The TeleVibes’ Washed Up is the perfect merger of garage and surf rock. You can picture sitting on a driveway in lawn chairs in July while the band plays “Today” behind you, or local skaters using “Let’s Go” to soundtrack their latest film. The album begins on a light note: "Gnar’d" is a (comparatively) easy listen, with its simple chord progression, flanger-aided guitar solo and super catchy chromatic hook. As the EP progresses, the vocals slowly become more processed and muffled, as if they’re being sung through a megaphone gradually being buried in the sand, until becoming barely intelligible on "Today" and "Let’s Go." The effect, however, works to the band’s advantage, turning the vocals into one more instrument amongst a sea of distorted and reverb-heavy guitars. If you’re ready to start building up your playlist for the summer of 2014, Washed Up is a good place to start. – Jake Reed

Released last August, Eastern Phoebes’ Sprouts is everything you could ask for from an indie pop EP: short, to the point, and most importantly sweet. Across its five songs, the set captures upbeat chord progressions and cheery vocal melodies sung with a restraint that keeps them from distracting from the rest of the music at hand. The best song here is “Rolling Nightmare, I Believe In You,” which nears the sonic weirdness of psychedelic rock on its unpredictable chorus. If you’re a brass fan, press play on “Science + Mysticism,” which makes great use of the trombone on its simple hook, and later “If I Could Ever Disappear,” which uses the instrument to end the EP on a bright note. Mark your calendars to catch the band at the Wharf Pub in Newport, Rhode Island, on February 22. – Jake Reed