Howling Bells - Howling Bells

Before downloading the track offered below, please try to imagine the sound of My Bloody Valentines' Kevin Shields and Emmylou Harris together on an all-night Paris, Texas bender. Howling Bells are that sound: a little bit country and a little bit warped neu-gaze rock 'n roll. This Australian band is gaining acclaim across the internet and will soon release their debut self-titled album on Bella Union. They're deserving of the praise. Hallelujah.

If you fall in love easy, skip listening to "Broken Bones" as you may be smitten incurably by Juanita Stein's bewitching voice. Stein's singing falls somewhere between Hope Sandoval's lazy drawl, Harriet Wheeler's dreamy swoon and PJ Harvey's damaged snarl. That's a sexy combination.

Listen to Howling Bells on their MySpace page.

Stream Howling Bells' "The Bell Hit"

Young People - All At Once

Young People's songs are brief and barren, drought dry but stirred now and then by tiny dust devil guitars. The shudder of drums, pushed to the very back of the production, rise up like distant warnings. Up close to the ear is Katie Eastburn's breathy and melancholic singing.

"The demos were recorded on my computer's microphone, and on Katie  hand-held tape recorder," says Young People's multi-instrumentalist Jarrett Silberman about the new album All At Once. "So they sound kind of dark and muffled, which became the sound of the record."

Lasting under 30 minutes, the album passes by quickly and demands repeat plays to fully absorb. Each track is a sketch, the barest outline drawn in minimal shades of emotion. On paper Young People's simplicity shouldn't be as beguiling and rewarding as it is. It shouldn't get under the skin like it does.

Listen to Young People's "F9" (MP3)

All at Once was released on March 21, 2006 by Kill Rock Stars/Too Pure. Read the band's bio here.