The U & U's 115 Best Songs of 2015 | Part 1 (115-90)

115 : Tom Waits : Take One Last Look : Late Show with David Letterman (2015)

Official Site

114 : Adult Mom : Survival : Momentary Lapse of Happily (2015)

Soundcloud

U & U Show 429 | Another Teeny Taste of LUH

Stream and Download the Show Here! (Right click and save to download)

LUH : Lost Under Heaven (piano)

Lost Under Heaven EP (2015)  |  Facebook

 

Mark McGuire : True Love (song For Rachel)

Beyond Belief (2015)  |  BandCamp

 

U & U Show 428 | A Big VU Anny & Meet Palm

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Velvet Underground : Oh! Sweet Nothing (Early Version Remix)

Loaded: Reloaded 45th Anniversary (1970/2015)  |  Wikipedia

 

Savants : Dream Machine

Savants Forever (2015)  |  BandCamp

The U & U Show 427 | Halloweenin' It Up!

Stream and Download the Show Here!(Right click and save to download)

Fuzz : Pipe

Fuzz II (2013)  |  Stream Fuzz on YouTube

Savages : The Answer

Adore Life (2015)  |  Official Site

The U & U Show 417 | Night Beds Ivywild Arrives

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Night Beds : Sway(ve)

Ivywild (2015)  |  Official Site

Twin Shadow : Crazy Love

Night Rally Mixtape (2015)  |  Official Site

U & U Show 416 | Kurt's Back & Titus Lets TMLT Loose

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 Kurt Vile : Pretty Pimpin'

b'lieve i'm goin down... (2015)  |  Official Site

Night Beds : Corner

Ivywild (2015)  |  Official Site

The U & U Show 340

Stream & Download Here!

Arcade Fire : Afterlife : Reflektor (2013)

-          4^th full length

-          Produced by James Murphy and this track sounds like it especially.

-          David Bowie also contributed to the album.

-          This release is going to further propel them into being one of the indie bands with the most mainstream success.

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Wet : U Da Best : Wet EP (2013)

-          Debut EP.

-          Falls somewhere between Fiona Apple’s latest release and the XX.

BandCamp

Moonface : Black Is Back In Style : Julia With Blue Jeans On (2013)

-          3rd full length album from this Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade & Sunset Rubdown) project.

-          Debut, Heartbreaking Bravery, was my pick for best album of 2012.

-          This is album is a solo piano effort.

Official Site : HypeMachine

Frog Eyes : The Road Is Long : Carey’s Cold Spring (2013)

-          8^th album.

-          Eclectic and innovative alt indie rock band led by Carey Mercer.

-          Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade, Moonface) was a former member.

-          Most similar to the sound of Sunset Rubdown.

Official Site

Cherry Glazerr : Teenage Girl : Papa Cremp (2013)

-          Debut LP

-          LA band of ladies with music similar to, but sloppier and more lackadaisical than Waxahatchee.

BandCamp

Jackson Scott : That Awful Sound : Melbourne (2013)

-          Debut LP.

-          North Carolina mellow alt-pop songwriter.

-          This song was his initial release in early 2013 and got immediate buzz from the limited number of outlets that passed it around.

Facebook

Los Angeles Police Department : The Only One (2013)

-          Debut single.

-          Lazily rolling rock.

-          Full length is supposed to be on its way.

Facebook

Islands : Waveform : Ski Mask (2013)

-          5^th album

-          Montreal Indie rock band.

Official Site

Courtney Barnett : Canned Tomatoes (Whole) : The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas (2013)

-          Release of her first two EPs.

-          Alt-indie rock that makes me think of Petty, Dylan and Joan Osborne.

-          25 year old from Australia.

-          CMJ 2013

Official Site

Fuzz : Preacher: Fuzz (2013)

-          Debut full length.

-          Latest project from the ever-prolific Ty Segall

-          Heavier psych blues sound here than his usual style.

Stream Fuzz on YouTube

Jonathan Rado : All the Jung Girls (Diane Coffee cover) (2013)

-          Full length debut, Law & Order, was out this year as well.

-          One of the two members of Foxygen with side projects.

BandCamp

Gregory Alan Isakov : Suitcase Full of Sparks : The Weatherman (2013)

-          5^th album

-          More traditional-leaning folk singer-songwriter.

Official Site

Wooden Wand & the World War IV : Complaint Dept. : Wooden Wand & the World War IV (2013)

-          2^nd album of 2013.

-          Blood Oaths of the New Blues is still one of the year’s most impressive releases.

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Sore Eros & Kurt Vile : Jamaica Plain : Jamaica Plain EP (2013)

-          Collaborative instrumental EP.

-          Kurt Vile just re-released his brilliant.

Amazon

The U & U Show 333 | New Wooden Wand & Arcade Fire

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Wooden Wand & the World War IV : I Hate the Nightlife : Wooden Wand & the World War IV (2013)

-          2^nd album of 2013.

-          Blood Oaths of the New Blues is still one of the year’s most impressive releases.

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Willis Earl Beal : Comin' Through (feat. Cat Power) : Nobody Knows (2013)

-          2^nd full length.

