Curtsy – “One Less Thing”: The reverb-y indie pop band from LA makes their debut with a sound they describe as being inspired by Radiohead and Fleetwood Mac. A bold comparison, for sure. Too bold? That’s going to be an opinion that rests in the ear of the beholder, but for now I’m liking this track. Offhand, I think the Fleetwood Mac comparison is more obvious. Could this song push reverb to the mainstream?

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Brooke Waggoner – “Widow Maker”: Under two minutes, but packing more of a punch than I expected, for some reason. I hope that the rest of the record is as odd and whimsical as this song. The effect given by the melody and organ is memorable, but would be a bit abrasive if the song was much longer. Fans of Andrew Bird and Frankie Cosmos will like this. Waggoner’s record Sweven is out January 15, 2016 on Swoon Moon Music.

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Miike Snow – “Heart is Full”: The electronic act returns after a three year silence with this booming track that portrays an attitude that Miike Snow never really took a break. My sister introduced me to Miike Snow years ago – when she was still in high school. I don’t recall being super enamored back then, but this will be a club hit that will keep people moving and grooving through the winter months. It’s sort of a shame this wasn’t released around six months ago – “Heart is Full” could have been a song defining 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBMQAd0G2_k

The Royal Foundry – “Running Away”: I’ve heard the moniker ‘electronic folk’ a lot now and to be honest that term still throws me for a loop. “Running Away” is a good crash course in what the genre sounds like though. Big hooks. Organic sounding percussion recorded/performed live. Plenty of synths. With the resume this band has (appearances on NPR, BBC, and more) I’m surprised I haven’t heard of them before now.

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Sean Szoch – “Only Side”: I’m fairly certain I’ve inadvertently met this dude in a coffee shop I frequent for my Tuned Up update sessions, but I had no clue he was a musician until a little bit ago. It’s nice to hear this sort of sparse singer/songwriter set up where just as much emphasis is put on the guitar playing – no four chords-and-thats-it schemes. Do I detect a touch of John Mayer influence? This song was recorded in one take at an On the Couch session.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlp7_8mJ2Es[/youtube]