I didn't realize how crucial myspace would become to musicians and friend seekers. The whole concept just seemed too simple to take off the way it did. Regardless, it's the main band promoter these days and thanks to it I've made great new contacts. If you haven't already, be sure to become my friend (oh won't you be mine?).

From the mailbag:

We found a band in San Francisco called Trainwreck Riders that we're in love with. They're really young (20 or so years old). They play mainly Bart Stations, house parties and basements. Their sound is a cool mix of traditional American music and Bay Area rock n roll. Anyway, its very early in the bands days...but we wanted to bring this to you now.

The band just signed to Alive Records (the label that put out their best friends first record, Two Gallants, as well as Warlocks, Black Keys and Brian Jonestown Massacre). They are in the studio recording the album now, and it will come out in August 2006.

Mp3's
Trainwreck Riders : Delia
Trainwreck Riders : Lonely Road Revival

Video:
Train Wreck Riders : Bus Slo Mo

Here's some funkish, Devo-like, poppy, electro punk Minneapolis-based band Avenpitch. They have a new album titled "Butterfly Radio" out now on Chicago's Omega Point Records. The mp3's please:

Avenpitch : Butterfly Radio
Avenpitch : Dusseldorf
Avenpitch : Jack the Idiot Dance


And finally, another great band from our brothers above, Canada:

Think About Life builds a bridge from swiriling chaos to kindly pop, but the bridge is a shaky beast that tends to collapse into the sea and capsize any onlooking vessel. Shows can meltdown to oblivion or soar to ecstacy or implode after one song with police intervention. The sounds range from manic to troubled to tender to silly, exploding every emotion at once into a thousand pieces at the bottom of a canyon. TAL reassembles this raw material into a worldview rooted in thunder-storms, roller-coasters, clowns, sea-beasts, romance, fireworks, massive sphinxes, basketball championships, chivalric knighthoods, snowmen, children, videos, hamlets, sunglasses, and YOU.

Think About Life is the lovechild of Graham Van Pelt, a multi-instrumentalist, recording studio proprietor and co-director of Montreals adored all-ages alternative space, the Friendship Cove. The bands primary vocal organ is Martin Cesar, the genius of the Donkey Heart quartet that squinty, pimply West Montreal kids swear by as the little band that could Matt Shane is the name of the bands drum machine.

Think About Life : Paul Cries