Manhattan Murder Mystery‘s recordings have a layer of grit and dirt thicker than your grandmother’s attic. Their guitar driven post punk sound is topped off by guitarist/vocalist Matthew Teardrop, who sounds like a (slightly more) well adjusted version of Glen Danzig. Don’t believe me? Then maybe it’s time to have a listen to "Your Mother’s Neck", a surprisingly poppy song with a hummable hook about going crazy and murdering your mother.

The band will be sending 2010 off in style with a show at Pehrspace on Dec 30th. M31, The Mormons, and Kill Kill Kill will be joining the fun.

-Angelo Lorenzo

If you’re still looking for that new band to crank up and show off at your kick off party to the new year, search no further. Shawn Day and Chris Hackman of Greenhorse deliver nothing but audacious electronic coated pop ear candy that’ll get your guests bopping. The duo’s kaleidoscope effect, reminiscent of M83’s smooth vocals and MGMTs playful psychedelic pop, is fresh and enchanting.

Greenhorse are currently writing their second EP at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN with Brent Sigmeth (Nirvana, Wilco, Polyphonic Spree). You can catch a ride on the magical stallion at the Silverlake Lounge tonight before they gallop off to finish their record.

-Margarita Castellanos

January is a great month…a time where everyone snaps out of their lazy holiday mindsets and gets into the idea of starting off the year with fresh and exciting new creations. Olin and The Moon have some new music to play at their upcoming album release residency at The Echo, for their new record, "Footsteps". It all kicks off a week from tomorrow on Tuesday, January 4th. Last week, they announced "Rehearsal tonight and BIG rehearsal tomorrow with the violinists and pianist for the kickoff album release residency show…just you wait, these shows are going to be the best shows we have ever done!" OATM will be playing with The Diamond Light, who has also been working on some new tunes. The lineups for the rest of the Tuesday night shows are pretty impressive. There’s nothing better than real bands playing pure, raw music…so if you’re into the new age synths and all that, I suggest you stay home and tinker with your garageband.

–Jenna Putnam

There is a certain chemistry to be aware of when joining a band with family members — well, the fact that they tend to self destruct in glorious ways. But mix in the disarming vibe of folk music and I think brother and sister, Barbara and Ethan Gruska, will do just fine. The Belle Brigade was just recently scooped up by major label Reprise (Warner Brothers) for the release of their self-titled LP in April 2011. Produced by Matthew Wilder (No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom), the preview tracks absolutely soar. You can catch a few on their MySpace page to help ease the wait.

The band will be heading up a five date Spaceland residency each Monday of January — bookends with The Melvin’s Friday residency before the historic club changes name.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Surely everyone that has ever been in a relationship will agree that there has been a time where things have gone wrong, and the only solution to cure the heartache would be a rewind button to start all over from the beginning again. That’s pretty much the storyline to Modern Time Machines‘ new video for "Mammoth". With lyrics like "stuck in a world that’s sinkin’" and the finishing line, "there is nothing else that you can do", it’s a song about how the desire to turn back time is just a modern romantic’s ideal. 

Keeping their dreamy shoegaze sound, the higher pitch of the violin is complimented by guitar reverbs, stong baselines, and drum beats that go along with the catchy lyrics. Their debut album is due out early 2011, and they will be playing a show at LaBrie’s in Glendale on January 18th. 

–Jenna Putnam 

There’s nothing like a band that is brand spankin’ new. Cannoneers of The New Command, or Cannoneers for short, formed in Spring of 2009, making them relatively fresh on the scene. The quartet resonates pure, solid rock with a bit of a pop twist (think The White Stripes or The Hives), with a garage rock sound clearly influenced by rock ‘n’ roll bands from the U.K. 

Cannoneers have some new music on the way, and you can get a few licks by going to their upcoming shows at The Echo. They have booked a January residency for Monday nights, playing with some familiar local bands each week. They are finishing up their debut album, so stay tuned for some amazing music!

–Jenna Putnam

You could make apt comparisons between The Whispertown 2000 and bands like Rilo Kiley, and you would be justified — Blake Sennett and Jenny Lewis are some of the bands principal supporters even when songwriter Morgan Nagler was flying solo. Their sunny Californian folk dances through your headphones, especially during these winter days, but there seems a nagging lack of washboard percussion. Songs like "Old Times" is a hand clapping, foot stomping jamboree, with Nagler’s honey vocals leading the way.

