Holy Ghost! Debut New Single "Dumb Disco Ideas"

Photo by Harry McNally

Holy Ghost!'s excellent self-titled debut album (and my #8 album of 2011) is one of the few releases of the past few years that I've continued to return to. It's got pop appeal, fantastic production, and beats to keep you dancing for days. Needless to say, their next album is highly anticipated around these parts.

The NYC duo just released their new single "Dumb Disco Ideas" from their forthcoming sophomore album, Dynamics. Accompanying the song is a time lapse video of the band's gear set up on a rooftop deck. As day turns to night and night back to day, the band's lightboxes illuminate to the beat. The song itself is an eight minute disco-funk epic that might as well soundtrack your nonstop day/night party.

Hear "Dumb Disco Ideas" below.

"...Like Clockwork" Queens of the Stone Age Reveal More New Music

For those who may not have heard, Queens of the Stone Age are set to release their long-awaited follow up to 2007's Era Vulgaris on June 4th via Matador. The new album, entitled ...Like Clockwork, is the band's sixth full-length and features a number of guests including longtime collaborator Mark Lanegan, former bassist Nick Oliveri, Alex Turner, and Dave Grohl. Earlier today, the band revealed a colorful, dark animated video for a new song called "I Appear Missing." See and hear the track below.

LISTEN: Hey Anna - "Dance Until Three"

MP3: Hey Anna - "Dance Until Three"

Shortly before my grandfather passed away a number of years ago, he gave me a collection of cassette tapes featuring big band and pop songs from the World War II era. A lot of the groups featured on these compilation tapes were girl groups, the kind with the sweetest, most golden harmonies -- to the point that they sounded just a notch above angelic. Outside the fact that their harmonies were immaculate and they were the epitome of charming, their songs were infectious. Way before auto-tune and modern day recording magic, these ladies were crafting pop perfection during a rather depressing period of history -- so, of course, their sound was all the more rewarding and welcomed.

I always wonder what these girl groups might sound like in a modern context, but outside of the mainstream pop paradigm. With "Dance Until Three," I feel like Hey Anna are the embodiment of that dream, filtered through an indie pop lens.

LISTEN: Brass Bed - "I'll Be There With Bells On"

MP3: Brass Bed - "I'll Be There With Bells On"

"I'll Be There With Bells On" is a raw but polished, jangly but melodious song that's sure to open the book on a great summer. Scrappy, earnest, joyous, and all-around lovely. It's like ice cream melting in the summer heat, or like finding out that the cute girl in your office likes you, too. This is the sound of a new beginning, foreshadowing the best days on the horizon.

LISTEN: Lunar Maria - Beginnings

Camera shy.

Lunar Maria is the new project from Bluejay's Matthew Livick. And while it recalls the sound of that band to an extent, this solo venture illustrates the impressive scope of his artistic vision as he both wrote and performed every part on Lunar Maria's debut, a 2-song EP entitled Beginnings, which was released yesterday. It's an anthemic, electrifying set of electro pop that leaves little to be desired.

The EP's second track "Roger" is like Passion Pit, Peter Gabriel, and Talking Heads hanging out with its layers of synthesizers framing wily guitar riffs and progressions. Take that for what you will as I haven't slept much recently -- so I may be crazy -- but I can say with certainty that it's slick, fun, a pinch abstract, and quietly profound to make for a strong debut.

Livick is donating every cent earned on the release to The Trevor Project. Grab/hear the whole thing below.

Little Tybee Have Something "For Distant Viewing"

Atlanta's Little Tybee have an accessible, infectious sound all their own, but it's forged through smart, subtle experimentation. Mixing the charm of indie pop, the comforting feel of folk, and the technical prowess and forward thinking of jazz, this band moves gracefully from enveloping, adventurous instrumentals to pop ingenuity. To give you a frame of reference, imagine a cross between Fleet Foxes, Local Natives, and Annuals.

The band just released their sophomore album, For Distant Viewing, yesterday via Paper Garden Records. Hear the title track and one of my favorite tracks from the album below.

Christopher Paul Stelling Set to Release, Er, Unleash 'False Cities'

Last year, I finally had the opportunity to catch Christopher Paul Stelling live down in D.C. The folk torchbearer is a rousing force on record, but his live show is truly something else -- it's down right spiritual. In a world where everything is moving more and more into a digital realm, music has begun to lose a sense of not only originality but humanity, as well. In these modern times, you'd be hard pressed to find something as truly raw, human, and emotionally compelling as the songs of Christopher Paul Stelling. His conviction and passion for his craft is so evident in each string plucked, in each note sung, that it's hard not to connect with his music on some level. He's a folk artist, but at heart, his sound is rooted in the timeless nature of soulful gospel. As I said before, see him live and try to tell me it's not a near religious experience.