Whalebones. Big sound, lots of hair. Tonnes of power, loads of fun. Watch out for this band. They recently released their first EP "Morning Man" on Lucky Horse Industries. Hand crafted and containing 5 songs it is powerful stuff. Stoner rock for the new age if you will. All the songs have an epic feel, rocking and rolling, swaying and swinging. I am loving their sound, especially the centre piece track "Don't You Know". This Seattle band is highly recommended.
MP3: Blood Bank-Whalebones
MP3: Don't You Know-Whalebones

Hailing a couple of hours up the road are Black Mountain, from Vancouver. Their sound is very similar, if you have a copy of their self titled debut album you would know that. Now this band is about to release their second album "In the Future". It drops on January 22 on the always excellent Jagjaguwar. The first track available for preview is "Tyrants" and it has the band's trademark sound. Big opening, then a slower passage, before bursting out all over again. Their new album should be epic, judging by this.
MP3: Tyrants-Black Mountain

Jason Collett, part of the always growing Broken Social Scene collective, also has a new album slated for release in early 2008. Arts and Crafts will release "Here's To Being Here" on February 5. Jason's sound veers more to the country sound, a different feeling to that emanating from BSS. To quote the artist "This is very much a guitar record, in the sense of it being very tasteful...that's the greatest accomplishment of this record" says Collett, "recording in bigger spaces and live off the floor was the ideal I wanted to shoot for with this record. Recording this way allowed for spontaneous creations, which led to many wonderful little accidents."
MP3: Out of Time-Jason Collett

Bodies of Water are from Los Angeles. They recently released their debut album "Ears Will Pop and Eyes Will Blink" on their own label Thousand Tongues. Now, after receiving great acclaim, they have signed with Secretly Canadian and their album will receive a greater release. December 4 in the USA, then January 22 worldwide. What I have heard of the album sounds impressive. Harmonies galore, they produce a swirling mesh of folk, gospel and psychedelic pop. This band of four is going places, in a hurry.
MP3: I'll Guess We'll Forget the Sound, I Guess, I Guess-Bodies of Water

I can't tell you a lot about The Whiskers. Except this, they are very good. Oh, I do know there are six of them and they are spread all over the US, although mainly in the North-East. They recently released a self titled debut album on Awkwardcore Records. Their music is quite unique, it is mysterious and beautiful. I would say that if you desire to get into Frog Eyes, but find their music a little hard to digest, then this band could be for you. Very impressive.
MP3: Roses-The Whiskers