February Best of the Rest (Free Weed, Destruction Unit + more…)

We do our best each month, but dozens and dozens of tracks cross our radar that don’t make it on to the site. Here are a few that we missed.

*Diet Cig “Scene Sick”

Fun bubblegum garage pop. Cute video.

*Destruction Unit “Bumpy Road (Live)”

Sinister noise punk from a the bands live LP, out now as part of the outstanding Castle Face Records series.

*John Andrews & The Yawns – Pennsylvania

We are shocked, SHOCKED that this Woodsist release, from a guy intertwined with the bands on the label, is a woozy, acid-trip take on alt-folk. Shocked.

*Policy “Shuanglian” | Potions “Sway Vacay” | Xosar “Watching Waiting Wanting”

House music from two of the labels who do it best (100% Silk + Opal Tapes). Tweaked out banger from Xosar; thick slabs of a seedy club banger from Policy; restrained and mysterious beeps and hisses from Potions.

*Free Weed “Later” | Guantanamo Baywatch – Too Late

Two bands with ironic names who have proven to be fuzzy, loud and raucous have decided to show us their tender side. Both are good, but “Too Late” is a classic sounding jam that might be one of my favorite tracks so far this year.

*Fort Romeau & New Jackson – Not A Word

Sounding like the Talking Heads if they were drugged and woke up in a seedy warehouse club in Berlin.

*Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld “The sun roars into view”

Saxophonist Colin Stetson is, well, Colin Stetson (if you don’t know him, look him up), and Sarah Neufeld helps brings the atmosphere to Arcade Fire, so it isn’t a surprise that this track is as spooky and emotive as it is. Sounds like a soundtrack to a hipster haunted house.

*PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING – GAGARIN

We started with a cutesy video, and we end with a cutesy video. A bit different genre, though. A more top-40 take on Daft Punk, Public Service Broadcasting seem to aim their sights on widespread attention.