"Lay Down Your Weapons" (Eenie Meenie) Check out this boisterously fun track from Brit pop inspired Scissors for Lefty. I don't know much about the guys from the band except that they're San Francisco-based. But judging from their wit and rock-and-roll charm, I imagine them to be the type of beer-drinking college goofballs who somehow aced every single one of their classes between gigs and hangovers.
Spoon has quickly become the most talked about band in the blogosphere. Not that the anticipation alone for their upcoming July release Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga wouldn't garner mounds of attention for the consistently brilliant indie poppers. But with the album widely leaked and the recent release of the video for "The Ghost of You Lingers", music fans are already poised to crown Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga the album of the summer.
"Electric Princes" (Sub Pop) Two guys from a village in northern Italy deliver this kooky track of elastic guitars and off-kilter keyboard runs on their forthcoming release The Midnight Room.
"Polaroids"(Home Tapes) "Watch Out"(Pitchfork) Here are two gorgeously orchestrated songs from Danish band Slaraffenland featuring entracing vocals and atmospheric instrumentation. Their LP Private Cinema is in stores on June 26 but is already available for digital download.
"Transistor Kids" (Toolshed) The noisy Midwestern folk pop of Foundry Field Recordings sounds as if the band is about five years behind on the indie scene, back when quirky bands like Built to Spill and Grandaddy ruled college radio. This song is from their upcoming EP Fallout Station, a companion piece to their 2005 album Prompts/Miscues.
"Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" (Pitchfork) "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" is the first taste of Okkervil River's upcoming album The Stage Names, out on Jagjaguwar in August. Let's hope the rest of the Austin band's new LP is this ridiculously catchy and full of these kind of exultant riffs and dramatic melodies.
"Seems Like Home to Me" (Saddle Creek) San Francisco's Two Gallants shake out this slow-building, jangly folk tune for their upcoming CD The Scenery of Farewell, in stores June 19.
"Blues Run the Game" (Pitchfork) Family Tree, a collection of B-sides and rarities from prince of tradegy Nick Drake, includes this cover of little-known singer/songwrirter Jackson C. Frank.
"Girls Who Play Guitar" (Insound) This new track off Maximo Park's sophomore full-length Our Earthly Pleasures is freshly pulled from the new millenium Brit pop cookie cutter. With a few sprinkles of post-punk/new-wave for a bit of an extra kick.
"Postcard from Kentucky" (Barsuk) From his upcoming release The Brag and Cuss, singer/songwriter Rocky Votolato succeeds once again at creating the perfect soundtrack for drunken depression around the campfire.
The old Listening Room was kind of silly. We at The LARRY Page have concluded the kids will like this better.
To download MP3s, right-click on link and choose "Save Target As." Most MP3s are only available online for a limited time, so some links in the archives may no longer work. The LARRY Page does its best to ensure all downloads that appear in Hobby Box are legal.
