Available 2/1 – 2/7: Cloud Nothings “Stay Useless”

Bratty and disaffected, this new single from Cloud Nothings takes the spirit of late ‘70s punk and power pop and eloquently translates it for 2012. It’s an alternately timeless and modern anthem for lost souls of all ages, brashly spat out by 20-year-old bandleader/wunderkind Dylan Baldi. Intriguingly, we hear that the Cleveland band’s upcoming record, Attack On Memory, was recorded by one of the most legendary producers ever, Steve Albini – one more reason we’re super-excited that it’s finally out!

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Available 1/25 – 2/1: Plastic Flowers “Strange Neighbors”

From New York by way of Tallahassee, Florida comes Plastic Flowers, the wonderfully early ’80s-inspired synth pop project of Sean Earl Beard. Taking sonic cues from the genre’s forebearers (Yaz, early Depeche Mode), as well as other luminaries of the age such as Joy Division and The Cure, the haunting music of Plastic Flowers packs a subtle emotional punch…if you listen closely enough. It sounds to us like the perfect accompaniment to a pensive drive on a quiet winter night.

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Available 1/18 – 1/25: Pond “Fantastic Explosion of Time”

Cut from the same cloth as Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala – one of our favorite bands of the last decade – comes Oz trio Pond. The band taps the same wicked psychedelic vein as their aforementioned labelmates and has been gathering fans around their native Australia for a few years; they’re finally getting ready to cross over Stateside with an upcoming album, Beard Wives Denim, that’s set to drop in March. Recorded in a farmhouse in Western Australia along with the rest of the record, advance single “Fantastic Explosion Of Time” is just the soundtrack for your spring snowboarding excursions!

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Although typically backed by his band of Punx, Oakland’s Seth Bogart (a.k.a. Hunx) steps out for a solo record this February. Borrowing from the best of ‘60s garage pop and girl groups, Hunx’s upcoming album, Hairdresser Blues, is full of hyper-catchy garage pop tunes like “Always Forever” that we can’t stop playing over and over. A hair stylist himself, Bogart sings from the heart on this concise collection of hits, so if you’re looking to beat the winter blues by bouncing around the room, this is the record for you!

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Available 1/4 – 1/11: Islands “This Is Not a Song”

Nicholas Thorburn, formerly of Montreal indie pop outfit the Unicorns, has been making Islands records since the mid ‘00s, but many of his newest songs possess a personal side previously unheard in his work. “This Is Not A Song,” which drifts on a softly melancholy melody, points toward this new direction; one listen and you’ll understand why it’s been pegged as the lead single from Islands’ upcoming album, A Sleep & A Forgetting. Thorburn says he began writing songs for the record on Valentine’s Day, so perhaps it’s no accident that it’s set to be released on February 14.

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Available 12/21 – 12/28: School of Seven Bells “The Night”

Now just a duo of Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra Deheza, School of Seven Bells are back with a new album. Ghostory, out this February on Vagrant records, pumps with an electric urgency. Recorded between tours in stolen moments, the album tells the story of a young girl named Lafaye who is haunted by ghosts. But don’t get scared off – this is by no means a goth record or a horror story. It’s a pumping, driving, psychedelic danceable record that’s definitely some of their best work yet.

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Available 12/13 – 12/20: Phantogram “Don’t Move”

As we get closer and closer to the shortest day of the year (at least up here in the Northern Hemisphere) it’s important to keep your energy up and stay focused. It’s so easy to end up hibernating like a bear when the mornings are pitch black and the sun sets so early. We recommend getting through this season with the help of some excellent music, like Phantogram’s “Don’t Move” off their recently released Nightlife EP. The duo of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel know exactly how much energy to put into each song to keep things interesting and keep us on task – whether we’re studying for finals, driving to the mountain, trying find last-minute gifts and simply just trying to relax. We definitely recommend you check this one out.

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Available 12/7 – 12/14: Chairlift “Sidewalk Safari”

After the success of their debut album, 2008’s Does You Inspire You, synth-poppers Chairlift wanted to avoid the infamous sophomore slump, so they took their sweet time working on a follow-up. The Brooklyn duo of Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wimberly spread out their recording dates over a full 18 months, a patient approach that shows on their sleek new single, “Sidewalk Safari,” from the upcoming album Something. While you’re at it, be sure to check Chairlift’s patently weird video for “Amanaemonesia,” another top track from Something, out in January on Columbia Records.

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Available 11/30 – 12/7: Fort Lean “Beach Holiday”

Though Fort Lean’s story is fairly familiar – five young Brooklyn men form a rock band, play some gigs, and put out a record – their refreshingly earnest and straightforward sound might just be the perfect antidote for these convoluted times. They have a new four-song self-titled EP (available for free download on their Bandcamp page) full of Smiths-inspired tunes, with “Beach Holiday” and “High Definition” leading the jangle-and-croon charge. This is music for the young, hungry, and inspired.

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Available 11/23 – 11/30: The Good Natured – “Wolves”

Warning!: The Good Natured’s songs are deliriously catchy pieces of Gothic-twisted electro-pop, each one studded with a circular chorus that’s destined to become lodged in your head for days. Indeed, if you’re a fan of Robyn or La Roux, you’re definitely in for a treat! These Brits’ heartbeat-driven anthems are equally ideal for the dancefloor or the treadmill, or especially a car jammed with friends heading out to party. We’ve had the new EP, Skeleton, on constant rotation for weeks – check out “Wolves” and you’re sure to hear what we mean!

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