Midlake - Roscoe

Stone cutters made them from stones
Chosen specially for you and I
Who will live inside
The mountaineers gathered timber
Piled high
In which to take along.
Driving many miles, knowing they'd get here.

I got to thinking about Midlake yesterday when writing up the post for Moss. Seeing as how they recently released the 10th-anniversary edition of their classic album The Trials of Van Occupanther, I figured it was time for a Most Important. There are many to choose from, but I'm going with the moody pioneer's song "Roscoe" as it's one of my personal favorites.

RIYL: Sparklehorse, Grandaddy, Okkervil River, Moss

Upcoming Shows

Moss - The Promise

When it feels right you know it
Be don't so cute don't let it die
Now, she's right
Stay together no goodbye

Amsterdam band Moss makes polished, sophisticated indie rock. Their new album, Strike, is full of tight, compelling tracks that feel like a family, but also hit on a variety of arrangements and themes that keep it interesting. They can venture a bit into a math-rock jam here and there, but it mostly works.

RIYL: Nada Surf, Sloane, Matt Pond PA, Midlake, Pinback

Upcoming Shows

Family Friends - Look the Other Way

If you are looking at me
I will be looking at you

What you might expect: an indie band named "Family Friends" is made up of a brother-sister duo creating melodic lo-fi rock. What you might expect from the bloggers at TMIS: to showcase a little known alt act from Melbourne, residing in London. Thank you, Technology, for allowing tiny, uncomplicated acts like this to hit our ears anywhere we are. 

RIYL: Mitski, Cayetana, Best Coast, Beach Fossils

Upcoming Shows

Bad//Dreems - Feeling Remains

My brother turned me on to Adelaide rockers Bad//Dreems and it's good stuff. They play a mostly straight-ahead rock style that feels throwback, with solid 70's or 80's punk influences, as clearly evidenced by today's Most Important, "Feeling Remains", which also has a hilarious video.

RIYL: Hot Snakes, Pissed Jeans, Wire, X

Upcoming Shows

together PANGEA - Kenmore Ave.

She says that living with me is bringing her down
I know this shit that I'm on is bumming me out
I don't wanna try I wanna figure it out
Cause I know that living with me is bringing me down

"She don't know about [together] PANGEA" ~ Brain

I didn't either, until about a week ago. "Better Find Out", a terrific, and in this case, appropriately titled, track, showed up in one of the many playlists I follow and I earmarked them for a listen. (Get it?) Anyhoo, I've given their latest, Bulls And Roosters, a couple spins and it's a damn fine album. The back catalog has some diamonds as well. They've got a fairly unique sound; garage rock, but put in a blender and mixed up with...the kitchen sink and refrigerator too. They remind me of some of my favorite Canadian indie bands: Sloan and Library Voices, but with a bit more Cali.

RIYL: Sloan, White Reaper, FIDLAR, The Coathangers, Wavves

Upcoming Shows