Los Abandoned
Mix Tape
Label: Vapor/Sanctuary
Release Date: September 12, 2006

With the influx of Latino culture in the past few years, it’s really surprising there hasn’t been a Spanglish mainstream punk crossover sooner than now. And L.A.’s Los Abandoned has the bi-lingual changeups down to a science.

Con la afluencia de la cultura de Latino en el pasado pocos años, realmente está sorprendiendo allí no ha sido una cruce de corriente del punky de Spanglish más pronto que ahora. Y L.A.’s Los abandonado tiene los changeups bilingües abajo a una ciencia.

And while we may not be able to tell what they’re saying, we do know . . . → Read More: Los Abandoned : Mix Tape

El Presidente
El Presidente
Label: Sony/BMG
Release Date: September 12, 2006

Scottish pop-rock group El Presidente was formed in 2005 by former Gun member Dante Gizzi. Thanks to their popalicious glam-rock sound and live performance approach, they’ve been billed the Scottish Scissor Sisters and have met with medium success in Europe, including the release of four singles.

While you can practically isolate stolen Led Zeppelin, RENT, Prince and Beach Boys riffs throughout the album, tracks are relatively catchy and you can see why they translate well live. In fact, Gizzi has been quoted saying, “…my style icon is actually Prince. I love dressing up and I . . . → Read More: El Presidente : Self-titled

The Poems
Young America
Label: Minty Fresh
Release date: September 12, 2006

Scottish (super?)group The Poems are comprised of members of the Bluebells, the High Fidelity and Love and Money, plus Kerry Polwart and Amy Ogletree, two first-time vocalists who do their best at sultry-meets-mysterious sing-song lo-fi.

Guests contributors include members of Belle And Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub and The Proclaimers. And man, those Scots sure aren’t in a hurry at all; this album simply could not get more laid back. Spin this disc on a lazy Sunday morning with a cat in . . . → Read More: The Poems : Young America

Soulwax
Nite Versions
Label: Modular/Interscope
Release Date: September 12, 2006

Belgian electro-rockers had a big hit with their album Any Minute Now, and rather than release new material, they’ve done some reinventing of their own sound this time.

Nite Versions opens with an amazing rock cover of Daft Punks’s “Teachers” and then segues into “Miserable Girl,” a progressive loop with a building grind even non-clubbers can enjoy.

MP3: Soulwax – . . . → Read More: Soulwax : Nite Versions

The Purrs
The Purrs
Label: Sarathan Records
Release Date: September 12, 2006

Seattle’s The Purrs had multiple hits on local radio station KEXP, and thanks to the breadth of streaming Internet radio, built a fanbase without ever leaving the Emerald City.

Now Sarathan Records is releasing their self-titled, national debut comprised of seven tracks off their Dreams Our Stuff Is Made Of LP and some remixes from their No Particular Bar, No Particular Town EP. All we have to say is, “Mmm…shoegazer.”

Lyrics about drinking, dreams and songwriting are generally unobtrusive, and musically, there’s some Richard Ashcroft (The Verve) and Galaxie 500 influence here. Our favorite . . . → Read More: The Purrs : Self-Titled

Hot Chip
The Warning
Label: Astralwerks

British duo Hot Chip’s second album, The Warning is an aural feast. The album totally fits whatever mood you’d like, and it has those unassuming, yet pervasive underbeats akin to The Notwist and the subtle sensibility of Kings of Convenience we crave about three times a month.

In particular, we love the nondescript bells on the title track, the electro-soul spectacularness of “And I Was a Boy From School” (which actually reminds us we need to listen to Mellowdrone’s new disc again), and the John-Lennon-wearing-Zubaz vocals on “Colour.”

Overall, it’s 12 tracks of boisterous, wistful wonderment, and we can’t wait . . . → Read More: Hot Chip : The Warning