watch list

Listening:
1. The Morning Pages: This NYC band gets straight to the heart of the roots rock sounds. Listen to: My Name is Lion (mp3)
2. Meredith Bragg: This is the first new track from this gentle and melancholy musician and it's free. Listen to: Next Time (mp3)
3. Rainbow Arabia: This LA band is going to end up being one of the big buzz bands of 2010. They are releasing a free remix ep here next week and is currently working on their new album. Listen to: Kabukimono (Pictureplane's Negative Slave Re-work) (mp3)

Listening:
1. Ninjasonik: The sun is out and it's time to have fun! Listen to: All Our Friends (mp3)
2. The Fresh & Onlys: Garage rock with heart. Listen to: Diamond In The Dark (mp3)
3. The Postelles: Are you tired of that retro-60's-surf-pop sound yet? I'm not. Listen to: White Night (mp3)

Reading:
1. Kind of Like Birds by Mairead Case
2. A Deep Ache, a Hum by Beth Thomas

Listening:
1. White Fence: This solo Southern California musician creates bedroom pop like no other. His self-titled debut album will be released this April on Woodsist. Listen to: The Love Between (mp3)
2. Madeline: Athens, GA is home this unique and beautiful voice. Orange Twin Records is releasing a tour ep on March 4th that features three tracks from Madeline along with music from Karl Blau and Your Heart Breaks. Listen to: I Waited All Day (mp3)

Listening:
1. Warm Ones: A Chicago band with a sound I just can't get enough of. It's simple but addicting.
2. Ulysses Campbell: St Petersburg is home to this fun electronic musician. Listen to: Dinosaur Hunting (mp3)
3. Oakred: A Sweden based paying tribute to the gentler side of Pearl Jam. Listen to: Bleeding Heart (mp3)

Reading:
1. Things the Dictionary Will Not Tell a Person by Brandon Will
2. Cobalt Blues by Kelsey Wollin
3. Kidney Stones by Scott McClanahan

This week's Watch List comes from Mel Bosworth. Mel was also kind enough to offer up three copies of his recent collection "When the Cats Razzed the Chickens" to the first three people to e-mail him at eddiesocko [AT] gmail.com with OA Contest in the subject line! Congrats to our winners Rebekah Silverman, Chloe Caldwell, and Gabe Durham!

Listening:
1. Nothing Like a Song(mp3) by Azure Ray, off their 2003 album "Hold On Love." This breathy, beautiful duo from Athens, Georgia disbanded in 2004. Wah.
2. Suspect Device(mp3) by Stiff Little Fingers, off their 1979 album "Inflammable Material." This song, and the entire album, still kicks ass over 30 years later.

Listening:
1. MillionYoung: A dynamo from Florida, MillionYoung has been tearing it up. I recently received a great remix of his song "Cynthia" from Letting Up Despite Great Faults. Listen to: "Cynthia" (Letting Up Despite Great Faults Remix) (mp3)
2. Young Sinclairs: This Roanoke, VA band is releasing a new vinyl only album next month. Listen to: Tribe (mp3)
3. Sonoi: A Chicago band with an experimental flare. Listen to: Sherry Falls (mp3)

Reading:

This week we have a special edition of The Watch List courtesy of Gabe Durham. Gabe has been kind enough to give away three copies of his chapbook "The Complete Genealogy of Everyone, Ever," to the first three people to e-mail him at gabe.durham@gmail.com. Just put "OA Giveaway" in the subject line. (Congrats to the WINNERS... Mel Bosworth, Ben Segal, and Pete Anderson!)

Listening:
1. Vampire Weekend - Contra - hey, I like them now! track 4 makes incredible use of autotune
2. David Bazan - Curse Your Branches - his best-produced album in awhile. still spiritually pissed
3. The Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed - not just for bar jukeboxes and Martin Scorsese movies anymore

Reading:
1. Sam Lipsyte - Homeland - hilarious, devastating

Listening:
1. Von Haze: Dark and ominious lo-fi electro from Brooklyn. Listen to: Sooner or Later (mp3)
2. The Mynabirds: This is really Laura Burhenn of Georgie James and her solo debut will be out in April from Saddle Creek. She is incredible. Listen to: Numbers Don’t Lie (mp3)
3. The Wave Picture: Fresh from London, this band is a mixture of The Smiths, Jens Lekman, and it only took me 12 years to catch on!

Reading:
1. Is the Devil a Black Man? by Spencer Dew

Listening:
1. Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family: A band from Paris that likes to sing about Brooklyn. They are releasing the US Debut in March. Listen to: That Song (mp3)
2. Spirit Kid: Classic pop without apologies. Listen to: My Imagination (mp3)

Listening:
1. Holopaw: Not only does this band play creative pop music, but they have a strong love for independent artists. Listen to: The Art Teacher and the Little Stallion (mp3)
2. Says She's Ms. Blat: A little Fiona Apple, a little something all them own, this band's free debut LP can be downloaded here.
3. Good Shoes: They call it sleezy-disco, but I just call it fun pop music. You can download their single "Under Control" here.

Reading:
1. The Time Broker by Heather Fowler