Spring 2012 New Music Playlist

The spring blooms have been showing their stuff for weeks now, while new releases have hit the airwaves to please many a music fan. Plus with SXSW and Coachella’s two weekends come and gone, there are plenty of buzz worthy bands to choose for the next playlist.

1. “Go Right Ahead” – The Hives

Swedish party band The Hives are back after five long years with their fifth release, Lex Hives. The band is led by brothers Per (a.k.a. Howlin Pelle, frontman and vocals) and Nicklas (a.k.a. Nicholaus Arson, guitar and keyboard) Almqvist, returning to their high-energy approach for this catchy single.

2. “Sad Vacation” – The Dandy Warhols

Portland’s own alternative rock icons, The Dandy Warhols, return to the scene with their ninth album, This Machine. Their gravelly, no excuses vibe chugs along in this opening track for the collection.

3. “Ho Hey” – The Lumineers

The Lumineers are a folk rock trio from Denver, specializing in an acoustic-based Americana sound. This infectious single is off their self-titled full length debut, complete with callbacks and an invitation to join their jam.

4. “Heavy Metal” – White Rabbits

White Rabbits are a sextet based in Brooklyn with an unusual rock band set up (two drummers and a piano player) to expand their sound. The band’s two frontmen, Greg Roberts and Stephen Patterson, met in college in Columbia, Missouri, while working at the local record store together. This song is off their third release, Milk Famous.

5. “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” – Father John Misty

This song was recently offered as KEXP’s “Song of the Day” by Josh Tillman, the former drummer of Seattle band Fleet Foxes. The majestic tune is off the debut release for his solo project, Fear Fun.

6. “The Wave” – Miike Snow

7. “Devil’s Work” – Miike Snow

Miike Snow is an indie pop trio formed in Stockholm in 2007, incorporating the talents of Andrew Wyatt with producers Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winneberg (known as Bloodshy & Avant). These two shining examples of their work are off the band’s second album, Happy to You.

8. “Finding Reasons” – New Build

Al Doyle (of Hot Chip and formerly LCD Soundsystem) and Felix Martin (Hot Chip) joined forces with studio producer Tom Hopkins to create this British electronic collaboration, New Build. As expected, the tracks are filled with solid dance grooves such as in this single off the debut release, Yesterday Was Lived and Lost.

9. “The Reflection of You” – Bear in Heaven

10. “Sinful Nature” – Bear In Heaven

Brooklyn band Bear In Heaven embraces ’80s synth pop song structures as formulated early on by Jon Philpot, during his off hours from working at a recording studio in Atlanta. These two swirling tunes are from their fourth full length release, I Love You, It’s Cool.

11. “Tourists” – Bright Moments

Bright Moments is the indie pop music project of Kelly Pratt, known for his horn and vocals in Arcade Fire, Beirut and LCD Soundsystem. He lets the brass section take center stage along with his new frontman position, as evidenced in this lead track off the band’s debut release, Natives.

12. “California” – Delta Spirit

Delta Spirit is an indie rock quintet from San Diego, now living in Long Beach. This song is from the band’s self-titled third album, with their folksy rock vocals and approach to instrumentation.

13. “Serpents” – Sharon Van Etten

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten embraces the indie folk rock genre with her heartfelt compositions. This song is off her third release, Tramp, which was produced by The National’s Aaron Dressner (who also makes an appearance as a performer as well).

14. “Shiny Things” – Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo is a London based indie pop quintet, fronted by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar. The band’s eclectic instrumentation includes trumpet, mandolin, violin, musical saw and clarinet along with the standard rock band set up. This song is the single off their second release, Rooms Filled with Light.

15. “Myth” – Beach House

Dream pop trailblazers Beach House are back with this single off their fourth album, Bloom. Featuring French-born Victoria Legrand’s soaring vocals and Baltimore’s Alex Scally, the duo continues to offer larger-than-life musical landscapes.

16. “Eyeoneye” – Andrew Bird

17. “Belles” – Andrew Bird

Chicago area native Andrew Bird lists voice, violin, guitar and glockenspiel as his instruments for creating indie folk rock that has resulted in nine albums and more. These two songs are from the latest release Break It Yourself.