Sinai Vessel - Looseleaf

Here I stand, like a tree
Nervous on the edge of a clearing
Limbs afraid to be cut looseleaf
To be cut down
So I’ll cut myself out
Free from bind to branch and felling ground
So here I am

Sinai Vessel's latest release Brokenlegged has all you'd ever want in an emo/indie rock album. It's just emotional enough to have character, yet not so much as to be overwhelming. Great hooks and a nice pop sensibility make it abundantly listenable, as is evidenced by today's Most Important, "Losseleaf", which had me thinking of one of my favorites, Canadian rockers Sloan, the first time I heard it.

RIYL: The Hotelier, Sloan, Pedro The Lion, Built To Spill, Badly Drawn Boy

Upcoming Shows

Dan the Man - Something Good

We dance over rooftops, in my head
As I float off through the night
Your tenors trick me, but I don't care
We're broadcasting love tonight
Won't you broadcast some love tonight
So broadcast some love tonight

Give me something good, oh
Even if it's a lie, if it'll make me smile
Just something good, oh
Give me something good, oh
Even if it's lie, or screaming red lights
If it'll make me feel like a child again

Dan the Man is the solo project of Dan Haggis, the Wombats' drummer/keys guy. His second full album, Circadian Circus (of which this is the premiere single), comes out on the 24th. I think the lyrics to "Something Good" are sweet enough for a Most Important Valentine's Day Song and my dear gal pal Jacqui is the one who first shared this with me, so bonus Happy Galentines to her! I've gone back and listened to his first album and I'd say it sounds a bit... "acoustic carnival" if that makes any sense at all. Interesting, fun and also sincere.

RIYL: Geographer, Ra Ra Riot, Matt & Kim, OK Go

The Staycations - The Enemy

I get home
You've got that look which says there's something more
So we talk
And once again you say there's nothing wrong

A happy discovery for me, this indie quintet from Cambridgeshire, England. They formed in "secondary school" (9th-11th grades in the U.S.), found their drummer in college, and have found enough success and encouragement now to warrant a gap year to concentrate on both performing and writing more music. They released an EP in 2014 and two singles last year. It's this song, "The Enemy", which brought them to my attention. 

RIYL: Bastille, Bad Suns, Atlas Genius

Upcoming Shows

White Reaper - Judy French

You know you crack my back, little lady, when you tease me like you do
It could be simple
You and me simple
If you say you like it, too

White Reaper are aiming high, as is evidenced by the title of their latest album, The World's Best American Band. I'll give it to them that their latest single "Judy French" is the type of American rock awesome you expect from given the title. I've just missed them a few times they've come through, might need to rectify that as soon as I can.

Bonus! The lyric video is a kick.

RIYL: The Cribs, The Exploding Hearts, JEFF The Brotherhood, Black Lips

Upcoming Shows

LP - Lost on You

When you get older, plainer, saner
When you remember all the danger we came from
Burning like embers, falling, tender
Long before the days of no surrender
Years ago and well you know
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
'Cause it's going down
All I ever wanted was you
I'll never get to heaven
'Cause I don't know how

Let's raise a glass or two
To all the things I lost on you
Oh oh, Tell me are they lost on you?
Oh oh, Just that you could cut me loose
Oh oh, After everything I've lost on you
Is that lost on you?
Oh oh, Is that lost on you?

Laura Pergolizzi (LP) is a raised-in-NYC-moved-to-LA, power-house-voiced, hit songwriting, androgynously dressed, compulsive whistler. 

RIYL: Tegan and Sara, Sia, Feist, St. Vincent

Upcoming Shows