Jamie T "Sticks N Stones"

Myspace

What an absolutely brilliant tune! This could be the track of the summer. It's quite the triumphant return for Mr. Treays, the first single off of his Sticks N Stones EP that is out on 29 June. A UK tour started yesterday in Leeds and concludes in London on 24 June before appearances at Glastonbury, T in the Park, Reading, and Leeds.

Favours For Sailors

[Photo Credit: Lucy Johnston]

Myspace // "I Dreamt That You Dreamt That I Loved You In My Dreams" [Audio]

Favours For Sailors may hail from London, but it's obvious that they were raised on American indie rock. Their tunes recall the likes of Pavement or Weezer, but with a penchant for big pop moments. It's music that's made for playing at top volume on the motorways at the height of summer. The band's debut EP, Furious Sons, was just released last week on Tough Love Records. Keep an eye out for the band on XFM later this month, as well as several dates with Dananananaykroyd.

Young/Lost Ones: New EP

Myspace // El Renacimiento de Los Olvidados [Download the Entire EP free]

I got back from Norway and England late last week, but with the jetlag and all of the catch-up I needed to do, there wasn't much time for updating the blog. My time in Oslo did see me coming home late from gigs not being able to sleep, so I did have some time to spend with some bands that I've lost touch with. One of those is the unsung California outfit Young/Lost Ones.

Despite the release of their latest digital EP, El Renacimiento de Los Olvidados, the band remains under the radar, sort of a password for those who really know what is going on in west coast indie rock. This latest release is all you could want from the band, with five songs of upbeat alt-country in the vein of Jason Molina or Tom Petty. I'm glad that this band keeps chugging along as each new release from them is even better than the last.

Operahouse: New EP

[Photo Credit: Ami Barwell]

Mypsace // "100 Years" [Audio] // "Diane" [Video] // Change in Nature EP [Buy]

Novermber 10th will see the physical release of Change in Nature (it's on iTunes now), the debut EP from London group Operahouse. With a sound at times reminiscent of the Maccabees or Look See Proof, the EP contains the tracks "Change in Nature," "Criminals," "Plastic Cage," and "Red Hats for the Masses." The band is currently touring England, including upcoming gigs with Hot Club de Paris and Dirty Pretty Things.

Wintermute: New EP

Myspace // "Spanish Girls" [mp3]

Two months ago, the brilliant Leeds-based On the Bone Records released the debut EP from locals Wintermute, a band that has become the premier math-pop band in Northern England. Much like contemporaries such as Foals and Dartz!, the band has capitalized on the promise of early singles with a memorable first release, albeit in Wintermute's case we're only getting an EP. Fun with Wizard Stencils may be quite a tease at only six tracks, but the band has opted for quality over quantity, especially on "Spanish Girls" and "Jambon! Jambon!"

Also, you Leeds bands need to quit it with the video game references (scroll down to the last question) or everyone might think you're quite nerdy! Not that it's a bad thing...

Samtidigt som

[Photo Credit: Niklas Hjelm]

Myspace // "Constant in Motion" [mp3]

I just spent an hour tracking down info about Samtidigt som on the internet, but I am basically in the same spot as I was when I started. I need to brush up on my Swedish. What I do know is this: the band is from Gothenburg (Göteborg), a city that is Sweden's capital of indie rock, birthing other great such as Broder Daniel/Hakan Hellstrom, Chester Copperpot, and Kristoffer Ragnstam. The band plays hyperactive indie rock that occasionally touches on punk rock and they've just released their debut EP, Denna sida mot fienden, which is available from Luxxury Records. If anyone out there knows Swedish, please tell me more about these guys.