![POP ETC Mixtape cover [mp3] Introducing // POP ETC](http://tympanogram.com/files/POP-ETC-Mixtape-cover.jpg "POP ETC Mixtape cover")
I’m certain that you’ve heard of The Morning Benders. We were big fans of their last album, 2010′s Big Echo. As it turns out, the band has ditched their previous moniker in favor of the all-caps POP ETC. On its face, it may seem like a move that doesn’t make any sense, but when you read the band’s reasoning, it’s clear that the change was necessary. (You can – and should – read the band’s explanation on their website.)
The change of name comes with a free mixtape from the rejuvenated outfit, who are looking to entrench themselves in listeners’ minds right out of the gate. And it goes a long way to doing just that. This isn’t The Morning Benders all over again; it’s a little more sexualized, like the band has taken this opportunity to expand their repertoire as well. There are a couple of tracks that are reminiscent of their previous iteration, but for the most part, there’s a new sense of aplomb on display.
I’m picking the two tracks “Hungry Like The Wolf” and “Settling Scores” out of the bunch, but most everything would be appropriately representative – even their auto-tuned cover of Bjork’s “Unravel.” “Hungry Like The Wolf” is not a Duran Duran cover, but together these two represent what I like best about the ten track mixtape. The whole of the free release clocks in at just under 28 minutes, but it’s a great intro to the band’s new direction. Head to POP ETC’s new website to grab the entire thing for yourself.
Connect with POP ETC // Facebook | Twitter | web
POP ETC // Hungry Like The Wolf [mp3]
POP ETC // Settling Scores [mp3]
![titus andronicus [mp3] Titus Andronicus // Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus](http://tympanogram.com/files/titus-andronicus.jpg "titus andronicus")
Last week Will introduced you all to a few new songs by everyone’s favorite New Jersey rockers Titus Andronicus. My reaction to that post was twofold: first I was elated that Titus had new material forthcoming, but then my competitive nature kicked in and I clenched my fist and quietly muttered “Will!” and set forth to outdo him somehow.
Today, victory is mine! Titus Andronicus have released a mixtape through their tumblr presence that not only includes properly recorded versions of those two new tracks, but also a whole host of collectible material from their early days prior to the recording of their first album, outtakes from their 2010 masterpiece The Monitor, acoustic demos and even some Weezer (?!) covers. It’s travelling around the internet already, so grab it while it’s hot and pump yourself up for more new material from Titus Andronicus, but I would warn you against following Patrick Stickles on twitter as that dude stays up late and can be really annoying, but then again he also announces stuff like this via twitter so….consider yourself warned.
By the way, following the download link to their tumblr page will also provide you with several new live video clips. Be sure to check those out as well.
Download the mixtape.
Connect with Titus Andronicus // Twitter | Tumblr | web
Titus Andronicus // Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus [mp3]
![saskatchewan live [mp3] Saskatchewan // Fronting](http://tympanogram.com/files/saskatchewan_live.jpg "[mp3] Saskatchewan // Fronting")
Once again, I have I Guess I’m Floating to thank for posting new Saskatchewan, though this time the Florida outfit notified me of things themselves on Facebook. The band has repeatedly hit a nerve with their delightfully quirky and oftentimes weird dream pop over the past year. “Cabin Fever,” from last September’s Skinny Dipping digital 7″ is still in heavy rotation, mostly because it’s damn near flawless and my ears can’t get enough. Before that was “Dreamboat” and the magnificent “Beast Coast” warming my tympanic membranes. Most recently, their cover of The Weeknd’s “The Morning,” with its interesting vocal cadences, captured my imagination much more than the original. Simply put, it’s been a pleasure watching the band develop from their early stages. Having been at this game for a good while, with bands like this, it continues to be rewarding playing a very small part, documenting their progress.
[mp3] Saskatchewan // Fronting
With a debut full length in sight, a new song from the pending release has been shared. Entitled “Fronting,” the track features a similar steady pace, albeit in a more twinkly new wave style. This is a band that makes measured, languid tracks that seep in and leave a lasting mark, begging for endless repeated returns. “Fronting” is no different.
![Siamese Twins Demo cover [mp3] Siamese Twins // We Fall Apart](http://tympanogram.com/files/Siamese-Twins-Demo-cover.png "Siamese Twins Demo cover")
Siamese Twins make a kind of swirling indie pop that would have sounded at home during the heyday of shoegazing, as much as it sounds at home in the modern, nu-gaze landscape. The band hails from Massachusetts, and despite their appearance on Pitchfork last week, I can find relatively little out about them. Their Facebook and Tumblr pages are sparse at best, though I can see that there are three members of the band, and they also played their first live show at the beginning of February at Boston’s Lady Fest.
Despite the lack of information, we know a good song when we hear it, and this song, “We Fall Apart,” is one of them. It’s apparently from a six-song, cassette-only demo by the band that was released last year. It crunches to life before the muted, distant vocals kick in. I’m reminded of Seapony’s 2011 debut album when I listen to Siamese Twins. If you want to hear more, there are a couple additional tracks available on the band’s sparsely populated Tumblr page.
Connect with Siamese Twins // Facebook | Tumblr
Siamese Twins // We Fall Apart [mp3]
![[mp3] U.S. Royalty // Sleepy Eyes](http://tympanogram.com/files/us-royalty-sleepy-eyes-cover.jpeg "us royalty sleepy eyes cover")
One of my favorite surprises of early 2011 was the release from Washington, DC band U.S. Royalty, Mirrors. The album is filled with catchy, earnest rock that sounded like it would be more comfortable on a classic rock radio station than it does on an indie music blog. Regardless, I listened to that album on repeat for the month of January last year.
The band is back with a new single called “Sleepy Eyes” and, if you liked Mirrors in the slightest, you won’t be disappointed with the direction the band takes here. There’s something expansive about the band’s music, like it should be listened to exclusively while driving with the sun setting. “Sleepy Eyes” is as breathless as it is familiar; U.S. Royalty have a peculiar way of tapping into a sort of basic rock ‘n’ roll; by basic I don’t mean to imply it’s simple, but more that it’s grounding, a sort of rock True North that’s able to guide the listener back home.
No word if this single precedes a new full-length, or if this will be released in any format other than a free digital download. It really doesn’t matter: I’m just glad to have some new stuff from the band to grace my ears.
Connect with U.S. Royalty // Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | web
U.S. Royalty // Sleepy Eyes [mp3]
