It’s Valentine’s Day and what better way to celebrate than with a kick-ass list of solid albums to impress your date with. After dinner and drinks, why don’t you get cozy back at your house and take one of the albums for a show-and-tell below. If your babe likes their music loud and ferocious, stream solids; if they like their tunes sexy and electronic, stream Phantogram, if they want something different, play them AJ Davila’s new record en Espanol. There’s some top-notch albums right here, now get to streaming before their release dates!
1. Solids — Blind Confusion
In the likes of No Age, Japandroids and Death From Above 1979, comes another loud punk duo that will blow your brains out. Formed by Montreal’s Xavier Germain-Poitras (guitar) and Louis Guillemette (drums), Solids is a glorious hurricane of crashing cymbals, fuzzy blankets of distortion, and the perfect sounding punk vocals with soaring (yet chaotic) choruses that just beg for you to chime in. These guys fuckin’ rock. Don’t miss them at the Church on York on Saturday, March 8th! Solids debut album, Blind Confusion is out Feb. 18 via Fat Possum.
Click here to stream their debut album.
2. Angel Olsen — Burn Your Fire For No Witness
Combining alt folk music with dark and passionate tones — similar to her name — it’s not surprising that Angel Olson has the voice of an “angel”. With songs exuding fuzzy punk sounds (“Forgive/Forgotten”) and others entrancing you with her delicate voice (“Iota”), Olsen’s lyrics are the true gem in her music. They paint a vivid story of love, heartbreak, adventures — and without doubt, they whisk you away into a catatonic state of surreality. Don’t miss Angel Olsen in Los Angeles when she hits The Echoplex on March 2nd! Her album Burn Your Fire For No Witness drops Feb. 18th via Jagjaguwar.
Click here to stream her album.
3. AJ Davila — Terror Amor
AJ Davila, the lead singer of Puerto Rico’s garage punk band, Davila 666 has now started a new project and it’s sounding all sort of rad. It’s almost like The Ramones in Espanol! With the addition of two female babes (good move, AJ) — the trio keeps riding the waves of punk and garage, but the melodies are more fun, flirty and addictive. With this new album, AJ Davila has created some epic garage pop songs that will stick to your head like glue. AJ Davila’s Terror Amor is set for release on Feb. 18 via Nacional Records.
Click here to stream the album.
4. Phantogram — Voices
Critically lauded as one of the most anticipated albums of 2014, it sounds like Phantogram’s new album, Voices will definitely be hitting the best albums of 2014 lists. Sultry vocals with intoxicating electronic beats, Phantogram has delivered an impeccable dance-pop album that you’ll be spinning on repeat. The easy-on-the-eyes duo comprised of singer/keyboardist Sarah Barthel and guitarist Josh Carter, blend darkness with light to create a brilliant electro-pop album that you need to start streaming now. Phantogram have a sold-out L.A. date coming up at the Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 22. Their new album will be released Feb. 17 via Republic Records.
Click here to stream the album.
5. Pillar Point — Pillar Point
For those of you that love electro synth numbers with a tinge of chillwave and R&B, you need to get down with Pillar Point. The nine-song self-titled album comes from Scott Reitherman from the indie-pop outfit, Throw Me the Statue. With songs far more melancholy and emotive, Reitherman blends powerful lyrics with vibrant electronica making it seem as though the songs are much chipper than they appear. The dichotomy of the two leading tones result in an intimate, yet catchy-like-indie-pop collection of intricate songs with unforgettable melodies. Pillar Point hits the streets Feb. 18 off Polyvinyl Records.
Click here to stream the album.
Words: Sandra Burciaga
