Last year, two-man British alternative band Memo was voted "Best
Contemporary Artist" by the Torbay
ArtsBase, a forum for promoting literature, arts, and music
around the Torbay area (southwest UK). This year they've added a
drummer and bassist and are working hard on new material as a full
band, adding their debut EP to Amie Street in anticipation of their
upcoming full-length!
2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress is considered by many to
be Belle &
Sebastian at their best. With a tune featured in everyone's
favorite film Juno and a wealth of other indie pop gems,
this is one to add to your collection if you haven't already.
The Format,
a five-piece from Phoenix, Arizona, breaks the mold when it comes
to power pop successes. Unfazed after being dropped by Atlantic in
2005, the guys self-released their second album Dog Problems
to wide critical acclaim.
Insatiable good looks, good lines and good lungs are some of
Karla
Margallo's most obvious qualities, but it's the fact that
she handled all writing and production duties on her debut album
that sets this pop singer-songwriter apart from the pack.
On their fifth album, Sigur Rós have descended
from the clouds, offering more concise songs, a joyously tribal
first single, and even a few lyrics in English (!). Find the superb
new album in this week's featured six!
Blending creative cynicism with uninhibited idiosyncrasies, the
alt-pop pair that constitutes The Blow has made a dance
party out of a dream world in their second act together.
To celebrate the release of Before The Amplifiers,
Sister
Hazel's new live, acoustic album, we exchanged a few
questions with their guitarist Ryan Newell. Find out which member
always plays barefoot, what's their favorite HBO show, and how they
all choose to give back after the jump!
Emilíana
Torrini's 2005 album The Fisherman's Woman is a
fragile, sighing answer to her earlier pop work (writing singles
for Kylie Minogue and singing over the end credits of Lord of
the Rings: The Two Towers). Find our full writeup and selected
tracks after the break!