Cursive / King Konqueror

Scott: Tim Kasher is in-fucking-sane. This song is the new track they contributed to the Saddle Creek 50 compilation:
Cursive - Nonsense
For more info on Cursive, check out Saddle-Creek.com and CursiveArmy.com.

Adam: It's nice and sunny outside and Canada (at least my part) has pretty much thawed (sucks to be Edmonton at the moment though). In that spirit, here's something fun. This track's from Stomp's All Skanadian Club Volume 4 (review forthcoming), there's a Stubborn Allstars feel to it. I dedicate the chorus of this song to everyone who wrote us hate mail because of our stance on the war.
King Konqueror - Hush Up
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)
For more info on King Konqueror, click here.

Mates Of State / Giddy Motors

Scott: Mates Of State to me represent all that is good and pure in the indie rock community. A married couple - Jason sings and plays drums, Kori sings and plays organ - singing love song after love song to each other [and whoever else might happen to pay admission on any given night]. This song is taken from a limited edition 7" that was released with an old issue of Devil In The Woods magazine. The song is the Mates' longest recorded track to date, and is worth every second you'll spend listening to it:
Mates Of State - Lower
Sadly, the duo has never played this track live [according to the duo themselves, when I talked to them back in February]. Maybe if enough people download it here and request it, they'll figure out a way to work it into their sets. For more information on the group, go to PolyvinylRecords.com, OmnibusRecords.com, and MatesOfState.com.

Adam: Scott and I have really become interested in Giddy Motors from the reviews we've read. All Music, for example, describes them as "the Jesus Lizard covering Captain Beefheart and Miles Davis" while a few sentences later namedropping Black Flag and the Queens Of The Stoneage. Pitchfork's got a great interest generating review up as well. Here's the only song we've been able to find from this noise-punk / avant-jazz / insert-indie-nerd-genre band. It's definitely Minutemen inspired:
Giddy Motors - Hit Cap
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)
The band is signed to Fat Cat Records in the UK.

The Realistics / Vic Godard / The Libertines

Scott: The Realistics are a band you just need to know about. Here's my favorite song off their new EP, which I reviewed here:
The Realistics - Why Didn't You Stay
For more info on the Realistics, go to TheRealistics.com.

Adam: So my exam week is done. Woo. In celebration I've got two tracks for you this week. First off is a classic 1978 tune from Vic Godard & the Subway Sect titled "Ambition." There was a time when NME voted this the greatest punk single of all time. Godard himself was unhappy with it because manager Bernie Rhodes (you punk historians should know his name) added the farfisa organ behind his back. Check this out if you're digging Hot Hot Heat's current material:
Vic Godard - Ambition
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)

Secondly we have one of the bands that's been keeping me sane this week. Here's the breakout single from London's The Libertines. Mick Jones of The Clash produced their debut album "Up The Bracket" and as one would expect it channels the Clash, Jam, Kinks and others. If you can hold off the cynicism that the media's "garage craze" has undoubtedly created, you'll find they write some killer songs:
The Libertines - What A Waster
I also suggest checking out "Boys In The Band" and other full length Real Audio tracks at Rough Trade. Look for a proper review soon.

Copeland

Scott: Wow is about all I can say about Copeland. Their debut record, "Beneath Medicine Tree," came out a few weeks ago on The Militia Group, and alongside the album's stunning artwork is the amazingly lush music contained within. Here's the song that has been stuck in my head the most - it's a bit long, and starts off rather subdued, but the payoff at the end is a great one:
Copeland - California
For more info on Copeland, head to TheCopelandSite.com.

Adam: I'm too bogged down with exams and to get you something this week. Next weekend is something good though. In the meantime, go get the new Buzzcocks and Libertines records… casbahs will be rocked. We'll announce the Snuff contest winner later next week too.

Hot Hot Heat / Maxeen

Scott: So after Adam's unabashed praise of the new Hot Hot Heat album [readable here], my interest really was piqued in this band. Thanks to moldy, I now own said album [gotta love those belated birthday presents!]. This song has been stuck in my head in the past 72 hours, and I expect for it to stay around much, much longer:
Hot Hot Heat - Oh, Goddamnit
For more info on Hot Hot Heat, go to HotHotHeat.com.

Adam: "They say it's your birthday? Well it's my birthday too yeah." Yep. I'm 21 today, which in Canada is really far less interesting than it is in the States. But no, that won't stop me from taking a page from the Book of Scott and soliciting presents. Here's one of the songs that should be playing during the bash, it's SideOne's new signing Maxeen doing their best Police impression:
Maxeen - Love Goes A Long Way
For more info on the band check SideOneDummy.

Red Animal War

Hey, today is my 21st birthday! And to help me celebrate, all I ask is that you download this MP3 by a kickass band called Red Animal War. I saw them on Friday night as a part of the Too Young To Die tour, and the rocked me senseless. Think of a mix between the melodicism of Jawbox and the angular sounds of the Ghost or the Honor System. This band should be huge.
Red Animal War - When Fat Pigs Fly
For more info on Red Animal War, check out RedAnimalWar.com.

[Oh yeah, if you really want to help me celebrate my 21st - in lieu of buying me a drink, buy me a present off my wishlist.]

Joe Jackson Band

Okay, so I am seriously loving this new Joe Jackson Band album. Here's that funny, funny song I was talking about in my review of the new disc:
Joe Jackson Band - Thugz 'R' Us
For more info on Joe Jackson, go to JoeJackson.com.

Tangiers

Toronto's Tangiers have been getting a fair amount of buzz lately from the Canadian music press. The four-piece channels early New Bomb Turks and Rolling Stones swagger through vocals that range in influence from Richard Hell to John Lydon, all with incredible energy and solid songwriting. Look for a full review of the band's debut LP "Hot New Spirits" soon, but needless to say I'm enthused. Check out the lead track:
Tangiers - Red Stone Rocks
For more info check out the band's label Sonic Unyon.

Warsawpack / Panic In Detroit

Hamilton, Ontario's Warsawpack signed with Winnipeg's G7 Welcoming Committee last year. The band plays what can best be described as highly politicized hip hop backed by a jazz band. Its different but great. This is off their debut "Gross Domestic Product" that was released last year:
Warsawpack - Attention To Deficit
For more info check out the G7 Welcoming Committee.

A friend saw this band play in Toronto a few days ago and advised that I check them out. Panic In Detroit is a pretty straight-up rock band but executes their sound quite well. This track's from their self titled EP on Silverthree Sound Recordings. Foo Fighters or Weezer fans should dig this:
Panic In Detroit - We Own Everything
For more info on Panic In Detroit, go here.

Gestalt [again] / Vic Ruggiero

Scott: Well if you know me [or if you read the story below this], you know I love the Smoking Popes. Also, if you know me [or have been following my MP3 of the week posts recently], you know how much I love Gestalt. So what better way to combine my two loves? I'm glad you asked!
Gestalt - Paul
Could that be my favorite German techno band with a penchant for acoustic love songs covering one of Chicago's all-time greats? Yeah, I think it is. Why this wasn't on the official tribute record is beyond me. For more info on the Smoking Popes, head to SmokingPopes.net and for more info on Gestalt, you can email the band at Gestaltx@aol.com [and download more of their MP3s here].

Adam: Ok, I've let you all live with Scott's weirdness long enough. His reign of terror ends now. Here's a track by Slackers frontman Vic Ruggiero from his independently released solo album "Living in Sin / Understanding New Jersey." Its a great low-fi rockabilly ditty:
Vic Ruggiero - Junkie Parents
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)
Vic's band The Slackers are working on a new album that should drop this fall on Hellcat.