Cillie Barnes: "Brainwash"

A trusted friend from the Edward Sharpe camp sent over this infectious new track from West Coaster Cillie Barnes. With its simple repeated piano phrases and the call-to-arms incantation of "feel the energy" hammered throughout the chorus hook - it's not hard to listen to this track about 5 times in a row this AM, trust us. Barnes, friends with the Sharpe collective and founding member of Family of the Year, will have more new material coming soon - but for now it's this song and the promise of some East Coast dates in the future. Our buds Neon Gold already have her on the radar so look for a Pop Shop with Barnes soon!

Bom Bom Music - "Woman"

Been really digging this new track from Bom Bom Music "Woman" found (again) via our friends over at Neon Gold...Another pop gem from the left coast beaming with tinges of producer-friend and influence, Dr. Luke. Keep a clear eye. Let's see what happens.

Making the Rounds: Superhumanoids

Making the rounds this morning is the new single from Superhumanoids, another artist in the litany of SXSW bands to watch that we never actually... watched, but heard great things about. This LA duo of Sarah Chernoff (Vocals and keys), and Max St. John (bass, vocals, and programming, weave intoxicating summer-infused 80s new wave sounds not dissimilar from other Stark staples such as Summer Camp and Savoir Adore. This is the second track from their debut LP Exhibitionists. Premiere via Neon Gold.

TONIGHT: Fort Lean at Santos

[mp3] Fort Lean: "Sunsick"

Tonight, rising Brooklyn band Fort Lean celebrates their Neon Gold released Sunsick 7" with a sold out (?) show at Santos, with Team Spirit (who we're looking fwd to) . Fort Lean are a ballsy mix of influences, yet, most directly recall a crisper louder version of The Walkmen. With richer vocals, and a thicker soaring guitar attack Fort Lean's new single "Sunsick" delivers in all the ways today's atmospheric dubstep addled blog world doesn't.

PopShop Tonight!

See you all there!

12:00am: Captain Cuts (DJ)
11:00pm: Penguin Prison
10:00pm: K. Flay
09:00pm: Spacecamp

Tickets.

ANR: "Big Problem" Slasher Video

[mp3] ANR: "Big Problem"

We've known the solid group of guys who compose team ANR (formally Awesome New Republic) for a few years, and we're pretty psyched to see them getting the love they deserve over the past few months behind their new record Stay Kids, which is out now on 10k Islands. ANR purvey hook-laden high-energy synth-pop tracks that have staying power on record, but are even better when consumed live. Miami's MJ Hancock and Brian Robertson know how to move bodies, but also know how to craft a song -- proving that it takes more than a four on the floor dance track to make a great album or live show. ANR play Public Assembly in BK tonight and Neon Gold's POPSHOP Thursday (4/7) at Tammany Hall. Dig their wild, weird, and NSFW slasher film for "Big Problem" above.

Grouplove: "Colours"

[mp3] Grouplove: "Colours (Captain Cuts Remix)"

Perhaps it's the youthful, Peter Pan-esque nature of their video for lead single "Colours" but Grouplove exude the passion and buoyancy of a fresh-faced high school band, albeit a fresh-faced High School band that can write some damn fine hooks. We've been enjoying their self-titled EP for far too long without writing about its release coming up January 25th on Canvasback. In addition to the 6 more-than-satisfying EP tracks, we stumbled upon this fantastic remix of "Colours" on Neon Gold from Captain Cuts. Absolutely a band to keep your eye on in early 2011.

Band To Watch: The Knocks

[mp3] The Knocks: "Dancing with The DJ"

Sometimes things don't work out. Set times, train schedules, work, commitments, general life stuff. For the most part, we don't regret missing many bands last week. As we wrote to Some Velvet Blog, our socks remained on almost the entire week, except for our (hopefully) new friends Kisses from LA, who were excellent, and well deserving of our band to watch status months and months ago. Then we encountered this track from The Knocks, of whom, we were already fans. This burning, disco-infused, dance gem just sent us into another world, and made us truly regret missing the Neon Gold/Chess Club/Plugged In party. As Neon wrote "it's your go-to party jam for the next six months, you can thank The Knocks later." For that reason, we're happy to name The Knocks our next band to watch. Thanks CMJ, you treated us well this year, now back to detox.

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Bag Raiders. Yes.

Bag Raiders - Way Back Home from Modular People on Vimeo

[mp3] Bag Raiders: "Way Back Home"

It's not often we're moved to instantly post something. Most of the time it's like pulling teeth. We're digging deep here tonight, because we're fucking loving this new track from Aussie duo Bag Raiders, discovered (of course) on Neon Gold. Getting the hint you should be reading their blog? Anyway, Bag Raiders have an album dropping October 1 on the always amazing Modular, and this track "Way Back Home" is on it. As Neon Gold says, you would do well to check out the track "Shooting Stars" as well. Hope to be hearing more of this album as soon as possible. Bag Raiders are dropping the best synth-pop this side of Cut Copy, but there is something darkly melancholy about their music that sets them apart from a wild-drunken-dance-party band...in this case, that's absolutely perfect.

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