The Search: Songs About Losers

Swedish indie rock band, The Search, have released their new album, Songs About Losers. The massive seventeen track collection channels diverse influences from The Smiths, U2, and Depeche Mode, to deliver a sound instantly familiar, yet uniquely their own. The tracks are firmly to the pop side of spectrum and have a bit of a formula feel, but work collectively and the the album is strong and enjoyable. Stream and buy Songs About Losers at the link below.

The Legends: Nightshift

Nightshift is the debut album from Swedish electronic artist The Legends. With an 80's video game vibe, the synths move through a varied landscape of melodies, glitches and beats. Unfortunately, the sixteen tracks cover pretty usual synthpop territory, What one finds are  a few nice retro sounds on a album for those who love soupy electropop. Stream and buy Nightshift at the link below.

Bitter Fictions: XXVII

Shaking Box Music has released, XXVII, the new album from Bitter Fictions, aka Devin Friesen. The 3 tracks, totaling almost 45 minutes of music, see Friesen exploring ambient guitar music with melodic experimentation and deep sonic textures. Using an old Tascam tape machine, Friesen captures the guitar as a sonic paint brush outside of the instrument's usual confines. Stream and buy XXVII at the link below.

Lucky + Love: Lucky + Love

Fans of Phantogram and Chromatics will love the S/T debut from L.A. synthpop duo Lucky + Love. The eight tracks have a nice lo-fi feel, stunning synth pads, and of course, towering vocals, swirling through a reverb drenched electronic ether of beats and melody. This is the kind of building with textures, sequences and melodic structures that producers savior. Watch the video for album track Digging In The Earth, then stream and buy Lucky + Love at the link below.

King Salami & the Cumberland 3: Goin' Back To Wurstville

Goin' Back To Wurstville is the rollicking new garage punk album from UK band King Salami & the Cumberland 3, on Dirty Water Records. The fourteen tracks jump through energetic, 50's inspired garage punk that is fast and snotty. The album has enough twang to clean your teeth and the kind of energy that pisses off the cops. Just perfect in every way, so watch the video for the title track, then stream and buy Goin' Back To Wurstville at the link below.

Clustersun: Surfacing To Breathe

If you want to find one of the best of the new crop of shoegaze bands, one need look no further than Italian group Clustersun. Their new album, Surfacing To Breathe is a dark, heady trip into atmospheric rock, that will satiate the most jaded shoegazer. With judicious use of noise, towering guitars, and enough effects to cause a power drain, this album is a masterpiece of edge. A definite must have. Stream and buy Surfacing To Breathe at the link below.

The Foreign Resort: She Is Lost

FZB favorites The Foreign Resort are back with a new track, She Is Lost. The track has a huge 80's anthem sound to it ala Joy Divisdion. This is a band we just like more with every release. They are crowdsourcing a video for the single and also gearing up for a tour. Show them some love and get details at the link below.

Labrador Records: Greatest Hits Summer 2017

Stockholm based indie label, Labrador Records, have released a wonderful compilation, Greatest Hits Summer 2017. The 10 tracks are lush synthpop with stylistic depth and catchy songs. Featuring such stalwarts as Radio Dept. The Legends and Djustin, the album dances you into the summer with some of the best Swedish pop on offer, and the best part being it's a free download. Stream and download Greatest Hits Summer 2017 at the link below.

Mind Dweller: Mind Dweller Demo

Indie label Sorry State Records have done a cassette release of the demo from new Raleigh, North Carolina band Mind Dweller. The four tracks are punk rock the way it's meant to be played...hard, fast and snotty. Featuring members from some of the key Raleigh hardcore bands of the last several years, this riff driven demo deserves to be an outright EP release and shows the label's commitment to finding and releasing great punk music. Stream and buy the Mind dweller demo at the link below.

Micah Gaugh: Stars Are A Harem

Stars Are A Harem is the fourth album from NYC artist Micah Gaugh. The thirteen tracks are a quirky jazz imbued collection of avante-garde works that forego swing, for a more intimate statement from an artist with a unique sense of melody and song structure. Rather than coming off as an album of independently conceived pieces, the tracks seem to be variations on a common theme, that become a bit cumbersome in their totality. Stream and buy Stars Are A Harem at the link below.

Radiant Baby: It's My Party

It's My Party is the debut EP release from Montreal based Radiant Baby. The six tracks are 80's tinged synthpop, with retro synth pads and nice danceable beats. The EP showcases a unique reinvention of new wave with catchy songs, that are big on fun and eschew pretense. As such this is music to enjoy rather than to dissect, so go out and enjoy it. Watch the video for EP track Save Me From Myself and then stream and buy It's My Party at the link below.

Principe Valiente: Oceans

Sockholm based Principe Valiente are back with Oceans, there first new album in three years. The FZB favorites deliver eight tracks of inspired post-punk with their trademark 80's vibe. Darkish, with towering instruments and atmospheric vocals, the band have crafted an album that will stand as their best work to date. Channeling all the best traits of bands like Cocteau Twins and New Order, but with a sonic vibe that is original rather than derivative. This record is strong through and through. Watch the video for album track Strangers In The Night, then stream and buy Oceans at the link below.

