The Cure pictures from Artist Direct

"Our Ill Wills" by Shout Out Louds

Indie-pop seems to have become the unofficial national genre of Sweden. Anchored by the freewheeling, childlike approach of I'm From Barcelona and the breakout popularity of Peter Bjorn and John, twee-pop is becoming just as common as Ikea. Following in line with their Scandinavian peers—and the trajectory of their excellent 2005 debut Howl Howl Gaff Gaff—Shout Out Louds' second offering, Our Ill Wills, is a scrapbook 12 songs deep of insecurities, lost nights and lost loves. 1980s British mope-pop is an undeniable influence, as the band cribs The Smiths' juxtaposition of bouncy, jilting guitars with sardonic and self-deprecating lyrics and the vocal stylings of The Cure's Robert Smith. But Shout Out Louds aren't short on creativity of their own. "Tonight I Have To Leave It" kicks off the record (and sets the bar high) with a Johnny Marr-style chord progression fused with staccato percussion and bursts of waltzing strings that undulate

Published: 2007-09-13 Provider: Artist Direct

"Buckle in the Bible Belt" by Ha Ha Tonka

Ha Ha Tonka aren't shy about flaunting their Southern influences on their debut album, Buckle in the Bible Belt. Based out of Missouri, the band blends rockabilly and folk with an indie-rock mentality, even throwing in some elements of gospel on the album's first single, "St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor." While Ha Ha Tonka are musically fairly traditional, living in the South has had a much darker effect on their lyrics. As the band chugs away, lead singer Brian Roberts sneaks in amidst all of the foot-stomping to sing about methamphetamines ("Gusto"), the death grip of religion ("Bully in the Pulpit") and the failures of American healthcare ("Cure for the Common Cold"), all of which directly impact the group's home region. Yet, even when Ha Ha Tonka are delving into serious subject matter, the energetic swagger of the music lifts the mood away from melancholy—and the band even manages to slip in a love song here and there ("Falling In", "You Lit Up the Night").

Published: 2007-09-18 Provider: Artist Direct