Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

This reviewer has had a crush on Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin since their first album, Broom. The album gushed charm, was brimming with good pop music finished off (or, maybe unfinished off) with a homemade sound. For their follow-up Pershing, which will be released on April 8th, the product is more produced and has a slightly different feel. Fans of Broom should not doubt the power of SSLYBY’s ability to churn out the good stuff, however; just as much charm can be found in Pershing thanks to the purely relaxed atmosphere and endearing sound that SSLYBY has become so good at.

Pershing is a total road-trip album; from the opening track to the last, you can more or less feel the potholes under your tires and the wind in your hair. ‘Glue Girls’ opens this 11-track disc, and sounds instantly familiar from the layered guitars to the layered vocals. Don’t let these guys fool you, though; they have some new tricks up their sleeve for this album, including the horns that open ‘Boring Fountain’ and the string work on ‘Dead Right’.

Despite these advancements in SSLYBY’s repertoire, there are no real shockers on the disk. The most different track, and the last track on the Pershing, ‘Doris Tailspin (Boring Mountain)’ clocks in at under a minute and feels like a glance into a small gathering of close buddies, featuring random instruments, whisling, and a chorus of “do do do do”s. It is a comfortable ending to the album, exuding the carefree, relaxed attitude that is what makes you love SSLYBY so much. 'Dead Right' is the most instantly catchy song featured, with stick-in-your-head lyrics and the vocals at their indie-dude best. It’s the kind of pop song that you expect to see on a commercial for laptops or something else young and hip, real soon.

Pershing is an overall enjoyable album. While it may not take huge risks, you can see that Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is heading in the right direction and will be a group to keep your eyes on for years to come. Besides, if you’ve heard any Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin track, you know that these boys can do no wrong.

Someone Still Loves Your Boris Yeltsin (myspace)

Why Whiskey Why?

Why Whiskey Why? is best described as simple pop music that is still refreshing and interesting, a rare thing to come by these days. The vocals are sweet and adorable, and in fact may just be one of the best parts, so delicate and pretty. That is not to say the band has nothing else to offer; the lyrics are entertaining and well written, and the music itself is quite good and possesses an undeniable groove of sorts. Thanks to a combination of these elements, Why Whiskey Why? provides the perfect soundtrack to an evening spent with friends after some big event, while you're starting to wind down but you’re still a bit giddy. 'Missinsipid' has a bit more power driving it than the other songs, with more forceful strumming and vocals. 'Rose' seems to embody the meaning of bliss, but if you pay attention to the lyrics you will be pleasantly surprised. Their other songs have more of an effortless flow, 'Eheu' being the most chill in the batch. 'Pixels and Papercuts' and 'The Boy Who Ate Around' are also destined to become embedded in your brain, or at least a few playlists. Why Whiskey Why? combines all the good elements of pretty pop for music that is very listenable.

Why Whiskey Why? (myspace)
'Rose' -Why Whiskey Why?
'Pixels and Papercuts' - Why Whiskey Why?
'The Boy Who Ate Around' -Why Whiskey Why?

The Mauves

From the first moment you tune into The Mauves your appendages will start moving wildly in an ocean of moshing motion. ‘Popcorn Shoppers’ is a song that should carry a label that reads: “WARNING: When played in proximity of a large crowd, crazy dancing behaviors may ensue”. Listening to their music, you can’t help but picture yourself in a mosh pit; happily bouncing off everything and everyone that you come into contact with. If you are looking for music meant to be played at maximum volume that will make you shake every part of your body, The Mauves are for you. This band’s shows must be epic, no matter what kind of music you listen to, once their tracks get going you won’t be able to stop.

