Dances: Whiter Sands

 

Brooklyn garage rockers Dances have released their debut EP, Whiter Sands. The band of Trevor Vaz, Sam Stoeltje and David Su deliver four tracks of hard, edgy punk music, with a nice dynamic range and tempo changes. Showing a musical maturity rarely heard on debuts, Dances crafts songs that are compelling in their feel and demanding of attention.  Strong songwriting and solid musicianship cap a truly fine debut EP. Stream and buy Whiter Sands at the link below.

 



Lykanthea: Migration

 

Lykanthea is the moniker for the new solo project from Lakshmi Ramgopal, one half of FZB favorites Love and Radiation. The Chicagoan has just released her debut EP, Migration in both digital and limited edition cassette formats. The five tracks represent a unique vision inspired by the 4,000-year-old Sumerian tale of the goddess Inanna, with the Migration EP being the first in a series of releases devoted to this concept. Musically, Ramgopal continues her prowess of delivering imaginative synths, delicate and intricate vocals and atmospheric production. This is another must have from this multi-talented artist. Stream and buy Migration at the link below.

 



Les Deuluxes: Traitement Deuluxe

 

Traitement Deuxluxe is the debut EP from Montreal duo Les Deuxluxes. This is an EP that can be described in one word...GREAT! The vocals are as big as the sky, with a wonderful Wanda Jackson quality. The guitar channels Dick Dale, the songs are catchy and the whole thing is as rollicking as a 50's sock hop. This EP is what rock n roll is all about, brash, gritty and sensual. If you don't like this one, you must sit in the corner with a dunce cap on. Stream and buy Traitement Deuxluxe at the link below.



Lowtide: Lowtide

 

Australian dreampop band Lowtide have released their S/T debut full length. The nine tracks are haunting, atmospheric gems. Giles Simon, Lucy Buckeridge, Gabriel Lewis and Anton Jakovljevic wrap us in lush production, compelling songs and beautiful vocals. The quest for stunning shoegaze takes one down many paths. Do yourself a favor and follow the path out to Lowtide. Stream and buy their S/T album at the link below.

 

Japan Soul: Plastic Utopia

 

Plastic Utopia is the debut album from Brooklyn pop upstarts Japan Soul. The band of Jason Paul, DaVe Lipp, Matt McMurry and Tyler Graham have managed to pull off the unlikely pairing of political topics with slick, danceable pop music. The album is full of production mastery, funky influences, lively synths and even heavy guitars. This album proves that dance music can have balls and still be club worthy. Get your groove on. Stream and buy Plastic Utopia at the link below.
 

The Violent Hearts: The Penalty EP

 

The Penalty EP is the debut from Las Vegas post-punk band The Violent Hearts. The two tracks really make this a single rather than an EP, but regardless, what one finds is perfectly crafted songs, performed with style and class. As debuts go, this one shows a band that has already perfected a compelling sound, with strong vocals, cool guitar parts and crisp production. The band of James Mattock,  Frankie Picasso and Brian James are the real deal. The only drawback is 6 minutes of music is not enough for a band this good. We want more and you will too. Stream and buy The Penalty EP at the link below.

 



Peter Kernel: The New Singles

 

FZB favorites Peter Kernel have a new album due out in January, but to hold us over, they have released two tracks designated The New Singles. The tracks High Fever and It's Gonna Be Great don't disappoint. The duo of Aris Bassetti and Barbara Lehnhoff (Camila Sparksss) give us all we could want, with Lehnhoff's Kathleen Hanna inspired musings and Bassetti's sophisticated post-punk styling. Peter Kernel continue to be one of our favorite groups. Stream and download The New Singles for free at the link below.

 

Weary Heads: Live at The Earl/Cringe Double EP

 

People in the know in Atlanta will tell you the best place for live music is The Earl. So it is fitting that Atlanta post-punk dynamo Weary Heads have used this great venue to record a live EP that serves up all the rawness and power one could ask for. Combined with an earlier studio EP, Cringe, into a double EP release, what you have is the perfect vehicle to discover a band that makes no compromises and takes no prisoners. Go out and kick some arse. Stream, download and buy Live at The Earl/Cringe Double EP in a 50 CD hand numbered limited edition at the link below.

