That Was The Show That Was: Amanda X with Sneeze and Dylan Ewan & The Sulk Scouts | O'Brien's | May 19

You may recall that a year ago we sang the praises of the massively fecund Philly indie pop scene in our review of Radiator Hospital's life-affirming Something Wild long-player [review]. Given the fact that our executive editor grew up in the 215, this publication aspires to stay abreast of what is what in the Philly musical underground, and there is definitely a lot of "what" surrounding that city's garage rock three-piece Amanda X. Fronted by guitarist Cat Park, the act proffers a potent strain of hook-heavy punk not far removed from that of erstwhile Philadelphians Swearin'. The most affecting Amanda X songs pit Park's vocals against those of bassist Kat Bean, a pairing that creates strained, distant and almost subversive harmonies.

The trio performed a week ago at O'Brien's in Allston Rock City, billed behind local noise-pop titans Sneeze. We're given to understand that the fellows in Sneeze helped the Philadelphians get on the bill, but we expect Amanda X's star will only continue to rise, and they won't need much in the way of help scoring gigs in the future. Primarily playing tunes from its forthcoming, Jeff Zeigler-recorded debut record Amnesia for the storied Philly label Siltbreeze (which has released notable records for a quarter century from bands including Bardo Pond, The Dead C and Temple Of Bon Matin), Amanda X pressed a fully-realized, confident sound, a sound that carried an even sharper edge, as the date was at the tail-end of the band's now-wrapped strand of North American tour dates. Scattered shows this summer take the threesome to ports of call including NYC's Rough Trade outlet store/concert space June 13 with Tweens and Marnie Stern; Amanda X is also already booked to play Philly's Underground Arts Sept. 11 with legendary Japanese indie institution Shonen Knife.

Not to be overlooked is the fact that Sneeze also have a new full-length on deck; the Justin Pizzoferrato'd (yeah, dude gets his own verb at this point) Wilt will be issued next month on Glory Kid. Based on a brace of thrilling preview tracks, which we've posted below, the set will be a doozy (pre-order here if you know what is good for you). For its set a week ago, Sneeze delivered its characteristically thick, sludgy riffs and shouty, pained vocals, both underpinned by a sturdy melodic sense. The trio plays O'Brien's again next month for the Wilt release show, an evening that also features the ridiculously great Ovlov; full details for that event are right here. That show presently appears to be Sneeze's only engagement of the summer, but our spidey sense tells us there will be much rocking to be done once Wilt actually drops. BUFU Records affiliate Dylan Ewen & The Sulk Scouts opened with its goofball take on retro-leaning girl-group pop and beachy surf music. Sources tell us future Ewen dates include a pair of house shows in late June, so ask a punk for details. -- Dillon Riley

Amanda X: Bandcamp | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitterz

Today's Hotness: All Dogs, Idiot Genes, Soft Focus

>> You are going to start hearing Columbus, OH-based indie-punkers All Dogs' name quite often. The young, female-led trio is signed to Salinas Records, a label the music cognoscenti have come to know well for releasing the crucial indie rock platters from Swearin', Waxahatchee and Radiator Hospital over the last two years. Indeed, All Dogs' music neatly fits into the label's aesthetic: the threesome's four-four rockers burst with energy even at the mid-tempo that characterizes the opening pair of tunes from the very enjoyable self-titled, debut 7" that Salinas released last week. The rudimentary instrumentation leaves a lot of space for fronter Maryn Jones' clear and evocative voice to take a starring role, and hers (which recalls that of Bettie Serveert fronter Carol Van Dijk at times) is particularly affecting during the doleful closing cut "Say," certainly a highlight even among this very strong four-song collection. The All Dogs 7" is available via mail order now, and easily worth double the $5 asking price, so click this link to get yours from Salinas before the first run is gone, 'cause these are gonna go fast. All Dogs don't have any shows booked until next month, but Boston fans should take note now that further out in the future the band will be at Great Scott Jan. 21 supporting their very, very hotly tipped labelmates Waxahatchee, who just finished a triumphant strand of UK dates. We expect that will be a show everyone will talk about all through the late winter and into the spring, and we advise you to get tickets ASAP because the buzz is only going to get louder. And that may or may not be your tinnitus talking. What? I can't hear you, the phone keeps ringing. What? Stream the exquisite All Dogs single via the Bandcamp embed below. All Dogs are already at work on songs for a full-length, and previously issued a very fine split tape with Slouch.