Layla Frankel: Tame The Fox

Tame The Fox is the debut EP from Chicago singer/songwriter Layla Frankel. The six tracks are spirited folk-rock with tight harmonies, catchy songs, understated instrumentals and loads of Frankel's wonderfully expressive voice. With leanings from blues to jazz, this EP is a singular showcase of the artist's writing and vocal chops, with all else placed to enhance appearance like a chef plates an entree. Evocative, intimate and thoroughly enjoyable, is what the listener can expect. This is the type of artist one might find on the new incarnation of A Prairie Home Companion, rather than a work in step with current indie genres. Stream and buy Tame The Fox at the link below.

Diola: Diola

Spanish indie label BCore Disc brings us the S/T debut album from post-punk/experimental band Diola. The ten tracks blend elements from across the indie spectrum to deliver an album of unique sounds, distinctive sonic textures and a compelling edgy vibe. Though a Spanish language record, the music and vocals will draw the listener in. Besides, who can understand words anyway, even on English albums, LOL. This is a definite must have. Stream and buy Diola at the link below.

Matthew O'Neil: Trophic Cascade

Trophic Cascade is the new album from Phoenicia, New York singer/songwriter Mathew O'Neill. The fourteen tracks move effortlessly through freak folk, alt-country and indie rock. With production ranging from huge to minimal, the album brims with tasty licks, engaging songs and a compelling vibe all around. This is an album that has huge stylistic depth and a very high level of musical accomplishment. A definite must have. Stream and buy Trophic Cascade at the link below.

Illegal Operation: Down

Today we have the album, Down, by Illegal Operation, another new release from our favorite Greek label, Inner Ear Records. The six tracks are dark, adventurous and edgy, with virtuostic guitar that turns a distinct blues base into an entirely new art form.This album impresses with its originality, impresses with its sound and impresses with its quality. Illegal Operation are a band that should be in everyone's collection, with this definite must have album. Stream and buy Down at the link below.

Neil: Black Flowers

Italian trio Neil self-released two album, and now their sophomore release, Black Flowers has been picked up by indie label Seahorse Recordings for wider distribution. The eleven tracks are firmly altrock with similarities to Bush and Incubus. Tight arrangements and crystal production are hallmarks of the record, as are the standout vocals of frontman and namesake Neil Lucchatta. A solid release, but very mainstream formulaic altrock. Stream and buy Black Flowers at the link below.

Lusterlit: List of Equipment

List of Equipment is the third release from Brooklyn duo, Lusterlit. The duo of Susan Hwang and Charlie Nieland deliver 5 tracks of diverse indie rock with a quirky darkness. Varying from atmospheric psychedelia to Chis Isaak like theatrics, this EP strikes a compelling chord that creates an interesting sonic experience, while showing depth in performance, songwriting and production. A definite must have. Stream and buy List of Equipment at the link below.

Water Seed: We Are Stars

We Are Stars is the debut album from New Orleans band Water Seed. The fourteen tracks are superlative R&B, with some of the tightest arrangements we've heard in a long time. Blending jazz virtuosity, with the catchy song styling of the best Philadelphia soul, the band shows themselves living up to the rather heady album title. This record is funky, smooth, exciting, danceble and everything else that one might consider good. Just as perfect a record as one would ever hope to find and a definite must have. Stream and buy We Are Stars at the link below.

A Victim Of Society: Freaktown

Freaktown is the sophomore album from Athens trio A Victim Of Society on Greek label Inner Ear Records. The eight tracks are brash and edgy, with a dense sonic feel and psychedelic embellishments. The album is a hard driving blend of punk's straightforward song style and post-punk's more expansive song structure. The whole album works from start to finish and is a must have. Stream and buy Freaktown at the link below.

The City and Horses: Ruins

Ruins is the third album from Brooklyn band The City and Horses, on Paper Garden Records. The 12 tracks are tight indie pop, with broad arrangements and abundant hooks. With a sound similar to Belle and Sebastian and Broken Social Scene, the band delivers an album of diverse scope, strong musicianship and sterling production. While thoroughly enjoyable, polished and professional, there is a decided lack of anything that could be described as excitement or edge. Stream and buy Ruins at the link below.

Hedonistic Noise: Silence Is More Musical

It should come as no surprise to our readers that we here at FZB love punk, in all of its various guises. We are particularly fond of how punk is now making its way into heretofore barren territory. Case in point, Silence Is More Musical, the debut album from Istanbul band Hedonistic Noise. The seven tracks are hardcore punk affairs reminiscent of bands like Black Flag and the Germs. The album is as edgy as a saber, as aggressive as a zit on date night and a completely perfect punk masterpiece. Stream and download Silence Is More Musical for free at the link below.

Dino Spiluttini: To Be A Beast

To Be A Beast is the new album from Dino Spiluttini on Vienna label Cut Surface Records. The twelve tracks feature lo-fi production, prodigious use of noise and dark ambient textures. The album is moody and induces alternating feelings of tension and release from the listener. Falling somewhere between ambient and more traditional melody based electronic, the album utilizes noise as the defining feature and this cloaks all else. Stream and buy To be A Beast at the link below.