The Mauves (myspace)
'Popcorn Shoppers'- The Mauves

Bread and Jam

Bread and Jam’s catchy pop tunes exude a feeling of carefree happiness. Even the track titled 'The Hate Song', which one would expect to sound dark, is filled with blippy electronic noises that override the negative lyrics, and ends up surprisingly pleasant. 'Summertime' lives up to it’s name, and 'London Town' makes you feel like your relaxing on a summer afternoon in the place you grew up in with some good friends. These tracks are so giddily young that they could very well hold some sort of reverse-aging powers. 'Green Eyes' is a beautiful little pop number that makes you want to fall in love with the next person you see, so make sure you tune in carefully. Bread and Jam are clearly skilled at crafting pop magic that could make even the darkest soul brighten up for a moment, and is a band worthy of your attention.

Bread and Jam (myspace)

'Green Eyes' - Bread and Jam

James Spankie

James Spankie has a sound not too commonly found. His music rocks and lulls you into a calm state of mind, there’s nothing frantic or rushed about it. The music is what it is, and doesn’t try to sound like any other, the magic is truly his own and no one else can stake claim to it. The melodies seem to flow so easily from him; there is nothing jarring or hesitant in their melodious ascent. He obviously knows his instruments well enough to play them in a way that the connection doesn’t just end when the song does, you will have his tracks on your mind for a long while. James Spankie is well worth giving a listen to.

James Spankie (myspace)

Girl Talk

”Are you talking phss, whatevah’...”

Girl Talk (Greg Gillis) famed for his nearly nude performances also has the Midas touch of mixing classics. His sound will please everyone, no matter what music you usually listen to. The facts are undeniable; he is a genius. Crazy teens to middle aged mahmajammas will get their chance to “shake what their mama gave them”, from seasoned music aficionados, to the generic pop public, all will love his beats. ‘Minute by Minute’ and 'Too Deep’ will have you hooked from the first moment you start listening. EVERYONE should try and see him live at least once. When you do, you won’t be able to help singing along with this mixing sensation.

We suggest:
‘Minute by Minute’
'Once Again’
'Friday Night ’

Girl Talk (myspace)

Bojangles Medley

Bojangles like their name sake are a polished bunch that will have you toe tapping in no time. After you listen once you will be humming their musings all day. This is the kind of band when you go to your Ipod your fingers will instantly scroll to them. For a band made up of young people, you might expect an immature sound. Believe me, there is nothing immature about this band. Everything from their song quality to their instrumentation is above par. You can tell this one-of-a-kind band puts on a good show. Everything about them screams high energy and high quality. Their catchy lyrics and phrases are irresistible. Their track ‘Slow Jams’ is a must hear, with an undercoating of dub this song will have you jamming along in no time.

Bojangles Medley (myspace)
'Slow Jam' - Bojangles Medley

A Treat For Your Ears

A new mixtape form Josh Todd: This mixtape is disco, electro and very trashy, but in the absolute best way. All around well worth the listen. If you are looking for something to entertain yourself, this is a great choice.

Download it here

Bark Cat Bark Remixes (myspace)

It’s a Trap!

Their band name sums it up pretty well, it is a trap, and from the first moment you tune in you will be trapped. This band has a great deal of potential, and I’m sure in the coming years it will be fulfilled. Their track ‘Don’t Panic’ is very high energy, it will keep your attention and make you want to boogie. Just from listening to their recordings, I can tell that they must put on a good show. They are the kind of band that could not disappoint when seen live. The chemistry of this band makes for great music. They are tight, and obviously know their instruments well and do them justice.

It's a Trap! (myspace)

The Rylics

It’s not always easy for a band to capture their energy on a recording, but The Rylics make it seem like a breeze. Music wise, these heavy rockers have found something reminiscent of early Detroit bands. For all of the adrenaline fans out there, this is a promising group of musicians. ‘Paranoid Distortion’ gives the heavy guitar, bass and drum sound, while ‘Screaming Free’ the more mellow feel, if you can call it mellow. Press play if you need to get pumped up, and let the head-banging commence. Drop Magazine can’t wait to see where this youth filled locomotive is headed.

