John's New Music Blog

Today's featured band is Brooklyn's Selebrities, a retro-pop three piece that wouldn't sound out of place on the radio in 1983. The band is made up of Maria Usbeck on vocals, Jer Robert Paulin on guitar and Max Peterson on the keyboards. The band describes itself as "voguish, summertime goth" and several reviewers have compared them favorably to a certain Manchester band of the 1980's. I'm inclined to agree and say that their sound is both retro and contemporary in combines 1980's synthesizer lines with modern production values and techniques.

Photo by Lucy Bridger

 Selebrities - Night Heat from Selebrities on Vimeo.

The second track is "Can't Make Up My Mind," from their 2011 full length release Delusions. It's more in the style of The Human League and could have found it's way into a John Hughes, Brat Pack film soundtrack. If you like Summer Camp, you'll love this track.



Can't Make Up My Mind from Selebrities on Vimeo.

"Night Heat" will be out on Cascine on March 20; Delusions is available from Darla Records (12" vinyl or download), iTunes, and Amazon.

Last February we featured the Portland band Blouse, the Depeche Mode/The Cure influenced shoegaze band that released "Into Black." Blouse is back and recently released a new 7" single "Shadow" via Seattle-based indie megalabel Sub Pop.


"Shadow" is a throwback to the early '80's of Human League and OMD, it covers death and despair in with the cloak of summer.


 Blouse - Shadow by subpop

The B side is "Nights & Days," a shoegaze track that highlights the vocals of singer Charlie Hilton with another '80's flashback. The track could have been released in 1983, but it doesn't sound dated like La Roux, but it's a logical progression from Depeche Mode and New Order's early albums to this track.




Blouse is currently in the studio recording their Captured Tracks debut album. "Shadow" and "Nights & Days" is available on vinyl from Sub Pop and for download from Amazon. Their first single, "Into Black" and "Firestarter" is available from iTunes and Amazon.

This morning The New Division released their new double single, True Lies///Saturday Night. Both tracks are inspired by early New Order/Depeche Mode, with a dark sound and equally dark lyrics. Both songs are heavy on the synthesizers and drum machines with haunting vocals by frontman John Kunkel.


The first track, "True Lies," is a sparse song that conveys the loss of trust and sadness between lovers; the heavy beat and deep vocal give the emotions behind lyrics extra emphasis, you can hear the pain in his voice.

The second track, "Saturday Night," is a bit more upbeat, almost danceable, but still with the heavy beat and dark vocals. It's about waiting for the perfect moment with the person you love when everything is just right.




The double single is available as a free download from The New Division's Bandcamp page. The band will also be releasing their first full-length album, Shadows, on September 27, so check back for more details.

Manchester has spawned many of the greatest bands of the last 35 years, (Joy Division, The Smiths, New Order, Stella Marconi, The Stone Roses, The Buzzcocks) and now the collective Help Stamp Out Loneliness (HSOL), joins that list. HSOL was started in 2007 by Bentley Cooke and Colm McCrory as a way to recover from their years in the twee indie pop band Language of Flowers but soon found themselves wanting to return to their debauched life in indie pop. Cooke and McCrory recruited four more members, Ben Ambridge and Louise Winfield from Star and Garters, Kath McMahon and their vocalist, D. Lucille Campbell.


HSOL recently released their first album, the self-titled, Help Stamp Out Loneliness, a 12 track masterpiece produced by Smiths producer Craig Gannon. Take a listen to the whole album below:



Help Stamp Out Loneliness is available for download from their Bandcamp site, their label, Where It's At Is Where You Are (scroll down), Amazon and iTunes. You can also download their free Record Store Day release, "Record Store," here. HSOL's previous singles, "Pacific Trash Vortex" (iTunes and Amazon) and "Torvill and Dean" (iTunes and Amazon) are also available for download. HSOL is playing dates in the UK in July, no word on plans to come to the US.

The New Division released their new single, "Walk in the Dark" as a free download on their Bandcamp page. It's a great song that continues with the New Order/Depeche Mode influences that were heard on The Rookie. As readers know, John's New Music Blog is a big supporter and fan of The New Division and I encourage you to download their new single and share it with your friends. For those unfamiliar with The New Division, here's my review for their recent EP, The Rookie and an introduction to the band.






The New Division will be playing The House of Blues in Anaheim on April 14th, the Silverlake Lounge in Los Angeles on April 28th, and The Viper Room (yes, that Viper Room) in Hollywood on May 20th. If you're in Southern California, I encourage you to check our their show and tell them that you heard about them from John's New Music Blog (no, I don't get a commission for plugging their shows).

Today is another first for John's New Music Blog, an album review. Not just any album, but the new EP from Riverside, California's Joy Division/New Order influenced The New Division. The Manchester sound is alive and well and residing in Riverside as The New Division have made a record that wouldn't sound out of place on Ian Curtis' record player. Some have called it retro-New Wave, but I would describe it as a worthy successor to Closer and Movement. If you only buy one new record this year, make it The Rookie by The New Division.


The Rookie is out now at iTunes, Amazon and from the Band.

Think about where a band that cites Joy Division, New Order and Depeche Mode as influences would hail from. Nope, you're wrong. Try the hotbed of indie music called Riverside, California and the band is The New Division (get it, it's a pun). The band, a four piece from the aforementioned Riverside, California, have been self releasing EP's since 2009 starting with their self titled The New Division. The band has also released one single, "Art Kraft" from their upcoming EP The Rookie and the good people over at Pitchfork previewed their next single, "Starfield," to rave reviews.

The first time I heard "Starfield," I was hooked. It sounded like what Joy Division would have sounded like had Ian Curtis not passed away before the band could take advantage of the coming advances in modern electronic music. For a band that is doing everything themselves and without the benefit of a label to support them, this track is excellent; it's well produced and keeps with the Joy Division ethic of doing a whole lot with very little (I didn't hear the Martin Hannett trademark sound effects made from unusual sounds like an aerosol spray can, but that's probably coming soon). I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the tracks on the EP when it's released sometime next year.


Starfield by The New Division

Art Kraft by The New Division

The New Division is out now at iTunes. The Rookie's release date is TBD. Check back for more information or visit the band's site. I'm looking forward to hearing more from them next year and seeing them out on tour.

If you like what you're hearing, leave a comment and let me know. If you know of a band that I should know about, either leave a comment or click "Send Me an Email." Also "Like" the site over on Facebook to get the latest posts and hear about the latest bands before your friends and be sure to recommend us to your friends.