The band just recently released The Get Happy EP featuring gems "Get Happy" and "The Everybody" as a followup to 2008’s full length Swim and I can only hope it’s a hint of another full length around the corner. Nagler will be playing solo under the moniker Whispertown(solo) at the Bootleg Theater on Jan. 12th with Jake Bellows(Neva Dinova), The Heartstring Symphony and The Quick Hellos.

-Angelo Lorenzo

If you’re sick and tired of these grey skies and heavy clouds, I suggest closing your eyes, turning up the volume to a mellow 8.5, and listening to Foster The People‘s "Pumped Up Kicks". The surf guitar, drum grooves, and distant melodic synths bouncing off of echoing vocals will have you floating all the way to a warm California summertime.

Foster The People is fresh, having just formed in October of 2009. They will be putting a few songs up on iTunes in January, and are currently working on their debut. They will be playing a Wednesday night residency at The Echo starting January 19th, and then they’re heading off to Australia for a few shows in February. But don’t  bother trying to stalk them on Myspace…they do things the right way by having their music solely on their website, and keeping their fans updated via twitter and facebook.

–Jenna Putnam

It seems that everyone in their mid 20s has this fond memory of Christmas involving The Chipmunk’s Christmas album, and its high pitched rendition of O Holy Night, screeching from their parent’s hi-fi. I have nothing against rodents who choose to pursue the profession of musician, but as I’ve grown up I’d like to think my tastes have matured, albeit slightly (I like Anthony Green’s solo album… save the criticism).

So while I pretend the rain is snow, I’m listening to Tape Deck Mountain‘s EP Christmas Was A Total Bummer. Comprised of "Christmas Time Is Here Again" and "Blue Christmas", I found myself picking out the melody from the snow flurry. You can pick it up for free on Bandcamp.

Then there is, of course, He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister covering Slade’s "Merry Xmas Everybody" in a video powered by JibJab’s ElfYourself. There is just something ever so disturbing about watching your face sway around on a cartoon elf’s body but HMBSMS pulls it off. Enjoy!

-Angelo Lorenzo

Our previous cover band, Local Natives, has had an amazing year. With raving reviews about their Coachella and SXSW performances, and their killer debut album "Gorilla Manor", they have a lot of expectations for the new year from eager fans. Before going into hiding to write their new record, the band will tour Japan and Australia leaving at the end of January. But before they do, they will have a special performance in New York City for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. I always did like his taste in music. 

They will also be releasing a special remix album, which is in the works right now, and being made right before our eyes on their Stems website. Also, if you have any appreciation for art, photography, or journalism, then I encourage you to check out their blog. It’s a sort of tour and behind the scenes diary, but some of the photos taken are beautiful. It reflects their music with feelings of nostalgia, weariness, good times, and a true appreciation for life and what they’re doing. These guys are artists in every aspect. 

–Jenna Putnam

Wazu is an interesting beast simply because I think the average group would be hard pressed to release demos all throughout the writing and recording process. With that being said, they just recently posted a demo for "Walk All Night". A bit more upbeat, it still maintains the group’s dark wave sound — think of a more pop sensible My Bloody Valentine — but the new demo doesn’t dethrown my personal favorite "MURDER1".

The band has been making waves with their live shows; recently at CMJ, as well as their show last night with Deli Poll winners Incan Abraham. It’s going to be interesting to see what shapes up with Wazu in 2011.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Eulogies, known for their calming, mellow and melodic sound, has announced the release for their 3rd album off of Dangerbird Records, titled "Tear The Fences Down". Eulogies’ songs always have a joyful mood to them, but this record is dedicated to a tragic event that frontman Peter Waker experienced last year, after living in anguish and pain over the death of his best friend’s 4 year old son. 

"In May of 2008 i experienced the ultimate high of my life when my son was born. Instantly everything was noticeably richer. music that i had listened to hundreds of times suddenly had more depth and layers to it than ever before. My life was full of a deep love i had never dreamed of. Just 7 days later, i got a call from my best friend and business partner, my brother from another mother, that his 4-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. I felt the floor drop out from under me. Talk about the universe speaking. There is no more poignant example of yin and yang in one’s life than this. After what happened in July of 2009 my emotions–my heart–my life–were all blown to smithereens. It took months to untangle my insides to the point that i could sit down with a pencil and a guitar and confront what I had been through, but when I did I began to see the light again after more than a year of deep-rooted torment. these songs became my lifeline. this is a diary of the trauma of war, and ultimately a way out of those horrific depths", said Walker.

"Tear The Fences Down" will be released on January 18th. For now, you can listen to the single "You Hide".

–Jenna Putnam