Before We Get To The Ultimate Playlist ...

I thought I would give you something to listen to in the meantime.  I've heard a couple of bands recently that were either new to me or off of my radar for a while, and I thought I would share.  My heart is small and black, so this is a magnanimous gesture on my part. 

I think I've already told you about the Chills and their amazing song from decades ago called Heavenly Pop Hit.  If not, here it is again.

But this entry isn't about the Chills per se.  No, it's about The Beths.  You see, I used to say that the Chills were the best band ever out of New Zealand (what about the Clean, you say?  And I say, yeah, what about the Clean?).  The Beths are a new band from NZ, but they are off to a terrific start and could ultimately usurp the Chills.  So here's the contender, round for round and pound for pound, the best thing out of NZ in decades.

There's a band that was out there a long time ago that I completely forgot about.  Faraquet, out of DC, recently reissued their material, and it still sounds great.  I was a pretty big Fugazi fan back in the day, and these guys were on the same Ian MacKaye led label, Dischord.  It's a little more prog rock than I normally like, but then again, it's pretty good stuff.  Take a listen:

I was in Texas this weekend, and a friend introduced me to a band called Vintage Trouble.  Oh baby, they are on the list!  Take funk, soul, and rock, mix in a large bowl, and then bake at 350 for an hour.  Voila - out pops an amazing live act.  And this one features a Spanish-speaking intro for all of you multi-lingual readers.

So I'm kinda mad at Ryan for hiding the Screaming Females from me.  I found them all on my own, and now I'm stuck on them.  Great guitar work, catchy tunes and an unforgettable lead vocalist - Marissa Paternoster - who warbles and uses vibrato to great effect.  The best part is that they have about 6 albums out so you can dive DEEP here.  They should be famous.  Enjoy.

That should hold you over for a little bit, right?  I hope so.  I'm working furiously on my first substantive post on the rock playlist subject, but it's taking me more time than I expected.  Check back soon so that your mind can be completely blown.