So Many Wizards Cast Spells

So Many Wizards is not the name of a World of Warcraft raiding party.  Not one member is named Leroy Jenkins, but they are three geeky dudes who make musical magic.

Weaving a spell of jangly north western pop that will remind you of just about everyone who has played a jangly guitar up to the north of California, So Many Wizards are a fantastic band that have the songs to match.  What's truly weird about all this is that while they sound like the long lost cousin of Modest Mouse or even Arcade Fire they reside in Los Angeles...whether or not the PCH has had an influence on them is up for debate. 

While you're mulling that one over, know this, So Many Wizards are set to release the “Inner City / Best Friends” 7-inch on a limited edition 70 gram colored vinyl pressing on boutique label, Seven Inch Project.

Download: Inner City
Download: Best Friends
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Gold Leaves Present The Ornament

Gold Leaves is the brand new project of Grant Olsen, better known as the Arthur portion of Seattle folk duo Arthur & Yu. Hardly Art will release The Ornament, the debut LP from Gold Leaves, on August 16th.

Recorded and co-produced by Jason Quever (Papercuts), The Ornament is equally informed by subtle R&B touches and 60's Brit-pop production.  It's classic AM Pop if it were made in your bedroom and sounds like it was recorded in 1964.  It's relatively unpolished stuff that sounds as if it might all fall apart by the end of its run.  The Ornament is shambolic, fragile stuff that has a warmth and honesty to it and that's what makes it so good. 

The Ornament is setting itself up to be the album of the fall.  Dressed in turtlenecks and swilling brandy, an autumnal character imbues the nine songs that make it up.   Since the fall doesn't arrive for a while yet, you can enjoy the title track and at least pretend.

Download: The Ornament
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Razika Tune In Program 91

Few bands can make you instantly recall your favorite summer. Your first kiss. The first time you snuck out of the house.

In Bergen, Norway, Razika, comprised of four precocious 19-year-old girls, have discovered how to conjure these emotions, channeling a mix of innocence and rebellion, romance and heartbreak, and gift-giving and gun-slinging into their debut album Program 91 (out August 16 on Smalltown Supersound).

Formed in 2005 and named after a code word used by the band to describe a cute guy, Marie Amdam, Maria Råkil, Marie Moe and Embla Karidotter Dahleng have been childhood friends since the age of 6, discovering their parents’ rock records before delving into punk as early teenagers.

The album is a glorious contradiction; an exhilarating mix of ska, Riot Grrl, 60s girl groups, post-punk and upbeat, C86 pop that would make Phil Spector, The Specials and The Raincoats proud.

Download: Nytt Pa Nytt
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Here's to 50 Years of Amnesty International.

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Oh Minnows Isn't Fishy At All

Signed to Young and Lost Club (Noah & The Whale, Exlovers, Golden Silvers), Oh Minnows is the dreamy new project from Chris Steele-Nicholson who is better known as the multi-instrumentalist from cult indie trio Semifinalists. “Semifinalists was a collective effort, and it was great fun,” he says. “You’d get an idea going then someone would step in and take it in a direction you didn’t expect. It was like being in control and having no control at the same time. Oh Minnows is just me having to confront my views on my own.”

Following the break-up of Semifinalists in 2009, Chris began working as Oh Minnows and released 'Might EP' the same year. Since then, a full length album has been his main focus and For Shadows will be out later in the year, the first full length LP to be released solely by Young and Lost Club.

For Shadows is a lush electronic album that's dreamy, hazy, and gorgeous.  In other words, a bit of a departure from the Semifinalists in every sense of the word.  While I most definitely miss his old band, Chris Steele-Nicholson has done a fantastic job putting For Shadows together that's convinced me he'll be alright.

Download: You'll Never Know Us 
Download: Another Volunteer (Entrepreneurs Guilty Pleasures Remix)
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Jaswho Gets Re:Droided

After the release of his Nudroid Musik album back in November 2010, Jaswho was approached by a number of producers interested in remixing tracks from the album. Over the past six months, Jaswho has been in contact with artists from everywhere getting remixes together for his follow up release titled, Re:Droid Musik.

The Re:Droid Musik CD features remixes by Miles Dyson, Santiago/Bushido, Cold Blank, Calvertron, Aniki, Larry Fives, Hollywood Rox, Aaren San, George F, DJ Fame, 40 Thieves, Sunshine Jones, Ben Tom, Soulspin & more. With remixes in a number of different genres ranging from Electro, Dubstep & Tech House, there is sure to be something for everyone. 

Download: Solar Future (Cold Blank Remix)
Download: Alive (Aniki Remix)
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Brilliant Colors Release Album, Hit Road.

Inspired by post-punk fervor, the spiky pop of C86 and early Flying Nun / Creation label output, San Francisco's Brilliant Colors stake out their own spot in the indie music landscape.   They jangle, they sigh, they shuffle, and together they sound as if the Pastels were from California.

Not really produced and not really polished in anyway, Brilliant Colors manage to be, err, brilliant thanks to their shambolic pop sensibility.  Sounding like they may just shatter into a million pieces and only too happy to do so, Brilliant Colors know the joys of fragile pop songs.

Their new album, Again and Again is filled with such delights and sees them moving further into the classic C86 thing.    The album is released on July 19th on Slumberland and the band will head out on the road in June to pre-promote.

Here's the dates... 
06/09 Charlotte, NC The Milestone ~^
06/10 Athens, GA Farm 255 ~
06/11 Nashville, TN Glenn Danzig's house ~
06/12 Columbus, OH Bat Chapters ~
06/13 Ann Arbor, MI Arbor Vitae ~
06/14 Toronto, ON Parts N Labour ~
06/15 Montreal, QC Le Cabigi ~
06/16 Boston, MA Problem House ~
06/17 Brooklyn, NY Glasslands *
06/18 Philadelphia, PA Cha Cha Razzi
~ = w/ The Beets
^ = w/ Eternal Summers
* = w/ Frankie Rose

Download: How Much Younger
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