The U & U Show 341 | 2013's Strong Finish

Stream & Download Here!

Majical Cloudz : Savage (2013)

-          Latest single and first release since their excellent and haunting 2013 debut, Impersonator.

-          Debut EP was 2012’s Turns Turns Turns.

-          Intense and completely engrossing band I caught as an opener for Youth Lagoon.

BandCamp : Facebook

Moonface : November 2011 : 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

The U & U Show 318!

Stream & Download Here!

Mikal Cronin : Piano Mantra : MCII (2013)

-          S/t solo debut out in 2011.

-          Album is produced by fellow west coaster, Ty Segall.

-          Also in a surf-punk band called the Moonhearts & Ty Segall's backing band, just like Ty's in Mikal's band.

Facebook

Sunset Rubdown : Us Ones In Between : Shut Up I Am Dreaming… (2006)

-          2nd, of 4, albums.

-          Their 4th, 2009's Dragonslayer, was easily one of the best that year.

-          One of Spencer Krug’s many bands.

-          His Latest project, Moonface, had my favorite album of 2012. Heartbreaking Bravery.

-          New solo piano Moonface album in the fall of 2013.

-          Check out one of the most powerfully touching videos for this song HERE.

Official Site : Amazon : HypeMachine

The U & U Show 309! SXSW 2013 Preview #4!

Stream & Download Here!

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper : Bird Balloons : Ripely Pine (2013)

-          Debut Studio album

-          5 years of incredible. minor releases on her BandCamp

-          RIYL St. Vincent.

-          One of the rawest, most powerful musicians I've heard in a long time.

-          Aly Spaltro

BandCamp

VietNam : Stucco Roofs : an A.merican D.ream (2013)

-          Forthcoming 2nd album

-          Brooklyn soulful, bluesy classic psych rock

-          SXSW 2013

Facebook : SoundCloud  

Joshua James : Coal War : Build Me This (2009)

-          3^rd full length album

-          RIYL Damien Rice, AA Bondy, David Ford

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

MMOSS : woolgathering : i (2010)

-          Debut full length

-          2nd album was out in Nov 2012.

-          Available for 'You Name the Price' on their official site.

-          Be careful when Googling… this band is not the Minnesota Metabolic and Obesity Surgical Specialists… I don’t think.

Official Site : MySpace : HypeMachine

Palma Violets : Best of Friends : 180 (2013)

-          Debut album

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site

Little Green Cars : The John Wayne : Absolute Zero (2013)

-          Debut album out May 14th.

-          One EP and one single out so far.

-          Big driving folk rock.

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site

Gold & Youth : Time To Kill : Beyond Wilderness (2013)

-          Debut album

-          RIYL the xx.

-          SXSW 2013

BandCamp  

King Tuff : Alone & Stoned : King Tuff (2012)

-          2nd full length album

-          out of the Vermont

-          psychadelic/powerpop/rock… a little like T Rex vocals

-          One of 2012's best albums

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site : Amazon : HypeMachine

John Wesley Coleman III : Bad Lady Goes To Jail : Bad Lady Goes To Jail (2010)

-          3rd of 4 albums.

-          Bluesy, fuzzy punk-alt country

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site

Sonny Smith as Danny Dusk & The Twilights : Life Ain't Clear : Sonny Smith's 100 Records Vol 3 (2013)

-          3rd installment from one of the more ambitious projects I've come across.

-          He's come up with 100 fictional bands and recording a song as each of them. Full explanation here.

-          Also the leader of Sonny & the Sunsets who had an excellent album, Longtime Companion, out in 2012.

Official Site : Sonny Smith Official Site : HypeMachine

Radiation City : The Color of Industry : The Hands That Take You (2011)

-          Debut full length. Latest release is 2012's Cool Nightmare EP

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site

Gap Dream : Feast of the First Morning : Gap Dream (2012)

-          Debut full length.

-          2nd is on it's way.

-          Druggy psych rock that's slightly less ominous than the Black Angels.

-          SXSW 2013

BandCamp

Islet : What We Done Wrong : Illuminated People (2012)

-          Debut full length.

-          A bunch of other releases available on BandCamp.

-          SXSW 2013

BandCamp

Indians : I Am Haunted : Somewhere Else (2013)

-          Debut album.

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site

Nick Cave : Higgs Boson Blues : Push Away The Sky (2013)

-          15th studio album

-          Most recent was 2008’s ‘Dig, Lazarus! Dig!!!’ and then his two Grinderman albums.

-          Like a few artists out there, like Lou Reed and Tom Waits, he has a huge cult following and a unique/distinct sound.

-          SXSW 2013

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine