This is a new music blog, so time to share some of the new(ish) music I’ve been listening to for the past couple of months. Most are pretty recent, but a few hail from as far back as last summer. (Am a little rusty at this new music mix thing. Baby steps.)

I tried to find as many songs as possible on one service, but of course there’s not a single one that has them all. So I’ve embedded everything – meant to be listened in that order – below. But if you’re a Spotify user and want the E-Z listening experience, my Spotify New Music (Spring 2015) playlist includes all but three tracks.

Each song includes my capsule review, and info about where each band hails from, the month/year of release, label and source. “Source” in this instance means where I heard about a specific band. Except for Wire. I already know them (duh).

And close your eyes if there is an actual video. Some I couldn’t find just the music. All you need is the music!

Here we go:

Coming Up Roses

A Spring 2015 new music mix

Young Guv – Ripe 4 Luv
Prince-y and power-poppy strut and swagger.
(Canada – March 2015, Slumberland)
Source: label Twitter account

BRONCHO – Class Historian
Jittery pop with alternating guitar sparkle and rev, crooning stutter.
(USA – July 2014, Dine Alone)
Source: friend

Surf City – Hollow Veins
Laconic vox and guitar gallop from NZ via JAMC.
(New Zealand – January 2015, Fire Records)
Source: KEXP

Ultimate Painting – Ultimate Painting
Mining a mid-tempo guitar pick and twang groove. Alternately: VU VU VU VU.
(UK – October 2014, Trouble in Mind Records)
Source: another band

Zebra Hunt – Half Right
Indie guitar pop ne plus ultra set to a Before Hollywood beat.
(USA – February 2015, Tenorio Cotobade)
Source: friend

Twerps – Back to You
Chiming, sweet swirl of keyboards, guitars, nasal coo and yelp.
(Australia – October 2014, Merge Records)
Source: KEXP

San Cisco – RUN
Panting, sinuous booty-shaker. Falsetto synth breakdown.
(Australia – March 2015, Island City Records)
Source: Tractor Tavern calendar listing

Viet Cong – Bunker Buster
Insistent, art-damaged guitar spinning, puncturing post-punk gloom.
(Canada – January 2015, Jagjaguwar)
Source: friend

Thigh Master – Age of Concern ^*
Dizzying crash and pop interlude. Fall in A Hole of fuzz.
(Australia – February 2015, Tenth Court)
Source: friend

School Damage – Sick of You ^*
Twee psych fuzz, keyboard doodle.
(Australia – August 2014, Detonic Recordings)
Source: clicking on links on the internet

Speedy Ortiz – Raising the Skate
Tough girl smirk and warble. Angular guitar see-saw and circle, wobble and spike.
(USA – February 2015, Carpark)
Source: friend + coworker

Tigercats – King of Vic
Stalking pitter-patter for tiny dances. Whine and gentle melody.
(UK – February 2015, Fortuna Pop)
Source: friend

Lightning In A Twilight Hour – Memory Machine
Echo chamber guitar and synth, clock rhythm and vocal hush.
(UK – November 2014, Elefant Records)
Source: someone on Twitter

Wire – Burning Bridges
Gradually thawing the 15th.
(UK – April 2015, Pinkflag)
Source (for new LP): band Twitter account

Viet Cong – Continental Shelf
World weary thump and guitar frazzle tension to slow recline release.
(Canada – January 2015, Jagjaguwar)
Source: friends

The Wave Pictures – I Could Hear the Telephone (3 Floors Above Me)
Rifftastic garage-rock jangle, growl and rave up.
(UK – February 2015, Moshi Moshi)
Source: friend

BRONCHO – What
Cool jerk, pop percolation, pose and drawl.
(USA – July 2014, Dine Alone)
Source: friend

Tangerine – Tiny Islands
Chirping pixie piston-pop. Sugar-spun guitars.
(USA – October 2014, self-released)
Source: KEXP

Twerps – I Don’t Mind
Winsome and fragile, quiet heart to bursting overflow.
(Australia – October 2014, Merge Records)
Source: KEXP

Zebra Hunt – Haze of Youth ^*
Pretty picking figure eights. Shimmer, sway and sigh.
(USA – February 2015, Tenorio Cotobade)
Source: friend

^* Not available on Spotify