Irish and Swedish bands. I’m a sucker for them. Irish caused I lived there for two years (even saw Bono’s house/castle/mansion on a road nicknamed, what else, Millionaire’s Row). Swedish cause they have some unexplained disposition to creating great pop music. Is it nature or nurture? Personally, I blame ABBA.
Butterfly Explosion are Irish, are unsigned, and recently played at SXSW. One reviewer names Duran Duran, Sigur Ros, Smashing Pumpkins, and My Bloody Valentine as comparisions. While I reject the MBV link (for reasons we won’t go into here), I would add Lush as a strong starting point. “Sophia” will be on a soon-to-be released EP.
If you haven’t lately, why not stop by our 
Where’s that deliciously pouty, funky sound coming from? South London? NYC? Try Lawrence, Kansas. (Hey, they’re entitled to deliciously pouty, funky music, too, you know.) These tracks are from Conner’s forthcoming album Hello Graphic Missile which is due out June 6. June 6?? But I want it NOW…
Mr. Walker’s connected. For his first album he tapped REM’s drummer, Beck’s bassist and Wilco’s guitarist/keyboardist. Then he caught the attention of Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza and Grandaddy’s Jim Fairchild. The three holed themselves up in Elliott Smith’s studio to record Young Gravity. Peter Walker sure has a lot to live up to and really it’s unfair of me to name-drop so liberally. I’m positive Walker wants his music to speak for itself. So I’ll let it do just that. Ask me though, and I’ll tell you he makes good use of his friends.
Athens, Ohio’s Erik Schmall has been recording frayed, cuddly lo-fi at a blistering pace. He’s already released over 100 songs since he first started in 2001, at age 17. Like many prolific bedroom songwriters, or any prolific songwriter for that matter, not every track will blow you away. But these ones here do, and I’m sure I’ve overlooked a few. If you’re looking for a good place to get started, hop (Happy Easter!) over to the lovely blog/netlabel 
Drop this one in your bunny basket—the first taste of Mike Skinner’s biting, British, bubblegum bounce.
There’s more than a passing resemblance between Elf Power’s latest, an organically trippy tempest in a teapot, and very early REM. But those who’ve grown to love Elf Power for their subtle vocal lullabies over inventive pop-folk arrangements will know that the resemblance is far from a ripoff. Elf Power are simply building on the “Athens Sound” – a genteel southern intellectuality that allows for fantastic sonic experimentation but keeps it as personal as a front-porch jam.