 



The Alternative with Chris Atwood Compilation

 

Russian Winter Records has released “The Alternative” compilation, curated by syndicated radio personality Chris Atwood who hosts the show of the same name.  The Alternative features a dynamic mix of 10 rock artists on the cutting edge. The album... kicks off with a new solo track from legendary post-punk guitarist James Stevenson (Gene Love Jezebel, The Cult, Gen X) and also includes Boston heavyweight James Straight and The Wide Stance, UK breakout Suzi Blu, garage power trio The Feel Bad Hit Of The Winter, indie virtuoso Kevin Nolan and  5 more.  The compilation is available in a 500 CD Hand Numbered Limited Edition and as a digital download on Bandcamp. Stream and buy The Alternative at the link below.

 

City and The Sea: Venture

 

It has been over a year since we've had any new music from Ontario rockers City and The Sea. So the new single, Venture, is a welcome surprise. Catchy riffs, heavy guitars, tight harmonies and an in your face attitude are what this track eagerly offers. The band hints at this being the first of a double A-sided single and leaves us high with anticipation for what's next. Stream and download Venture at the link below.

 



Goodnight Sunrise; Bridgeburner

 

Bridgeburner is a new two track EP from Toronto blues rockers Goodnight Sunrise. The trio of David Kochberg, Vanessa Vakharia and  Paul Weaver break out the power with their classic rock influenced EP. With one track featuring lead vocals by Kochberg and the other Vakharia, we get a look at the two distinct vibes that are at work in the band. Imaginative and catchy, the EP is a good way to discover the band. Stream and download Bridgeburner at the link below.



 



Veins Voir: You Make Your Own Walls

 

FZB favorites Veins Voir are back with their third EP, You Make Your Own Walls. The band of Tyler Rouleau, Jon Bicchieri, Dustin Grey  and John Coughlin serve up four tracks of emo drenched pop punk. Emo has been making a bit of a comeback lately, and with a sound harking back to bands like The Used and Taking Back Sunday, Veins Voir show that there is still life in the genre yet to be discovered. Stream and download You Make Your Own Walls at the link below.

 

Francesca Fiore: Tanglemouth

 

Francesca Fiore is a new project of Chicago duo Caitlin Klask and Michael Tenzer, of FZB favorite, Savage Sister. Their debut track Tanglemouth is a shoegazey piece, with heavy guitars, reverb drenched vocals and an overall atmospheric sheen. No word on whether this is a side project for the duo or marks a shifting away from Savage Sister. Either way, the track is a nice sample of what will hopefully be much more to come from these two. Stream and download Tanglemouth at the link below.

 

 



Plastic Inevitable: The Precipice EP

 

The Precipice EP is the sophomore release from San Jose based Plastic Inevitable. The duo of Marty Procaccio and Sneekie San Salvador blend psychedelic influences with hip-hop sensibilities, to create a fresh fusion that transcends both. Stark, lo-fi, in your face and compelling, the five tracks  deliver originality that is lacking in much of indie music. Stream, download, or better yet buy a 50 CD limited edition release of The Precipice EP at the link below.

 



Ye Nuns: Nun More Black

 

UK based indie label Tuff Enuff Records, bring us an imaginative release in Nun More Black, the debut album from all-female band Ye Nuns. Ostensibly a tribute band paying homage to legendary garage punkers, The Monks, a group of American GI's who were stationed in Germany, Ye Nuns show us that a group of women in their 40's can define the punk aesthetic in no uncertain terms. This is a definite must have album. Stream and buy Nun More Black in vinyl only at the link below.

 



Xylen Roberts: Expanding Squares

 

FZB favorite Xylen Roberts is back with a new concept album, Expanding Squares, about a league of intergalactic cybershamans opposing an oppressive totalitarian dystopia. The twelve tracks take a lo-fi production approach, paired with hot mastering and heavy vocals to deliver a blistering work that perfectly conveys the mindset of the concept. Roberts is a unique and visionary artist that is unafraid to push conventional genre limits. Stream and  download Expanding Squares at the link below.

