Mac DeMarco - Brother 8.0/10

Mac DeMarco is an experimental indie rock performer originally from British Columbia, Canada and now based in New York City. This track is taken from his album Salad Days which was released by Captured Tracks Records in April 2014. The song is the second single off DeMarco's solid new album, and can be counted as one of the better moments on the record. His smooth, so-laid-back-he-must-be-lying-on-the-ground vocals are buttery goodness and suggest he's puffing on a Viceroy between verses where he tells a pal to chill out and just relax. The slinky guitars and retro 60's style get you feeling all nice and mellow when suddenly you're jarred back to harsh reality by the alien cries and dissonant guitar effects which unfold in the final minute of the track. Mac has the reputation for being an indie rock slacker and is now a poster boy for smokers and civil liberties campaigners, but on Brother he sounds world-weary and wise beyond his years. DeMarco claimed the style of the album reflected that "I was on tour for a year and a half and I'm tired", and you can picture him strumming the chords of Brother while slumped in an old armchair. This is an introspective track to put on when you want to take a breather and unwind after a hard day.

Amen Dunes - Lilac in Hand 7.6/10

Amen Dunes is the psychedelic folk solo project of Damon McMahon from New York state, USA. This track is taken from his forthcoming album Love which will be released by Sacred Bones Records in May 2014. This new album marks an expansion in McMahon's sound with the addition of a cast of musicians which play on the album. The feel of traditional Americana field recordings springs to mind on first listen, and McMahon's gravelly voice and world-weary delivery are the defining feature that sets this track apart as something above average. The track begins with strummed guitar, light piano chords and wood block percussion, eventually reaching a chorus with female accompanying vocals which lighten the mood considerably by puncturing the cloudy mood. Something in the melody and the vocal range he's aiming for suggests to me that he's absorbed some of Sigur Ros' sense for epic scales and pacing, and the fact that several members of Godspeed You Black Emperor took part in the recording of the album is also apparent in the deeply enveloping atmospherics. This is a strong track from Amen Dunes and probably the finest he's yet produced, so let's hope the new album will bear similar fruit.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Simple and Sure 6.2/10

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are an indie twee rock band from New York, USA. This track is taken from their forthcoming album called Days of Abandon which will be released in May 2014 by Yebo Records. The track begins with a simple sing-along vocal part which recalls the style of Dirty Projectors. The strummed verse sections sound rather similar to many tracks The Pains have produced before, if perhaps a bit chirpier and sunnier. However, it's the arrival of the chorus which makes me cringe whenever I hear it - like something you'd expect to hear on an 80's easy listening radio station, with a hook that is anything but memorable. The band have apparently moved too far to the 'pop' end of their musical spectrum, and forgotten that what made their past material great was the interplay of clever, suggestive lyrics with a sweet and sour delivery that conveyed shy yearnings. This saccharine sweet track is a huge disappointment after a run of extremely enjoyable singles and albums, and the song's title really sums up the one-dimensional feeling of it, they've chosen to go with something 'simple and sure'. Let's hope when the full album arrives that this is a sugary deviation from what Days of Abandon will actually sound like.

Wild Nothing - Chinatown 9.5/10

Wild Nothing is the indie guitar pop project of Jack Tatum from Virginia, USA. This track is taken from his album Gemini which was released by Captured Tracks Records in 2010. The song begins with a lush arrangement of flute-like synths hovering at the margins before a steady rhythm of light percussion and a mesmerizing bass line make an entrance. The thickness of the production needs to be complemented since the myriad different layers going on in this track never overlap or sound muddied, they are all given room to be heard separately. There are enough different sounds that headphones are strongly recommended to catch all the different parts, particularly the depth and complexity of the superb bass line. The moody, longing atmosphere is matched by Tatum's lyrics, where he exclaims "I need to keep you here/I need to picture you still/I need to clear the fog", expressing yearnings for a lost companion. This is Wild Nothing's finest moment to date, a track where all the best features of Tatum's style came together in something timeless.

