Grassfight might be the gazillionth indie band referencing Joy Division in their sound, but their songs are so good that we are definitely not going to complain about that. Besides, there are a lot of other elements here that make things interesting: dark enough to be credible, noisy enough to be truly edgy and punchy enough to be entertaining, this is compelling psych-goth rock that expands on the freaky shoegazer vibe in a way Interpol never got around to. With a name based on a tragic battle during the Texas Revolution, this EP is bound to be confrontational. But don't let that scare you, singer Nathan Forster and band make the kind of lush, devastating music too catchy to keep you down. As an added bonus, lead singer Nathan can pull off some seriously high tension cadences a la' Nick Cave - something that pushes the songs' climax to thundering heights (see EP opener "Never you Mind," streaming below). The guitar work in the EP is also pretty impressive, ranging from stabs of pure noise to fuzzy walls of sound, to simple acoustic parts to psychedelic, blurred background textures. If you like some sonic horror in your music, keep an ear out for these guys. - PDG

"Resolved dissonance" is one of the very cool things about music - Sonic Youth mastered it to perfection. But honestly I have a hard time thinking about a "clean sounding" band that uses dissonance as purposefully as Brooklyn based super-obscure (but not for long) "The Hot Holy Mess". These guys only have two songs available online at this stage, but they are both satisfying my originality AND poppiness needs at once, which happens very rarely. Most importantly, they don't sound anything like Animal Collective, which these days is a major plus for any experimental-ish indie band. The song "Focus Focus," streaming here, is some kind of zany experimental psych-pop collage that bounces from a beatles-y verse (circa 1967) to an atmospheric bridge reminiscent of French band Air, to a circusy chorus involving harp, violin stabs and almost comical falsetto parts. What's hard to convey in writing is the band's flair and overall smoothness of the operation. Bravo! The second song "Long Ride Down" develops in a folkier and more intimate direction, with acoustic guitars and hand claps. Dissonance again pays visits in the vocals and guitar parts, and later on in super-psychedelic distorted violin solos, adding layers of tension and alienation to an otherwise mellow song. These songs are available for free download here.

With their new EP "Bleed Me" the guitar/vocalist and drummer grrrl tandem Clinical Trials steps up the noise-rock formula through the addition of orchestral and industrial elements, boosted by confident performances and songwriting. In the record's highlight track, the suspenseful and almost scary "Whip It", the band takes the bold step of adding an unnerving brass section to the more traditional harsh guitar and rumble-crash drum sound. The soaring female vocals start out in a controlled manner but by song's end have progressed to throat shredding screams, in an ever-growing, cathartic tension buildup. That's what rock'n'roll is all about right there... The second track "American Girl" - as tense as the previous one - touches on middle-eastern rhythms for the verses, adding alienating low-toned synth bends to the mix. "Sweet Machine" is more bass guitar heavy, with a clean lively drum sound positioned against breathy come-hither vocals. References to "beauty queens" and "satisfaction guaranteed" completes the sex-for-whatever scenario. "White Fence" makes use of found audio vocal snippets (made to sound like radio transmissions) leading into a vocal delivery that pays homage to Kurt Cobain's more confessional moments. Rich organ textures pad the sonic space as lyrical points are made about "cyanide moments." If only Frances Bean would make up with Courtney – they would probably enjoy checking out this band together. - Dave Cromwell

There was a short period in Motown's storied history where they let psychedelic off-his-rocker producer Norman Whitfield take the wheel, producing hits for the Temptations at a time when America was still tripping from the '60s, but welcoming the funk soon to conquer the 70s. Whitfield perfectly tightwalked this delicate balance between psychedelia and soul, and The Stepkids have taken his groundwork and put it to good use for a generation that never got to take a ride aboard Parliament-Funk's spaceship. Not unlike what MGMT did for Brooklyn (or if you like, Of Montreal for Athens), this Connecticut/Brooklyn based trio is tightly pairing together the ghosts of Sly Stone and The Bee Gees together with Free Design and The Fifth Dimension. Not a small task... But considering these guys cut their teeth touring with Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill and even 50 Cent, they're more than ready to step to the front of the stage. After having the good sense to sign with the legendary Stones Throw Records earlier this year, the band's already produced a handful of solid 7-inches, covering the gamut from the smooth soul of 'Legend in My Own Mind,' to the roller rink-ready 'Shadows on Behalf.' Their full-length - out on September 27 - gathers these singles (all in the first half of the record together with the super-fun "Brain Ninja" - video streaming below), adding more delicious numbers full of truly good vibes, including one our favorite tracks - "Suburban Dream," which you can preview in this live video, where it's performed with scary instrumental and vocal precision. - Mike Levine

Your average record reviewer would ideally always (and only) write about incredibly original, mind blowing bands whose music will change the course of rock history. Until a group like Widowspeak comes along to remind him a few things. The Brooklyn based trio isn't putting on our musical table particularly mind blowing or esoteric ingredients: Mazzy Star's dreamy folk, Cowboy Junkies' spare, blue atmospheres, some good old Paysley Underground psychedelia, and the unmissable pop element. But they do it so darn well that we can't help to remind ourselves (for the thousandth time) how uniqueness isn't all that important when you have a bunch of great songs, spot on arrangements, and a voice that somehow hits you. Speaking of which... Molly Hamilton's cheerless and child-like  soprano is adorable and engrossing at once, and her simple but always interesting melodies are a crucial element in what's noteworthy about this band. Robert Thomas and Michael Stasiak - on guitar and drums - create the perfect balance of intriguing but not over-powering parts to support her talent.

Illuminator and their debut album "Answer Voice the Child" (released in January) confirm our suspicions that NYC bands with a mellow sound currently have an edge in terms of originality over rocking/shredding ones. This guitarless up and coming Brooklyn group often sounds like a crazier but also more laid back version of french duo Air, with some added psych/experimental influences reminiscent of artists ranging from Pink Floyd to Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projector. Their soulful melodies also bring to mind early TV on the Radio. In "Hey Crazy (Cough)" and "You Are Overgrown" - two of our favorite songs - electronic percussions, often distorted, introduce an interesting industrial element, but are confined to the background, while sweeping, heavily effected vocals take center stage. 
The ancient Greeks thought that at night you could hear the music of the universe while staring at the stars. Nobody ever heard that music, but if it existed it would sound very much like this record. Cosmic.