Song Johnny Foreigner Gives Away Gratis Better Than 99.9% Of The Crap That People Want You To Pay For

Fans may recall that Johnny Foreigner briefly blitzkrieg-bopped their way through South Africa in late winter, playing some shows and a festival and generally -- based on the photographic evidence -- having a grand time in a stunningly beautiful country. The Birmingham, England-based indie giants had such a fine time, in fact, that they are considering recording their third full-length record there, according to this blog post what you already read. A return to South Africa to record a full-length will not be Johnny Foreigner's maiden recording effort there, however. During the band's jaunt earlier this year it laid down at least one track with a fellow named Peach, and this track is awesome, and Johnny Foreigner put it up for free downlizzle over the weekend right here.

The synth-tastic "With Who, Who And What I've Got" is a gorgeous number that downplays guitars while at the same time overdriving the 8bit production sound to approximate the band's desperate guitar pop attack. The song, incidentally, also fulfills the requirements of our Indie Axiom for Awesomeness no. 3. We doubt "With Who, Who And What I've Got" was written entirely in South Africa, but to the extent that country had any positive influence on the material, we'd be thrilled to hear what the band can do recording a full length "down" "there." Check it out for yourself.

Johnny Foreigner -- "With Who, Who And What I've Got" -- South Africa
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Soccermom | House Of Blues, Boston | June 3

Your biggest problem next week will be trying to juggle your schedule so you can see Soccermom AND The Hush Now play House Of Blues, Boston, Thursday despite the fact they are playing in different rooms at potentially the same time. Maybe cloning will become a reality by then. One can only hope. Soccermom's show is free, and The Hush Now's is RSVP, so make sure to get your plan straight.

And Then Some Days We Get Awesome Mail 2

London-based (via Manchester) noise-pop sensations Sir Yes Sir's thrilling cassette-only debut EP Not Excited arrived today. The collection was released March 1 in the UK and remains available for purchase -- until the limited edition of 200 copies peters out -- from Rough Trade here. We first wrote about Sir Yes Sir right here in January; since then the band has shared the stage with Clicky Clicky faves Johnny Foreigner; released said EP; played the big Pavement tribute show in Brixton earlier this month; and recorded a radio session with Huw Stephens. Late word from the band is that it will appear on a forthcoming compilation put out by London-based indie concern Fierce Panda. Fierce Panda will release June 14 the Licensed To Drill six-track compilation EP, to which Sir Yes Sir have contributed the song "Your Recent Hits." Apparently a Sir Yes Sir full-length recording is in the works. These are exciting times.

The Hush Now | House Of Blues, Boston | June 2 +3

Today's Hotness: The Radio Dept., Sunvisor, The Hush Now

>> [PHOTO CREDIT: Max Weiland] Despite liking very much specific tracks ("A Window" from the 2006 collection Pet Grief immediately jumps to mind), only now are we fully appreciating the wonderful Swedish dream-pop concern The Radio Dept. The band, which has been around for an impressively long 15 years in one form or another, issued April 21 its heart-felt, wistful third record Clinging To A Scheme on Labrador. This most recent Radio Dept. record, four years in the making, is filled with great tracks, our favorite being the cleverly titled "The Video Dept." In typical fashion Labrador has been promoting Clinging To A Scheme with free MP3s, and the latest is for the odd and pretty "Never Follow Suit." The reggae-tinged track is underpinned by firm beats and lashed to chords slanted on the upbeat, but a pretty synth line and understated vocal are the true focal points. "Never Follow Suit" will be issued as a single June 16 with two b-sides on CD and digitally, but you can download the A-side for free right now because that is how Labrador rolls.

The Radio Dept. -- "Never Follow Suit" -- Clinging To A Scheme
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[buy Clinging To A Scheme from Labrador here]

>> Long Island, New York-based electropop duo Sunvisor sent us a delightful preview track from the band's planned debut EP, which is due this summer. The song is called "Sky Dive," and we expect those among you who are proponents of Ulrich Schnauss or Morr Music-styled dreaminess will find "Sky Dive" quite appealing. The tune was Forkcasted yesterday, and for good reason: "Sky Dive" touts a perfect balance of effervescent beats and blissed synths that pleasantly pushes and pulls the buoyant track toward a conclusion that sadly comes too soon.

Sunvisor's "Sky Dive"

>> Word from Boston dream pop titans The Hush Now is the quintet began tracking a planned forthcoming EP this past weekend. The band was cutting basic tracks live all in one room of a house studio in Malden, MA. Ryan's Smashing Life had a photographer on the scene to snap this picture Sunday. No word on when we can expect to hear the finished product, but The Hush Now will apparently be playing certain of the new material at one of its numerous pending live dates. The band is slated to play two after-parties in the front room at the House Of Blues June 2nd and June 3rd as soon as The National finish its headlining set. The Hush Now is also scheduled to play McGann's Pub in Boston June 11. The band's most recent set Constellations was self-released earlier this year; we reviewed it here.

