Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart Of Life

It was last call at my local
And I stalled saying goodbye
So the girl behind the bar came over
And she took me aside
She kissed me like a chorus, said
“Give 'em hell for us
The last drink of the night, last night in town
Baby, this one is on the house

I was pretty excited when I heard earlier this week we'd have some new Japandroids coming soon, and now it's here! Celebrat(ion)! Rock! It's terrific and showcases much of what make Japandroids a great band. Celebration Rock was probably my favorite release of 2012 and you can hear a lot of that in "Near To The Wild Heart Of Life". It's got the classic sonic noise-rock sound so prevalent in their previous work, with even a bit more clarity and polish, and it works really well. It's a bit "Summer of '69" in the chorus, but even that's something I felt a bit on many of the best tracks from Celebration Rock. Here though it might come across even more clearly, which initially threw me, but quickly grew on me. Can't wait for the new album.

RIYL: Cloud Nothings, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Thermals, JEFF The Brotherhood, Wavves

Mercury Girls - All That Heaven Allows

indecipherable lyrics

Charming, fizzy, newcomer indiepop band, Mercury Girls, is made up of three boys (one from Austin!) and one girl, their emotive lead vocalist. They played The Crocodile in Seattle last night - sorry not to spread the word in time to our peeps there. Check out below for more tour dates/locations. Word from a couple concert reviewers is they are better than those they open for, so get to the show early.

RIYL: Pity Sex, Whale Tooth, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls

Upcoming Shows

DREAMERS - Wolves (You Got Me)

All the other ones never made it this far
They all were dust when they saw what you are
Still I chase you down to the place you hide
Will I make it out, make it out alive?

You got me brainwashed, you got me so lost
You got me fucked up like you
You got me drugged up, you got me undone
Falling in love like you do
And if you lie down with wolves
You learn to howl
You got me brainwashed, you got me so lost
You got me fucked up like you

Dreamers is a band on the verge, I think. Before even releasing their first full length LP (This Album Does Not Exist came out August 26th), they had already opened for some pretty big and really well-matched bands which lead to write-ups in Rolling Stone, Spin, and a smattering of online publications. They've just wrapped up touring with The Mowgli's only to resume touring this month as the headliner. But, word is that they still hang out at their own merch table and frequently tweet back at their fans. So check 'em out soon if you want in on that kind of intimate interaction with a band, before they start getting mobbed. 

RIYL: Bear Hands, Walk the Moon, The Griswolds, Grouplove, Struts, Atlas Genius, The Moth & The Flame, Kings of Leon

Upcoming Shows

Honeyblood - Babes Never Die

Strike the match that set me alight
You can watch my fire burn bright
'cause babes never die

Honeyblood's new album Babes Never Die came out this past Friday and it's stellar. They've continued to get better and better, and this new one is a killer follow up to their 2014 self-titled release, which we featured here a few months ago.

The first single, bearing the same title as the album, sets the stage nicely. It's great. It opens very Placebo-esqu and quickly and smoothly shifts into the noise-pop earworm sound that's so strong on their older work. Things heat up a bit with "Ready for the Magic", a faster, heavier, rockier song and then the catchy as hell "Sea Hearts". And it keeps going.

RIYL: Placebo, Hinds, PJ Harvey, Courtney Barnett, Slingshot Dakota, The Breeders, Eisley

Upcoming Shows

Mainland - Permission Slip

I'm pissed, I'm stripped
Of all my faith in everyone I miss
You talk, big talk
Like your so right and I'm so wrong
But I don't need no permission slip
I don't need no kiss on the lips
I'm doing fine, doing my time
Buying wine and drinkin' all alone at night

California grown Mainland mix a fun and carefree west coast attitude with polished yet gritty east coast heart, style and vibe. Their body of work, as far as I can tell anyway, is limited but very promising. They've got a couple of EPs out, and a few recent singles, which I expect means an album is on the way.

Today's Most Important, "Permission Slip" is a catchy indie rock anthem that brings a terrific "oooh weee oooh" hook to skippy dance beats. If that doesn't do it for you there are other options. Try "Beggars," a polished, sophisticated groove matched with an anthemic hook or "Outcast" for a nice, well-executed and upbeat indie pop cut.

Upcoming Shows