Howler: Back of Your Neck

Off the 2012 album, America Give Up.

Breton: Pacemaker

Here's a bit of toe-tapping London-based rock. Off of their recently released debut album, Other People's Problems.

Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa: Mani Malaikat

"Hallucinogenic Post-Punk sung all in Indonesian to impress a girl!"

That explains everything!



Buy it here if you dare: Mani Malaikat

Wavves: King of the Beach

Hello, Summertime. Here's some head-bangin' surfer-punk from San Diego, CA.



Buy it here: King Of The Beach (Amazon MP3 Exclusive)

Dom: Living in America

You can't take this New England-based band too seriously when they have an EP entitled Sun Bronzed Greek Gods, and a song with a chorus like, "it's so sexy to be living in America;" but I believe that's exactly how they want it. I also think that the lo-fi style of the music adds to their tongue-in-cheek (or, if you must, juvenile) approach.



Buy it here: Sun Bronzed Greek Gods

Autolux: Turnstile Blues

Going way back to 2004 for this song, off this L.A. Band's album, Future Perfect.



Future Perfect

Bayside: Sick Sick Sick

Feel like some angst-filled punk/pop/alt-rock today? This band, from Queens, might be just what you're looking for. Off the album Killing Time, released in February.

Middle Brother: Me Me Me

Off this band's self-titled debut album, released earlier this month.

The Drums: Let's Go Surfing

This is another fun song from another Brooklyn-based indie band. What do they put in the water out there?

Magnetic Fields Redux

Off the 2010 album, Realism.

Ozomatli: Fire Away

Ozomatli is a Los Angeles-based band that has around 10 members, give or take a few depending on the performance. The band uses turntables, brass, winds, all types of percussion, and nearly everything else to create an energy-filled sound that is reflective of the diversity of their bustling hometown. The song below is off their 2010 album, Fire Away.

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)

This song, AM/FM, is off this Sacramento-based band's 2010 album, Strange Weather, Isn't It?

Blondie: Sunday Girl

Just for old time's sake.

Laurel Aitken (1927 -2005)

I've received a few e-mails requesting ska and reggae acts.  And because I don't want to disappoint anyone, here's a great track from the "Godfather of Ska."  I've found that most people either like Ska or they don't. The rest of us like a bit now and then, but all that brass can get old quickly.

of Montreal

Named after a band member's failed romance with a girl from Montreal, this is another fabulous band from Athens, Georgia (what's in the water down there?). They combine a plethora of musical elements and do other off beat things like putting upbeat music to depressing lyrics. The song below is off their 2010 album False Priest. I dare you to listen to it just once.

Santigold

This gritty Philadelphia-based artist is writing music that reflects a myriad of influences, from the Pixies to Aretha Franklin.  It is a unique and upbeat sound that's going to make you want to dance. Don't believe me? Play the song below, title track off the 2009 album, Say Aha.

The Hundred in the Hands

Released this month, Dressed in Dresden is a single off this Brooklyn based duo's self-titled debut album.  It is hip, it is danceable, and it is very NYC.  Eleanore Everdell's voice brings Debbie Harry of Blondie to mind, which is no slight, as her voice has a wonderful pop-meets-punk quality.

Learn more about the band here.

Black Lips: Bad Kids

The Black Lips are a band with a great sense of juvenile humor, and if you have the patience, you'll find this song and video to be hilarious.  It is off the 2007 album Good Bad Not Evil.

Jonathan Richman

The last day of summer for my hemisphere was just a couple of days ago, and I thought that was a great excuse to post one of my favorite Jonathan Richman songs, That Summer Feeling.  Much can be said about Richman, but I'll leave the analyses to others; I'm a fan simply because I enjoy his melding of goofiness and rock.

Gogol Bordello

I am an unabashed fan of the NYC gypsy-punk scene and have featured some of the other bands from that sub-genre here before, but none of those groups are like Gogol Bordello.  In fact, I can think of few bands in any genre that so consistently brush up against absolute chaos and make it work.  Their last album, Trans-Continental Hustle, was released in April of this year, but the song below, Wonderlust King, is from 2007. Check out the band's website here.