>> You thrilled the sandpaper-across-the-face vibes of its self-titled EP at the beginning of the year, which included the bouncy shouter "The Charles Mansion," and now Allston Rock City fuzz-pop standouts Idiot Genes are back with another eight-pack of beery, big-muff anthems. Idiot Genes come by all of their bashing and feedback and sludge honestly: the new collection, titled Lousey, was recorded in the quartet's practice space earlier this fall. The set is thronged with throaty belters including the breakneck bomp of opener "Regular" and the more moderately paced "Soaked Pillow." The latter's lyrics evoke an easy smile, particularly the closing chant "WHEN I DREAM I DROOL! WHEN I DREAM I DROOL!" It's tempting to employ the word "primitive" here to try to capture the essence of the foursome's collective appeal, but that word would not do justice to the way Idiot Genes' music will infiltrate your consciousness. Lousey was released via Bandcamp on Hallowe'en; stream it via the embed below and then click and paywhutchalike to acquire the digital files for your personal use. Idiot Genes are playing on a ridiculously good bill (presented by Allston Pudding) Nov. 14 top-lined by UK-based indie sensations Paws and Philadelphia nu-emo stars Little Big League, who rule. We featured Idiot Genes' "The Charles Mansion" during New Music Night 10 last spring.



>> There was little actual use of soft focus employed by Soft Focus, the scrappy, youthful Cambridge, Mass.-based indie pop group whose music we have been enjoying lately, and who, sadly, have apparently already called it a day. But perhaps the threesome's name evinces itself in other ways. Soft Focus gradually resolved over the past year with a couple of singles, and now comes the posthumous Day EP, which showcases well the band's bashing, gleeful style. Jangly, sometimes angular guitar lines announce each of the four songs here, and the ensuing performances and production suggest that the trio's music is an apt soundtrack for a swinging basement show. One can almost see (smell? -- Ed.) the beer stains, smiling faces and taped-up Christmas lights as tunes like the yearning, head-bobbing opener "POG" ply their charms. Drummer Garren Orr keeps the snare tight and fast, while lead singer Joe Holcomb delivers emotional, punk-braised vocals -- which incidentally, recall those of Shout Out Louds fronter Adam Olenius -- without clouding the carefree character of the tunes. On EP highlight "Summer Sin" the band executes perfectly. Crisp lead guitar proclaims a bright melody and presents 12-string resonance, which in sum reminds this reviewer of George Harrison's work on "Nowhere Man." While that influence is likely not front of mind for Soft Focus, their listing of Bloc Party as an inspiration frames the Day EP in an interesting light. It's evidence of a younger generation of DIY musicians taking decade-old references and reshaping them into part of their own musical identity. It is hard to know whether such influences would have continued to guide the band's music, as this EP and one other referenced at Bandcamp would seem to be the final transmissions from Soft Focus (two of its principals have apparently gone to the west coast). Even if that next EP fails to materialize, the Day EP is a fine way to go out. It was released to the wilds of the Internerds Oct. 2 and is available as a pay-what-you-choose download; stream it below and then click through to make it your very, very own. -- Edward Charlton

Today's Hotness: Potty Mouth, Psapp, Swearin'

>> So we endeavored to deliver some real talk in our review of Potty Mouth's full-length debut, which was published in the fine electronic pages of Vanyaland Friday. We wrote about gender and double-standards and all-female bands, if only because when we came up in the scene decades ago those sorts of discussions were an everyday occurrence. We don't hear them much anymore, which is probably more a function of our spending 1/3 of our life at work, another 1/3 interacting with those under the age of five, and the final 1/3 either asleep or wishing we were asleep, than anything else. If we have one misgiving about the piece it is that it may read as if we felt like the Northampton, Mass.-based foursome needed defending. Nothing could be further from the truth. These women are as capable of staking their place in the world as they are of creating a terrific rock record, which is what they've done with Hell Bent. Sure, the collection does not invent the wheel, and as we stated in our piece, it neither aims to instruct (think Bikini Kill) nor does it get arty (think The Slits). This is the reason we set up the Vanyaland piece by referencing legendary California punk acts JFA and The Descendents. If you take a wide view on the first decade of punk rock, we think California bands more than those of any other scene kept punk fun, playful. Yes, Dead Kennedys brought serious political game, yes, Uniform Choice delivered straightedge rage in spades, and, yes, there are other notable outliers. But California punk's collective determination to keep punk fun, maybe even somewhat innocent, is a notion we feel Potty Mouth shares. We think you'll like Hell Bent, and we encourage you to check out our piece at Vanyaland via the link above. Before you click away, however, check out the two tracks from the record, "The Spins" and "Damage," that we've embedded below. Old Flame releases Hell Bent Tuesday, and you can order it right here.





>> Four years used to seem like a long time... and we suppose it still is in the life of a rock 'n' roll band. That's how long it has been since we've heard a squeak, skronk or ding from UK-based toytronica duo Psapp. We suppose the band is best known for having a song used as the theme to a teevee show in the US, but their records are all enjoyable and quirky in a sort of Tracey Thorn-meets-Tom Waits kind of way. News arrived last week that the duo was back, with a new song in tow and a promise that a new LP is not far off. The new tune "Everything Belongs To The Sun" touts a jagged, percussive groove, which underpins singer Galia Durant's incantatory vocals. It's not nearly as melodic as the powerfully poignant ballads that highlight Psapp's catalog, such as "Tricycle," or the brilliant click-and-cut tour de force "Leaving In Coffins." But "Everything Belongs To The Sun" exudes energy and confidence, and leaves us eager to hear more of the new music the band has promised. We'll keep you updated. In the meantime, stream the new song via the embed below.



>> Philly-based punk-pop superheroes Swearin' announced Friday it will release a sophomore set entitled Surfing Strange later this fall. The quartet's collection, described by some as both heavier and moodier, will be issued by Salinas Records in the US Nov. 5, and via Wichita in the UK the prior day, because that is how the UK rolls. Surfing Strange presents 11 songs, including the preview track "Watered Down," a thumping, mid-tempo strummer sung by Kyle Gilbride. Swearin' are touring the UK in October with its literal sister band Waxahatchee, and then will return to the US for a long strand of dates that stretches from mid-November through mid-December. Swearin's self-titled debut was one of our favorite records of 2012; Wichita is releasing it in the UK next month, meaning two Swearin' releases will be issued in back-to-back months over there, meaning UK music fans should be feeling pretty happy right now. Stream "Watered Down" via the Soundcloud embed below.

Review: Radiator Hospital | Something Wild

It seems like only yesterday we were praising the merits of the latest and greatest from the white-hot Philadelphia underground, but even so it didn't take us long to turn up something new from the musically fertile City of Brotherly Love, something that just may be the best the metropolis has to offer this year, Radiator Hospital's terrific LP Something Wild.

Indie pop concern Radiator Hospital is the brainchild of Philly-based singer/songwriter Sam Cook-Parrott. While Something Wild features a fully fleshed-out, four-piece band including Swearin' drummer Jeff Bolt on the skins, Mr. Cook-Parrott has been releasing singles and EPs with different collaborators for a few years under the Radiator Hospital moniker. Incidentally, Mr. Bolt isn't the only connection between Radiator Hospital and Swearin’: the two acts also share a living space. That’s right, folks, the house that brought you Swearin', Waxahatchee and the Crutchfields twins' mutual side project Great Thunder is also home to yet one more killer indie rock act. Indeed, Something Wild was even recorded in said house. And while a new record from Swearin' could be out this fall, any new entries in the realm of indie pop in 2013 will have to go a very great distance to surpass the brilliance of Something Wild.

Breathlessly brief at under a half hour, Something Wild still captivates and satisfies in a way few other records have this year. That's largely because it's so dynamic. The long-player, which touts 13 tracks, boasts an impressive stylistic breadth and depth offering almost equal parts revved-up pop-punk, unguarded folk and jangly downer-pop. Indeed, at times individual songs can sound like the product of different groups. But what's best about Something Wild, however, is that it never feels the least bit empty. Cook-Parrott jettisons all unnecessary excess, and occasionally even conventional song structures, to focus more intently on crafting short and sweet bursts of sugary pop goodness. Even in the single rare instance that the band draws things out over three minutes during the acoustic strummer "Big Cloud," the subdued tune more than gets by on the raw immediacy of pretty, layered vocal harmonies and rootsy instrumentation.

Cook-Parrott is just as comfortable nasally waxing poetic over a brittle and crudely recorded acoustic guitar as he is belting out love-lorn narratives above over-driven guitars and pounding drums. Needless to say he's just as effective at conveying emotion either way. It should come as no surprise then that Something Wild's greatest track, "Your Boyfriend," reaches its emotional climax when Cook-Parrott and co. shift from one dynamic extreme to the other. Kudos to any band that can turn real emotional pain into catchy summer jams as well as these guys do. With no shortage of electrifying tunes, from the belter "Our Song" (and its fist-banging chorus "You won't get off that easy, no don't say you love me, when you know you don't") to the, uh, other belter "Ghost Story," Radiator Hospital delivers the goods in as impressive a fashion as we've heard all year. Something Wild is due July 15 on LP from Salinas Records and pre-orders are being taken right here. The record is also available as a free download from Bandcamp (click through the embed below), so indie rock fans have no excuse not to treat themselves to Something Wild. -- Dillon Riley

Radiator Hospital: Bandcamp | Facebook | Internerds | Vimeo

Today's Hotness: Audio Antihero Comp, Break It Up, COH



>> London's ineptly brilliant Audio Antihero recently unleashed a cracking, 31-track charity compilation, the latest in the label's efforts to leverage the music of its various constituents and supporters to do some good for those in need, in this instance the organizations Rape Crisis -- England and Wales and Rape Crisis -- Scotland. These two entities do an impressive number of things that you can read about here and here, but we think it is important for our largely US-based readership to understand that these services "are community-based, and independent of government and the criminal justice system." It being Audio Antihero, of course the comp has a ludicrous professional wrestling-inspired title, Regal Vs. Steamboat. Given the length and stylistic breadth of the collection of songs -- which is available for a minimum donation of £3.99 -- the set is just short of an unspoken invitation from the label to fans to mix and match favorites, perhaps creating three more traditionally sized compilations. The line-up includes a number of tunes from Clicky Clicky besties, including a thrilling hyperpop gem from Internet Forever and a classic downer from Benjamin Shaw, whose tune "Goodbye, Cagoule World" was recorded live at London's Union Chapel last year as part of Daylight Music weekly Saturday lunchtime shows. Well, consider AAH's unmade challenge met, as we've gone ahead and identified a Clicky Clicky's Choice (tm) version of Regal Vs. Steamboat that spotlights our 10 favorites of the 31, jumping off from AAH helmer Jamie Volcano's own lead-off choice, Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love's "Change The Mistake." Along the way you'll also hear a blindingly brilliant rocker from Glaswegians United Fruit and a similarly vital anthem from Ben Parker's current and ridiculously slept-on project The Jonbarr Hinge. You can stream our truncated, guitar-pop-plus-leaning Clicky Clicky's Choice version via the series of hyperlinked titles below, but once you click through, do what you can to support this extremely worthy cause being championed by Mr. Halliday, who is both a good and amusing man.

1. Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love - "Change The Mistake"
2. Burnt Palms -- "Empty Place"
3. Internet Forever -- "I'll Sleep When I'm Alive"
4. Wartgore Hellsnicker -- "Perfect Competition"
5. United Fruit -- "Go Away, Don't Leave Me Alone"
6. The Jonbarr Hinge -- "Don't Feel So Sorry For Yourself"
7. Salvage My Dream -- "Give In, Give Up (Modern Girls cover)"
8. Princess -- "Junk Mail"
9. Grand Pocket Orchestra -- "No One"
10. David Cronenberg's Wife -- "Drawn Again (Original Version)"

>> While Clicky Clicky will always have at least one ear on the city because it is the former home of our esteemed executive editor, presently Philadelphia is noticeably gathering some of that shifting, cyclical shine that periodically illuminates the music scenes of certain cities, causing folks to weigh appellations like "indie rock mecca." Between the runaway success of the Crutchfield twins (who you know from their shit-hot and totally quality acts Swearin' and Waxahatchee), the buzzing rise from Purling Hiss and the prolonged success of scene mainstay Kurt Vile, Philadelphia's present ascendency is incontrovertible. One could make an argument the aforementioned shine shows no sign of dimming based on the city of brotherly love's latest entry into the fold, indie-pop trio Break It Up. The band -- which includes Easton, Mass.-bred Dan Morse on guitar -- achieves a familiar, '90s-styled sound without a bassist, instead electing to leave aural space into which fluid, textural guitar work blossoms and bounces. The threesome's "New Penzance," taken from its recently released full-length debut Break It Up, is a stunner, all galloping drums, ringing guitars and two-part harmonies. Stream the tune via the Soundcloud embed below, and purchase the entire peppy and bright set, recorded at Philadelphia's Uniform Recording with renowned engineer Jeff Zeigler, via Bandcamp right here. -- Dillon Riley



>> As we've stated somewhere, we've been coming back around to revisit and catch up on the progress of certain of the electronic acts we used to follow when we first started spending a lot of our time writing about music. Some 11 years back we drew an assignment for Junkmedia to review a full-length of minimal electronic compositions from Russian-born Swede and acoustic engineer Ivan Pavlov, who releases music under the guise of COH, among others. We were largely stymied by COH's 2002 release (of recordings made several years prior) titled Mask Of Birth, as this over-long and rather defensive review evidences. There have been at least 17 releases since that time for various projects Mr. Pavlov is part of, but the latest set from COH (which, incidentally, is the Russian word for sleep), Retro-2038, is where we've finally picked up the thread again. In contrast to Mask Of Birth, the new eight-song collection is warm and inviting -- not necessarily the first two adjectives that come to mind when discussing minimal electronic music, we admit. Even so, we can't say enough good things about what we've heard: there is still a variety of textures and tones at play here, but rhythms tend to gravitate largely around a conventional 4/4 and melody is as pronounced in these eight songs as it is in, say, this recent, more banging but brilliant track from the untouchable electronic genius Keith Fullerton Whitman, or even My Bloody Valentine's superlative 2013 surprise mbv. Retro-2038 was issued by Editions Mego May 13, and the record is available for purchase on CD on double LP (drool...) as an import right here. Sure, with the shipping and exchange rate, this isn't a cheap investment, but it is certainly one of our favorite electronic releases of the year so far. Stream the entire collection via the YouTube embed below.

