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La Sera: Never Come Around [mp3]

la-sera

Earlier this week I received some Hardly Art love. Yes, the 3 LP reissues by Carissa’s Wierd finally arrived via the USPS. So when they dropped me a note about one of their latest bands, La Sera, I jumped at the chance to show them some love back. La Sera, the new project of Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls, All Saints Day), creates dreamy pop in the vein of Katy’s other groups. That means it’s dreamy, but full of a garage/basement pop marriage. The heavy, brooding guitar riffs are also playful and at times even joyous. The nondescript vocals are light and filled with an the swirl of cloudy thoughts. Music, to me, has always been a drug, and La Sera is the among sweetest of highs. Read More »La Sera: Never Come Around [mp3]

Eux Autres: Broken Bow [Album Review]

eux-autres

It’s amazing to hear the changes Eux Autres has gone through since they debuted with Hell Is Eux Autres in 2004. That album was rough and punchy, raw and bouncy. The punch and the bounce remain, but on Broken Bow things are smoother and more refined. They still contain all those elements I loved from the original — the stripped-down indie pop with a French twist, those lovable lyrics by Heather and Nicholas Larimer. Read More »Eux Autres: Broken Bow [Album Review]

Lowell: The Ten Houses and the Falling Leaves [Album Review]

lowell

Where was a group like Lowell when you really needed them? Well, they were probably exactly where they needed to be – banging around the turn of the century when music was, for the lack of better words, shit. This group had it’s heyday as local favorites in their fare city of Baltimore from 1998 till 2001. They were around when rap metal was all the rage, and there were still towers in the sky. Their post grunge influenced rock n’ roll might not have been promoted by Carson Daily during those confusing times, but even Lowell (cleverly named after the hometown of Jack Kerouac) couldn’t have realized that they were making tunes that would be considered groundbreaking at the turn of the following decade (you know, the one that Y2K was going to prevent from happening anyway). Read More »Lowell: The Ten Houses and the Falling Leaves [Album Review]

Family Trees: No One Will Ever Know [Video]

family-trees

One of my favorite singles of the year is Dream Talkin’ by Family Trees. With an old-time, lo-fi pop sound and great melodies and lyrics alike, Family Trees is also among my favorite new artists of the year. Now to round out the list of three — they’ve put out a great video for their song “No One Will Ever Know”. Like the music, the video is simple, lo-fi, and hints at a different time… oh, somewhere in the late 60s to early 70s. It’s a great introduction to director Amanda Finn‘s work; hopefully something we’ll see a bit more of in the near future. Read More »Family Trees: No One Will Ever Know [Video]

Kordan: The Mirror [Video]

kordan

After watching “The Mirror” by Kordan, you’ll probably be thinking precisely the same thing I am — not enough videos feature the layers found within this one. And if they did, they probably wouldn’t be as effective as they are here. Kordan is a Brooklyn-based dream pop trio with moody synth lines and numbing, dark vocals. Like their music, this video is entrancing, filled with enchanting drones and a mysterious personality. Read More »Kordan: The Mirror [Video]

The Gentle Guest: Cast Off Your Human Form [Album Review]

gentle-guest

It’s hard to tell what is more impressive – The Gentle Guest themselves, or that this incredibly unique form of Americana Punk could even be done, let alone perfected. On their sophomore release Cast Off Your Human Form, the Guest bring their circus themed hysteria to the folk world like a roman candle shot into it’ skin. Their incredible upbeat and lyrically oriented collection of backwoods and dark alley friendly songs are a surprisingly fresh mixing of genres you might have never expected. Read More »The Gentle Guest: Cast Off Your Human Form [Album Review]

Proud Simon: Anchors Aweigh [Album Review]

proud-simon

Proud Simon’s Anchors Aweigh is the beautiful blend of harmonica driven pop music you find in the happy moments of life. It’s the paradox in the middle of the raging battlefield we call our regular everyday lives. In each of our lives, there is a story to be told. Some are simply more interesting than others. But, it also depends on how you tell it. If you use quick, energetic guitar slide work and a never ending sense of positivity through beautiful lyrics, than you might find your tales more interesting. It worked for these guys! Read More »Proud Simon: Anchors Aweigh [Album Review]

Simon Bish: You Get To Live A Few Good Days [Album Review]

simon-bish

Simon Bish and his label Pop Noise Records teased us earlier this year with the, The Butterfly Girl EP. It was an EP that really served its generated purpose: So we could shit ourselves when You Get To Live A Few Good Days hit. Well once you get yourself all cleaned up; continue to listen to the beauty that Bish has created with this album that is beyond what you probably ever expected. Or, it might be exactly what you were expecting – smooth melodic folk pop with stories of the sweetest of life’s simplest pleasures and the triumphant power that love (especially in the form of a beautiful gal) can have on the human form. Read More »Simon Bish: You Get To Live A Few Good Days [Album Review]

J Minus: Congratulations, You Suck [Video]

j-minus

The art of storytelling through song has long been a time honored tradition. There are critics out there who believe that a song does not have to have to have an emotional attachment for it to be art. But, after listening to a few tracks from J Minus, those obnoxious syncs, although they shouldn’t be completely disregarded, will seem to make no sense. Songwriter Dylan Fant has created something that is absolutely integral to the music world, and an anomaly to the new age of alternative music. J Minus is the reincarnated spirit of art pop that has been missed since the days of bands like Cracker and Toad The Wet Sprocket. Read More »J Minus: Congratulations, You Suck [Video]

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