Heard These Guys Yet? - Nov 08

Happy winter, everyone. We're back with another slew of recommendations for you.Put these on your wish-list for Santa!

Recommender: Biz
Band: Child Bite
Blurb: Apparently there are still some young people out their delivering high-energy punk-influenced rock. I "discovered" this Detroit band when they opened for Tight Phantomz at a loft party space that has a a pretty humorous name which I'm not sure I can say on this respectable family-oriented blog. This was in January and one of the coldest nights of the year, as I remember nearly freezing to death walking the five blocks from the venue back to my apartment. Luckily, Child Bite was worth the frost bite. They had a frantic-spastic sound that was quirky and artistic while still maintaining a lot of groove. If you like to see a band with fantastic live energy, these are the guys! They had a saxophone among their arsenal, and I remember thinking it really added to their sound. I bought their album Gold Thriller after the show, and found it was pretty good, but it didn't capture the live energy and I missed the horn. When visiting my friend Mr. Moses in Detroit, I learned he works with some of the guys in the band and also digs their rawk. I just more recently picked up their latest album, Fantastic Gusts of Blood, which I like better than Gold Thriller and comes closer to the live energy I remember.
Reminds me of: A faster, more hectic version of Devo
File Under: Word to your Mothersbaugh
But don't take my word for it: Child Bite at Myspace

Recommender: PMaz
Band: The Golden Dogs
Blurb:I will start by saying this will probably be the worst band review I end up doing for this blog. Why? Well, there's a couple reasons: 1) I have only heard one album by this band and 2) I have no idea what to say about them. The closest band I think they sound like are The Rosebuds (first album only), but does anyone else even know The Rosebuds? Interestingly, they were listed first on Allmusic as a similar artist. The review for the latest album keeps mentioning Paul McCartney, but other than the cover they do of the McCartney gem "Nineteen Hundred Eight-Five", the similarities stop there. I heard about Golden Dogs via a quote by one of the members of Sloan. I love Sloan, so they like a band, I figured I would give them a chance. But perhaps they were just plugging a fellow Canadian band. But before I go further, let me make it clear....I do like Golden Dogs. And though they sound a bit like early Sloan, I think there high energy noise pop sounds more like The New Pornographers, also employing the backup female vocal from time to time. There are a few mid-tempo pop numbers here as well. This is the second time I have reviewed a band from Canada. Maybe I should consider a move.
Reminds me of: The Features, Superdrag, and a watered down Arcade Fire.
File Under: Air Bud VI: Rock and Roll Over
But don't take my word for it: TGD at Myspace

Recommender: Jonas
Band: Mice Parade
Blurb: Mice Parade could pretty much be the poster child for what the Indie/Emo “sound” is... They are guitar-centric, have soft and emotional vocals, and songs that move from sad and earnest to optimistic and bright. Although they have been around for a bit, they really came to prominence last year with their eponymous release. Mice Parade have two drum kits going, which makes their sound particularly alive and vibrant, without ever seeming overpowering. The first track, “Sneaky Red,” is an up-tempo track that instantly gets the ball rolling with banging drums and fast-paced guitars. The album then takes a 180 degree turn to tender sadness with the “Tales of Las Negras.” This is my top pick on the album, and is one of my all-time favorites, anywhere, ever. This album continues to bounce back and forth from emotional highs and lows for the remainder, with brilliant results. The only track I’m not sold on is the “Double Dolphins On A Dime” due to the presence of vocals of Mum’s lead singer, Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir (I’m personally not a fan of her voice). So, Mice Parade comes highly recommended and is an album that I have pretty much had on my ipod since I first got it a year ago. It’s always a gratifying listen, even on its 100th play.
Reminds me of: Take a pot of Pinback and add a cup of Death Cab’s Transatlanticism, stir.
File Under: The Mouse that Roared Softly
But don't take my word for it: Mice Parade at Myspace

Recommender: Reed
Band: Chairlift
Blurb: At first blush, Brooklyn's Chairlift comes across as overly mellow, almost to the point of being lackadaisically droney. But a funny thing happens upon repeat listens. You realize that they're actually making brilliant pop music, only it occupies the same space as other spaced out acts such as My Bloody Valentine or Lush (only without all the fuzz). Yet Caroline Polachek's vocals remind me a bit of Nico from The Velvet Underground. See, I'm having a hard time describing this to you because they've got a really unique thing going. Recently, the band landed a pretty sweet gig, opening for Yeasayer on a North American tour. Their debut album, Does You Inspire You, is worth a listen. Give it three spins and it is bound to win you over. (As an added bonus today, TLOBF digs Chairlift, too!)
Reminds me of: Stereolab meets Suzanne Vega on ecstasy
File Under: All Tomorrow's Sweeties
But don't take my word for it: Chairlift at Myspace