Scott Morrow 
Friend Roulette: I’m Sorry You Hit Your Head (Goodnight, 4/23/13)
“Earthrise”
Borne from two months of recovery from being hit by a bus, Friend Roulette is the Brooklyn-based brainchild of guitarist/singer Matthew Meade (he of said accident) and violinist/vocalist Julia Tepper (she of moral support). Together, the two have assembled a stable of talent to create progressive, percussive, chamber-infused pop that’s charged with vocal interplay.
Black Pus: All My Relations (Thrill Jockey, 3/19/13)
Lightning Bolt drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale has released solo material as Black Pus since 2006, first via self-released CDs (with a foundation in experimental jazz) and then via Load Records and now Thrill Jockey (with a poppier formula).
His video for “1000 Years” isn’t of the hyper-colored variety of his and Lightning Bolt’s album art, but it’s entertaining in an entirely different way, with more than 1000 pages of digitized flip-book sketches from Chippendale’s childhood. Watch as our protagonist fights through hordes of bad guys with little more than a trusty sword and a million arrows.
Sadly, there’s no Wyclef here…but don’t let that stop you from enjoying “Two Times,” a new single from singer-songwriter AM and funky multi-culturalist Shawn Lee.
Dark Time Sunshine: ANX (Fake Four, 7/24/12)
Consisting of Grayskul’s Onry Ozzborn and producer Zavala, Dark Time Sunshine is a lesser-known gem in underground hip hop. The duo’s newest album, ANX, is a diverse offering with quite a few standout guests, including P.O.S, Aesop Rock, Busdriver, and more — one worth exploring.
Here’s the new video for “Take My Hand,” featuring Swamburger and Aesop (who spends most of it picking his nose).
Braid / Balance and Composure split EP (No Sleep, 2/26/13)
“You Can’t Fix Me”
Balance and Composure: “You Can’t Fix Me”
“Say”
Next week No Sleep Records is releasing a split EP that pairs the old and new guards of indie rock. Each with a couple of brand-new tracks, the recently reactivated Braid and the up-and-coming Balance and Composure both are following an extended player with another quick dose of pretty and emotional rock tunes.
