We've got a new round of Future Perfect Picks! Come on over to Future Perfect Radio to see full bios, videos, an exclusive interview with Deastro, and launch channels where you can listen to them all!

Oh, and if you want to win a copy of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "It's Blitz!" keep reading!

Passion Pit

Boston's Michael Angelakos began PASSION PIT as a way to create a Valentine's Day gift for his girlfriend. Things have taken off for Angelakos since then: he's toured alongside Death Cab for Cutie and signed to Frenchkiss Records.

Passion Pit's debut full-length Manners hit shelves on May 19. You can hear the album, in full, on Future Perfect Radio!


Bat for Lashes

Natasha Khan is BAT FOR LASHES, out of England but born in Pakistan. She uses the conflict of culture to expand on themes of duality and split personalities in her second album, Two Suns, released in April.


Deastro

DEASTRO is Randolph Chabot, a Michigan electronica maestro who's been releasing music in various guises since he was 12. Deastro looks to be his big chance though. Moondagger, the outfit's first album on Ghostly International, comes out on June 23. (Head to Future Perfect Radio to read an exclusive interview!)


Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun

Dance-rock, electronica-infused act TODAY THE MOON, TOMORROW THE SUN aren't afraid to throw some grungy sounds into the mix. The result is a raw, yet highly catchy stew of indie rock. The group released their latest EP, The Lightning Exhibit, in late 2008.


Additionally! Take our listener survey for a chance to win a copy of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "It's Blitz!" It's short and painless (the survey), we promise!

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As always, we're adding new music constantly to Future Perfect Radio to keep you up to date with the latest and greatest out there. Here's some of the more notable new music additions to FPR:

Kinetic Stereokids - Kid Moves
Silversun Pickups - "Panic Switch" off Swoon
Pomegranates - Everybody, Come Outside!
Extra Golden - Thank You Very Quickly
Fireflies - Butterscotch EP

Check out this music, and tons more, on our 25+ channels of indie rock at Future Perfect Radio!

Know of a worthy band or album we should have on Future Perfect Radio? Tell us in our blog!

Here's the run-down on this week's featured bands. Find out more, including interviews, videos and tour dates, at Future Perfect Radio.

Vote for the best artist here.


Gentleman Reg
Toronto's GENTLEMAN REG, fronted by the ecclectic singer/songwriter Reg Vermue, follows up their November EP Little Buildings with Jet Black, just released through Arts & Crafts.






Laura Barrett
Toronto's LAURA BARRETT excels at the kalimba, a little-known instrument from Africa also known as a thumb piano. Her debut LP Victory Garden finds the singer/songwriter moving into mainstream territory.






Alaska in Winter
The electro-pop dance-floor favorite ALASKA IN WINTER is fronted by Brandon Bethancourt out of Santa Fe, NM. Their sophomore album, Holiday, landed last November through Milan.






Miracles of Modern Science
Armed with violins, cellos and mandolins while donned in shiny silver spacesuits, MIRACLES OF MODERN SCIENCE aren't your typical band. Formed at Princeton University in 2004, the group blends The Decemberists, Explosions in the Sky and the New York Philharmonic.

A big "Thank you!" to all who participated in Future Perfect Radio's decision on the fate of our "Best of '08" channels. Without further delay, here is your decision:

The "Best of 2008" channel will continue to exist, but will not be present on the FPR homepage. To access the channel from now on, you must find it in the "Other Channels" section in the player. Too many people expressed interest in seeing the channel survive, and it would be nice to save the music in such a channel as an archive of what 2008 was. However, to make room for new channels, we'll be removing the link from the homepage by the end of the week.

The "Pitchforks' Top 100 Tracks of 2008" channel will be dismantled by the end of the week. We hope to do similar channels like this in the future, but not enough people came to back this particular one. Sorry!

Have ideas for new channels on Future Perfect Radio? Tell us by commenting here, or emailing us at programmers@futureperfectradio.com

Attention Future Perfect Radio listeners! We now have 3 great new channels for you, bringing our total to 29.

Great Lakes Soundtrack - Featuring the best indie tunes from the great state of Michigan. Example artists include Mason Proper, Bug Lung Baby, The Silent Years, My Brightest Diamond, and PAS/CAL. This channel was built in response to an outcry from fans requesting a place for their Michigan favorites. Most of the artists come from fan suggestions -- so keep them coming, and send any channel ideas our way! Your idea may be the next channel on Future Perfect Radio.

SXSW '09 - A channel highlighting the bands playing at this year's South by Southwest music festival, set for March 18-22 in Austin, Texas.

Noise Pop '09 - Featuring the artists set to perform at this year's San Francisco music festival, running February 24 through March 1.

