BOYO

With my new job, i'm not going to be able to go nuts on SXSW this year, but i'm still hoping to catch a couple days.  So, i'm beginning my research on all these bands and artists i've never heard of before.  One of those is LA's BOYO.  Check out the warped and warbled pop of "Backseat Driver" below, pre-order the upcoming "Where Have All My Friends Gone?" LP here from Park The Van, and look for him in Austin in a couple weeks.

Daily Jam - Insensatez

I first heard Antonio Carlos Jobim's instrumental version of "Insensatez" on the "Lost Highway" soundtrack when i was in high school.  I've loved it ever since.  And i remember when i was a senior in college, i lived with one of my best friends.  I was listening to this song while making dinner, and she came home from class, saw me cooking, saw me drinking a glass of wine, and heard the music.  "Are you going to try and seduce me tonight?"  Good times.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

RIP David Roback

I've been out of the loop for a couple days with a mild plague that's been making its way around the office, so i'm only just now finding out the David Roback passed away earlier this week.  The artist came up through the Paisley Underground scene in LA during the '80s but is most well known for his work with Hope Sandoval in Mazzy Star.  And he co-wrote "Fade Into You," which is one of the most perfect songs ever recorded.  He will be missed.  RIP.

Friday Horror Trailer - Wax Mask

Daily Jam - Hang Them All

I still miss this guy.  Here's Jay Reatard's "Hang Them All," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Christian Woman

I'm sick today, so before i crash out for a few hours, here's "Christian Woman" from Type O Negative.  I still remember how dumbfounded i was the first time i heard them in high school, their goth metal and green tones sounding like nothing i'd ever heard before.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.  I'm going to bed.

Becky and The Birds

The best i can describe "Do U Miss Me" from Becky and The Birds, is kinda warped, lo-fi, R&B pop.  Whatever you want to call it, it's got a way of burrowing into your brain and hanging out there for a while.  Listen below and get the single here from 4AD.

Daily Jam - Bad Medicine

Yeah, we're doing this today.  Here's Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine," our Daily Jam.

Winter

Here's some heavenly, echoey, and serene dreampop from LA artist Winter.  Check out the swaying and swooning "Say" below and pre-order the upcoming "Endless Space (Between You and I)" LP here from Bar/None Records.  And be sure to look for her in Austin during SXSW.

No Age

Noisy LA punk duo No Age have a new album out this summer.  Listen to the driving first single "Turned to String" below and pre-order the upcoming "Goons Be Gone" LP here via Drag City.

Parlor Walls

Here's a little no wave post punk from Brooklyn band Parlor Walls, whom it appears will be in Austin next month during SXSW.  Listen to "Birds of Paradise" below and get the "Heavy Tongue" album here from the band.

Daily Jam - The Drowners

If you ever wondered what Suede's "The Drowners" sounded like drenched in so much noise, feedback, and reverb that it was almost indecipherable, have i got a version for you.  Check out Flying Saucer Attack's wonderful and messy take on the song below, our Daily Jam.

Orion

It's shaping up to be a banner year over at Italians Do It Better.  Here's a new synth pop single from Rhode Island's Orion.  Check out "I Want You So Bad" below and get it here.

Daily Jam - (Hey There) Big Bad Wolf

I am a total sucker for the old girls in the garage sound, so here's The Sham-Ettes' "(Hey There) Big Bad Wolf," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Where Eagles Dare

And now for some Misfits for our Sunday listening pleasure.  Here's "Where Eagles Dare," our Daily Jam.

Wax Machine

Here's a little folky psych rock from the UK's Wax Machine, soothing, earthy tones and Sunday vibes for days.  Listen to "Birdsong" below and get the upcoming "Earthsong of Silence" LP here from Beyond Beyond Is Beyond.

Daily Jam - I Get High

I wonder whatever happened to Dada.  I'm sure it's just a Google search away.  Anyway, here's "I Get High," our Daily Jam.

Riki

Throwback synth pop is just bubbling in my blood today, and the debut, self-titled album from LA artist Riki is just hitting in all the right ways.  Poppy and dancey with some blackened shades scattered throughout, it sounds like something that came out of Eastern Europe 35 years ago.  Check out the album opening "Strohmann" below, download here, and get the LP here from Dais.