Ought - Habit 8.7/10

Ought is an indie art rock band from Montreal, Canada. This track is taken from their forthcoming debut album More Than Any Other Day which will be released April 29, 2014 on Constellation records. The song appears to take the Talking Heads as its main muse, with a vocal style which recalls David Byrne in the era of Remain in Light. That comparison should be taken as purely complimentary, since Ought take this track to spiritual heights which seem remarkable for a debut single. The rising cries of "I feel it, I habit" and "Cause I need to know I'm not alone" as strings and crashing cymbals build towards the song's conclusion come across as powerful and meaningful without any suggestion that the raw emotions feel forced or phony. This is one of the best singles of 2014 so far, and I can't wait to hear the full debut album.

LionLimb - Rot 8.6/10

LionLimb is an indie psychedelic rock band based in Chicago, USA. This track was self-released as a single by the band in 2013 ahead of their debut EP. The track begins with a southern blues-style melody, but this simple categorization is quickly dismissed when the reedy synths and organ effects kick in during the rousing chorus. Clanging guitar dissonance adds some enjoyable clutter to the second half of the track, while guitar chord vibrations are enhanced until they sound more like a muffled trumpet. The relaxed, self-assured vocals are hard to make out, but the repeated refrain of "What are you trying to keep me from?" suggests an assertion of independence in a relationship. This is an accomplished debut from LionLimb and a track I've returned to over and over again to try to figure out just how they made some of these sounds.

Cloud Nothings - Psychic Trauma 9.2/10

Cloud Nothings are an indie hard rock band from Cleveland, USA. This track is taken from their album Here and Nowhere Else which was released by Carpark Records in March 2014. The track starts out with a calm, swaying rhythm of ringing guitars with vocals kept low in the mix. Everything shifts abruptly after 44 seconds with the arrival of crashing drums and a doubling of the timing. At 65 seconds the group fall into a new whirling groove with driving, wailing guitars which leads into the raging chorus with singer Dylan Baldi's voice reaching a snarl. I've listened to this track at least 100 times and still get caught up each time in the blinding rush of the guitar slashes as the song barrels into the chorus. This will get your blood pumping no matter the time or place - a strong contender for song of the year for 2014.

HEALTH - Die Slow 9.0/10

HEALTH is an electro noise rock band based in Los Angeles, USA. This track is taken from their album Get Color which was released by Lovepump United Records in 2009. This is almost-danceable pop music put through a shredder, with hard industrial riffs and beats arranged in a tight song structure. The whispery vocals of singer Jake Duzsik sound almost feminine and stand in sharp contrast to the maelstrom of noise flying around him. The track was the album's lead single and an appropriate choice, though unfortunately this remains the high water mark for the whole album. This is something to put on to get psyched up and excited before going to a goth club, though on a normal day it's also a great track to play in the car.

Women - Eyesore 8.9/10

Women is an art rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This track is taken from their album Public Strain which was released by the label Jagjaguwar in 2010. As the final track on Public Strain, the last two minutes of Eyesore act as the outro to the album as a whole, and does so to spectacular effect with a guitar riff that will get stuck in your head for weeks. Heavy reverb effects on the vocals and guitars hark back to 1960's psychedelic bands, while the lyrics are almost unintelligibly buried in the mix. Like many songs by Women, Eyesore begins with a familiar rhythm that abruptly shifts halfway through into a new vocal melody and guitar chord pattern that lead to a satisfying conclusion. Guitarist Chris Reimer died in February 2012, and the band has been on hiatus since then although no official breakup has been announced by their label Jagjaguwar.

Ty Segall - The Drag 8.3/10

Ty Segall is a lo-fi garage rock performer based in San Francisco, California. This track is taken from his self-titled album which was released by Castle Face Records in 2008. The track takes a 1960's surfer vibe and then smothers it in heavy distortion and layers of feedback. Segall's from-the-bottom-of-a-well vocals coax listeners to get up and hit the dance floor to do 'The Drag'; you could almost dance to it but you would probably hurt yourself trying. The song has undeniable drive and energy, suggesting Segall is enjoying performing it in the studio as much as he does during his stellar live performances. For those who love heavy guitar distortion (I count myself as a member) this comes highly recommended, and is best played loud once the party is really getting underway.