Check out these channels, and our 26 other selections, at Future Perfect Radio!

Busy week here at Future Perfect Radio, here's the (long) list of new music just added:

Laura Barrett - Victory Garden
Port O'Brien - Winter
Western Civ - Shower the People You Love with Gold
Benjy Ferree - Come Back to the Five and Dime Bobby Dee Bobby Dee
The Old Ceremony - Walk on Thin Air
Flosstradamus feat. Caroline Polachek - "Big Bills"
Anni Rossi - Rockwell
Vine House - Young Regret
Sh! The Octopus - The Carrot Chase
The Calm Blue Sea - The Calm Blue Sea
Arbouretum - Song of the Pearl
The Isles - Troika
Shortwave Set - Replica Sun Machine
Elvis Perkins - Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Plus much more! Head on over to futureperfectradio.com to tune in.

Remember, follow Future Perfect Radio on Twitter, or on Facebook to get these updates automatically, and to find out in advance about some new channels coming soon!

Here's the run-down on this week's featured bands. Find out more, including interviews, videos and tour dates, at Future Perfect Radio.

Vote for the best artist here.

Alela Diane
Folk singer/songwriter ALELA DIANE is prepping the release of sophomore album To Be Still through Rough Trade, just five years after handing out her first album as a CD-R with hand-stitched covers. Haunting, melodic and enchanting, Diane follows up her strong debut with an equally impressive follow-up.



...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Austin's ...AND YOU SHALL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD have been making a new for themselves since forming in 1994. The fierce dream pop act from Austin are set to release their seventh album The Century of Self on February 17.



Port O'Brien
PORT O'BRIEN belong at once to California and Alaska, with the band's songwriters working in the later locale during summers on fishing boats and in bakeries. The music crafted during breaks and time ashore is modest, intimate and wholly unique.



Mountains
Brooklyn ambient music duo MOUNTAINS compose gloriously soothing sonic landscapes with out-of-the-ordinary instruments and a heavy load of layers. Their third album Choral lands February 17 and can be heard in full on Future Perfect Radio.

Here's the run-down of the new music added to Future Perfect Radio this week:

The Thermals - "Now We Can See"
Mike Bones - A Fool for Everyone
Psapp - The Camel's Back
Dark Was the Night compilation from 4AD
Asobi Seksu - Hush
Alaska in Winter - Holiday
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - The Century of Self

Plus much more! Head on over to futureperfectradio.com to tune in.

Remember, follow Future Perfect Radio on Twitter, or on Facebook to get these updates automatically, and to find out in advance about some new channels coming soon!

I've come to realize that the two of the albums which have all but exclusively captured my listening attention in the past week or two -- Loney, Dear's Dear John and Andrew Bird's Noble Beast -- both feature whistling prominently. Emil Svanängen whistles beautifully in his third album Dear John (especially in "I Was Only Going Out") which just landed a few weeks ago through Polyvinyl. Bird, already quite famous for his whistlin' ability, again shines in Noble Beast, his latest from Fat Possum.

Before this, I wasn't aware that the ability to musically blow air through one's mouth would impress me or sway me to like certain albums or songs so much. I can only remember Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" featuring the talent so prominently and so strikingly. That track -- and indeed whistling in music in general -- seems to be an oddly polarizing issue though. Those I've spoken to about the topic are either eccentrically in love with the concept, or venomously opposed. Even Mr. Bird himself in a recent interview spoke out against being pigeon-holed as the "whistling guy."

So what do you think? Does happy-go-lucky whistling make you wince, or rush to hit "Repeat"? Do people you know have such strong opinions about the topic? And perhaps my most vexing question: why is that?

Answer here!

Here's the run-down on this week's featured bands. Find out more, including interviews, videos and tour dates, at Future Perfect Radio.


The Faunts
Launched to fame with a spot in "Mass Effect," Canada's FAUNTS deliver orchestral dream-pop. Listen to their new album Feel. Love. Thinking. Of. on Future Perfect Radio.



The Soldier Thread
Austin's THE SOLDIER THREAD rocketed onto the scene with a majestic EP back in 2007. The lush chamber-pop act continue their streak with full-length Shapes out Feb. 24.



Fol Chen
"We are cryptic and joyful and we would like you to dance," says California's FOL CHEN. Their dance-pop debut Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made will make you dance. You have no say in the matter.



The Butterfly Explosion
Dublin's post-rock outfit THE BUTTERFLY EXPLOSION combine My Bloody Valentine's shoegaze with The Smashing Pumpkins' rock. Their debut LP is due out in '09 and can't come soon enough.



Woodhands
Born out of a Montreal basement, WOODHANDS make incredibly catchy dance rock. Dan Gerb and company will get you moving, or else.