Alternative Pop

(live, REM, Sheryl Crow)

The Bear Season: If We Sink Together EP

One of the latest pop punk bands to emerge from Le Pork Records' roster, The Bear Season is a must check out if you love your mix of pop and punk. This six piece crew is a relatively new band, having just formed back in 2010. Despite being newbies in the business, they're definitely showing plenty of promise. Their debut EP is a great mix of catchy, classic power pop tracks that will make you think of Yellowcard and Motion City Soundtrack with a modern touch. If We Sink Together EP comes with 6 tracks and offered absolutely free under a Creative Commons license.

Cavanaugh: Far From Chicago

At the mention of the phrase “music from Sweden”, the odds are you'll sing in your head a line or two from Dancing Queen or, if your affinities lie at the opposite pole, make a mental list of your favorite death metal bands from that part of the world. Much as outsider impression of Swedish music is limited to the spirited disco pop of ABBA and the baneful loudness of the country's vibrant metal scene, a genre that's somewhere near the confluence into which these opposing musical streams flow is peeking out for some attention. Cavanaugh, a four-piece band from Borlänge, Dalarana, is among the proponents of this genre, which the group unabashedly calls “mainstream rock”. But even as we hear that from the band itself, a deeper look into its music reveals sensibilities that have recently been missing from the mainstream scene at large. The 2009 EP Far From Chicago, spirited as it is in a way heavy, is without most of the unneccessary trappings.

Coast Jumper: Grand Opening

Moody and hypnotic, those two words best describe this debut album from San Francisco based band, Coast Jumper. The record is a haven of lush sounds, interesting vocals, and slightly electronic alternative vibe. This is the group's first album ever and yet they're exuding confidence like seasoned veterans of the music scene. Although there's not much about the band online, it's enough to know that these guys play hauntingly beautiful music. Their sound is reminiscent of a mellow Vampire Weekend complete with injections of fun and energetic moments here and there.

Low Voltage Rangers: Spirographology

Low-Voltage Rangers might sound like a band but the fact is, there's only one man standing at the helm; Jeremy Toltzman. Taking up the moniker Low-Voltage Rangers, the artist sings, plays the instruments, and writes the songs. Spirographology takes 34 tracks recorded by the artist between 2004- 2011. This includes two of his latest singles. Despite having no label or any professional studio equipment at his disposal, the music he creates is filled with beautiful melodies and great indie lo-fi quality. It's something you'd love to listen to on a quiet evening, slowly lulling you to mellow out and relax after a long, hard day.

Soto: Soto EP

Soto is an experimental Japanese pop group that create lovely folk pop music. Listening to this band is like being transported to a place where forest spirits dwell and lovely music is created at every instance. Two members of the band originally formed the duo, "Oto." This initial band produced music that focused more on sounds and its tapestry. However, as the group turned into a quartet; they focused more on creating music with proper song structures. Together, they christened themselves as "Soto" and create amazing acoustic, folk pop that is transcendent as well as emotional.

Daniel and the Lions: Kowalskiy’s Free Monthly Scottish EP #13

Kowalskiy is an independent Scottish music blog that specializes in compiling free music and releasing them into free EPs. The name is derived from the infamous character played by Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, a 1947 film about culture clashes. As its name suggest, EP#13, is the 13th EP released from the music blog. It gathers 5 tracks from different, very talented local artists. Exploring different genres, the short EP features songs that range from alternative grunge to indie pop and even a Scottish acoustic folk track. It's a great vehicle to discover new sound and the best part is that it's offered absolutely free.

Zadkiel: The Saturn Return

Zadkiel is a three piece alternative indie rock band that hails from the UK. The group initially formed back in 2008. Together, they create an eclectic mix of alternative rock which incorporates beautiful vocals and instrument work. The Saturn Return is their third compilation and like their previous releases, it's a well-composed record. They admit to being heavily influenced by artists like Jeff Buckley, Nirvana and Radiohead, which is quite evident in the music they create. Nevertheless, the trio manages to express their own sound through the cracks. Each cut resounds with melodies, instruments and distortions that beautifully combine to create a wonderful sound.

Young & Research II: Tough Love Sampler

Young & Research II gives you a great teaser on what to expect from the more than 5 year old record label, Tough Love. The compilation takes 13 tracks from the London-based label and compiles them to create one amazing record. It's been an exciting year for the label so far, they managed to release two of their first full LPs from Girls Names and Cymbals. They also gathered up an awesome set of tracks for Young & Research II. Most of the songs featured in the album include exclusives as well as brand new recordings from various artists. You'll find plenty of great new bands to like in this one.

Die Pretty: Battle Over Brooklyn

Battle Over Brooklyn is the product of pop punk band, Die Pretty. The foursome only started about 2 years ago (2009) but they're definitely wasting no time getting their music together and spreading the word. They've already released a short EP titled, Bittersweet. This was released in Europe via Unconform Records and helped win the band a solid following overseas. With Battle Over Brooklyn, the band is looking to expand and maybe win over more people to their brand of upbeat pop punk. Soaring through the scene with a good mix of pop, punk, alternative and rock; Die Pretty seems to have what it takes to make more than an impression in the music world.