Clicky Clicky Music Blog's Top Albums Of 2012: Jay Edition

Man, what a thrilling year of music we had. So many surprises, and so many favorite bands making some of the best music of their careers. It was gratifying to sit and listen to it all go by, to see and feel the shows we were able to make it out to see. But there can only be 10 favorites in our list below, and we're super pleased to be able to share them with you below. We'll reiterate our position: music is important. This thing we all share, the fandom, the making, the considering, the camaraderie of being out in the clubs: you get to a point in your life where you realize how important that is. It's inherently optimistic, in a way, our collective pursuit -- whether that be a pursuit of artistic perfection or the hedonistic thrill of having the music just wash over you -- innit? We thank all of the bands we wrote about this year for inspiring us, and we thank all of you readers for sharing our passion for it all. We're more excited than ever for the future, and as difficult as recent events have been for so many, let's remember: the potential for greater things is always sitting out there. The bands whose albums are below certainly chased that and made good. Take a few minutes to reflect with us upon the best 2012 had to offer.

1. Karl Hendricks Trio -- The Adult Section -- Comedy Minus One

Was anyone expecting a new record from Karl Hendricks Trio back when the calendar flipped to January? Was anyone expecting it to be this great? We're betting for most of us the answer to those questions are no. While we weren't looking, Mr. Hendricks was slowly writing rock hits in his beloved home town of Pittsburgh, at the pace of a few a year by his own reckoning, and retrofitting his Rock Band back to its original Trio configuration. Gone -- obliterated under the delightfully excoriating guitars of "The Men's Room At The Airport" -- are the lighter touch and looser feel of 2007's The World Says, which is a fine record indeed [review], but it didn't contain the sort of mint condition Hendricks losercore found on the Trio's classic records. Does that make The Adult Section a "return to form," a phrase we loathe? Whatever it is, it resulted in a collection of fiery rockers and thoughtful ballads, a collection that was our favorite of 2012. Stream "The Men's Room At The Airport" via the embed below or stream the entire record via Spotify via this link. We were pleased to be able to publish a comprehensive interview with Hendricks in July that you can read right here.



2. Golden Gurls -- Typo Magic -- Self-Released

Ever since Baltimore-based Golden Gurls' record was brought to our attention we have written about it early and often, so it should surprise precisely no one to find it firmly lodged here in the upper echelon of our year-end list. Along with the above-referenced The Adult Section, Typo Negative was among the first things we grabbed (well, you know, digitally grabbed, "grabbed") whenever we had some mental headspace and music-listening downtime, meaning it was the thing we listened to a lot because we WANTED to, not because it was sitting in our queue awaiting our critical attention. The tune "I Can See The City From Here" was one of our favorite songs of the year, but song-for-song Typo Magic is remarkably strong all the way across the record, from the delicately burbling ballad "Cars On Mars" to the cracking anthem "Excited." We reviewed Typo Magic here in May, and published an interview with Golden Gurls' fronter Andrew Mabry right here in September. Stream the whole thing via the Bandcamp embed below.



3. Ringo Deathstarr - Mauve -- Sonic Unyon

Because of a successful PledgeMusic campaign mounted by the band to fund it, Ringo Deathstarr's sophomore set Mauve didn't enjoy the element of surprise as did Typo Magic, which dropped out of nowhere upon on us, but nonetheless the record's length and depth made it incredibly enjoyable. We spun the Austin-based trio's LP constantly during the waning days of summer and into the early fall, side one for days and then side two for days because our turntable is a real pain in the ass to access to rock the flip. No matter. Mauve is bursting with lysergic stargazing rockers ("Slack," "Waste") and dance-inflected, moody groovers ("Brightest Star," "Drag"), and the Deathstarr sounds almost eerily at ease working within its various idioms. Perhaps it is the greater emphasis on ambience and atmosphere that distinguishes much of the music on Mauve from the band's prior releases, but truly nothing seems out of the band's grasp on the record. As such, we're eager to hear where Elliot Frazier and his cohort take the band next. Stream "Rip" via the Soundcloud embed below, or listen to all of Mauve at Spotify via this link.



4. Infinity Girl -- Stop Being On My Side -- Self-Released

What else is there left to say about Infinity Girl? The young Boston band's star has burned very brightly over the course of the last six months on the strength of this record and the band's impassioned live shows. In light of the news that the band is entering a hibernation of indeterminate length, Stop Being On My Side (and the recently issued, sparkling Just Like Lovers EP) takes on even greater importance as a document of a great shoegaze band. It's all about the songs, of course, and readers already saw us name "Please Forget" as one of our favorite tracks of 2012 here. But the record is filled with great music from front to back, until the final moments of "Cannons" fade out. Seeing the band close its EP release show earlier this month with a crushing iteration of that tune was the perfect way for Infinity Girl to close this chapter. Until another one begins, we've got this record, which we reviewed right here in June. We were privileged to publish a long-form interview with fronter Nolan Eley and drummer Sebastian Modak right here in July.



