Walrus: Glam Returns

 

Glam Returns is the debut EP from Halifax band Walrus. The four tracks are a rollicking jog through some great psychedelic, shoegazy indie pop. With some interesting tempo changes, enough jangle to satisfy a set of spurs and atmospheric vocals ala Foxygen or Ariel Pink, this EP is a winner.  Available as a C-40 cassette or digital download, this EP is a must have. Stream and buy Glam Returns at the link below.

 

Action Camp: PA

 

With there 2nd full length album PA, FZB favorites Action Camp, mark their third time featured on this blog...and with good reason. The Pittsburg based duo of Maura Jacob and Bengt Alexsander deliver dark, sensual pop music that transcends into anthemic glory. Perfectly crafted mini-symphonies with immense instrumental walls mastered only by vocals that at times are so delicate as to crumble at the touch and then soar to such heights as to call out as subservient, the towering walls of sound. Action Camp continue to be some of the best there is in emerging music. Stream and buy PA at the link below.

 

Floorshime Zipper Boots' Third Birthday

 

Today marks FZB's 3rd Birthday. In our three years we have published over 900 reviews, interviews, streaming videos, special features and Op-Ed pieces. We will continue to bring you the best in emerging artists. Thank you for your support!

Mothers: Panamanian Times & Phonoscenes: The Relative

 

Last week saw the release of two new records from our friends at Brooklyn collective Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen.

The first is Panamanian Times, the debut full length from post-punk outfit Mothers. The trio of Ben Wallin, Burke Williams and Dylan Ettlinger. make no holds barred, in your face rock, that is not afraid to have melodic qualities and sensual noise. If you like Cloud Nothings, then check out Mothers. You will not be disappointed.

 

The second release is The Relative, the debut EP from Phonoscenes. The four tracks take a cleaner approach to indie rock that features strong vocals, nice riffy guitars and a very sold rhythm section. Nice dynamic changes and imaginative lyrics make for a thoroughly fine record. The band of Cameron Erdogan, Spencer Cunningham,  Daniel Girma, Jacob Sunshine and  Isaac Bunch show us that you can be polished while retaining your edge. Stream and download Panamanian Times and The Relative at the links below.

 

Cassie: Old Light

 

The end of February saw the release of Old Light, the new EP from Finish post-rock band Cassie. A long time FZB favorite (first featured here in June, 2011), Cassie are a bit of an enigma. A band capable of superlative beauty, splendid songwriting, crisp production and soaring vocals. At the same time the band has struggled with wider recognition. Their name, of course, is most commonly associated with the Billboard topping R&B/hip-hop artist and their recorded output is minimal. The band has managed to release only a meer 11 tracks, spread over three years and three different releases, making it difficult to build an international audience. Cassie is a great band, with great music, who seems destined to be a spark of light in the middle of a dense forest. Find the light. Watch the video for the title track and then stream and download Old Light at the link below.

 

Fixing Bayonets: Bloom.Sunset.Horizon

 

Today marks the release of Bloom.Sunset.Horizon, the debut EP from L.A. indie rockers Fixing Bayonets. The five tracks have a slight noise/lo-fi wash to them and feature heavy guitars, with reverb drenched vocals. The EP has a feel akin to Joy Division, heavy but laid back, driven but understated, yielding a nice post-punk vibe to the EP, though it also yields a subdued energy in the tracks.. This is a worthy debut that will make a good addition to anyone's record collection. Stream and download Bloom.Sunset.Horizon at the link below.



Teenage Exorcists: Teenage Exorcists

 

Teenage Exorcists is the self-titled debut EP from Riverside, CA indie rockers. The five tracks were produced by Mark Rains (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Neon Trees) and  are distinguished by the marriage of melodic vocals and tight harmonies, with a heavy SoCal garage, lo-fi feel.  This is an EP that is loaded with energy, well written pop songs and a great vibe. Stream and download Teenage Exorcists at the link below.

 

Nanaki: Afterlight

 

Afterlight is the new EP from experimental rock instrumentalist Nanaki. The solo project of Postcode guitarist Mikie Daugherty, the five tracks range from post-rock warmth to dynamic rock anthems. Like most instrumental rock, this EP suffers from the limitations of the medium. While the guitar work is masterful, by limiting the instrumentation to the traditional sounds of a rock band, the EP comes off as missing something. Much more musical ground could have been explored with the addition of synths and other instrumentation. This EP is a homage to a fine musician and his abilities, however it misses the mark as a work that will appeal to those outside of the realm of musicianship for its own sake. Watch the video for the track 'Regretfully, I Must Decline Your Invitation' and then stream and download Afterlight at the link below.

