Alternative Pop

(live, REM, Sheryl Crow)

Cruiser: Cruiser EP

Don't you just love carefree beach music? Cruiser brings us closer to the waves and sand with its latest self-titled EP. Hailing from Philadelphia, Cruiser is a solo project of Andy States and was produced by States himself and Jeremy Park (producer of Lagoon�s The Year of Hibernation). Released last May 28, 2012, this collection offer six tracks that is certainly meant to make you feel good. The beat drops in The Fritz. Beachy guitars and ethereal vocals establish a strong sonic backbone for the whole album. This infectious track is certainly worth repeats.

The Velvet Chameleon: Clusterfunk

Promising to create several EP releases for 2011 and 2012, The Velvet Chameleon is holding its side of the bargain and delivers amazing EPs one after another. Clusterfunk was released late 2011 and features 5 tracks that echo influences from Radiohead and various other bands. Spearheaded by Adarsh Fernando, the band can easily impresses with their upbeat alternative pop. The EP is available as a free download and licensed under Creative Commons.

It Happened Here: 001 EP

Almost 4 years old, this Chester band first began their musical journey in August 2009. After all these years, 001 EP is the very first attempt at creating a compilation for the band. The four-track EP contains a fusion of alternative rock with a slight indie post punk vibe. Occasionally, they infuse their songs with a psychedelic feel for good measure. Even though this may seem a little too late in the game, It Happened Here wasn't exactly sitting idly throughout those four years. They, in fact, promoted themselves through live performances; playing and having regular gigs in various venues in and around Liverpool.

Various Artists: These Shaky Isles

There’s both a sense of well-known comfort and exploring foreign territories in These Shakey Isles, a mixtape by various artists released by Lil’ Chief Records. Lil’ Chief Records is a New Zealand independent record label that aims to achieve a specific aesthetic to pop music. Since their first release in 2002 (Hold Hands Feeding Ducks by The Brunettes), the record’s dream of a pop collective has already taken shape with numerous releases from their growing numbers of artists, and a two-page article on the London’s Sunday Times.

Talk To Angels: Enemies Closer EP

Talk To Angels may not be a household name but the four-piece crew have been steadily improving their craft and gaining a steady audience over the years. Made up of Craig Kaye - vocals/guitar, Mickey Dale - keyboards/guitar, Lee Waud - bass and Danny Cookson - Drums; the band formed after meeting at a house party and agreeing to clean out Mickey's garage in exchange for one-week use of his studio. Something sparked during the sessions and they eventually formed into a band. Enemies Closer EP is a first for them and it's filled with alternative pop rock goodies that might pique your interest.

Brit Laurén: Autoportraits II

Equally eclectic and catchy, Brit Laurén’s new album Autportraits II is a flavourful gem with some salt and pepper on the side. Hailing from Los Angeles, Brit Laurén is a vocalist, performing artist, and actor rolled into one. Released last October 11, 2011, Autoportraits II offers six tracks of undeniably good pop and r&b. Autoportraits II opens the album with a sneak peak of the artist’s musical brand. It also serves as an intro for the whole album.

Cold Blue Kid: Mimic

Six-piece group, Cold Blue Kid is back with a whole new release. Mimic delivers 6 tracks bobbing between indie folk to alternative. Occasionally, they create a cloud of shoegaze over their tracks which makes for an interesting and unconventional indie pop sound. The Chicago crew is made up of Alex Longoria, Evan Holmes, Andrew Sole, Sarah Gallagher, Aaron Apter, and Bryna. The group have been playing shows in the Chicago area since January 2011 and so far they've released two compilations apart from this, Cold Blue Kid Demo and 05.06. 12 @Subterranean.

Danny Stevenson: Under Open Skies

Sometimes all you need is simple, laid back pop music to keep you company through the day. If you're feeling that way right now, check out what Danny Stevenson has to offer. Under Open Skies is the first of a two part EP, featuring tracks created by Stevenson over a span of 2 years. He felt that the songs didn't go together well as a set of one compilation so he divided it into bite-sized pieces for listeners to enjoy. This first one, Side A, is composed of upbeat indie acoustic pop cuts that feature the singer in a more happy-go-lucky mood. The second part, Side B, has a more experimental, edgy mix of tracks according to the singer.

Dr. Frankenstein: The Cursed Tapes

If you've ever wondered what rockabilly music was like from a country like Portugal, then Dr. Frankenstein can give you a pretty good idea. The Cursed Tapes is a collection of tracks inspired by the sun and sand. Of course, coming from someone who calls themselves Dr. Frankenstein, you can expect a hint of darkness enveloping the tracks as well. The album itself is about two years old and was first released under netlabel, You Are Not Stealing Records back in 2010.