5. Johnny Foreigner -- Names EP -- Alcopop Records

Just having the Birmingham, England-based noise-pop titans come to America would have been enough. That they played our benefit show in Boston early last month was completely unreal and awesome. But to top it off by dropping a sterling EP this fall as well? Johnny Foreigner have always been the band that kept on giving, but despite not releasing a full-length this year we can't help but feel lucky as a fan. The four songs released on Names (three each in the U.S. and the U.K., although one title was exclusive to each territory) are all electric, fist-banging rockers of the first order, and the EP -- the band's fifth -- is another in an impressively lengthy strand of brilliant releases. We reviewed Names right here last month. Stream the whole dealy via the Bandcamp embed below.



6. Big Science -- Difficulty -- Self-Released

It's a very compelling transformation, that evolution of San Diego-based The North Atlantic's post-hardcore/Archers alloy into the brilliant, crystalline, reggae-influenced space pop of Chicago's Big Science. The quartet released in May its debut full length Difficulty, and it is a slow-burning, certified indie rock classic. Drawing from the band's strengths as first mapped on the excellent 2008 EP The Coast Of Nowhere, Difficulty captures the band's music in full, dewy bloom. Opening with the spectral ballad "All Of The Heat Has Escaped" and climaxing with the spine-tingling, wide-screened guitar anthem "Subliminal," Big Science's record was a jaw-dropper at every turn. With its lush sonics and sturdy rhythms, the record is an embarrassment of riches, and certainly one worthy of wider attention and critical kudos. Stream all of Difficulty via the Bandcamp embed below.



7. Swearin' -- Swearin' -- Self-Released

Sometimes we think this record is almost cheating, the way Brooklyn quartet Swearin's self-titled debut LP gives us exactly what we want: great melodies, punky attitude, raw production. And so maybe Swearin' is doing us two great services: not only is it giving us music we love, that reminds us of The Breeders and early Built To Spill, but also it's a reminder that maybe the seriousness with which we typically focus our critical ear upon music can sometimes cause us to miss the point. That point being that great music can also be fun. Not to discredit any of the brilliant songwriting here, or the propulsive energy with which Ms. Allison Crutchfield and her band of merry persons deliver these twelve numbers. For much of the year Swearin' was available as a free download, but it was subsequently released by Salinas Records and is available as an LP or CD right here. It's a crucial record, it includes one of our favorite songs of the year, and you should buy it. In the meantime catch the stream via the Bandcamp embed below.



8. Hospitality -- Hospitality -- Merge

It seems like every year there is one pure indie pop record that comes along and wins our heart outright. And while it was a tight battle for that distinction between this and Allo Darlin's Europe, the ITunes playcounts don't lie, and Brooklyn-based Hospitality's delicious self-titled debut full-length takes the prize. From the odd disco of "The Birthday" to the nostalgic, pretty strummer "Betty Wang," from the shimmering wall of sound in "Argonaut" to the relatively rocking album highlight "The Right Profession," Hospitality boasts gems at every turn that only gained more luster as we listened repeatedly in recent months. Listen to "Friends Of Friends" via the Soundcloud embed below or stream the entire thing via Spotify right here.



9. Ted Billings -- American Bedrooms -- Self-released

Ted Billings' first solo full length is the most recent entry into our list, a feat made possible by the collection's forthright hooks, near-palpable energy and rich narrative. That Boston rocker Mr. Billings was able to turn this set around in only one year after his band Age Rings' epic 2011 release Black Honey -- which was made available as both a double album to Kickstarter backers and an abridged, single disc set released by Midriff Records -- is a remarkable feat. Perhaps the short window of time to work in helped inspire Billings. No matter what incited it, the well-sequenced American Bedrooms is an eminently listenable record, eight tightly composed power-pop songs that inexorably proceed to a startling conclusion in the sweet and dour ballad "Rotten World." Highly recommended. Stream the entire record via the Bandcamp embed below.



10. Everyone Everywhere -- Everyone Everywhere (2012) -- Self-released

Philly-based emo heroes certainly seem to go about things in their own way, be it the clever blog tour that promoted their first self-titled set a few years ago or the fact that its most recent record -- also excellent -- was self-released on the band's own imprint and promoted with a huge UK and European tour months ago, but will only see a local record release show next month (Jan. 19 at The Barbary in Philadelphia). Indeed, Everyone Everywhere has already sold out of its first pressing, and the band hasn't even celebrated the thing in its hometown yet. It's certainly worth the fuss, as the album showcases the band taking its big guitars and punchy rhythms and using them to make a record dealing with markedly more mature issues. Album highlight "No Furniture" was among our favorite songs of the year, and we reviewed Everyone Everywhere [2012] in September right here. Stream the entire thing via the Bandcamp embed below.