 

Work Drugs: Insurgents

FZB favorites Work Drugs are back with a new album, Insurgents. The Philadelphia indie band are the ultimate survivors with this their 14th release of masterful pop songs, while wide recognition still eludes them. Having a sound that is contemporary with artists like M83 and Chvrches, Work Drugs manage to surpass, with lush synths and melodic guitars that provide a bit more drive to the radio ready persona. Work Drugs continue to grow as artists and continue to be one of our favorite bands here at the blog. Stream and buy Insurgents at the link below.

 

Prettiest Eyes: Peep

 

L.A. trio Prettiest Eyes have released their sophomore EP, Peep. The three tracks showcase a band that defies simple description. Sure you can hear elements of garage and punk, but neither is an apt description of Prettiest Eyes. The three tracks stand on there own as a fine example of how the L.A. punk scene is expanding to spawn bands that transcend it stylistically to something much more, while retaining the rawness and energy that are the essence of their birth. This is another to mark as a must have. Watch the video of the band performing Untitled live and then stream and download Peep at the link below.

 

)

Man meets Bear: Buffalo Comets

 

Buffalo Comets is the latest album from Berlin based band Man meets Bear. The thirteen tracks are an imaginative blend of indie rock, folk and dreampop. With stunning lo-fi, atmospheric vocals, and masterfully written songs, Man meets Bear forge a record that is sonically diverse and thematically interesting. There is a vibe to this record that defies description, but that is totally compelling. Like that person one sees from afar, that you cannot take your eyes off. This is a must have. Stream and buy Buffalo Comets at the link below.

 



Adelyn Rose: Ordinary Fantasy

 

Ordinary Fantasy is the latest album from Eau Claire, Wisconsin indie rock band Adelyn Rose. With members Adelyn Strei, Leo Strei, Dave Power, Hannah Hebl and  Pat Kuehn, the band  creates a sound that seems to find the firm middle ground of indie rock. Not punk, not alternative, not dreampop, not garage, nor any other tragically hip sub genre that one could conjure, but yet representing all of them. Adelyn Rose is that rare breed that is content to simply be a very good rock band, and, such a good band they are. Forget the prose, just go listen to the f**cking record, perfect. Stream and buy Ordinary Fantasy at the link below.

 

Dana: Patience

 

Patience is the debut EP from New York singer/songwriter Dana. The five tracks explore the boundaries of indie folk and indie rock, with a touch of dreampop and Americana mixed in for a little more depth. The real story with this EP though is Dana's voice. Her vocal stylings are in a word, perfect. Perfect sound, perfect expression and a perfectly compelling listen. This is an artist to be reckoned with and we expect to be hearing much more in the future from this 18 year old vocal phenom. Stream and buy Patience at the link below.

 

From The Morning: Souvenir

 

Souvenir is the latest album by From The Morning, the solo project of Connecticut artist/producer Kurt Fieser. The three tracks, totaling over 30 minutes of music, feature ambient drones that start like the sun rising over a slumbering Earth and finish with one being transported off this world to fulfill some cosmic rendezvous. In between, one finds elements from lush synths, to field recordings, to fluid guitar lines. The album brings forth a mystical serenity that leaves the listener cleansed of the mundane. Stream and download Souvenir at the link below.

 

The Vagoos: Rehearsal Room Demo 2014

 

A question comes to mind...when is a demo not a demo? One obvious answer is, when it's punk rock...and so we have the Rehearsal Room Demo 2014, the debut EP from German punk band The Vagoos. The six tracks are a perfectly recorded, lo-fi, live energy take on a band that shows, when all the excess is stripped away, that punk lives as it always has, by the demo as a finished product. This EP has everything one needs to appreciate The Vagoos music; unadulterated, pristine snippets of punk authenticity. So, when is a demo not a demo? When it's the perfectly crafted debut by The Vagoos. Stream and download Rehearsal Room Demo 2014 at the link below.

