First off, I just want to say that I love the name of this band. The Phenomenal Handclap Band. What a terrific name for a band. I think they should do a remake of this handclappy song.

But before I get too far ahead of myself with them doing other peoples’ songs, how about we just enjoy them performing their own songs? And the first one I’ll present is “The Right One,” which I just found over at IRC’s latest rundown of new releases.

MP3: “The Right One” by The Phenomenal Handclap Band

And here is the official video:

After hearing this song, and very much enjoying it, I decided to start checking out their other songs. So far I’ve found one more than I really, really like. Here is “Baby”:

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Connect with and learn more about the band:

• Website
• Facebook

I recently attended a City and Colour concert in Indianapolis (an artist that you should also check out), and this band, The Low Anthem, opened up for them. Almost instantly I loved this band, mainly because I have a real soft spot for folk music and bands that you can really tell they love what they’re doing while they’re playing. They even, at one point, played a handsaw with a bow.

The Low Anthem is an indie folk band from Rhode Island. Their recent album, “Smart Flesh,” was recorded in an abandoned pasta factory.

“Hey All You Hippies!” is my favorite track off of “Smart Flesh”. It’s upbeat, smart, and really catchy. You can check out the song here.

Good song, even better video. Bravo guys.

“Analog or Digital” by Wildlife Control.

Here is how they created the video:

We created it by combining time lapse with stop motion. It was filmed over the course of an entire day in a single continuous take at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach.

You can download the song for free from their website here. Connect with them on Facebook here.

One of the people with whom I exchange music the most, my dear friend Mandy Middleton, has been posted a lot about Alabama Shakes on Facebook lately. I too her recommendation and listened for myself, and…wow.

This lady can SANG! I feel like her impressive, emotional, bluesy vocals deserve the more slangy but descriptive version SANG as opposed to sing.

Listen, you’ll get what I’m talking about.

We don’t usually feature songs that have been listened to my over 4 million people, as this song has been just on YouTube alone, but screw it. Walk Off The Earth’s cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You” is the quintessentially perfect cover. It stays true to the original song but features a unique twist (in this case the addition of a ukelele).

Regardless of the instruments though, this is a song that has to be carried by strong vocals – it is an Adele track after all – and Sarah Blackwood is more than capable.

Here is the other reason I’m featuring this song: it gives me a chance to laud Walk Off The Earth for doing what more bands should do in regards to distributing their music. They have a Bandcamp site set up where you can acquire each of their songs individually. Want download for free? Do it. Want to pay? Do it. I paid $2.50 for this track and also bought their cover of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know for $2.00.

More bands should do this. I think they’d be surprised by the results. Sure, some people will just take, take, take and not give up, but I bet that will be either fully or closely compensated by the people who would overpay for songs they really enjoy. What do you think?

And, just for grins, here is the original track by Adele, which stands alone as being a spectacular vocal performance. I love Walk Off The Earth’s as a fresh take, but it’s pretty hard to top Adele.

We just got a tweet to our @IndieChristmas account from @LostBoysAreDead with a link to check out their new mix. I did so, and though I wouldn’t really consider myself aboard the whole dubstep bandwagon that seems to be sweeping the nation, I did enjoy listening to this track.

And as a bonus, you can download it for free, which is always nice.

Have a listen

Indie rock god, Jack White, has just announced that his first ever solo album “Blunderbus.” The album will hit US stores on April 24th of this year. The first single off the album “Love Interruption” is being streamed online for you to listen. 

White always has a project he’s working on, and after listening to “Love Interuption” I am optimistic about his new solo album. Give it a listen and let me know if you feel the same.

I was discussing new bands with a friend this weekend when she mentioned Of Monsters and Men. I’d heard of them, but had not yet come across their music in my web travels.

Then today, Indie Christmas contributor Tyler Juranovich posted in our Indie Music Lovers Facebook group about the band, so I decided that fate had properly intervened and I need to take some initiative and check the band out.

So far, I’ve listened to one song, and I love it. So I’m posting.

And now I must admit something that’s a bit embarrassing.

While doing a Google search to find a pic of the band to post, I came across this post by Tyler from back in November. I never even realized he’d posted this! See? I need to read my own damn site for great music recommendations before I go elsewhere!

Here is the video for “LakeHouse” that Tyler alluded to in his post:

That’s it. I’m hooked.

Connect with the band:

• Facebook
• Tumblr
• MySpace
• @MonstersAndMen

One of my favorite new bands to hit the US just released their long-awaited debut EP “Into the Woods” along with North American tour dates. The EP contains four songs, including their most popular “Little Talks.” The tour starts in Texas, heads west, then back to Midwest, and finally finishes in Toronto. 

The band has recorded and finished their full album, but it won’t be released in North America until April 3rd. If you have heard of this band, now is your chance to see them live (always better and more telling than listening to a album). If you still haven’t heard of this band, now is your chance to listen and see what they’re all about.

See their live performance of “Little Talks” here.

Our latest treat from the fine folks at Lost At E Minor is “Payphone” by Erik Omen.

It’s got something of a haunting quality to it, but I enjoyed the vocals and the drums especially. The visuals match perfectly.

I couldn’t find a place to buy the mp3, but you can buy the vinyl here.