youbet

I'm sad to admit that this year, i'm having a difficult time recognizing the vast majority of names i see listed at this year's SXSW.  I know that's kind of the point, or at least it used to be, but at one time i had the proverbial finger on the proverbial pulse.  Probably going to have to chalk that up to getting older.  No longer hip.  No longer with it.  Anyway, one name i've seen a bunch is Brooklyn artist youbet.  Probably gonna check it out.  In the meanwhile, dig on the crunchy throwback '90s vibe of "Deny" below and download it here from Hardly Art.

Shana Cleveland

March brings us a new solo album from La Luz member Shana Cleveland.  Check out the very chilled out "Faces in the Firelight" below and pre-order the upcoming "Manzanita" LP here from Hardly Art.

Julia Shapiro

Chastity Belt's Julia Shapiro is venturing solo this summer with her new album "Perfect Version."  First taste "Natural" is easy, lo-fi guitar pop that feels like an intimate bedroom jam session.  Listen below and pre-order the record here from Hardly Art.

Shana Cleveland

Surfy garage rock band La Luz's Shana Cleveland is striking out on her own for a solo record of sci-fi psychedelic beach pop.  Listen to the haze of "Face of the Sun" below and pre-order April's "Night of the Worm Moon" here from Hardly Art.

La Luz

La Luz is one of those bands i seem to catch on multiple occasions at SXSW every year that i'm always glad to see.  There's enough surf and girls-in-the-garage vibes to go around, and we're all the better for it.  Anyway, the Seattle band has a new album out in May on Hardly Art.  Listen to "Cicada" below, and pre-order "Floating Features" here.

Chastity Belt

Seattle band Chastity Belt have a new record, "I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone," coming out in June on Hardly Art.  I'm going to attempt to catch the ladies' particular brand of jangly alt-rock next week during SXSW, and i can only hope that their set is as early 90's inspired as the video for the album's first single "Different Now."  Look at it.  Bask in its glory.  It's like some girls raided a second hand store, grabbed an old VHS camera, and then tried to recreate Temple of The Dog's "Hunger Strike" video solely from memory.

Dude York

Oh, all those silly kids out there dusting off old compact discs from 20+ years ago and then making music of their own.  The 90's revival has been threatening to take off for a few years now, and while that's probably not going to happen in full, at least some elements of the styles and sounds will show up here and there, as evidenced by Seattle band Dude York.  The trio make alt-rock that would be right at home on "120 Minutes" back when i was in high school.  Anyway, new album "Sincerely" is out now on Hardly Art.  Listen to album opener "Black Jack" below.

Grave Babies

Seattle's Grave Babies continue their dark sonic journey with new album "Holographic Violence," a collection of warped and shredding goth jams to brood or bash around an 80's industrial club to.  Awesome stuff.  Get the record from Hardly Art and listen to "Eternal (On and On)" below.

Protomartyr

Hey!  There's a new Protomartyr record coming out in October on Hardly Art, and that's pretty cool.  Listen to the post-punk ruckus of "Why Does It Shake?" below and get "The Agent Intellect" LP on October 9th.

La Luz

Seattle's girl surf-rock band La Luz are releasing a new, Ty Segall-produced record called "Weirdo Shrine" in August on Hardly Art, and if first single "You Disappear" is any indication, it's going to be a hazy, sunburned pop gem to end our summer with.  Listen below and pre-order here.

Protomartyr - Blues Festival

Check out the loud and stomping new jam from Detroit's Protomartyr.  "Blues Festival" comes from the forthcoming "A Half of Seven" split 7" with Kelley Deal's R. Ring project.  (Yes, that Kelley Deal.)  She even provides some vocals for Protomartyr's track.  Listen below and grab the record in June on Hardly Art.

Chastity Belt

Seattle's Chastity Belt make druggy, jangly guitar rock to wile away the night to, a four-piece of lovely ladies just trying to make me shake my bits...and maybe shotgun another beer while the reverb rattles around in my head.  Listen to "Time to Go Home" below and get the album of the same name next month on Hardly Art.

Protomartyr - Scum, Rise!

Detroit post punk noise rock band Protomartyr continue to bash and bang their way through cold, dark, and angular odes to discontent, a tone perfect soundtrack for a dying metropolis.  Listen to "Scum, Rise!" below and look for the band's "Under Color of Official Right" in April from Hardly Art.

Hunx and His Punx

Foregoing the girl-group garage sound of previous efforts, punk band Hunx and His Punx take a more aggro and snotty turn on new song "Bad Skin."  New album "Street Punk" is in the works from Hardly Art, and i'm sure the band will be just as homoerotic as we've all come to love.  Listen below.