 



Axons, Inter Vivos

 

Axons is the moniker of Chicago artist/producer Adele Nicholas, who is also one half of FZB favorites Love and Radiation. Nicholas has just released her debut EP as Axons titled, Inter Vivos. The five tracks are an infectious blend of synthpop, with minimalist beats, a slight lo-fi sheen and intimate vocals. The EP is a compelling work from a gifted artist, who is about as busy as they come. Besides her work as Axons and with Love & Radiation, in her spare time Nicholas is the guitar player for Chicago band Puritan Pine and a civil rights attorney. If you're a regular on this blog, then Love and Radiation are familiar to you. Now get the bigger picture and embrace the talent and musical beauty of Axons. Stream and download Inter Vivos at the link below.
 

Crooked Tooth: High Or Die



 

High Or Die is the debut EP from L.A. garage pop outfit Crooked Tooth. The duo of Kate Dwyer and Erika Paget serve up six tracks of jangly, reverby, pop music. Taking a cue from bands such as Beaches and The Vivian Girls, Crooked Tooth make straight forward, unpretentious, pop music. Drawing influences from L.A.'s rich heritage of punk, surf and garage music, the EP is a reminder how much fun simple pop songs can be. Stream and download High Or Die at the link below.





Rivers: Rivers

 

Rivers is the self-titled debut EP from the West Virginia band of Melody Petras, Abbie Merryman, Brady Lytton and  Dillon Richardson. The five tracks are melodic, indie rock ala Two Door Cinema Club and Noah and the Whale. The tracks are driven by the excellent vocal stylings of  Petras, with the songs being wonderfully written and performed. Unfortunately, the whole thing is a bit undone by a terrible, disjointed mix. This is a good band that could benefit greatly from hooking up with a producer. Stream and buy Rivers at the link below.

 

No Wave Cinema: Sunsets By Midnight

 

Sunsets by Midnight is the new album from New York shoegaze artist No Wave Cinema, aka Jonathan Carom .  Blending a lo-fi aesthetic with dreampop song stylings, Carom offers us a glimpse at soundscapes that feel singular and personal to the listener. Atmospheric vocals blend with minimalist instrumentation to creates moods that convey a depth to each track. With an ambient wash to the tracks, the listening experience becomes visions of passing auras, with some rock flourishes to snap us back from the dream. A beautiful record. Stream and download Sunsets By Midnight for free at the link below.



Arrange: Their Bodies In A Fog

 

Portland based dreampop artist/producer Arrange, aka Malcom Lacey, first appeared on this blog in May of 2011. In the intervening time, counting reviews, an interview and best of lists, he has been featured on this blog more than any other artist. Though showing early promise with a couple of very favorable reviews in Pitchfork, Arrange has seen wider recognition of his music remain elusive. It has been a year and a half since there has been a new album, but now that wait is rewarded. Lacey has returned with his most ambitious work to date, the eleven track masterpiece, Their Bodies in a Fog. Retaining his trademark platform of angst, Lacey has nonetheless matured thematically, musically and as a producer. The album spans the depths of artistry, creating sonnets so compelling that one is awestruck by the emotions displayed. Need we say, this is a must have. Stream and download Their Bodies In A Fog at the link below.

 



The Raspberry Heaven: Insomnious EP

 

Ontario post-punk auteurs The Raspberry Heaven have released the Insomnious EP.  Dark and haunting, the five tracks weave a melodic tapestry of intimate sounds that move to the melancholy we all know too well. With similarities to such masters as Connor Oberst and Okkervil River, the music blends an acoustic bed with punk electrics. The Raspberry Heaven have crafted a totally compelling record that is a definite must have. Stream and download the Insomnious EP at the link below.

 



Suffering Astrid: Outward Differentiation EP

 

Outward Differentiation is the new EP from Polish artist/producer Suffering Astrid, aka Bruno Janiszewski. The two tracks offer almost 30 minutes of soaring, noise laden, introspective and yet melodic ambient soundscapes. With elements of drone and shoegaze, the EP is a dense artistic affair, more in line with a transcendental experience, rather than setting the background mood that ambient pieces are usually condemned to. This is a truly artistic work, with sonic brushstrokes that call for close scrutiny and focused attention to reach oneness with the music. Stream and download Outward Differentiation at the link below.