-          Debut was lo-fi, unflattering and didn't show off his insanely powerful voice.

-          Big time comparisons to Tom Waits.

Official Site

The U & U Show 326! | These Twin City Kisses...

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The Hold Steady : Stuck Between Stations : Boys and Girls In America (2006)

-          3rd album.

-          5^th and latest full length was 2011's Heaven Is Whenever.

-          Lead singer Craig Finn released his solo debut in 2012.

-          This is one of the best bands we are lucky enough to enjoy in their prime.

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Surf City : Kudos : Kudos (2010)

-          Debut Full length album

-          New Zealand band.

-          Fuzzy, psychedelic guitar pop.

Facebook

The U & U Show 324! The Year That Keeps Giving

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Wise Blood : Target : id (2013)

-          Debut full length.

-          Debut EP, These Wings, was out in 2011.

-          Impressive blend of r&b/rap/singing vocals, drums, and samples.

Official Site : Facebook

Only Real : Blood Carpet : Only Real EP II (2013)

-          One of only several songs they've releaed.

-          Vocalist over a blend of classic indie rock and electronic music.

Soundcloud

The U & U Show 314! New Album of the Year Leader...

Stream & Download Here!

Kurt Vile : Shame Chamber : Wakin On A Pretty Daze (2013)

-          5^th album.

-          Former guitarist for the War On Drugs.

-          The opening track on this album, 'Wakin on a Pretty Day,' might be the year's best so far.

-          He said he was inspired by the album Tusk when making this album.

Official Site

Way Yes : Get Healed : Tog Pebbles (2013)

-          2nd full length.

-          One of the year’s releases I’m most excited for.

-          Debut full length, Walkability, was out in 2012 and featured the amazing track 'Important.'

-          If you like this band look up the Listening Party. Also reminiscent of mellower Yeasayer and Yellow Ostrich.

-          CMJ 2012

Official Site

The U & U Show 304!

Stream & Download Here!

Foxygen : On Blue Mountain : We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic (2013)

-          2nd full length.

-          Debut album that was just rereleased after Jagjaguwar signed them in 2011.

-          Funkier Rolling Stones feel.

-          CMJ 2012

BandCamp : Amazon : HypeMachine : @FoxygenTheBand

VietNam : Kitchen Kongas : A.merican D.ream (2013)

-          Forthcoming 2nd album

-          Brooklyn soulful, bluesy classic psych rock

Facebook : SoundCloud  

Nightlands : 300 Clouds : Forget the Mantra (2010)

-          Debut full length
-          2nd full length is coming soon

-          Act on Secretly Canadian, sister label of Jagjaguwar.

Official Site

Youth Lagoon : Dropla : Wondrous Bughouse (2013)

-          Forthcoming 2nd album.

-          Trevor Powers recorded the debut at 20 yrs old

-          Beachy (at times), spacey indie pop.

Official Site : Amazon : HypeMachine

Christopher Owens : A Broken Heart : Lysandre (2012)

-          Solo debut from the former leader of Girls.

-          I've loved his solo releases far more than his stuff with Girls… same goes for Girls; drummer's side project PAPA.

-          This track has a 60's folk rock vibe to it. Very pleasant track

HypeMachine : @Chri55yBaby

Fidlar : Stoked and Broke : Fidlar (2013)

-          Debut full length.

-          Rough garage rick with a bit of surf rock.

-          So glad to see these guys getting a bit of publicity.

-          FIDLAR = Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk.

-          SXSW 2012

BandCamp : Amazon : HypeMachine

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin : Drop Dead Baby : Reverse Shark Attack (2009)

-          One of two rereleased collaborative albums.

-          San Fran friends powering the Psych rock scene.

Ty’s Official Site : Mikal’s BandCamp

Fuzz : This Time I Got A Reason : This Time I Got A Reason 7” (2013)

-          2 song single.

-          Latest project from the ever-prolific Ty Segall

-          Heavier psych blues sound here than his usual style.

Stream Fuzz on YouTube

Guadalupe Plata : El Blues Es Mi Amigo : Guadalupe Plata (2013)

-          2^nd full length.

-          Spanish band.

-          Incredibly enjoyable Black Keys/White Stripes feel here.

BandCamp : BandCamp : HypeMachine

Akron/Family : Last Year : Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free (2009)

-          5^th album

-          Forthcoming 7^th album, Sub Verses, was just announced.

-          Stream their first single, No-Room, on their official site.

Official Site

Wooden Wand : Supermoon (The Sounding Line) : Blood Oaths of the New Blues (2013)

-          James Jackson Toth project's forthcoming album.

-          This song will be on my best of 2013, and I know I'm saying that in January.

-          Last release was 2011's Wooden Wand and the Briarwood Virgins.

-          Also released music as WAND after his band left him.

-          SXSW 2012

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Wymond Miles : Pale Moon : Under the Pale Moon (2012)

-          Debut full length

-          One of many superb acts on Sacred Bones Records.

BandCamp

Tom Waits : Potter's Field : Foreign Affairs (1977)

-          4^th full length

-          Album features Bette Midler on one track.

Official Site