July 20, 2011

Today's Hotness: Warm Weather, Spanish Prisoners

Warm Weather
>> Upstart indie pop trio Warm Weather recently issued a remarkably accomplished debut EP. The five-song release is titled Dances, and it showcases impressively developed songwriting and arranging -- not to mention musicianship. With Beach Boys-grade harmonies, busy Afro-pop inflections and tasteful production, it is hard to believe Warm Weather has been a going concern for less than a year (the LA-based band formed only last fall after its members were graduated from college). Listeners will likely identify a superficial likeness to the light and tightly organized pop of Vampire Weekend, but given the group dynamic on display here we don't think the typically trite Beach Boys reference point is off-base (not too shabby for a three-piece); Paul Simon fans will also likely dig this. Dances is available to download from Bandcamp for free in its entirety right here, and we think you will be glad you availed yourself of the opportunity. Below is an embed of the title track to whet your appetite. Dances was self-released by the band June 9; Justin Lerman from the band tells us the three are at work on a follow-up EP that will likely contain four songs and be released before the end of the summer.



>> Brooklyn-based psych-pop quartet Spanish Prisoners are preparing to release in early October a terrific debut full-length of '60s-influenced pop titled Gold Fools. The nine-song collection is filled with understated, hazy but charming dreamers including the snappy "Rich Blood," the slow-burning, mod swayer "Los Angeles Guitar Dream" and the deliciously psychedelic "Slow Decay." The foursome, fronted by a chap named Leo Maymind, is promoting Gold Fools with a free digital single "Know No Violence," which you can obtain for as little as zero American dollars from Bandcamp; check out the embed below. "Los Angeles Guitar Dream," was previously issued as a digital single in 2009 (check it out at Bandcamp here), but an updated version is what opens Gold Fools. Spanish Prisoners has four hometown gigs on the horizon, and we list them below "Know No Violence."



07.30 -- Fireproof -- Brooklyn, NY
08.04 -- Littlefield -- Brooklyn, NY
08.18 -- Shea Stadium -- Brooklyn, NY
08.27 -- The Schoolhouse -- Brooklyn, NY

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