So I’ve heard this song a whole bunch of times now, and every time I listen to it I’m like, “I don’t remember that happening? Wait? What? It’s over? What just happened?” All I can remember is some crazy splosh of colourful sounds and Avey Tare‘s yelps. That being said – I like it.

Obviously this seems to imply a bit of a break from what they were doing on Merriweather Post Pavilion and feels more in-line with what they were doing on like Strawberry Jam, sort of. Actually, it sounds most like the kind of songwriting Tare explored on his under-appreciated solo album Down There. It’s almost like the band said, “Ok, we basically went and gave the kind of shit you – Panda Bear – were doing on Person Pitch the full band treatment – now we’re going to explore Tare’s ideas.”

In any case, it definitely feels like the band has decided to go in their most aggressive direction yet, which is exciting and will likely make for a more exciting live show as well. What I’m interested in now is to hear what Lennox/Panda Bear‘s song on this album sound like – is he working in the same vein? Are his songs the bright side of the Centipede Hz‘s moon, of which Tare’s are the dark side? If so – that would be pretty cool. But in any case, I think it’s highly improbable this album will be anything other than awesome – Animal Collective clearly isn’t done riding their peak yet.

Baaahhhh…finest…champaign…decent band…White Laces…from Richmond….bahhhh…atmospheric pop!

Every shoegaze diggin’ site is pumpin this shit: Norfolk, Virginia’s Suburban Living. They’ve got a new EP dropping tomorrow. Gonna be dope shit. (via Sounds Better With Reverb)

Shoegaze punks Cruel Summer from San Fran make some sweet, sweet sex…and by sex, I mean music…and by music…I mean ghonorea. (via Unpiano)

Cool weird freak-folkish stuff from Cardiff, Wales band H. Hawkline. Oh, the Welsh…the not quite British…gotta love ‘em. (via Portals)

I don’t know if there’s something in the air or something, but it’s like, 85% if a band tells you they’re from Brooklyn, they’re really good. And like good good – not like ‘good enough to soundtrack a commercial’-good. This statement applies to Ravenous – a bunch of sloppy DIYer types…with charm.

It really is pretty amazing how many great bands are coming out of Calgary and Edmonton these days. And of course, Weird Canada has been instrumental in getting their sounds to our ears – credit where credit’s due. Telstar Drugs are another great bunch of weirdos making interesting (and sometimes pretty) sounds. (via Weird Canada)

Man. The Castles of Crystal return. I remember seeing these guys at Sound Academy last summer and they were badddd-assss. Really cool. So how’s the latest (presumably) from album #3 sounding?

“Plague” – which, surprisingly, is not already the name of a Crystal Castles song – lightens up on the 8-bit/glitchy sounds and instead heads in a more witch-house direction. I know 99% of those reading the unironic use of the word “witch-house” may be groaning, but “Plague” without a doubt sounds like Crystal Castles trying to work off of Salem‘s kind of platform. I mean, it’s got the whole moan-ey, dark/stormy, sexy-thing going on. Come on, ‘witch-house’ is the word for this shit. That’s been decided already.

Of course this is not a huge or radical leap in sound for Crystal Castles – more like a short hop down the tempo count – but still, nice to see the Toronto terrible twosome moving in a bit of a different direction. And, of course, still sounding bad-ass.

By the way, compare it with Salem‘s “King Night” if you don’t believe me:

Tell me that shit doesn’t sound prettttty similar.

You know what this is?  This is my new fucking space-helmet. You know what that means? Means I’m getting some fucking space-pussy tonight.

Gotta give shoutouts to Katie from Labour Day (friends of blog) for posting a link to Sackville, NS goof-punks The Mouthbreathers‘ bandcamp page. I’m feeling this shit. Appetite For Deconstruction, oh you college kids…