MP3: From Bubblegum To Sky- I Always Fall Apart from A Soft Kill (Out now, Eenie Meenie Records)
One man pop machine Mario Hernandez treats us to a jangly gem. Grit and uneasiness hang behind sweet vocal stylings.

MP3: The Notwist- Good Lies from The Devil, You + Me (Out now, Domino)
Shimmer and sway. After a lengthy dormant period, the German ambient/electronic/indie rock band just released their latest in the US this week.

MP3: Earlimart- Song For from Hymn And Her (July 1st, Majordomo)
In a peculiar move, the LA indie duo (not sure if they’ll go back to a full band) has rushed to move on their follow up to last year’s Mentor Tormentor. Pleasant, moody chamber pop.

MP3: System and Station- The Magnetic North from A Nation of Actors August 19th, Latest Flame Records)
Melodic power pop with a nod to Built To Spill, Superchunk et al. The band has been through numerous incarnations and moves since their beginning in 1998- Idaho to Wisconsin to Oregon. Along the way, they’ve kept their rhythmic and angular edge.

MP3: Fleet Foxes- He Doesn’t Know Why from Fleet Foxes (Out now, Sub Pop)
One person screws up, we all benefit. Sub Pop has kindly offered a glitch-free free track from the well received folksy full length debut.

And now for this week’s Smorgasbord Sundae Wafer…
Stream/MP3: Big’n- Trophy from Discipline Through Sound (Gasoline Boost Records/Skin Graft Records)
Reader, please bear with me as I make a departure from the usual pop focus of this blog… Joliet natives, Big’n are reuniting to play a show next Monday, June 23rd at the Empty Bottle– and the ROCK is free. These guys were a fixture on my stereo circa 1997/1998. Evil, hard-hitting music that brought together the urgency of Jesus Lizard, the precision of Shellac, and the tones of Slint.

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