In rotation: Those Darlins + The Weeknd + The Ettes + Little Dragon + Mister Heavenly + Blood Orange

Sassy rock-country hybrids Those Darlins (who are incredible live), the latest mixtape of R&B up-and-comer The Weeknd, new-to-me rockers The Ettes, the most recent release from Swedish electronic band Little Dragon, Mister Heavenly's doom-wop and Blood Orange's 80s-tinged synth grooves are rolling around in my iPod these days. I hope you enjoy their respective sounds as much as I do, music lovers.

Those Darlins: Screws Get Loose

"Screws Get Loose"

The Weeknd: Thursday

"The Zone"

The Ettes: Wicked Will

"The Pendulum"

Little Dragon: Ritual Union

"Ritual Union"

Mister Heavenly: Out Of Love

"Pineapple Girl"

Blood Orange: Terrible Records 7″

"Bad Girls"

Listen to the other tunes bumping out of my speakers here.

In rotation: Bobby + Stone Darling + Xray Eyeballs + Beirut + John Maus

I've gots some good jams to share with you music lovers. Really digging Bobby. The Massachusetts art-folk group was one of the openers for the Thao and Mirah show a few weeks ago, and even though technical difficulties allowed them to only play three songs, I was hooked. 

I came across Stone Darling, all-girl rockers from L.A., while perusing Bandcamp (a great resource to discover new music), and though they only have two songs, they sound promising. Others worth blasting through your speakers are garage lo-fiers Xray Eyeballs, worldy rockers Beirut (their next album is out Aug. 30 so mark your calendars) and synth-pop eccentric John Maus.

Bobby: Self-titled

"Tomb Bloom"

Stone Darling: All I Wanna Do - Single

"All I Wanna Do"

Xray Eyeballs: Not Nothing

"Gotham Low Lifes"

Beirut: East Harlem - Single

"East Harlem"

John Maus: We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves

"Believer"

More iPod-worthy jams await here.

In rotation: Soars + Thao & Mirah + Bon Iver + Hooray For Earth + She Keeps Bees + Led To Sea + Yarn Owl + Ennui

It's been a little while since my last In Rotation, and this batch of artists are rocking my world and speakers, while providing a perfect return to the series.

Worthy of your ears are Pennsylvania shoegazers Soars, Indie rock queens Thao + Mirah, the latest from Bon Iver, synthed-out rockers Hooray For Earth, gritty Brooklyn duo She Keeps Bees, folk dudes and fellow WSU alum Yarn Owl (GO COUGS!), Seattle classical/folkie Alex Guy's solo project Led To Sea and ambient pop group Ennui.

Soars: Self-titled

"Throw Yourself Apart"

Thao & Mirah: Self-titled

"Spaced Out Orbit"

Bon Iver: Self-titled

"Minnesota, WI"

Hooray For Earth: True Loves

"True Loves"

She Keeps Bees: SKB​-​005

"Make It Easy"

Yarn Owl: Montaña Y Caballo

"Go"

Led To Sea: Into the Darkening Sky

"Is This The Last Time"

Ennui: Formation Of Tides

"Coconino"

See what other artists found a permanent home in my iTunes library here.

In rotation: The Weeknd + The Kills + The Sounds

The's precede all of the band's names in my latest acquisition of new music. But that's where the similarities end. We're running the gammet this week with everything from electronic-twinged R&B to gritty rock to dancey Swedish new wave.

Toronto indie electronic act The Weeknd is definitely good any day of the week. The synthed-out slow jams are a perfect rainy-day soundtrack and full of emotion and perfectly-placed samples, making this mixtape a leading contender as one of the top albums of 2011. And because everyone loves a fabulous freebie, download of the mixtape courtesy of The Weeknd here.

Singer Alison Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince, better known as the duo who comprise The Kills, have refined their hard-hitting, grimy garage rock sound on their latest release, "Blood Pressures." It's not better than 2008's "Midnight Boom," which I still listen to non-stop, but it's different in a really good way.

Sometimes you outgrow a band. And after partially (I couldn't make it to the end) listening to The Sounds' latest offering, "Something To Die For," that's the case with my ears and the Swedish group. Their once-fun, cohesive rock/pop tunes now just sound like a bad Ace Of Base rip-off.

The Weeknd: House Of Balloons

"The Morning"

"The Knowing"

The Kills: Blood Pressures

"Satellite"

The Sounds: Something To Die For

"It's So Easy"

Need some new music? Add these to your iPod.

In rotation: Uh Huh Her + Hooray For Earth + The Strokes + Cults + Fitz And The Tantrums

This batch of new-to-me tunes includes The Strokes' latest, which, at first listen, is hit and miss. You'd think after five years they could deliver a stellar record, but this is a case where things don't get better with age. I hope the album will grow on me, but if not, thank goodness we'll always have "Room On Fire." 

