Ready to Hype!
I'm going to lay off the Swedish music a little here. This post will be mostly dedicated to British groups. Hey, I'm all about embracing diversity, right? (Although I've yet to write about the latest bangin' Inuit throat singing compilation.)
I'm going to make a prediction here (and it may have already come true ... too lazy to look into that, though). At least one of the three English groups contained in this post will get hyped at some point, and I think they'll get a pretty fair amount of it.
Innercity Pirates, formerly known as My Red Cell, are "in between labels" (this sounds like a job description), but have released three EPs independently. They describe their sound as "speed garage indie" which I think is exceptionally fitting. It's quick, it's torn up and loose, and it's loud and brash like good garage should be. I dig female lead vocals, so this group has already pulled some of my heart strings. Anyway, check 'em out at their MySpace page. Rock out.
Flipron is currently blowing me away. That raspy voice? That goofy Wurlitzer organ? Those killer, tinny drum fills? That folky electric guitar? The saloon piano parts? This band has something terribly unique going for them, and that makes me very excited. I want these guys to do very, very well. You guessed it ... they've got a MySpace page as well!
Invisibles are not to be confused with a different [lamer] American group by the same name. In fact, something should be done about that ... I don't like it when bands are forced to add "(UK)" or something to their name in order to differentiate. Especially when the British group is so awesome and charming and compelling. (Apparently there's also a group called "the Invisibles" from Brazil as well.)
Anyway, the British group has this wacky-in-a-very-cool-way sort of retro sound. Like old garage pop tunes with a bit more modern aesthetic mixed in there. Great lyrics, too ... these guys are hopefully going places as well. I'm rooting for them ...
Lastly -- as promised -- a Swedish band by the name of Mixtapes & Cellmates. What a huge sound these guys have! But I'm not overwhelmed by it, which is so perfect. There's something nostalgic about these guys for me ... they remind me in some ways of the post-punk groups that I love so much; the groups that formed my tastes (Joy Division, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Cure). But then there's this Interpol edge to them ... and a bit of like, Radio Dept. I can't place it. I think I may like their stuff without vocals a bit more than the newer stuff that has plenty of singing, but I can't complain. They rock. Yeah, yeah ... MySpace?
Innercity Pirates - Rollercoaster
Innercity Pirates - Eat the Paint
Innercity Pirates - Go Now Go
Innercity Pirates - Little Secrets
Flipron - Big Baboon
Flipron - Rusty Casino's Casino Rustique
Flipron - Skeletons On Holiday
Invisibles - Ohweeohh
Invisibles - London Zoo
Invisibles - Gasbag
Mixtapes & Cellmates - Static, Oh Static
Mixtapes & Cellmates - A: Pavement B: Home
Mixtapes & Cellmates - Longing Remixed EP (.zip)