Clicky Clicky's Top Songs Of 2012: Jay Edition

2012 provided another year of incredible music, from both Boston bands and the wider world. Music continued to transport us, to provide opportunities for celebration and for solace. Our simple mantra, that "music is important," drove us to engage with it in more and deeper ways, and -- not coincidentally -- our care and attention consistently was rewarded by bands finding new methods of knocking our proverbial socks off. And so we arrive at the end of the year, where we cast a long look back, we take stock of our ITunes playcounts, we think about the songs that occupied our mind and heart. The fruits of that examination are below, where we present our 10 favorite songs of 2012. Frankly, there are certain songs we are surprised not to see there (Karl Hendricks Trio's "The Men's Room At The Airport" immediately jumped to mind). But what did make the cut are tunes that moved us and continue to move us many months on. Expect to see our top albums list later this week, and perhaps lists from Michael and Edward before the year is out -- or before the new year has off-gassed a substantial amount of its newness -- as well. For now, we wish you and yours a peaceful and hopefully joyful balance of the year. If the songs below are not yet in your life, take some time and get into it.

1. Sun Airway -- "Close" -- Soft Fall

We try to stay sort of scientific with our top picks of the year, relying largely on data (basically, ITunes play counts). But there is also something to be said for the aggregate amount of time one spends singing a song to himself, something you will see us reference over and over below, and Sun Airway's "Close" ranks highest for us in 2012 based on that metric. The lovelorn lyric "I tried to get close to you," delivered by Sun Airway fronter Jon Barthmus, is among the most affecting of any this year, simple though it may be. The composition and arrangement on this brilliant single is anything but simple, however, with technicolor melodies and layered guitar and synths steadily spiraling around a stuttering rhythmic axis. Listen in via the embed below, and check out the amazing video right here. We reviewed the record for The Boston Phoenix in October right here.



2. Golden Gurls -- "I Can See The City" -- Typo Magic

A jaunty rhythm, big dense guitars modeled on Dinosaur Jr.'s Bug record, and a series of great melodies: what more can an indie rock fan ask for? "I Can See The City" is but one highlight of the Baltimore trio's exceptional debut full-length. From the undeniable, gestural guitar riff to the light, bouncing melody that complements it, to the peanut butter-thick guitars in the bridge, this is an understated piece of genius from one of the most thoughtful songwriters we've encountered in recent years. We're terrifically excited for Golden Gurls' planned sophomore set, but the band has set an extremely high bar for itself with Typo Magic and brilliant songs like "I Can See The City." We reviewed Typo Magic right here in May.



3. Everyone Everywhere -- "No Furniture" -- Everyone Everywhere (2012)

Although it opens with chugging fuzz bass and pummeling drums, Everyone Everywhere's "No Furniture" eventually exposes the still, desolate heart of the Philly punk heroes' second self-titled full-length, which the band self-released in 2012. The lyric describes the dismantling of a domestic situation, and at the tail of its second minute, the drums drop out momentarily, parting the composition like clouds to reveal the line "spare me the car ride home..." -- an indignity the apparently jilted just can't face. It's the receding water line chasing the final surrender of a narrator who's been worn down. And that moment of stillness that sets it off, it's also a momentary fissure in the fourth wall wherein our hero unburdens himself to us. In contrast to the quartet's prior two releases, Everyone Everywhere (2012) is substantially more mature, more emotionally weighty, as "No Furniture" perhaps best illustrates. We reviewed the record in September right here.



4. Swearin' -- "Movie Star" -- Swearin'

There were a number of excellent, excellent records in 2012 that we just didn't have the time to turn our critical ear upon, but that doesn't mean we enjoyed them any less. And so it was with Swearin's self-titled effort. The songs from the collection merged everything we love about pre-Warners Built To Spill -- you know, the brevity, the fizz and melodic sense -- with everything we love about The Breeders -- you know, the spunk and hooks... so pretty much the same thing, right? Chief among the songs on Swearin' in our cold little heart is the album closer "Movie Star." It's got insistent and scritchy guitar and bass, a patient pace, and the cheerfully self-effacing line "no one likes you when you're as old as we are." While we never got around to reviewing this record, we did play "Movie Star" during the September iteration of New Music Night and dozens and dozens of other times as well. Swearin' is an act we expect to hear a lot from for years to come, so if you do not yet know the name, mark it well. Dig the embed below.