The Rylics (myspace)

The Virgins

If you are looking for music you can listen to nonstop and will never get old, The Virgins are for you. Based out of New York, they are a band that makes you want more from the first moment you hear them. They deliver catchy and entertaining tunes, with steady bass lines that will pull you out of your seat and make you want to sway to the way of the music. Their track ‘Rich Girls’ is a must hear, music like this isn’t made often enough these days. “You’ve got a lovely way with words must be the way you see the world, it’s just the way you see the world…” The Virgins must see the world in an amazing light, it’s reflected in their one of a kind beats.

The Virgins (myspace)

Vampire Weekend, This Weekend

Vampire Weekend is Ezra Koenig, Rotsam Batmanglij, Chris Baio, and Christopher Tomson. Most likely, you have already heard of this band, or possibly own their disk.

My recommendation to those of you who haven’t/don’t: buy the album. This new album comes in both traditional vinyl and CD. You’re not only going to play it until it’s dead (it turns out that this ridiculously catchy pop gets better with every play), you’ll memorize all of the lyrics in no time. Every one of these songs, often college-themed, are all enormously sing-along-y, with lines like “Lil’ Jon, he always tells the truth,” (‘Oxford Comma’) and “Oh Bryn! You see in the dark, right past the fireflies that sleep in my heart,” (‘Bryn’). Lyrics like these are hard to resist. I say go for it!

Ezra Koenig (formerly of L’ Homme Run) has the perfect voice for the music that Vampire Weekend has set out to make. His voice is unique, and at times delightfully high (without reaching whiney), yet it manages to serve the senses for people who prefer to stay a little bit closer to the mainstream-pop-scene.

This album is not a mainstream-pop album. The band obviously has a wide range of influences. Every track has a laid-back, tropical vibe, perfect for chilling on the beach. In this case, chilling on the beach would involve wearing cable-knit and/or argyle sweaters, seeing as they are based on Manhattan Island.

Stand out tracks include ‘Mansard Roof’, which opens the album, ‘A-Punk’, with jangle-y guitars, and floods of both “oh”s and “a”s is an instant favorite. ‘One (Blake’s Got a New Face)’ has some sweet keyboards and a great chorus: Ezra declares, “Blake’s got a new face!” and is instantly echoed by the same line, much squeakier, which makes it wicked fun. ‘Walcott’ is just what you want after the slower ‘I Stand Corrected’, and will make you look up the lyrics so you can sing along the first time through.

Honestly, there isn’t a bad song on this album. It may take you a couple of plays to get used to the final song this album, ‘The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance’ which has a bit of a reggae vibe and intensely echo-y vocals, but again, not bad. After about the first thirty seconds, you’ll know where you stand with Vampire Weekend: you like them

Okay kids, everything you need to know is in the first paragraph. The name of the band (and the album, by the way), is Vampire Weekend. Go get it! Also make sure to catch them on SNL this week.

-K. Butts
Vampire Weekend (myspace)
Vampire Weekend's website

Bark Cat Bark (Remixes)

Bark Cat Bark is one man, and that man is Josh Todd. Already recognized for his stunning remixes, at age 17 he is a force to be reckoned with, playing instruments such as; cello, mandolin, harpsichord, banjo, piano, harp, ukulele, glockenspiel and many more. Josh Todd can do everything from glitch music to making lovely melodic melodies. He is a musical genius; there truly aren’t enough words in the world to describe his various endeavors. When I first started listening to his large range of work, I was beside myself; one moment I’m listening to amazingly classical beautiful music and the next, intricate mind blowing digital sounds.

Bark Cat Bark’s original works will take you to far and distant places. It put whatever worries might have been plaguing your mind to rest. Your eyes close and you are cajoled into a relaxed state. His music is that of another time, eerily beautiful and complex, yet simple at the same time. You will be amazed when you step back and realize it is coming from one mind. This summer he will be releasing a new album ‘Sleep in Tale’. Bark Cat Bark is coming from all different directions, there is no telling what direction he is going in, but whatever way he does go it will be up.

We suggest you listen to…
‘Mares Of Diamonds’
‘The Gates of Crow Nest Park’

‘Sheena Is A Parasite’

Bark Cat Bark remixes(myspace)

Bark Cat Bark solo (myspace)