Category: emerging artists

The New Up “Broken Machine” EP
Out of the San Francisco scene comes The New Up. From the trippy-dreamlike beats and strong bassline to ES Pitchers’s silky vocals (similar to Siouxsie Sue and P.J. Harvey) the music is poised to break out in a big way with pop fans. Beginning with the irresistable catchy pop of “Ginger Tea” and neo wave guitars on “Top of the Stairs” follows. If you’ve always wondered how Radiohead’s influence would have affected the sound of a band like 1000 Maniacs, look no further. Fans of The Cure, and classic Smashing Pumpkins will also dig the tight, aggressive style of rock coated in a cool candy shell. This is hip, modern pop that the indie masses will enjoy as well.
The New Up Site | My Space

Radio Days “Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous” EP
Lead by Dario Persi, the Italian group Radio Days have taken traditional power pop sound and mines it for great effect. Excellent songwriting and guitar work punctuate each song in the EP, that recalls Fotomaker, Weezer and Velvet Crush all at once. From the smooth Knack-like riffs on “Brand New Life” to the cover of Paul Collins Beat’s “Rock And Roll Girl” this is without a doubt a mind altering, sonic-sugar rush. “Don’t Keep Me Waiting” is a perfect mix of Cheap Trick guitars and pop bliss. With music this good you don’t ever notice the European accents (okay, you do – but it’s no worse than The Winnerys). I would keep my eye on this group for a follow up full length album, so in the meantime hunt this CD down, as it one of the best I’ve heard all year – Bellissimo!!
My Space | Interpunk | Subordination Records

Reviewed by Mike Z.
Maybe the highest compliment one can pay to a band is that it’s not very easy to decide what to make of them. After four listens I’m still mining material out of The Pharmacy’s “Choose Yr Own Adventure” and if that doesn’t scream getting your money’s worth, I don’t know what does. At one point it even occurred to me that this might be a concept album, so suffice to say I’m already hooked enough on this band’s sound that I’m getting a little carried away with things here. Let me slow it down some:

“Black Ice Cream” and “Mirror” resemble one another in that they both have great hooks but also enough balls to walk confidently on the razor’s edge where power and pop meet. “Tropical Yeti” and “Warm and Untorn” stumble and fall decidedly on the pop side of things, but even these gaffes are forgivable because they serve to move the album along and endear the listener more to the big picture here. “Little Toys on a Shelf” is at least slightly indebted to Vampire Weekend, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The lyrics, however, are. A week metaphor (guess the least creative thing toys on a shelf could represent and the work your way downward from there) is further hampered by sophomoric sentiment and totally submarines an otherwise capable tune. If that’s what it takes for this band to break, I won’t begrudge them it, because they are this close to being a ready for primetime act. “Try to Explain” is a solid track which worships at the altar of “Waterloo Sunset”-era Kinks. As the album expands away from more obvious fare, the devotion to Ray Davies’ melodic songwriting resonates even more deeply in the later, contemplative tracks on this record. This is an act who is happy to toy with discordant sounds, but is really more about crafting energetic, well-honed pop songs. Fittingly, the effort ends with “Adieu, Adieu,” and The Pharmacy leaves it all on the field with this one. Powerful, catchy, and clever, this track makes me want to start the disc over and find out when they’re playing in my town.

Don’t Stop Believin’ Records | My Space | Itunes

Here is a great new band that emerged from NRONE records in England. The Lost Levels are four lads with a rich sound, and the single “Never the First” tells the tragic tale of being dumped. They have an mini-EP out so far – and it’s wonderful, so I am hoping for a full length soon. I’ll update you on when these guys make it across the pond.
My Space | NRONE Records