 



Wilhelm show me the Major Label: SOS Tape Compilation

 

Austrian indie label, Wilhelm show me the Major Label, has released the fourteen song compilation SOS Tape. Featuring an eclectic mix of tracks and artists, including FZB favorites Crystal Soda Cream, the album is dark, synth heavy and gripping. Compilations are a great way to keep up with the cutting edge of indie music and this one offers a free download as a "name your price" release on Bandcamp. Stream and download SOS Tape at the link below.

 

Mark Alan Lofgren: The Past Perfect

 

The past Perfect is the debut album from Chicago singer/songwriter Mark Alan Lofgren. A founding member of Chicago band The Luck of Eden Hall, this album sees Lofgren stepping out with twelve tracks of psychedelic, shoegaze tinged indie pop. Appealing to fans of Ariel Pink and Atlas Sound, Lofgren shows his prowess for catchy songs, strong arrangements and sterling production. Put this debut up as a must have. Stream and buy The Past Perfect at the link below.

 



Rachel Thomasin: Outlines

 

Indie label Otherworldly Mystics has just released Outlines, the new album from Boston artist/producer Rachel Thomasin.  The album is atmospheric and ethereal, with nice guitar lines and lush synth pads. The real standout here though, is Thomasin's incredible voice. Few vocalists can master both power and subtlety with such ease. Thomasin is in a class by hearself and is a vocalist that is destined to reach a much wider audience. This album is a definite must have. Stream and buy Outlines as a limited edition cassette release at the link below.

 



Postcode: This Day Will Come Video

Fresh off their inclusion in the FZB Top 20 of 2014 So Far, we have a new single from Isle of Man band Postcode. The single, by way of a new video, is a taste of what will surely be a stunning new album for the band, due later this year. Check out the video for This Day Will Come at the link below.

Waterbodies: What the French Call "Les Incompetents"

 

What the French Call "Les Incompetents" is the debut single from Ontario noise rockers Waterbodies. The band of Mike McGean, Roxy and Shane Turner say that "you can make a load of noise with bass, drums, and guitar," and they're right. This track is noisy, edgy, heavy and perfect. The band tells us they have more tracks recorded and we cannot wait for a proper EP or album. If this single is any indication, great stuff is yet to come. Stream and download What the French Call "Les Incompetents" at the link below:

 

Captain SIB: The Psychedelic Freakout Compilation Number.1

 

Scottish podcast and music blog extraordinaire, Captain SIB, has released the Psychedelic Freakout Compilation Number.1. The compilation features one track each from 10 different bands from several different countries, including Scotland, Russia and the US. This compilation is a wonderful and varied experience, taking in genres that range from psychedelic to post-punk, to synthpop, to indie rock. Curated by Iain at the blog, one couldn't find a better way to hear some fantastic new music. Stream and buy The Psychedelic Freakout Number.1 at the link below.



Meenk: Scamu Scau

 

Austin, TX artist Meenk has released her debut EP Scamu Scau. The four tracks are enjoyable, simple pop music. In the same vein as La Sera, everything is nice enough, but lacks originality. Unfortunately, there is nothing to distinguish this EP from the pack of dreampop offerings that continually come forth. Unlike other similar artists such as Frankie Rose or Bleached, Meenk lacks any edge. Nice, pleasant debut, but one that shows a need for artistic maturity and the will to take some chances. Stream and download Meenk at the link below.

 



Floorshime Zipper Boots Top 20 of 2014 So Far: #10 - #1

Today we give you the second half of our countdown, with the top 10 on our Floorshime Zipper Boots Top 20 of 2014 So Far. Placing is determined by our reader's individual artist pageviews.

#10 Camilla Sparksss: For You The Wild



#9 Mothers & Phonoscenes: Panamanian Times & The Relative




#8 Shocking Pinks: Guilt Mirrors



#7 Teen Men: Apartment In The City



#6 Repeat After Me: Mapmaker



#5 Goodman: Isn't It Sad



#4 The Vagoos: Rehearsal Room Demo 2014



#3 Adelaida: Monolito



#2 Dana: Patience



#1 Hang In Balance: Lisn