Clorox Girls take it back to ’79 and reclaim the “pop-punk” genre just as it’s teetering on the brink of utter destruction.
On!Air!Library!
The chin-stroking ambience of O!A!L!’s 2003 material (see “Ex’s and Ho’s Oh’s”) makes way for a more diverse palette of bristling pop and sprawling sonic gems in ’04.
The Owls
Maria May and Allison LaBonne’s angelic duets herald heartbreak with exquisite simplicity (“there is only air/where I used to care”).
Byrne
Slow down and smooth-out The Apples in Stereo and you’re getting close to Byrne, right down to the song’s title. Summer’s here, kids.
The Sugarplastic
Yes, they’re still around, releasing songs one 7-inch at a time. Less XTC, less silly, but still plenty mischievous.
The Advantage
The Advantage, well, they’re a cover band, pure and simple. The thing is, they only cover Nintendo tunes. Get ready to re-live hours and hours of wasted time as a teenager.
Le Coupe
A breezy, smooth, danceable pop song that could usher in world peace if the right people cuddled up and listened to it together.
The Magic Magicians
Wild-eyed garage romps from the super duo of John Atkins (764-Hero) and Joe Plummer (Black Heart Procession, Caustic Resin).
Calexico
Calexico sound at home in whatever spin they put on their decidedly Southwestern flavor — from smoldering mariachi (“Stray”) to box-step blues (“Sunken Waltz”). Tequila not included.
UMass Percussion Ensemble
Fantastic cover of the Radiohead epic. Talk about Schoolhouse Rock. Could this song be the “Smoke on the Water” or “Smells Like Teen Spirit” of the new millenium? (source: Coudal)