>> We find it hard to believe we haven't written about Brooklyn-based electropop duo Cookies for almost a year, especially because of its wonderful second single which was released late this past spring, but there you go. The duo of former Mobius Band guitarist Ben Sterling and singer Melissa Metrick has just dropped its genius third single, the apparently digital-only pairing of "Wilderness Tips" b/w "The Dream." The thumping A-side is deftly composed, an arresting mid-tempo hand-clapper that croons and thumps. The flip, "The Dream," is perhaps even more remarkable, as spare and soulful vocals float over rhythm tracks that echo certain of the best German electropop acts of the last decade. Mr. Sterling's loose, Frisell-esque guitar lead at the tail end of the track is life-affirming, and Ms. Metrick's layered backing vocal here is pleasantly reminiscent of that of the chorus to Zero 7's "In The Waiting Line," which you likely first heard on the 2004 soundtrack to the Zach Braff vehicle Garden State. Two previous Cookies singles, last year's "Summer Jam" b/w "Throw A Parade" and "Boycrazy" b/w "1,000 Breakfasts With You," were released on 10" vinyl. For the physical media-impaired, you can download MP3s of all three singles at the Cookies Internet Home Page right here, and we highly recommend you do. One thing we didn't know is that Mr. Sterling also devotes a fair amount of time to composing for hire, and you can sample some of his "professional work" right here. Cookies also has a Tumblr, because, you know, why not? Check out "Wilderness Tips" via the Soundcloud embed below and then go download all that stuff, it's wonderful.
Cookies' "Wilderness Tips" by clicky clicky music blog
>> Philadelphia-based indie rockers The Swimmers make a long-awaited return to the stage Sept. 24 at Kung-Fu Necktie in its hometown; we haven't heard from the band since its unsettling but superlative 2009 sophomore set People Are Soft [review here]. An email from the quartet promises the show will contain material from The Swimmers' wonderful debut Fighting Trees as well as "some new surprises," so hopefully we'll be hearing more from the act soon. Fighting Trees was one of our favorite records of 2008. If you'd care to have your face rocked off, why not watch this video of "Drug Party," filmed at Piano's in New York in Nov. 2009. The tune was the highlight of People Are Soft.
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