5. Infinity Girl -- "Please Forget" -- Stop Being On My Side

This tune explodes out of the gate, even more so when the Boston quartet plays it live, and we never got tired of spinning it this year. In fact, we don't envision getting tired of spinning it any time soon, although the tunes on Infinity Girl's brand new Just Like Lovers EP certainly give this one a run for its money. If it had money, you know, which it doesn't, 'cause it's a song. What were we talking about? Oh, right: "Please Forget," the uptempo, visceral and blurry highlight of Infinity Girl's powerful full-length debut that we reviewed here in June. It's a tidal wave of melody, noise and sentiment.



6. Hop Along -- "Lament" -- Get Disowned

It was really a toss up, which tune to choose from Philly's Hop Along. The promo track "Tibetan Pop Stars" is an unabashed, high-octane, big-statement rocker with a killer hooks and a barely contained rage. But the deeper album cut "Lament" surpasses even that excellent number on the strength of a percolating, addictive vocal melody in the chorus and the greater degree of sophistication in the arrangement. We suppose it helps that the chorus has shouty vocals apparently abetted by at least one of the dudes in the late, lamented Algernon Cadwallader, whose label Hot Green Records released Get Disowned -- a windows-wide-open-to-the-gathering-heat, coffee-cup-in-hand kinda record -- last summer. And every time we listened, when fronter Frances Quinlan hit the line "the one on the left said to the one on the right," we couldn't keep from singing along. A brilliant, brilliant song.



7. Speedy Ortiz -- "Taylor Swift" -- "Taylor Swift" b/w "Swim Fan"

At the top of this piece we referenced singing songs to ourself, and Speedy Ortiz's very catchy single "Taylor Swift" was another we found ourselves absent-mindedly singing a lot. Which made us laugh. And so we made that the hook to a brief piece we wrote for The Boston Phoenix last spring. What's funny is the chorus, "I've got a boy in a hardcore band..." certainly doesn't apply to us, but that didn't make us sing it any less. Speedy Ortiz is a band destined for a national profile, and its facility for pop hooks paired with muscled compositions boasting big guitar parts is the reason why. Years from now, fans will probably remember this single as the thing that started the whole train rolling. It's certainly unforgettable. Dig "Taylor Swift" via the embed below.



8. Dikembe -- "Not Today, Angel" -- Broad Shoulders

Apparently one never outgrows an affinity for the beautiful, brooding ballad, as Florida-based emo heroes Dikembe's "Not Today, Angel" echoes the sort of heart-rending slow burners we loved in the early '90s from bands like Codeine and Seam. We've marveled for month and months at the understated, left-field production on this number: the odd clattering percussion, the guitars just slightly feeding back to fill the ambient space, gathering like a thick, quick fog shifting around the cycling melody. The tune isn't wholly representative of the rest of the music on Dikembe's amazing full-length, Broad Shoulders, but it also isn't completely out of character either. It's a beautiful, slow-spinning center of a collection of songs bristling with energy, edge and promise, and we listened to it a hell of a lot of times, reflecting on things so remote now that they might as well have happened to completely different people.



9. Los Campesinos! -- "Tiptoe Through The True Bits" -- Hello Sadness outtake

So it's a non-album track from an album released last year, but Cardiff-based indie rock giants Los Campesinos! gave "Tiptoe Through The True Bits" an unofficial release via its blog earlier this year and the patient, pretty song permanently burrowed its way into our subconscious not long there after. Fronter Gareth Campesinos! explained that while the tune was his favorite from the sessions for the band's excellent 2011 collection Hello Sadness, the band all agreed that it didn't sit well within the context of the rest of the songs on the album. The song is amazing and soulful, but -- more importantly for us -- it speaks to our fixation on bands' unreleased material. If Los Camp! had never put this song on its blog, few of us would ever have known about it and how awesome it is. What other gems does the band, or others, have laying around? That's the sort of thing we think about a lot. Perhaps almost as much as we sang the chorus "I've been waking on your side of the bed..." to ourself this past year. Download the song here, or stream it via the embed below.



10. Johnny Foreigner -- "3 Hearts" -- Names EP

As prolific as Birmingham, England's noise pop titans Johnny Foreigner are, for some reason we were surprised when the quartet released an EP this fall. Given how monumental the task of creating and promoting 2011's epic Johnny Foreigner vs. Everything must have been, we just didn't think the band would have much in the tank. But happily we were wrong, and Johnny Foreigner in late October released its brilliant Names EP, which we reviewed here last month. The short set was released both in the US and in the UK, with each territory having one exclusive track. But it is the EP closer "3 Hearts" that sticks in our head most. The tune memorably repurposes the line from Talking Heads' "Girlfriend Is Better" to power a characteristically overdriven, exasperated tale from the quartet. The tune provides a series of huge moments that make us very, very excited about what the band will do next, an excitement that has stuck with us for going on about six years now.