John's New Music Blog

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 latest track to leak from John's New Music Blog's favorite band, Cults, is "Make Time." It continues the Phil Spector meets lo-fi beach rock sound that has come to define Cults.



(Original Soundcloud hosting of track was taken down, click here to go to The Hype Machine to hear it)

Cults debut album, Cults, drops on June 7, preorder from iTunes and Amazon.

(h/t: Beachtapes)

31 years ago today we lost a true genius.

If John's New Music Blog had a house band, it would be Cults in a rotation with Best Coast, The New Division and Tennis (Allo Darlin' and The Standard Fare on alternate Tuesdays and Thursdays). The only reason why we don't have a house band is lack of space and budget (plus the neighbors might have something to say about indie bands playing in the basement).




In honor of Record Store Day, Cults released a limited edition vinyl 7" single of "Abducted" and, thanks to Weekly Tape Deck, here's the song set to the 1967 French film Anna with Marianne Faithful and Anna Karina, created by director George Tanasie.



Cults - Abducted from George Tanasie on Vimeo.

If you didn't pick up your copy of "Abducted," you're out of luck, but Cults' album will be available on May 30th in the UK and June 7th in the US on Columbia Records (Amazon pre-order here, CD/vinyl).

The fine people at Gorilla vs. Bear have the new single from Seattle-based Seapony (one of the first bands featured by John's New Music Blog). The single, "Blue Star" is taken from their upcoming Hardly Art debut album, Go With Me. If you're a fan of fuzzy indie dream pop, you'll want to check out the new single. It has the sunny feeling of Tennis (compare for yourself here and here) and you can't help but have a smile on your face when you listen to it.


Blue Star by Seapony

Here's their last release, Dreaming:



Seapony - Dreaming from Double Denim Records on Vimeo.

Seapony's debut album, Go With It, will be hitting stores on May 31st and you can pre-order it from Hardly Art. There's a pre-release single with a track that won't be available on the album which is available from iTunes and Amazon.

John's New Music Blog favorites, the Denver-based husband and wife sailing indie band Tennis, has recently released a video to accompany the song "Take Me Somewhere" from their Fat Possum debut album, Cape Dory.


The video, by Ian Perlman, captures Patrick and Alaina on board a sailboat on Chesapeake Bay. By using a 16mm film camera, Perlman gives the video warmth and depth, something that's missing from music videos shot on digital equipment and complements the song's lo-fi sound.



Tennis - "Take Me Somewhere" from Ian Perlman on Vimeo

Cape Dory is available from Fat Possum Records, iTunes and Amazon.

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's featured local band is Philadelphia's Reading Rainbow, a two piece consisting of Rob and Sarah that's just come to my attention. Reading Rainbow is making some very good fuzzy, lo-fi indie pop and if you don't know who they are now, you will soon.


Reading Rainbow has been releasing records on a variety of labels since 2009 and they will be releasing a single sided 7" called "Cover the Sky" on Hell, Yes! on April 11. Take a listen below:


Here's an earlier release from Reading Rainbow's November 2010 album, Prism Eyes, called "Wasting Time."




"Cover the Sky" will be available from Insound as a limited edition of 400 and will ship on April 11. Pre-order your copy today. Prism Eyes is available on vinyl and CD from Hozac Records, and for download from iTunes and Amazon.

If you want to see Reading Rainbow in person, they will be playing a No Wavelength all ages show at Danger Danger Gallery in Philadelphia on April 25th at 7:00pm with Grass Widow, Broken Water and Acid Kicks. Click here for the Facebook event invite.

(H/T: Gorilla vs. Bear)

Lissie is on tour supporting her first full length album, Catching a Tiger, which is available for download from Fat Possum Records, iTunes and Amazon. Her debut EP, Why You Runnin', is available from Fat Possum Records, iTunes and Amazon. Click here for tour dates (all on the other side of the world this summer, so if you find yourself in Australia or Europe, you're in luck).