Sic Alps - Cement Surfboard 8.4/10

Sic Alps is a lo-fi psychedelic indie band from San Francisco, USA. This track is taken from their album Napa Asylum which was released by Drag City Records in 2011. This is a chilled out, kick back on the porch with a beer and watch the sunset on a summer evening kind of song. Clean, clear guitar lines with a deceptively simple hook are merged with lead singer Mike Donovan's drawlingly endearing vocals. He sings of 'going back in time', which isn't much of a stretch for the 60's throwback style he's aiming for. Name-checking the Jackson 5 sounds just out of place enough to feel slightly quirky, but you'll hardly notice as his delivery of the line is so laid back its almost horizontal. The drumming and percussion is understated and low-key, yet perfectly executed to complement the crisp slashes of guitar between the verses. If you like the style of this track, the whole album Napa Asylum offers the same kind of blissed-out sunny retro feeling.

Miniature Tigers - Tell it to the Volcano 8.6/10

Miniature Tigers is an indie pop group based in New York City, USA. This track is taken from their debut album which is also called Tell it to the Volcano, released by Modern Art Records in 2008. Flute and organ sounds open the track before it adds acoustic guitars and Rick Schaier's signature drumming. Charlie Brand's shy, mournful voice carries the track as he describes a tale of love gone wrong in lyrics heavily laced with irony and sly humour. The band have gone on to embrace synth-pop and electro-pop on later albums, but the predominantly guitar-driven sound of Tell it to the Volcano remains their most complete album and the best example of Brand's talent for writing wry, absurdist revenge-fantasy lyrics.

Califone - The Orchids 8.0/10

Califone is an indie folk group from Chicago, USA. This track is taken from their album Roots and Crowns released by Thrill Jockey in 2006. It's a rare thing when a cover can be considered as good or better than the original version, but that is the case with this cover of a song by Psychic TV from the early 1980's. Carefully plucked acoustic guitars are matched with frontman Tim Rutili's world-weary voice while a harmonica moves in and out adding depth and grace. Rutili has stated that the sound of the album Roots and Crowns was directly inspired by Psychic TV's version of the song. The poetic lyrics mention shades of lightness, darkness and colour, and revolve around the common theme of eyes and sight.

Peter Wolf Crier - Beach 7.9/10

Peter Wolf Crier are Peter Pisano and Brian Moen, a lo-fi indie rock band from Minneapolis, USA. This track is taken from their second album Garden of Arms released by Jagjaguwar in 2011. The percussion used on this track is memorable since the constant background rhythm sounds like rain pelting against a windowpane. The song really kicks into high gear at 1:53 when a squall of electric guitar noise moves in and takes over, leading to a satisfyingly noisy conclusion. Pisano's thin voice is high and wavers at times, while his cryptic lyrics suggest he is asking to reconnect with someone. The sound of Garden of Arms is considerably more developed and polished compared to the simple folk rock tunes on their debut Inter-Be. The bigger and fuller sound doesn't always lead to improved results on Garden of Arms, however Beach is by far the standout track from both the album and from the band.

The Lovely Feathers - Photocorners 8.6/10

The Lovely Feathers are an indie guitar pop band from Montreal, Canada. This track is taken from their album Hind Hind Legs released by Equator Records in 2006. The track is a fine example of the unusual song structures they employ on the album Hind Hind Legs. The tempo and timing of the melody often shifts abruptly; it begins slowly and then goes through sequences of rapidly speeding up the pace and then slowing down again. The style is more akin to jazz bands and jam bands, but they make it seem like a perfectly natural technique to use in an indie pop song. The lyrics offer snapshots of lost love and longing, though the group choruses of 'We'd laugh if we were younger' sound positively joyous. I consider this to be an overlooked gem of a track, and the full album Hind Hind Legs is also worthy of another listen to appreciate the unique tempo shifts the band makes use of.

Waxahatchee - Coast to Coast 8.2/10

Waxahatchee is the stage name of Katie Crutchfield from the US state of Alabama. This track is taken from the album Cerulean Salt released by Don Giovanni Records in March 2013. The unusual name she has chosen for this project is taken from the nearby Waxahatchee Creek in central Alabama (which is the body of water she jumps into in the video). The sound of Cerulean Salt is a big step up from the acoustic bedroom production of 2012's American Weekend, and Coast to Coast showcases this more fully-formed electric sound. The track has a guitar hook that seems destined to be heard on rock radio, yet it peters out after just a minute and forty seconds of playing time. The song isn't all sweetness and light, the title Coast to Coast references a US radio call-in show which discusses conspiracy theories, while the lyrics contain a line about 'blood on the back seat'. The overall feeling is of a cross-country road trip with the windows down, making this a great summertime track.