The Psych Fi's are a Canadian collective playing psychedelic indie rock/country rock that is intriguing and peaceful. You can hear nine minutes plus of their work below via "Summer's Right Around the Corner". If you are feeling the vibes like we are then you will want to play all 13 minutes of the glorious "Alone In A Room Of Mirrors / James Cagney". Both are taken from the five-track Can Con album which is due December 6 via Bobo Integral Records.
This project is helmed by Jerry Leger and 18 musicians contributed to the recording of Can Con. To use a term from our youth, these songs are a head trip.
Bright guitars, captivating stories and a DIY ethos? That's what we like! Check out the first two singles by Melbourne's The Great Divides. "Caught Onto You" and "Death of a Dog" are both taken from the band's upcoming LP, (i'm sure). Expect to be charmed. Expect to be entertained. Expect to make a note that the album drops on November 15 via Spoilsport Records.
How about some jangle and chime perfection for a mid-week pick up? Yes, just what our moods needed. We introduce you to the Gone Things EP by Birmingham, Alabama's Slack Times. It consists of four tracks that will fill you with that indie pop bliss we all crave.
Slack Times are Chris McCauley, Abby Anderson, and Stuart Norman. Gone Things is out now in digital and cassette formats via Meritorio Records.
Pop Filter is one of the most refreshingly unconstrained bands to which we pay attention. With all members writing songs and performing, the menu of songs on their albums represents each songwriter's best efforts. The results are a diverse set of songs that becomes wider in musical and thematic scope with each outing. Their most recent album -- the 13 track Ray and Lorraine's -- delivers synth pop, guitar pop, tender ballads ("Exactly Where I Want To Be" may prompt some happy tears), and other styles. That said, the album reflects and increased emphasis on bass, synths and beats, all of which add increased depth to Pop Filter's already stellar pop songwriting. A group of musicians who have been together this long (most were members of Ocean Party before this band was founded) have had many life experiences, revelations and transformations. The ability of the men of Pop Filter to illustrate their life moments in music is a treasure you should enjoy.
Ray and Lorraine's is out now via Bobo Integral and Osborne Again Music.
We are music fans, not critics, which is why we don't post negative news. So you can be sure that if we publish a post about a song or album, we truly like it and have picked it from among our many submissions and discoveries. However, even among all of our favored musical "children", some work stands out. And that brings us to The Hollow Husk of Feeling, the second full length album by New Zealand's Best Bets. From a sturdy, broadly conceived power pop platform the band delivers 12 tracks stretching from the edge of jangle pop to the border of alt rock. Guitars jangle, chime slash or describe tangled figures as the material requires, and the rhythm section controls the pace with power and finesse. But this set of songs is more than solid gold sounds, as Best Bets features three songwriters with a feel for melody and a talent for lyrical craftsmanship. If you are only going to have room for ten guitar pop albums this year, make certain that The Hollow Husk of Feeling is one of the ten.
Best Bets are Olly Crawford Ellis, James Harding, Matt Phimmavanh, and Joe Sampson. James and Olly are members of Transistors and Joe has been in Salad Boys, T54 and other projects (including the label Melted Ice Cream). The Hollow Husk of Feeling is out now via Meritorio Records and Melted Ice Cream.
