Listening Post

)

Sorry, folks, it's been a really rough couple of weeks so I know I've slacked off from my usual amount of slacking off.

Here's some new stuff from Blood Red Shoes, which are one of what feels like the few relatively new alt-rock bands making music these days. Yes, I seem to lament that kind of thing more and more as I get older and listen to what KROQ plays nonstop these days.

Here's The Perfect Mess

Listening Post

These guys are a slightly heavier Paramore and this song is an absolutely blast.

Here's We Are the In Crowd -- The Best Thing (That Never Happened).

Listening Post

Manchester Orchestra are back with an upcoming record, Cope. Frontman Andy Hull says it's going to be a quick, straightforward rock album, as opposed to the glorious, passionate and sprawling mosaic that was 2011's Simple Math.

Here's the first single from the new record. This is Top Notch.

Listening Post

More a hymn than a song, this is a current favorite.

Here's Half Moon Run -- Unofferable.

Listening Post

I was rightly scolded by a couple of people for missing this yesterday. Truth is a new song from the Afghan Whigs couldn't have come at a better time. I need it right now.

Here's the band's first new single in 16 years.

This is Algiers.

Listening Post

After all this time, I do still love this song.

Here's Keane's A Bad Dream.

Listening Post

German DJ/Producer Zedd's collaboration with Matthew Koma back in 2012 turned out to be one of the best songs of that year. I still can't stop listening to Spectrum.

Now they're back, adding vocalist Miriam Bryant into the mix. The result isn't as good as Spectrum but it's still a hell of an enjoyable pop-EDM track.

Here's Find You.

Listening Post

Whether he's fronting Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon or simply working under his own name, Mark Kozelek makes some of the most beautiful and moving -- and sometimes darkly powerful -- acoustic music around.

His new album as Sun Kil Moon hit iTunes yesterday and it's his most personal release yet, with each song dealing not in universal themes but in very laser-point specific words about his life and feelings.

For most singer-songwriters this would feel terribly self-indulgent, but Kozelek makes it work because the entire record feels like a personal Psalm.

Here's the lovely I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love.

Listening Post

This song's actually a year old but these guys are playing at the El Rey here in L.A. tonight with St. Lucia and I'm trying to convince myself to go, so why not post it here, right? That'll have some kind of impact on my decision, I'm sure.

Here's Sir Sly -- Gold.

Pay to Play

Social media queen Geek Girl Diva has been a big supporter of this site for a long time, which is why when she needs help I'm always there.

She's started an Indiegogo drive aimed at recording a song, and you too should help out. Why? Because she's awesome, that's why.

Indiegogo: Help GGD Record Her Song