Joanna Gruesome: "Secret Surprise"

Joanna Gruesome are a Welsh band that do a good job of transcribing 90s Pacific NW punk and throwing in a dash of East Coast alt rock to boot. According the (probably apocryphal) press release, the Cardiff quintet met during anger management therapy. Do they even have such a thing as rage in Wales? Didn't think so.

Binary: "You Need the Blue Key"

I do not know what this "blue key" refers to, but then I'm equally perplexed as to how something that started off as a brazen Suicide cop somehow morphed into first a Jesus and Mary Chain tribute and, finally, a 90's industrial rock track. All bands wear their influences on their sleeves somewhat, but these fuckers have to dress in layers to do it.

KILLER COVERS || Dum Dum Girls: "Trees and Flowers"

Strawberry Switchblade had one album in 1985, bookended by a small handful of non-LP singles that stretched their oeuvre out from 1983-86. Dum Dum Girls have covered their final single, "Trees and Flowers", on their new End of Daze EP. The EP is largely a collection of material that was recorded for last year's Only in Dreams album but left off for not fitting in with the upbeat, girl group pop sound that the LP represented. The shoegaze/dream pop sound of the EP is definitely a right turn from the sound DDG have become known for, but considering how many bands are revisiting the dream/noise pop template in 2012 I wouldn't be surprised to see this become a permanent direction for the band.

Lower Dens: "Lamb"

Joe Rogan starts all of his podcasts advertising for two items of incompatible usage: Fleshlights and nootropics, which he incorrectly pronounces "new troh-pics" (look up the real definition yourself, I don't know how to type one of those upside down e's). Nootropics are supposed to be brain food, FDA-unapproved vitamin supplements that some allege enhance your cognitive skills. At any rate, that's what Lower Dens seem to be going for, and you won't need that discounted Fleshlight to enjoy the desexualized cerebral pull of "Lambs".

Nootropics is out May 1 on Ribbon Music.

Sleigh Bells: "Comeback Kid"

Now if this isn't the peppiest break up song I've heard this week... Alexis Krauss croons "you've gone away but you'll come back someday" as if she looks forward to the eventual reconciliation but not quite as much as she welcomes the space RIGHT NOW.  This video is primarily Krauss waxing cute and showing off her stage moves intercut with some complete non sequitur bullshit - shopping, tanning, beachcombing - but trust me: you're in it for the tune, probably the catchiest, most radio-worthy Sleigh Bells epic to date.


Sleigh Bells - Comeback Kid from Mom+Pop on Vimeo.

Sleigh Bells: "Born to Lose"

Been listening to this band for awhile but just now realized Derek E. Miller - one half of Sleigh Bells - used to be the guitarist for Poison the Well... which is weird, because I haven't thought about that band in quite awhile but out of nowhere found myself wondering what happened to them the other day.

"Born to Lose" is not a cover of any of the umpteen other songs with the same name, but what it is is the first single off the upcoming sophomore LP Reign of Terror out Feb. 14th.