Happy Groundhog Day and welcome to February, the cruelest — but thankfully, the shortest — month of the year. If you’re one of the unfortunate blizzard-stricken masses, we have just the thing: a tape full of lively new tracks that you don’t even have to leave your house to enjoy. There’s stuff from Vivian Girls and Nodzz, not to mention the release of long-awaited LPs by Wanda Jackson and The Dirtbombs. Right click and “Save As” to download individual tracks or scroll on down to the bottom of the post to get the whole thing.
Post-punk Baltimore-based trio Thank You recently released their third album, Golden Worry . This time around, engineer Chris Coady, who’s worked with bands like Beach House and Gang Gang Dance, took the producing reins. “1-2-3-Bad” is a guitar-shredding romp of a song, equal parts screamy sing-along and controlled rhythmic windmilling.
2. “No More Canyons” by Quiet Lights
Heirs to the throne of such muddy shoegazers as My Bloody Valentine, Quiet Lights make songs heavy on dreamy guitars and layering vocals. “No More Canyons,” from the forthcoming single of the same name, is all loops and textures, hard edges coated in honey.
3. “Time (What’s It Going to Do)” by Nodzzz
Consonant-happy rockers Nodzz have a new LP, Innings, coming at you later this year. From the sound of “Time (What’s It Going to Do),” the first single off the album, it’ll be chock full of the jangly lo-fi tracks the group does so well.
4. “I Heard You Say” by Vivian Girls
The upcoming third Vivs album, Share the Joy, just got a release date — April 12 — and to celebrate, they released a new track. It’s the first album with new drummer Fiona Campbell, since Ali Koehler left for Best Coast pastures. Campbell seems to be keeping up just fine, though.
5. “Go Ahead” by Banjo or Freakout
Chill-out master Banjo or Freakout is readying his debut album for release on Febuary 28, and unleashing a flood of teaser tracks to get you pumped for it. The latest, “Go Ahead,” is the most cohesive we’ve heard yet — tinkling piano and spooky synths under almost Microphones-esque vocals.
6. “Interleave” by Win Win [ft. Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip]
The latest release from the minds of Spank Rock’s Devlin and XXXChange is slow and brooding, almost melancholic. Win Win’s self-titled debut album is coming out February 15.
7. “Sharevari” by the Dirtbombs (Number of Names Cover)
The Dirtbombs are masters of the cover song, always putting their own riff on it, but without rendering the song totally unrecognizable. “Sharevari,” a cover of the Detroit techno outfit Number of Names’ song, is off the new Dirtbombs album, Party Store , which leans towards gritty dance numbers like this one.
8. “Lovers Lane” by Hunx and His Punx
The opening track from Hunx’s new album, “Lover’s Lane” is a twisted, aching Phil Spector homage — like “Leader of the Pack” through the lens of a slightly sarcastic 21st-century teenager.
Another track from Toro y Moi’s upcoming Underneath the Pines, out on February 22, “New Beat” is all synth and funk noise, a far cry from his other, quieter, less infectious singles.
10. “Thunder on the Mountain” by Wanda Jackson
“Thunder on the Mountain” is the fruit of Wanda Jackson and Jack White’s collaborative album, The Party Ain’t Over . It’s all the rollicking and reeling you might expect from the first lady of rockabilly and the garage rock impresario getting together to jam.