I’ve had a bunch of stuff piling up around here so I wanted to clear the deck, so to speak, which means you get a whole ton of cool MP3s and new records to check out. So, let’s get going.

Imperial Teen returns after a 5 year break to do various adult-type stuff (babies, etc) and is still plowing through the guitar-pop field. The new album is named The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band.This track has a certain Southern California calculated-pop edge to it a’la latter day Redd Kross which makes sense consider Steve McDonald plays on it. (Release date: August 21, 2007; Merge Records)
MP3: Shim Sham

Caribou has always been interesting to me and Dan Snaith has that voice! I’d hate to call this indie-dance or anything like that because that doesn’t really capture the depth of it. Remember when The Flaming Lips were really, really an exciting band? You can now replace them with Caribo The new album is called Andorra.(Release date: August 21, 2007; Merge Records)
MP3: Melody Day
(PS: The entire new album is available streaming at Caribou’s MySpace page.)

Austin, TX band Black Before Red has a new album called Belgrave To Kings Circle out on I Eat Records. Pure pop enjoyment but I don’t get the whole hype that their music is of such a sound that it seems hermetically cut off from the world. Either way, Look for a full review of this album soon. For now, enjoy this single track.
MP3: Teenage America

Even though, generally speaking, things that are all the hype in Los Angeles or New York tend to be utter dog shit there’s seems to be some legitimacy in the buzz surrounding Los Angeles band Health. They’re actually really, really good. If you love what Deerhunter has been up to for the past 5 years give health a listen. You’d swear they were brother bands. I mean that in a good way. Look for a full review of this new one, too, soon.
(Release Date: Septmeber 18; Lovepump Unlimited)
MP3: Crimewave
Mp3: Triceratops (CFCF Remix)

That’s it for today. Enjoy your Thursday, party poopers.