Clan of Xymox - She

I gotta say that i was not expecting to hear a new song from Clan of Xymox today, but a new jam from the classic darkwave and gothic synth pop band is most welcome.  Check out "She" below and get it here from Metropolis Records.

The New Division

Here's some synth pop from LA artist The New Division to pulse and groove us through our Saturday.  Listen to "Broken" below and snag the "Hidden Memories" album here from the artist.

Tricky featuring Anika

I never really got into Tricky back in the '90s, though i do remember finding his dark and hypnotic electronica and trip-hop to be something wholly otherworldly.  That hasn't changed.  And on his upcoming new EP "20,20," he pairs with the equally dark and enigmatic Anika for new song "Lonely Dancer."  Check it out below and pre-order here from False Idols.

Bambara

I totally slept on Bambara's new album coming out last week.  The Brooklyn band make a dark and moody blend of goth, post punk, and Americana, influenced by the old sounds of Nick Cave and more.  Listen to the album opening "Miracle" below and snag the new "Stray" LP here via Wharf Cat.

Daily Jam - MTV - Get Off the Air

Sometimes i wonder what Jello Biafra thinks of MTV these days.  Here's The Dead Kennedys' "MTV - Get Off the Air" to remind us all what he thought of it 35 years ago.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Friday Horror Trailer - Body Bags

Yves Tumor

April will bring us a new record from Yves Tumor.  Check out the first single, "Gospel for a New Century," below, a pop song filled to the brim with nods to electronica, hip-hop, alt-rock, soul, R&B, and more.  Then pre-order the upcoming "Heaven to a Tortured Mind" LP here from the artist.

Vanishing Twin

Here's some new library sound-tinged exotica from UK band Vanishing Twin.  Check out the sublime and trippy tones of "Gunky" below and get the new "In Piscina!" 7" here from Ram Tapes.  And look for them next month at SXSW.

Daily Jam - Ramblin' Man

Years ago, The Melvins made record featuring a whole slew of different artists on lead vocals.  The results were all over the place, and they included a pretty straight forward version Hank Williams' "Ramblin' Man" with Hank's grandson, Hank III.  Check it out below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Haille Sellasse, Up Your Ass

Unabashedly leftist and anti-fascist, anti-religion, and anti- so much more, Canadian punk band Propagandhi is the kind of thing that needs to be injected into our pop culture again.  We need it.  Listen to the reggae-ish "Haille Sellasse, Up Your Ass" below, our Daily Jam.

Sightless Pit

Lee Buford of The Body, Kristin Hayter of Lingua Ignota, and Dylan Walker of Full of Hell are Sightless Pit.  The new project's sound is a bleak and moody dirge of industrial noise metal.  Check out the eerie "The Ocean of Mercy" below and get the new "Grave of a Dog" LP here from Thrill Jockey.

Daily Jam - No More Love

This one really dates me, but i just can't help but still like the tinny, industrial-tinged, electronic pop rock of '90s band God Lives Underwater.  Here's the band's first single (i believe), "No More Love," our Daily Jam.

Riches

Catherine McCandless of Young Galaxy and choreographer Wynn Holmes comprise the duo of Riches.  The warped pop project has an album in the works, a kind of imaginary horror film soundtrack.  Be on the lookout for that, but in the meantime, check out the band's latest single "Thief in Your Eye" below.

Ulver - Russian Doll

The transition of Norwegian artist Ulver from droning, black metal-ish nightmare music to darkwave synth pop act has been kind of weird to behold...but still pretty cool.  Check out the artist's latest single, "Russian Doll," below and get it here.

Daily Jam - Europe Endless

It feels like a Kraftwerk kind of day.  Listen to "Europe Endless" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Computered Love

Here's some obscure Swiss synth pop from the '80s for our Daily Jam.  Seriously, i hear this kind of stuff and it just infects my veins.  Listen to "Computered Love" below and join me in an 8-bit future that never happened.

Joe Ghatt

The good folks at Six Tonnes de Chair Records just released the debut album from New Zealand psych pop artist Joe Ghatt.  Listen to the sunny, swirly vibe of "Farewell" below and get the "Banana Sludege" LP here.

