) has been on my radar for some time now, but I just haven’t been paying them the attention they deserve. Chalk it up to their country swagger—something I’m generally not fond of—or the sheer amount of music out there at this time (I am fairly limited by the number of hours in a day). Luckily, their latest release, Furr, just arrived in my mailbox.

Written by Fense
Oh glorious garage pop, how I love thee. I was looking for a new album to tuck nicely beside one of my all-time, top 10 albums, Up Against The Legends by The Legends, and what I found was Fort Nightly by White Rabbits (MySpace). And it worked perfectly. The elements are there—the hefty drums and electric guitars all have a massive pop ring and… oh… that tambourine!

Written by Fense
I’m reading a little note by a key force behind Hardly Art Records, the label releasing The Pica Beats (MySpace) sophomore album, Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold, today. I usually don’t quote press releases, but this one is both important and relevant:
If there’s one thing I love about this label, it is being able to introduce bands that no one knew existed.
And it’s true. I hadn’t known about Le Loup or Pretty & Nice (the latter will hit later this year), or even their set …

Written by Fense
I cannot believe I have never written about this band. Sure, the most recent release I have from them dates back to 2002, but c’mon! Mu Meson is one of those rare pop groups that throws together a gem EP and then disappears from the face of the earth.

Written by Fense
Stop the presses! (Isn’t that such a cliché—and outdated—thing to say when you want to grab someone’s attention?) I just made a discovery while hitting up some old groups I haven’t checked out in a while. Yes, the group I am referring to is Unarmed Enemies (MySpace). UE is an electro-pop outfit out of Sweden with a bit more of a techno emphasis than your usual electro-pop group.

Written by Fense
Mamiffer is a strange name. So is the title to their debut album, Hirror Enniffer. Then again, the music Mamiffer makes is as unique as the monikers they have masterfully possessed. The group consists of Seattle pianist Faith Coloccia. Coloccia draws influence from her art and composition background to create a refreshing sound unheard of by your traditional pianist.

Written by Fense
“Need For Sunshine” is a wonderfully electro-poppy song by Autamata that fits someplace between the instrumentation of Beulah and the lyrics of The Polyphonic Spree. The video is an animated play on light versus dark in the manner of Tim Burton.