You probably wouldn’t recognize the name David Skirving unless you are the most die-hard of Camera Obscura fans. Yes, he did write select guitar parts for Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi, but his Camera Obscura legacy resided in the founding days prior to that more well-known early album. After breaking from Camera Obscura he founded California Snow Story, releasing the One Good Summer EP on Shelflife in 2002 before taking another break from music. That brings us to Close To The Ocean, the first full-length by the group, recorded in …

How many bands these days have a xylophone? Very few. It’s just one of the many things that make Bears (MySpace) special. On their self-titled debut, the Cleveland, Ohio pop group mixes its pop sensibilities with light psychedelia on par with early Of Montreal and Elephant 6 style-recordings. Lumped into that somewhat classic era in more modern pop music would make it seem like Bears have a lot to live up to, but with such a strong debut, the group appears to have already succeeded.

No Go Know’s sophomore release Time Has Nothing To Do With It epitomizes what every garage rocker and experimental noise consultant of this day and age have been tirelessly trying to create. Once again, they have proven that they can be as perfect as their pleasant imperfections will allow. And as rebellious to the fact these guys may be, they have created a two disc collection of tunes that are, shall we say, timeless.

When Shawn Fogel ditched his parent-given name as band title, and instead grasped the moniker Golden Bloom (MySpace), one may have speculated how, if at all, this change would alter Fogel’s sound. With a few band-leaked singles, it was obvious that Fogel and company had progressed, but now, a few eves before the release of Fan The Flames, we are now able to hear that our suspicions are correct.

James Sasser always seemed to transcend the typical country stereotype. There are no pickup trucks here; there are, however, plenty of broken hearts. What sets Sasser apart, as far as my limited experience with country music can tell, is that Sasser doesn’t write country songs. He writes your standard rock tune but puts it to a country sound.

Here’s a fun little video for “Complimentary Maps” by Hungry, Hungry Ghost (MySpace). The concept is simple enough and it’s quite effective in creating a unique little storyline. The three shots, all done in single takes, portray very refined choreography, much along the lines of something OK Go would do.

It’s still difficult to discern how a small, often unknown band from Glasgow came to influence some of the greatest names to surface from Washington state. Yet Vaselines are that band, hailed by many yet known by far too few. After all, Calvin Johnson played them on his Olympia-based radio show, Nirvana covered them, and Mudhoney were and likely still are big fans.

Alexipharmic creates songs that seem to feel and breath a complete sense of impervious reality. You can drink his words like a fine scotch, or absorb them without discretion like a tall glass of PBR. His label debut American Beauty is the accumulative effort to reflect on the past years filled with oppression and unnecessary hatred. But this album also reflects upon the hope and promise this highly talented MC has always deemed not only possible to create a greater nation, but absolutely necessary.

Stereo Total (Stereo Total) joins euro sounds from France and Germany to create a style of music somewhere between Krautrock and new-wave. The duo has a string of albums released through Olympia label Kill Rock Stars and their latest EP pressed to vinyl is Anti Love Song.

Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the brand new conspiracy theory of underground rock n’ roll. Though not fact driven, and a very loose hypothesis at that, Mother Nature’s Son has created an album that will test your own ideas of what good indie rock really consists of with their self titled debut. This dynamic duo is the terrific group you hear playing in your neighbor’s garage on starry Thursday nights as you smoke your Camel straights and ponder humanity. They really make you feel good, and small. …