Doug Tuttle

Doug Tuttle | Peace Potato | 3hive.com

Doug Tuttle | Peace Potato | 3hive.com

Just when I thought Doug Tuttle couldn’t outdo his incredible 2016 solo album, It Calls On Me, the former MMOSS frontman takes that thought and stomps it into oblivion with the release of his new LP Peace Potato. Not only does Mr. Tuttle’s songwriting keep getting stronger with every release, the way he constructs his songs gets stronger as well. The 15 tracks on Peace Potato weave in and out of each other or abruptly stop before taking off again with such precision it’s easy for the listener to get carried away into the lush landscapes of Mr. Tuttle’s “downer pop melodies”.

Give the George Harrison-esque “Can It be” and the way to short “It’s Alright With Me, Ma” a spin below. You won’t be sorry – I promise.

[Buy a copy of Peace Potato on limited edition clear vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop. While supplies last.]


Spotting

Spotting | Spotting | 3hive.com

Spotting | Spotting | 3hive.com

Melbourne’s Spotting will beat your ears into submission with their pounding, brain piercing, style of synth punk. Give the appropriately titled “Thumper”, from their new EP a spin below, you won’t be sorry.

Spotting’s self-titled EP is available now digitally from the band’s Bandcamp page and on wax through Aarght Records.

Luke Reed

Luke Reed | Won't Be There | 3hive.com

Luke Reed | Won't Be There | 3hive.com

Bent Shapes‘ Luke Reed has been writing and recording solo material over the years, amassing a large collection of unreleased bedroom pop songs. In July of 2016, without any publicity or even album art, Reed quietly released his solo debut, Won’t Be There, on his Bandcamp page.

Won’t Be There is 13 (now 16) tracks of everything from lonely bedroom pop to jangly indie – all soaked in that lo-fi warmth of home recordings. In March of 2017, the good dudes at The Native Sound rereleased Won’t Be There with 3 additional songs and album art too. Give “Won’t Be There” and “Watching TV” a spin below and head over to the Native Sounds Bandcamp page for a copy. Be sure to send some money their way so hopefully, one day, Won’t Be There can be pressed to vinyl, as it deserves to be.


RAYS

RAYS | RAYS | 3hive.com

RAYS | RAYS | 3hive.com

Oakland’s RAYS play a catchy brand of new wave/punk or “next wave” (as they like to call it), reminiscent of bands like Television, Wire and Gang of Four. These guys and gal are no copycat act either; their debut, self-titled, release (recorded by Kelley Stoltz and mastered by Mikey Young!) is eleven tracks of fresh sounding,  jerky, hook-filled post-punk. Hit play on ‘Lost In A Cage’ and ‘Made of Shadows’ (streaming below), crank up the volume, and get your pogo on!

We have RAYS available on tasty yellow vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop! Get one before they’re gone.


Lilith

Lilith | Apology Plant | 3hive.com

Lilith | Apology Plant | 3hive.com

Boston indie-pop rockers, Lilith, slay it on their new cassette release Apology Plant. It’s 6 tracks of fuzz-pop goodness hits me where it counts. Give their stomper “Rated R” (below) a spin to see what I mean.

Apology Plant is available now digitally on Lilith’s Bandcamp page and/or on cassette through Disposable America. Enjoy!

Lubec

Lubec | Cosmic Debt | 3hive.com

Lubec | Cosmic Debt | 3hive.com

Portland, Oregon 3 piece, Lubec, are back with a new release, Cosmic Debt. Like, The Thrall (their 2014 debut), Lubec comes at you in full force again, with more fuzzed-out, swirling guitars and killer three-part vocal harmonies. For a taste, give the standout track “Breakup Haricut” (below) a spin. Cosmic Debt is available on cassette and digitally via Disposable America and Lubec’s Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

Lubec – Breakup Haircut from Cosmic Debt (2016)

Jakuzi

Jakuzi | Fantezi Müzik | 3hive.com

Jakuzi | Fantezi Müzik | 3hive.com

With cover art like this*, who cares what Jakuzi sounds like? But I’ll give it shot anyway… Imagine Sisters of Mercy’s Andrew Eldritch singing Bryan Ferry covers in Turkish, with Future Islands as the backing band. Or Ian Curtis doing drunk karaoke. Or “The Love Boat” captained by Tim & Eric. Or maybe I should just let their ridiculous(ly awesome) music videos do the talking…


* If you want to see the sexy luchador in 12-inch glory, buy Fantezi Müzik on vinyl at the 3hive Co-op Shop.

Niilo Smeds

Niilo Smeds | Once You Were A Baby | 3hive.com

Niilo Smeds | Once You Were A Baby | 3hive.com

Former Dim Peaks member, Niilo Smeds’ recently released new album Once You Were A Baby is a lo-fi, country-like album of finger-plucked ballads and haunting instrumentals that are definitely worth your time . Check out “Marker of Days” and “Toward A More Thorough Rejection” below.

[Snag Niilo Smeds’ Once You Were A Baby on shiny black vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]

Damaged Bug

Damaged Bug | Bunker Funk | 3hive.com

Damaged Bug | Bunker Funk | 3hive.com

John Dwyer might be the busiest guy in indie rock; releasing an album almost every six months with his band Thee Oh Sees while maintaining a yearly release as Damaged Bug – his weirdo, space-pop solo project.

For those familiar with Dwyer’s Damaged Bug project; his latest album, Bunker Funk, isn’t much of a departure from previous DB releases. For the uninitiated, Bunker Funk is a beat driven, otherworldly, bizarro noise-pop record that will thrill you and weird you out at the same time. Enjoy.

[We have Bunker Funk (2 x LP with etched bug on side 4) on beautiful black vinyl – in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]

Jim And The French Vanilla

Jim And The French Vanilla | Afraid of The House | 3hive.com

Jim And The French Vanilla | Afraid of The House | 3hive.com

I’m a big fan of The Blind Shake, when I found out that Jim Blaha had another another band – Jim And The French Vanilla – I was all ears. Turns out, this is Jim’s 3rd release under the Jim And The French Vanilla moniker, his previous two releases were solo, acoustic efforts that were super limited and released on CDR.  For this new album, Afraid of The House, Jim recruited his brother (also in Blind Shake) Mike Blaha, and together they’ve turned out a 26 minute beat down of blistering, scuzzy, garage rock goodness. Give “When You’re Down” and “Eye For An Eye” (below) a spin. Enjoy.

[We have Afraid of The House on beautiful black vinyl – in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]