The end of spring is approaching, and that means its time to emerge from your winter slumber and start slogging through the music blogs in search of the perfect the summer soundtrack. Lucky for you, Flavorpill’s Viva Radio is all you need: in each edition, we help you find that special new band with a roundup of essential MP3’s. Click through for downloads from our last radio playlist and be sure to check back and listen to the show itself — we update every week.
1. The Vaselines An undeniable influence on the flannel-wearers to follow, the Vaselines whip up a garage-jangle that’s at once absurd, obscene, and endearing. [Download “Son of a Gun“] [Download “Teenage Superstars“]
2. Bill Callahan – “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” Callahan boasts that the nonsense chorus to “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” came to him in a dream where he “dreamed the perfect song.” It’s a classic Smog deadpan, but this standout from Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle, features enough perfect Callahan-isms to back his claim up. [Download MP3] via Thanks Captain Obvious
3. Crocodiles – “Here Comes The Sky” Riding a wave of buzz generated by props from bands like “No Age,” San Diego’s Crocodiles are doing their part to make 2009 the year of shitgaze. Sounds like the J&MC but chiller. [Download MP3] via Obscure Sound
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Zero (Animal Collective Remix)” Animal Collective remixing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is an idea so awesome in concept that the end results could never possibly live up to expectations. But this oozing, minimalist take on the cut is certainly worth at least one listen. [Download MP3] via Minneapolis Fucking Rocks
5. Eat Skull – “Dawn In The Face” The four-piece from Portland try to scuzz-out this track from their new album with trebly, over-driven guitars and keys, almost as if they’re somewhat embarrassed by the fantastic pop song they’ve got buried underneath. [Download MP3] via Raven Sings the Blues
6. Dirty Projectors – “Stillness Is The Move” The show featured “Remade Horizon,” which is a more exciting cut, but since that song has been removed from blogs via a request from the Dirty Projectors and their label, give this band-sanctioned preview from the forthcoming Bitte Orca a shot. [Download MP3] via Subservient Experiment
7. Papercuts – “Future Primitive” This track from SF’s Papercuts pulls one of rock’s classic gambits, pairing an earworm of a melody to a deeper-than-they-appear set of lyrics that you totally don’t even notice the first few times through, making it perfect mix-tape material for people who like putting those kinds of songs on mix-tapes. [Download MP3] via Cities of the Plain
8. Grizzly Bear – “Cheerleader” Grizzly Bear’s work has never been particularly concerned with easy pop-hooks, their latest grower being no exception. But give it a few listens, “Cheerleader” rewards patient listeners (a.k.a. Grizzly Bear fans). [Download MP3] via The KEXP Blog
9. Woods – “Rain On” Woods’ lo-fi sound can barely contain this minor epic, with a falsetto-stretching chorus and rough around the edges charm belying their allegiance to the Neil Young school of songwriting. [Download MP3] via The Tape
10. Bat For Lashes – “Use Somebody” You wouldn’t think southern rock covers would be a natural fit for Natasha Khan, but her sparse keys and drums arrangement manages to tease out something genuine from the Kings Of Leon-penned original. [Download MP3] via The Audio Muffin