Sufjan Stevens

I go back and forth on Sufjan Stevens, sometimes finding his particular brand of indie pop to be irksome, and sometimes being absolutely fascinated when he does things like experiment with synth pop, or write a song about Tanya Harding, or make a new age record, as he appears to have done with the upcoming "Aporia" LP.  Listen to the soothing and hypnotic "The Unlimited" below, and order the record, written and recorded with Lowell Brams, here from Asthmatic Kitty.

Built to Spill

Long running indie rock band Built to Spill have a new record heading our way in May, a tribute album to the late, great Daniel Johnston.  Listen to album opener "Bloody Rainbow" below and pre-order the record here from Ernest Jenning Record Co.

The Homesick

Here's some cool music from Dutch post punk band The Homesick.  Utilizing piano and some wood and wind instruments into their sound, the band make a kind of jazzy post punk mess that i could listen to for days.  Check out "I Celebrate My Fantasy" below and get the new "The Big Exercise" LP now right here from Sub Pop.

The Undercover Dream Lovers

LA's excellently named Undercover Dream Lovers have a new record of R&B flavored synth pop coming our way later this month with their "It's All in Your Head" LP.  Check out the groovy "You Don't Have to Be Lonely" below and order the album here.

Isobel Campbell covers Tom Petty

Scottish singer/songwriter Isobel Campbell has made a name for herself over the last 25 years as a solo artist, as well as a frequent collaborator with Mark Lanegan and former member of Belle and Sebastian.  Her new album "There Is No Other...," the first in over a decade, is full of dreamy, folk-tinged pop, including this lovely cover of Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream."  Check it out below and get the record here.

Jonathan Bree

Here's a new throwback, psych-tinged pop song from New Zealand artist Jonathan Bree.  "Kiss My Lips" features a lead vocal assist from fellow Kiwi Princess Chelsea and feels like the best groove from the '60s you've never heard before.  Listen below and get the song here from Lil' Chief Records.

Desire - Bizarre Love Triangle

Last May i got to see Chromatics when their tour swung through Austin, and opening act and fellow Italians Do It Better member Desire performed a wonderful cover of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle."  It's one of my all time favorite songs, so i was pretty stoked yesterday to see that the cover was released for download.  Listen below and get it here.

Daily Jam - Cancer

Britpop band Mansun never really crossed over in the US, and that's too bad because they were great.  On their sophomore album "Six," they brought in some proggy sounds to create something that didn't really sound like anyone else out there.  Dig on the US version of the album cover above and listen to the weird and sprawling "Cancer" above, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Past the Mission

Whenever i hear the name Tori, two things come to mind. The first is the character that was brought in on "Saved by the Bell" to replace a suddenly nonexistent Kelly and Jessie.  The second, and notably better, is Tori Amos.  Here's Tori's "Past the Mission," featuring a backing vocal assist from Trent Reznor, our Daily Jam.

Friday Horror Trailer - Demon

Bill Baird

Here's some quirky, psych pop-tinged alt-rock from San Antonio's Bill Baird.  New album "Flower Children's Children's Children" is out in April.  Listen to album opener "Eat the Lawn for Free" below and pre-order the record here from the artist.

Daily Jam - Kites Are Slow Downers

Austin band Halley released their sole album, "Forget the Leaves, Autumn Will Change Us," way back in 2002.  I always hoped it would be the beginning of some big shoegaze-inspired scene for the city, but it was not to be.  The album's still fantastic though.  Here's album closer "Kites Are Slow Downers," our Daily Jam.

The Kundalini Genie

Glasgow band The Kundalini Genie are back this April with a new album of Eastern psychedelic tinged rock.  There's a real Britpop/shogaze vibe going on with first single "You Had It All."  Listen to the track below and preorder the the upcoming "11:11" LP here.

Daily Jam - Mungo City

In the late '90s we were so, so close to a '70s glam rock revival that never really took off.  And that's too bad.  It would have been interesting to see where things progressed.  Spacehog was one of those bands that dabbled in the sound, so here's "Mungo City," our Daily Jam.

Fera

Equal parts mesmerizing and discomforting, the electronic tones of Italian experimental artist Fera sound like they're being beamed in from some other plain of existence, haunting yet captivating like losing yourself in the deadlights.  Listen to "Stupida" below and pre-order the upcoming "Stupidamutaforma" cassette here from the always dependable Maple Death Records.