Can you feel the leeches bite?

Although these guys hardly need any press in their native UK or even in Europe for that matter, Bombay Bicycle Club has hardly received the attention they deserve Stateside. After their catchy and promising debut album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose in 2009, their popularity erupted from London outwards, and they followed it up with 2010's soothing Flaws, a collection of acoustic tracks including a couple of lovely cover songs. But neither of these two notable albums foretold the release of their newest LP A Different Kind Of Fix this August, a truly brilliant masterpiece of indie rock. While tightening up some of the more raucous elements of their first album, they adeptly blended the best aspects of all their previous work, and there is not a single track that I would not STRONGLY recommend. The heavier rock songs are still beautifully coordinated, and the more melodic slow pieces are every bit as inspired and  charming. I have not enjoyed a full album this much since Foals' marvelous Total Life Forever last year (still one of my favorites), so chalk another one up for the post-Britpop indie team. I honestly could not decide which tracks to share, but since these two were selected by the band themselves as their singles, I figured they are a good place to start (but afterwards you really must listen to the whole album, no joke):

Bombay Bicycle Club "Shuffle" (radio edit) by GrillMarketing

Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights Out, Words Gone by The Sifting Pan

I'm not your fortune teller

Phantogram made a much-anticipated appearance at Metro last week, and besides knocking out the crowd with an intensely powerful show, they included in the show set the entirety of their new EP...

...which dropped today! These guys have accumulated quite a following in the past year or so with their debut LP Eyelid Movies, released in 2009 but only recently receiving the attention it deserves. Hailing from rural Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, the duo of Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel have been collaborating on songwriting and composing for a number of years and have really hammered out a beautifully smooth operation. Their blend of electric guitar, keyboard, and heavy beats is reminiscent of the indie "psych pop" of the xx or Beach House, but with a more prominent hit-you-in-the-face style that alludes to Sleigh Bells but with much more creativity and tact. They trade off on lead vocals regularly and harmonize on different tracks, which keeps the sound interesting and showcases both of their talents as singers and musicians. These guys will continue to build popularity for the danceability and accessibility of their sound, as evidenced in the presence of their new single "Don't Move" all over the internet lately. In case you haven't heard it yet, check it out along with "Turning into Stone," one of my other favorites on the new EP:

Phantogram - Don't Move by vibetothis

Phantogram - Turning into Stone by austin-zuffi

The red glow of a star on fire

Hooray for Earth rocked Lincoln Hall last weekend, despite some serious sound check issues and what seemed an awful lot like a blown amp. Regrettably, the Zambri sisters were not along for the tour, but the boys still pulled off a bit of their signature harmonization with the expected infectiously catchy beats.

When adrift in a sea of mediocre indie rock bands, it is always refreshing to find one that can truly be identified as unique. Brooklyn-based Milagres have confidently taken up this flag of uniqueness on last month's LP Glowing Mouth, with a sound that coveys much more confidence and awareness than would be expected of such a constantly developing act. When asked about their sound, they merely replied, "Milagres is Milagres." With pleasantly lucid vocals in a time of trendy lo-fidelity, this interesting sophomore album truly defines "Milagres" within the emerging music scene. After a moderately notable first LP, they have capitalized upon the best aspects of their music, namely the pop-inspired tempos and captivating synth/instrumental arrangements, and created a collection of tracks that present something identifiably new in the genre. Check it out:

Here To Stay by Milagres by rippleent

Glowing Mouth ( Radio Edit) by Milagres

They happen to be playing in town this Thursday, November 3 at Beat Kitchen, so get your tickets NOW.

We’re quite not a raging winter

Gardens & Villa rocked the Empty Bottle last Friday, exceeding my expectations for such a young band. Known for always playing live (even in studio), these guys have a natural talent for getting the crowd moving and they will definitely continue to gain notoriety, so catch them while they are still playing small venues.

As a Los Angeles expatriate, I generally don't have much taste for the glitzy glam rock that seems to emanate from Southern California, but occasionally there is a unique group that breaks that mold and deserves some attention. Fool's Gold is one such band, and their sound is definitely unique enough to qualify. The blend of Caribbean/Afrobeats and indie dance riffs provides a solid rhythmic framework for Luke Top's crooning vocals, and the combination is simultaneously catchy and deep enough to fill a stadium (or your best circumaural headphones). After their self-titled debut LP release in 2009, which employed mainly Hebrew lyrics, they tightened up their sound and moved on to a more accessible style and primarily English vocalization (with just an occasional verse or two in a Hebrew) for this August's release of their stellar sophomore album, Leave No Trace. I dare you not to tap your toes and nod your head to these:

Fool's Gold - Street Clothes by iamsoundrecords

Fool's Gold - Wild Window by iamsoundrecords

Wearing masks and beating war drums won't equip us for these jungles

Fleet Foxes played two sold out shows at the Chicago Theater this weekend, and naturally they didn't disappoint. It was hands down one of the best performances I have ever seen; everyone should experience their incredible talent at some point in their lives. Why not catch them on this tour?

Today's emerging act is based in Grand Rapids, although they originally began working together in (surprise, surprise!) Chicago. Stepdad is a creative and energetic synthpop outfit that seems to have a strange obsession with wild animal themes, in both lyrics and attire. Characterized by catchy electronic beats and bouncing falsettos, Stepdad's sound is more than enough evidence that these guys just want to have fun--and make some infectious indie pop while doing it. They first released their Ordinaire EP on their bandcamp site last April, but it received so much attention that they were signed by Quite Scientific records and rereleased the EP last month with two additional (and excellent) bonus tracks. While some of the songs on the EP are just a little too pleasant and poppy, there are enough standouts to make it worth following these guys. Give these two highlights a listen:

Jungles by stepdadmusic

My Leather, My Fur, My Nails by stepdadmusic

They happen to be playing in Chicago on October 14, opening for Rubblebucket at the Double Door, so get your tickets NOW and start bouncing.