Forget the dads of the day. Nightmom is heading out on an extensive tour following the release of the double single “Domino/Girlswamp” last month – but before you see them live, make sure to download the Providence duo’s trippy new singles on Bandcamp for a foggy foray in experimental psychedelic rock. The tour begins and ends in the band’s hometown, but will take them as far as Texas and British Colombia, Canada. Tour dates are still being confirmed, so keep tabs on their Bandcamp page or Facebook for the latest updates. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed) 

Close your eyes and you might drift away in the cloudy soundscape of “Boomcan,” a song lifted from Pours’ self-titled debut LP. On the track, the Vermont duo crafts its own sound by combining chillwave synths, live drums and synth hooks that wouldn’t be out of place in Kid Cudi’s best work. The song was released to Bandcamp on June 25 alongside the similarly trippy, unpredictable “Carry the Oar.” The band is currently crossing the country on tour, but stay tuned to its Facebook page to find out when you can see them next. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

Boston’s Vundabar is surfin’ the USA with its brand of chilled-out summery rock. After a nearly two-month trek in Europe, the guys will kick off their latest tour with a hometown show at Great Scott in Allston tonight, July 22. New Englanders can also check the band out at Modern Gypsy in Manchester, NH, on July 23; Woodbury Music Shop in Woodbury, CT, on July 24; and The Space in Connecticut on August 8. Or, if you happen to find yourself in Brooklyn, peep them alongside Perennial Reel and Morus Alba on July 27 at Muchmore’s. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

A little over a week ago, the organizers of Boston Calling announced the launch of Blank Canvas, a contest inviting all interested artists to create a concept for a 36 x 60” mural that will then create and put on display during the fall festival session (September 5-7). Five winners will be chosen from the submissions, receiving $1000 cash (including $250 for supplies) and four 3-day VIP tickets to the Boston Calling, in addition to the vast exposure their designs will receive at the festival.

According to a press release, the idea for this contest came about after brainstorming different ways of trying to utilize the talents of all artists (not just musicians) in the activities at Boston Calling. “We are always seeking ways to extend our connection to the community and further celebrate the talents of the people that make Boston, and the entire region vibrant,” says Brian Appel, co-founder of Boston Calling, in the release.  “At this past May’s festival, every time we saw a blank wall, we felt we missed an opportunity to have an artist display their work.”

All interested applicants must submit their designs via an 8.5 x 11” digital document no later than August 5, 2014. A full list of contest rules and regulations–and info about September’s concert lineup–can be found here.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

LuieGo is a breath of fresh air to Western Massachusetts’s dense scene of DIY bands and singer songwriters. “All you rappers suck!” he yells on “I Run the A,” a track that details his dominance over Amherst’s rap scene and bites so hard that some might think the “A” stands for Atlanta at first listen. Following May’s "Fuck Daht," “I Run the A” is the latest preview of the rapper’s upcoming Authentic Thoughts mixtape, which he says we should be hearing soon. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

 I was invited to a show a couple weeks ago by a band member from The I Want You. I like Boston-area nightlife, I like music and I like beer–all of which were coincidentally at TT’s the Bear’s in Cambridge that night–so I figured I’d go check it out. The band played an eclectic mix of pop tunes peppered with multi-part harmonies and keyboard melodies. I could vaguely detect hints of an R.E.M. influence (meant as a compliment, though I’m not sure how the band will take it). The highlight of their set for me was their song "Drifting". Full of energy and well-timed backing vocals, it was my favorite song of the evening by far.

For more info about The I Want You, check out their Bandcamp page.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

Following its poppy lead single “Golden,” We Were Astronauts have premiered the second single from its forthcoming Artificial Light EP. “Keep It Together” follows in the footsteps of melody-driven rock radio giants Kings of Leon, with catchy vocals and a thoughtfully pieced-together array of guitar pedals carrying the track from start to finish. Look for Artificial Light on September 9 and get your tickets to August 23’s album release party here. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

Four great Massachusetts bands – all for only five dollars. If you’re in the Boston area tonight, July 13, head over to Jamaica Plain’s Midway Cafe at 9 p.m. to catch Amherst surf giants Sexy Girls, the dark and dingy punk of Middleboro’s Black Beach, Boston garage rockers Grave Ideas and the high energy of Attleboro’s Neutrinos. See you there. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

People The Kangaroo’s Greatest Hits Vol. 3 is not a greatest hits collection at all – rather, it’s the band’s first EP, following last year’s single “We Can Still Say I Love You.” The album starts with a swelling synth and a spoken word sample, a brief detour from the music that follows. First up is the poppy “Blue Filter (Clicking Clicking),” a fair example of the band’s knack for a good hook and Pablo San Martin’s slick production, but “Time is Running Faster” is even better. With extraterrestrial backing vocals, synth and guitar riffs that twist and turn around one another and drums big enough to fill a stadium, the EP’s second track is also its focal point. Next, “Hit You” careens on the line between cheery and dissonant, fitting its creepy lyric – “I’m in the back seat, I’m gonna hit you if I can,” vocalist Alan Wurman sings. Grab Greatest Hits Vol. 3 for free on Bandcamp now and see the guys play it live at T.T the Bear’s in Cambridge on July 23. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

Our new summer anthem has arrived just in time for July 4^th barbeques. Vanyaland just premiered the video for the latest by CreaturoS, “Short Shorts,” and the clip is a simple, colorful tribute to the oft-ridiculed menswear trend. “Walkin’ around town gettin’ shit for my short shorts,” the garage tune laments as protagonist Nightime Gallagher wipes tears away, defeated after being booted from a record store with a “No Short Shorts!” sign at the register. If you like what you hear, you can download “Short Shorts” for free over at the group’s Bandcamp page and see them play alongside Boy Toy and Tredici Bacci at Great Scott in Allston on July 18. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

If there’s one thing Sexy Girls has a knack for, it’s fitting in pop hooks where you’d least expect them. On the band’s latest release, Satan’s Hands, the first arrives at 1:15 on opener “Young in a Garden”: amidst a beach shack strewn with tube amps, Alex Whitelaw sings, “With a touch of your hand I’ll be at your command … Where can I take you?” before devolving into a chorus of la-las. Overall, the set is a more concise take on surf rock than 2012’s The Collection, with few changes to the instrumentation allowing Whitelaw’s songwriting – as well as Ben Semeta’s production – to shine. “It’s Painful For Me,” an everything-will-be-alright promise, stands out even without a discernable chorus or a single drum beat thanks to heaped-on distortion. On the title track, Whitelaw calls out to God to “meet me in the middle,” ending the album on an introspective note. Download Satan’s Hands for free on Bandcamp now or keep your eyes open for a physical copy at Sexy Girls’s upcoming shows in Portland, ME; Chicopee, MA; Portsmouth, NH; Jamaica Plain, MA; and Florence, MA. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)