Other beats on blast are courtesy of the new EP from Uh Huh Her, the dream pop twosome who have remained a constant on my playlists the past few years and Brooklyn/Boston collective Hooray For Earth, who are quickly becoming a favorite. I've worn out the EP and anxiously await the May release of their first full length, "True Loves." 

NYC pop duo Cults (who also have a new album dropping in May) and neo-soulsters Fitz And The Tantrums round out the latest selections for my stereo. Ready, set, headphones.

Uh Huh Her: Black And Blue EP

"Never The Same"

Hooray For Earth: Momo

"Form"

The Strokes: Angles

"Taken For A Fool"

Cults: 7''

"Go Outside"

Fitz And The Tantrums: Pickin' Up The Pieces

"MoneyGrabber"

Want more recommendations? Check out these tasty tunes.

In rotation: Radiohead + Vivian Girls + Adele + La Sera

Radiohead's new album, easily the musical event of the year thus far, didn't impress at first. But after listening to "The King Of Limbs" nonstop, my mind has been changed. It's not their best work, but it'll do. "Codex" is giving my repeat button a run for its money.

Rounding out the acquisitions are the latest offerings from Brooklyn garage rock trio Vivian Girls, British soul singer Adele and La Sera, the side project of Vivian Girls' bass player Katy Goodman. 

Who are you currently rocking out to? Check out these suggestions as possible additions to your sound library. Happy listening!

Radiohead: The King Of Limbs

"Codex"

La Sera: La Sera

"Never Come Around"

Adele: 21

"Turning Tables"

Vivian Girls: Share The Joy

"I Heard You Say"

In rotation: The Luyas + Lemolo + Toro y Moi + The Naked And Famous

A new crop of musical goodness has made its way to my library. Currently holding my auditory system captive are Canadian indie rockers The Luyas; Seattle folk chicks Lemolo; experimental chillwaver Toro y Moi and electro poppers from Down Under The Naked And Famous. Enjoy!

The Luyas: Too Beautiful To Work

"Too Beautiful To Work"

Lemolo: The Singles Record

"Open Air"

Toro y Moi: Underneath The Pine

"Elise"

The Naked And Famous: Passive Me, Aggressive You

"Young Blood"

These fine musicians have been blasting from my speakers, too.

In rotation: New tunes for the new year

Now that the holiday haze has cleared, bands are back in the sound kitchen and the first batch of 2011 new releases are quite tasty. Here are a few of the newbies released thus far currently blasting out of my laptop speakers. What upcoming albums are you anticipating the most this year?

And did you see the lineup for Coachella was revealed yesterday? It's pretty much all the musical goodness I love. A trip to Indio might be in order. Happy listening!

The Decemberists: The King Is Dead

"Don't Carry It All"

Tape Deck Mountain: Secret Serf EP

"P.I."

Fergus & Geronimo: Unlearn 

"Powerful Lovin'"

Braids: Native Speaker

"Same Mum"

Ducktails: Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics

"Killin The Vibe"

Akron/Family: S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT 

"So It Goes"

Tennis: Cape Dory

"Take Me Somewhere"

In rotation: The Go! Team + Bethany Cosentino

Bethany Cosentino tried out for the team and made it. No, the Best Coast leader isn't taking up sports. But the California girl did join The Go! Team for a fun pop jam titled "Buy Nothing Day," which is featured on the British group's upcoming album, "Rolling Blackouts." Hooray for teamwork.

 

 

[info | photos]

In rotation: Twin Sister

The chill sounds of Twin Sister have been floating out of my laptop speakers for the past few days, providing the perfect soundtrack for the shorter, cooler days in Phoenix. 

The dream pop group from Long Island generously provide free downloads of their two EPs, Color Your Life and Vampires With Dreaming Kids, and a slew of singles on their Web site. 

Happy early Christmas.

[via]

In rotation: Warpaint

I'm constantly on the hunt for new music and thanks to Bethany Cosentino's blog, I found Warpaint.

The indie all-girl quartet from Los Angeles take the listener on a moody, psychedelic rock journey best heard before bed.

Get familiar with Warpaint:

Listen to their first full-length album "The Fool," which was released Monday, here.

Myspace


Last.fm


Phoenix New Times review

In rotation: Frankie Rose And The Outs + The Hundred In The Hands + M83 + For Those About To Love + Real Estate + Women + Beach House

These albums have been blaring from my speakers during the past two weeks. Do your ears a favor and check out the musical goodness.

Frankie Rose And The Outs: Self-Titled

 

The Hundred In The Hands:Self-Titled

M83: Saturdays = Youth

For Those About To Love: Self-Titled

Real Estate: Self-Titled

Women: Public Strain

Beach House: Teen Dream