One can draw several conclusions from the cover of Edible Orchids. First, it gives the distinct impression of The Ginger Envelope being a post-Elephant 6 band. The green tint, personally, takes me back to Everything Is Green, an early release by The Essex Green on Elephant 6 and the newly resurgent Kindercore. The name of the band and album is the second hint—the names roll off the tongue like those off the lovable indie pop label. So, one shouldn’t be too surprised that The Ginger Envelope …

I love worldly pop music and Furia De Buzo Ciego is no exception. Hailing from Venezuela, the tunes are all in Spanish, but their list of influences runs deep along the lines of more US based 90s indie artists: Lou Barlow, David Bazan, Calvin Johnson, Robert Pollard; you get the point. With that list of influences, it’s no surprise that the group hones in on the softer side of 90s indie rock.

Upon receiving Advance Base Batterly Life, I was initially under the impression that it was the new NEW record by Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. But I was only part right. It was a collection of covers and outtakes from various parties and get-togethers Owen Ashworth partook in over the past… oh who knows. Vs. Children, on the other hand, is a proper album, packed full with new material and themed along the lines of the title.

Only if you truly want to know, and your own personal demons are neither under nor over exposed, will depicting the metaphor of The Ropes‘ “Kitty Get Down” be extremely obvious. If your soul has nothing to hide, as well as nothing to spare, this prolific animated video may not make any sense. But, if a constant need for change in your life, in one form or another, exists everyday you breathe it may be in your best interest to take heed to what they are trying to …

Four of the eleven tracks on the latest release by Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, actually their debut full-length, are not exclusives. These four can also be found on their Weepy EP and include opener “Who’s Asking”, “Cheer For Fate”, “Anchors Dropped” and “Dull Reason”. But, to be honest, I could care less. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is a phenomenal release worthy of as much esteem as the whole world can muster.

Hey Seattle, there is a great local (ish… they’re actually from Port Orchard, WA) pop band in your midst and, in all likelihood, you are not even aware of their existence. Alligators (MySpace) will release Piggy & Cups via their own label, Applehouse Records, next month. They live up to most of the more contemporary elements of indie pop – the smooth guitar sounds, the modern percussion, you get the picture.

In a surprise return, Voxtrot has resurfaced with their first single, “Trepanation Party”, in nearly two years. Ramesh Srivastava and company launched with The Start Of Something way back in the middle of this decade, and quickly built upon their humble beginnings with two full EPs and a self-titled full-length, and a slew of singles before and after and in the middle of it all. But then they disappeared completely, until now.

The cover art for Army Of Trees by LittleBear naturally features a forest, as does the image of Nick Principe, LittleBear’s sole member, shown above. Likewise, the music sounds like nature overproduced, but not in a bad way. The vocals are clear and the instrumentation a windy memory; dream-like. Army Of Trees is a warm and soothing mix songs that are pleasant and a little unexpected.

Dan Kosub (MySpace) has a voice that sounds very established for such a young cat. His reflective debut album Reservoir is a magnificent display of gifts. Songwriting and composing are the obvious highlights of this Canadian rising star. His songs are happy, even when they are sad. For every bit of disgrace he thrusts in lyrics, there are images of hope polarized into all that he creates.

Everyone knows it: when Labrador says jump, I jump. And so it is again – they’ve announced their latest artist, Little Big Adventure, and an upcoming EP titled The Hateful Eye EP. Little Big Adventure demonstrates and further emphasizes Labrador’s foray into signing and releasing more electronic-style pop records, as can be heard on their recent 12″ Single by Pallers.