Black Lips – Modern Art – Arabia Mountain (2011)
Black Lips – Mad Dog – Arabia Mountain (2011)
- 6th album.
- Best Band/Album of the U & U 2011!!!
- One of the most fun bands to listen to and see live.
- Sloppy garage rock.
Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : Modern Art : Mad Dog
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons - Don't Turn Your Back On Love - Mysterious Power (2011)
- 3rd album
- One of the most talented and refreshing artists going.
- Huge Pixies sound here more than ever before.
- Played SXSW
Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : DayTrotter
Withered Hand - Hard On - Good News (2011)
- Debut full length, but has two previously released EPs
- Neil Young-heavy sound.
- Played SXSW
Frightened Rabbit - Fuck This Place - A Frightened Rabbit EP (2011)
- This was a tour-only EP.
- This track features Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura.
- This is one of their greatest tracks, in my opinion. Why hide it away on a tour-only release?
- 4 albums out.
- Organ Fight is their best to date.
- Scottish accent stands out, but there seems to be something more than that to his vocals and make them truly unique.
Bill Callahan - Riding For the Feeling- Apocalypse (2011)
- 3rd album
- Folk singer/songwriter type
- The voice gets me here more than anything
- Former leader of Smog.
MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine
Turf War – Cheers To the Years – Years of Living Dangerously (2011)
- Debut album
- Produced by Ian St. Pe’ of the Black Lips.
- Atlanta band.
Middle Brother – Middle Brother – Middle Brother (2011)
- Debut from this folk super group.
- Due out in March
- Features members of Deer Tick, Delta Spirit and Dawes.
PAPA - I Am The Lion King - A Good Woman Is Hard To Find EP (2011)
- Debut EP
- Led by the drummer for the band Girls.
- Upbeat, a touch beachy and sun-drenched pop and a perfect fit for the end of summer.
- There is something triumphant in their tracks that really draws me in.
tUnE-yArDs - Gangsta - w h o k i l l (2011)
- BEST BAND OF PITCHFORK MUSIC FEST 2011!
- 2nd album.
- Debut full length, ‘BiRd-BrAiNs’ was a huge critical success.
- Eclectic, spastic indie pop sound.
- Merrill Garbus is the main brains behind this act.
- This is the best song I’ve heard from her so far.
Tom Waits – Pay Me – Bad As Me (2011)
- 17th album and 1st since 2004. Album teaser video
- One of the most prolific, innovative and talented songwriters ever.
- First new music since 2006’s triple album release.
- Also an actor.
- Give me his first three albums and a desert island.
Emperor X – Compressor Repair – Western Teleport (2011)
- 5th album.
- Former HS science teacher.
- RIYL: Mountain Goats & Death Cab for Cutie
The Mountain Goats – Damn These Vampires – All Eternals Deck (2011)
- Latest full length
- Their last, The Life of the World to Come, was out in October 2009.
- Led by John Darnielle and his unmistakable passionate and powerful vocals.
J Mascis - Circle - Several Shades of Why (2011)
- Latest solo album.
- Dinosaur Jr. leader.
- Eddie Vedder-esque vocals.
- Played SXSW and was a major surprise.
- This is from the DayTrotter Session he just recorded.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Nothing But Our Love - It's A Corporate World (2011)
- Debut full length.
- Their 2010 debut EP garnered them a lot of good reviews.
- Playing the White Rabbit Cabaret Friday, June 17th
Twilight Singers – She Was Stolen – Dynamite Steps (2011)
- 3rd full length
- Led by Greg Dulli.
- Dulli has also collaborated with Mark Lanegan to release a couple albums as the Gutter Twins.
- The build through out this song is worth the price of the album.
- Whether it’s here or in the Gutter Twins, Dulli is capable of creating deep powerful moods and feelings.
We Are Augustines - Book of James - Rise Ye Sunken Ships (2011)
- Debut full length.
- Consists of two remaining members of the band Pela, Billy McCarthy & Eric Sanderson.
- Pela disbanded after McCarthy’s brother committed suicide.
Yellow Ostrich - Hate Me Soon - The Mistress (2011)
- Debut full length
- Sounds a bit like the Beatles and the White Stripes and even at times Menomena.
- Played SXSW
Young Circles - 2012 - Jungle Habits (2011)
- Debut full length. Also 1 EP out.
- Extremely interesting blend of styles. Freak folk, harder alt-rock, electronic and beat driven.
- I think they are at their best on heavier, more aggressive tracks like this.
Handsome Furs – Repatriated – Sound Kapital (2011)
- 3rd album from Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner and his wife.
- Out June 28th.
- I was late to the party here, but glad I didn’t miss it!