This is how it’s done, kids. You want to “start a band”? This is how good you’ve got to be for anyone to actually give a shit. Jagjaguwar delivers the goods once again with this new Black Mountain “Mary Lou” release. “Mary Lou” is basically an 8 minute long rock and roll mindbender. You’re probably gonna want to strap yourself in first before you let this baby melt your face off.
Black Mountain 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
By Trevor Meyer
Here’s an upbeat, driven track from the LA-based four piece, So Many Wizards. The origins of the group are with founding member Nima Kazerouni, who has composed music across Europe, The Middle East, South America, and presently, The United States. The transcontinental instrumentalist, songwriter, and performer has joined up with prominent LA musicians, Erik Felix, Geoff Geis, and Frank Maston, morphing the fearsome foursome into a powerhouse of musical bliss. “Lose Your Mind” is off their upcoming 2012 LP Warm Nothing. We’re excited to hear more from these guys.
So Many Wizards – Lose Your MindSo Many Wizards 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
By Bruce Rave
One of my fave bands of the past decade. The Cribs return and are again the original threesome (minus Johnny Marr). I like what they did with JM, but I think their best stuff came earlier. That extra rawness returns and they sing about my native city of Chicago. An ideal taste from their album, which arrives in May. An official single will be emerging soon.
The Cribs – Chi-TownThe Cribs 
(Official)
Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.
For fans the reunion of Liverpool’s Cast has been more than a decade in the making. The band’s new single “Time Bomb” offers a glimpse at their new forthcoming Troubled Times LP and can be previewed below. Expect your favorite Union-Jack-rock fan to pump this out the stereo come early March.
Cast (Official)
Rating 8
Check out this A-level in studio performance of “Heartbreaker” by London newcomers The Jude. “Heartbreaker” is packed with all of the urgency and energy of that great early blues-based British rock sound dialed into a more modern palette a la The Arctic Monkeys. (These blokes totally eat The 2012 Arctics for lunch live). Give it a spin.
The Jude – Heartbreaker (Studio Session)The Jude (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
By Chris Gedos
Theme Park’s new single, “Two Hours”, premiered on Huw Stephen’s Radio 1 show late Wednesday night. A unanimous hit here @b3science HQ, the track features a rollicking beat with a little less Sting / Orange Juice / Reggae tinge, in contrast to their previous release, “Ghosts”. The lush, Ian Broudie style production on “Two Hours” is the sort of pop rock sound which toes the threshold without going overboard. The single is set for official release on 2 April, so I would expect the LP sometime this summer. These cats are one timeless hook away from dropping the “Pumped Up Kicks” of 2k12.
Theme Park – Two Hours
Theme Park 
(Facebook) (Official)
Rating 8.2
Guitarist for Blur and one of the world’s coolest people Graham Coxon drops new single “The Truth” from his upcoming A+E LP. “The Truth” is built on a heavy lower end (distorted bass and clattering drums) that supports Graham’s float-on-top-the-mix almost hypnotic driving melodies. Big tune.
Graham Coxon – The TruthGraham Coxon (Facebook)
Rating 8.5
If you’re of at least a certain age (say 21+) or you were really into Rescue Me, you may just recognize the vocalist on Hounds’ new track “For You And I” as former Von Bondies frontman Jason Stollsteimer. “For You And I” is definitely a bit different sound for Stollsteimer. We’re talking an anthemic, Southern roots music-influenced type of different. Is it a change the former early aughts buzz band dude can pull off? Check out the track below and let us know what you think.
The Hounds Below – For You And IThe Hounds Below 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
More sunny guitar pop from Morecambe collective The Heartbreaks. “Winter Gardens” is previewed from the band’s forthcoming Funtimes debut LP expected this May, and is currently a free download at the band’s Facebook. We’re into it.
The Heartbreaks – Winter GardensThe Heartbreaks: (Facebook) (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.1
By Chris Gedos
The Brooklyn band Porcelain Raft proves once again that great things can happen by sticking to the shoegaze formula with zero deviation whatsoever. Most shitty shoegaze takes the formula and tinkers unnecessarily, but Porcelain Raft writes and performs shoegaze pop very, very well, and “Something in Between” is a great example of that, right down to the blatantly ambiguous title. The accompanying video is also of great merit, featuring an animated black dot dancing about the image throughout. With both Porcelain Raft and Damien Jurado making serious noise, shared label Secretly Canadian is having a mammoth 2k12 thus far.
Porcelain Raft – Something In BetweenPorcelain Raft 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.07
Like there was any doubt we’d be into this? Not only does Chicago band Blah Blah Blah totally nail the name, they come with a sound that might just be our musical perfect match. The nods to soul & R&B in the rhythm track, the dream pop guitar textures, the history-of-British-rock melodic palette. It’s like if our blog formed a band and it might sorta sound like this BLAH BLAH BLAH. blahblahblahscience loves Blah Blah Blah.
Blah Blah Blah – Soon As I Get Home TonightBlah Blah Blah 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
By Trevor Meyer
Kurt Vile is such a talented artist. “Baby’s Arms” is the opener off of Smoke Ring for My Halo. This is a beautiful, flowing track with patented melodic refrains and that sweet reverberated twang that soothes the soul. To quote my friend, Pat, “Kurt Vile just gets me man, he just gets me.” I think this speaks for all of us.
Kurt Vile – Baby’s ArmsKurt Vile 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
