Superblast!

Cool Band Alert! The Service Industry

They've only been around for three years, but Austin's The Service Industry may be one of the break-outs at next week's SXSW fest. The singer sounds quite a bit like Bob Mould, but he's backed by a lady vocalist and together they nail those smart Husker Du/Mission of Burma-style pop-punk hooks. Check out "Job of Quality" on their album Limited Coverage, which features a guest spot from Meat Puppets' Curt Kirkwood on guitar.

Cool band alert! Gospel Gossip

Northfield, MN's shoegazey Gospel Gossip, whose Sing into My Mouth was recently released by Guilt Ridden Pop Records. The record's far too long (13 songs, many of which run past the five minute mark) and singer Sarah Nienaber's girlish voice still needs some time to grow, but songs like "Revolutions in Physics" and "Lucky Lemmings" are epic, shimmering fuzz-pop with that beloved "cascading" guitar sound, courtesy of Nienaber. Bassist Justin Plank and drummer M. Oliver Moltaji are equally up to the task. They thank the Jesus and Mary Chain in the liner notes, but Slowdive and MBV should be in there as well. Let's hope they set a U.S. tour soon. Make it happen, America!

For now, they've got a grip of Minneapolis dates:

1/2 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
1/4 - Minneapolis, MN - Radio K
1/18 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue (Best New Bands of 2007 Showcase)*
2/29 - Minneapolis, TX (just kidding) - 400 Bar

* with Mouthful of Bees, Manifest, A Night in the Box, Black Audience, To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie, and -- wait for it -- Gay Witch Abortion.

Cool band alert! White Shoes & The Couples Company

Remember when Minty Fresh records was the bomb back in the mid-'90s? Recent signees White Shoes & The Couples Company are bringing it back with bouncy, cutesy pop.

Hailing from Indonesia (what?! Another Indonesian pop band?), the six-piece group add splashes of jazz, J-pop and world beat sounds to the standard indie pop formula. Their self-titled debut is out now. And their singer is cute, which never hurts. Well, maybe hurts so good.

Cool Band Alert! The Battle of Land and Sea

Out of the ashes of L.A.'s short-lived rhodeislandmusic comes The Battle of Land and Sea, who offer a new take on folksy slow/sad-core.

Their self-released EP is awash with beautiful guitar sounds and haunting melodies, sung by Sarah O'Shura and backed by guitarist/banjoist Joshua Canny. Their full-length debut is due on Notenuf Records this October. Mark your calendars.

The duo is currently planning a U.S. tour for sometime in the fall. Mark your calendars.

You can thank Superblast! for steering you in their direction. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 22. Mark your calendars.

Cool band alert! 1900s

Not to be confused with Scotland's punky 1990s, the stellar pop group from Chicago known as the 1900s (see? Ninety years apart) are gathering steam (and press) left and right.

Their warm, dreamy sound combines bouncy piano, splintered guitars and folksy instrumentation (acoustics, fiddles, flutes). So check them out please. Here are their upcoming dates for you to do exactly that:

9/7 - Chicago, IL - Hideout Block Party (w/ Andrew Bird, Bloc Party, etc)
9/8 - Madison, WI - Memorial Union Terrace @ UW
9/28 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
9/29 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
9/30 - Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Saloon

Cool band alert! ARGO

Seattle indiepop stalwarts Argo are nothing short of amazing. The opening track on their latest Ana-Them EP Attack of the Firebots has got to be one of the catchiest instrumentals in the last five years or so. And when the vocals kick in on "Water's Red", their immortality is assured. They're (finally) gigging outside of Washington, and California and Oregon folks'll be lucky to catch them. Definitely for fans of Death Cab and Jon Auer types.

Cool band alert! The Asteroid #4

Check it: The Asteroid #4 are a bunch of handsome devils from Philly. Nuggets-y, shoegaze-ish fuzzpop with lots of guitar action. Remember '90s Britpop band The Dylans? They sound quite a bit like them. Dreamy? Yes. Rockin'? Yes. Sample some tunes on their Myspace page. You're welcome.