July – Crop O’ Singles and a Dash of Pop

Happy Banjo MP3 by Dark Mean. On the face this song sounds like the title and builds in off-shoot homage to The Gaslight Anthem. With a modern take on old 70′s americana it is pretty authentic heart on your sleeve. This is the new american. Although the flag, suspenders and the beard are gone it’s got feel and on this track a banjo and horns for most of the first half. This music is recorded with care. Check them out.

Annie MP3 by New West from a coming release. I’m not sure how you start off as a Mars La Volta basement cover band then end-up making a pretty song like this one. Here’s Chris Zurich and his band which is more roots rock influenced than anything West Philly could ever offer. Band site.

Seventeen Once MP3 by Slothbear 7″ – This is the A side and it’s good in a undercooked New Order kind of way . It’s got jangly reverb and a arty atitude feedback solo suited for your late night drive with your teenage honey. The “B” side is a whole 46 seconds. Not sure what the point of that is since it’s not even speedcore or what you could accomplish in that kind of time (ok maybe I do…) except for the basic idea which we get “Oxus Armlets” and some chuckling at the end. Ok you’ve got my attention. Now what? Drop this track in your mix for sure.