And Then Some Days We Get Awesome Mail

Philly-based emo heroes Everyone Everywhere's self-titled full length debut is out now on Tiny Engines. The quartet plays O'Brien's Pub this Saturday night in Boston. Read all of our Everyone Everywhere coverage at this link.

Review: The Henry Clay People | Somewhere On The Golden Coast [MP3]

Making rock music about making rock music is a dangerous game, and a band that attempts it best have the goods lest they be relegated to dung heaps still piled high with '70s cock rock and the output of faceless '80s metaltards. Fortunately the young and exuberant Los Angeles-based rock concern The Henry Clay People has the right amount of hooks, attitude and self-awareness to succeed brilliantly, and -- despite songs about selling guitars to pay rent; about crashing on couches; about Saturday night -- the quartet's forthcoming sophomore full-length Somewhere On The Golden Coast just might save rock 'n' roll from itself for a little while longer (as the similarly 'Mats-inspired The Hold Steady's earth-shaking Separation Sunday did five years ago).

The Henry Clay People's precedent full-length, EP and single hinted at great things, but Somewhere On The Golden Coast exceeds expectations by showing the band, fronted by the wonderfully shouty Joey and Andy Siara, can shift gears and offer more than boozy mid- and uptempo rockers. The opening prologue "Nobody Taught Us To Quit" skips rhythm tracks altogether while aggrandizing the sort of foot-shooting favored by Paul Westerberg. The ballad "A Temporary Fix" similarily ditches the drums in the first verse, and Mr. Siara's aching murmur floats among hair-raising feedback and noise and tremeloed organ. It's a surprising turn for an act best known for foot-stomping bar anthems, which, of course, Somewhere On The Golden Coast touts in spades. In addition to the ace single and EP cuts "This Ain't A Scene" and "Working Part Time," the red-hot "Your Famous Friends" and "Keep Your Eyes Closed" memorably rock with abandon.

To borrow a phrase, the greatest bands create their own mythologies, and The Henry Clay People's Somewhere On The Golden Coast boasts neccessarily short-handed tales whose genesis may or may not be founded in fact. The emphatic expostulation "we got drunk and called in sick whenever we felt like it!" tidily sums up a glory of slackerdom; "If your fancy school put you back in debt, I'd sell my favorite guitar so you can pay your rent" romanticizes trials of the rocker class. By our (unscientific) calculations, the last cool band to come out of Los Angeles was Jane's Addiction, so The Henry Clay People actually aren't only saving rock 'n' roll, but they are also restoring legitimacy to a town whose contributions to indie rock grow ever more remote. Somewhere On The Golden Coast will be issued by TBD Records June 8.

The Henry Clay People -- "Your Famous Friends" -- Somewhere On The Golden Coast
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[pre-order Somewhere On The Golden Coast from Amazon right here]

06.08 -- Spaceland -- Los Angeles, CA
06.15 -- Hard Rock Live -- Orlando, FL
06.16 -- Sunset Cove Amphitheater -- Boca Raton, FL
06.18 -- Ritz -- Tampa, FL
06.19 -- The Tabernacle -- Atlanta, GA
06.20 -- The Ritz Theatre -- Raleigh, NC
06.21 -- The National -- Richmond, VA
06.23 -- DAR Constitution Hall -- Washington, DC
06.24 -- Wellmont Theatre -- Montclair, NJ
06.25 -- Williamsburg Waterfront -- Brooklyn, NY
06.27 -- House Of Blues -- Boston, MA
06.28 -- Penn's Landing -- Philadelphia, PA
06.29 -- The Sound Academy -- Toronto, Ontario
07.02 -- The Fillmore Detroit -- Detroit, MI
07.03 -- Aragon Ballroom -- Chicago, IL
07.04 -- Summerfest -- Milwaukee, WI
07.16 -- Hard Rock Hotel -- Las Vegas, NV
07.17 -- Marquee Theater -- Tempe, AZ
07.19 -- Stubb's -- Austin, TX
07.20 -- Warehouse Live -- Houston, TX
07.21 -- Palladium Ballroom -- Dallas, TX
07.24 -- Live on the Levee -- St. Louis, MO
07.26 -- The Fillmore Auditorium -- Denver, CO
07.27 -- The Rail -- Salt Lake City, UT
07.29 -- Crystal Ballroom -- Portland, OR
07.31 -- The Paramount Theatre -- Seattle, WA
08.07 -- Soma -- San Diego, CA
10.09 -- Austin City Limits -- Austin, TX

The Henry Clay People: Internerds | MySpace | YouTube | Flickr