New sounds from the best Manchester duo-turned-trio-turned duo! Fabulous & impeccable, The Bell Peppers have been one of my favorite bands since their Top of 2011 EP, Cooking With The Bell Peppers, and new sounds is always a great thing, having not heard from them in a while. Golf Shack, off their TBC 2nd EP, hits at all the BP’s great strengths: 50s reverb & surf through a modern lens, fresh-faced instrumentals with pop hearts, and the undeniable ability to sound like they belong in a Tarantino. Needless to say, you’re gonna need this EP, whenever it surfaces:

May 29th. New King Tuff album, entitled King Tuff on Sub Pop. Will be a top 10 record, and the odds are like 2:1 of a #1 album of the year. Bad Thing is as great as King Tuff has ever been if not better. Such an exciting band.

Don’t do a double take, I know I posted about Best Friends‘ ultimate jam Wasting Time once before, but I’ve had it on repeat for so long that I thought it deserved a second look. Not only that, but Art Is Hard will be celebrating their 10th release, Best Friends‘ second EP, Throwing Up, out on March 26th. The newly recorded jam they’re giving away for freesies is better than it ever was — clear, clean and full of sunshine, ridiculous hooks, a frenetic riff and the best part — it’s really good to shout along to at the end (“you make me feel so unreal” is surprisingly fun to shout). This song has been a mainstay of my current “just kickin’ it” playlist and it should be part of yours, as well. The full EP is up for stream via Art Is Hard’s Bandcamp, but you should put up £5 to order it, or shut up.

Been super sweet on California girl Colleen Green for quite some time now, and couldn’t be more excited about her upcoming release, Milo Goes to Compton, which comes out tomorrow via the ever impeccable darlings at Art Fag Recordings. Goldmine, a track that lives up to its name in almost every single way, is the best way to whet your appetite until tomorrow. It’s an upright, confident helping of summer sun and punk fuzz with Green’s lilting, clear vocals — this succulent little tale of not being able to control oneself sounds so damn good. Don’t forget to grab your copy of her full-length tomorrow and grab the mp3 below:

mp3: Colleen Green – Goldmine

Have been meaning to talk about London’s new punks Zulu. Was sent over a jam from their debut tape which will hit us via our favorite London label Stroll On Records. Sistine Chapel will sound fantastic on tape I’d imagine — it’s totally rough around the edges, a little dingy, sinister punk piece with gravely vocals that no doubt signals great things for the rest of this tape. Pre-order your copy & keep your eyes peeled for their tape launch.

Stumbled onto the Stereogum stream of French poetess Soko‘s debut album, I Thought I Was An Alien, and I was instantly struck by the effortlessly endearing I Just Want To Make It New With You. It’s such an enchanting little ditty that draws you in immediately with its uncomplicated arrangements and her fresh-faced vocals. The album is out on February 20th via Anorak, but save yourself the trouble and nab the best song on the album below.

mp3: Soko – I Just Want To Make It New With You

This song has been just sitting on Jerry Tropicano‘s soundcloud for over a month without me discovering it, but I was compelled to put this up immediately. Surf Trem is as immediately likeable as it gets — I absolutely die at Danny’s sinister vocals over the driving force of the easy-going garage riff and the dark bass line, all wrapped up in this total punk spirit. It wasn’t that long ago that I was at The Diner listening to an idea about what Jerry Tropicano was going to be and what the outcome has been certainly surpassed anything I imagined. Danny and his band, Jerry Tropicano, are one of the most interesting very young garage bands, recorded AND live, in the UK and I can’t wait to watch for more. Listen below:

I’m not surprised that a crop of bands from Bornemouth (sunniest place in the UK!) bring to mind so much sun, shade and relaxation, most notably YOOFS, here with Hazy Dayz. This languid, floating jam is just right for laying on a day bed in a haze. Fact. This little cut is available for the price of just 50p from The Sounds of Sweet Nothing. If you’re in Brighton, though, this weekend, YOOFS & YRRS will be at the Green Door Store on the 10th (Friday!) for the low price of a fiver. See y’all there and spend this grey, grey day inside with this on repeat:

Very excited to have a new (well, recorded last year and found this year — but new to our ears) French Kissing track to play on a neverending loop, to the joy and then chagrin of everyone I have ever met. The London trio have been quiet for a little while but the Nuggets-y jangle of I Want More is a welcome reintroduction back into our lives. I’ve loved their garage-surf finesse for quite some time, and this jam is no different, though erring on the side of The Kingsmen than anyone else. Scuzzy guitars, en point use of call and response, mid-song reverberated-out solo… It’s all working for me. If that’s not enough to keep you satisfied, they’ve got a single coming on 19th of March via Croque Madame, Wild Women b/w Love is For.

Suicide Squeeze has announced their 2012 singles series, featuring none other than our favorite King Tuff, whose 2nd LP is my most anticipated of the year. Wild Desire, spawned from the same 2nd LP recording sessions mentioned previously, is possibly the song of the year. If you had any doubts about KT’s ability to write salient, succulent prime glam-pop songs 10 years after writing his perfect LP Was Dead, this will dissuade you from such thinking in the future, I’m sure. Glam notes, catchy riffs, KT’s endearing caterwaul and, of course, a beautifully debauched chorus that sees KT croon ‘WILDDDD DESIIIREEEE’. Stream the track below and keep your eyes peeled for “Wild Desire” b/w “Hole in My Head” 7″ from Suicide Squeeze on April 3rd.