Alternative Pop

(live, REM, Sheryl Crow)

Paper Plane Pilots: Demo 2009

Thanks to a knack for incorporating a fun, energy-filled vibe to their songs, Paper Plane Pilots don't have much of a problem making their listeners enjoy their music. This Paris-based group bring together an upbeat indie punk alternative vibe to their songs; infuse it with catchy rhythms and really fun lyrics to win their audiences. Demo 2009 is obviously a few years old but it still deserves good exposure. Influenced mainly by the American alternative band scene, the guys take after their heroes to create an 8-track demo filled with punchy cuts worth bouncing around to.

Greg Gibbs: The Lights

If you're looking for a relaxing electro indie pop album, you might enjoy The Lights by Greg Gibbs. Compiling 20 great tracks in one record, the singer/songwriter is definitely on a roll with his third release. The singer is currently based in Chicago. He has released two previous albums, 2007's Raincoat and 2009's Hemoglobin, which you can both get for sale at iTunes. This third compilation, The Lights, is filled with beautiful electro pop tracks that would make a lovely background to a quiet, relaxing afternoon. Check out the download by hitting the link towards the left.

Moses Luster and the Hollywood Lights: I’m The Lion

If you are tired of all the clean cut pop, rock, indie sounds no matter how good they might be and instead crave for something entirely new, somewhat dark and rusty than I'm The Lion is here to help. The lyrics sing of "low life crooks, doomed love affairs and a haunted past", the music comes filled with strong drums, some electronic beats, and that good old hollywood orchestra feel, while the vocals bring back the ghosts of the classics such as Johnny Cash or Tom Waits with just a touch of Leonard Cohen. A sure keeper!

The Appreciation Post: Work?/?Sleep EP

With a penchant for power pop and synth punk beats, The Appreciation Post is bringing in tons of energy with their upbeat sound. The Boston quartet has been around since 2005 and have shared the stage with awesome acts such as Smoking Popes, Mayday Parade, and Anberlin to name a few. Work/Sleep is the third release from the crew and hauls in power pop into play. Their previous records include, Brighter Sides (2006) and Leftovers (2010). The latter was produced by Marc McClusky who's worked with bands like Bad Religion and even indie favorite, Weezer. Armed with catchy beats and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, it's a compilation that can easily become a staple in any college punk rockers room.

Silverpennies: Come On Villains

Another great album from Sweden? Sure, why not. Meet Silverpennies. Following their previous two successful releases, the trio (Adam Leslie Jonsson, Anders Ludwigsson, and Oskar Eriksson) bring us their most recent EP Come On Villains. Filled with beautiful melodies, lovely piano, great vocals worthy of a radio hit, and lyrics that will make you sing along as you go about your day, the EP is a nice, and free, little treat from across the continent.

Grayscale: That Flawless Flashing Day

Grayscale is an indie pop band that creates feel-good acoustic music you'd love to play on a relaxing afternoon. The duo is made up of Douglas Dunbar and William Weaver. Sharing a common love for bands like U2, The Cure and Snow Patrol, among others; they immediately got together and recorded rough tracks that eventually became a part of their debut album, That Flawless Flashing Day. So far, the duo has released 5 compilations, including one Christmas album. Their brand of pop music ranges from acoustic, guitar infused tracks to dark, moody, alternative rock. With "Douglas’ colorful and personal lyrics and William’s spacey melody lines;" the duo make a statement and win over fans as they grace the world of acoustic pop rock music.

Andy Berkhout: Songs On Tape 2009

St. Louis songwriter, Andy Berkhout, might be best known as the dude who promised to release one free downloadable track for every week of 2010. This might have seemed like a completely ambitious project but so far, the singer has managed to keep his word. On top of this weekly song project, the artist has also delivered several full length records and EPs under his name. This includes this free indie folk chillout affair, Songs on Tape (2009), among others. His other records, particularly Be Silent (2010) and Wake Up For the Day (2009) are also available for sale on iTunes. Hit the download link and get the download from BandCamp. You can enter zero on the amount, but it won't hurt if you enter a donation as well. This guy definitely deserves it.

Mind Cinema: Sun Beat

Spearheaded by Javier Elizondo, Priscila Orfanos, and Gerardo Gamez, Mind Cinema is a Monterrey/Vancouver band that creates surreal, numbing soundscapes, perfectly capturing the ambiguity, chaos and beauty of the subconscious. Their sound carefully touches on electronica, ambient and shoegaze indie rock. Sun Beat is the group's first EP. It comes with 8 tracks tinged with dreamy sounds that crosses between the unpredictability of The Flaming Lips and ambient landscapes of Sigur Ros. Listening to the record is like getting blown away into a dreamland where beauty and madness mix freely and are emanating from the same source. It's a record worth having. The group also has several cool videos on Youtube, check those as well. They perfectly capture the band's unique sound.

On Returning: A Touch of the Top of the World by

Playing retro alternative indie pop, On Returning, makes certain that people never forget the good old 80s. A Touch of the Top of the World is the group's first major compilation following a short EP release. Their characteristic 80s sounding alternative pop is very much alive and showcased in this record that it'll be hard for people who love the decade to not like this album. Compiling 9 upbeat retro electronica sounding pop in one record, A Touch of the Top of the World, resonates with the same aesthetic as songs from their previous and recent releases. It contains lovely, uptempo indie alternative rock with an 80s synth touch here and there. If you're a big fan of The Cure or maybe yearned for a more rockish Pet Shop Boys, then this record will make you happy.