Who: Black Joe Lewis

What do they sound like: James Brown-influenced soul meets Howlin’ Wolf-esque guitar jams.

Why YOU Should Listen: Black Joe was recommended to me but, at first, I thought it was going to be a joke. I mean, he has a song called “Bitch, I Love You.” I mean, that would normally be reason enough for a listen but with an amazing Myspace wallpaper that featured Joe on a spaceship with some stripper-esque females, I just had to give it a lesson. Soon enough, “Sugarfoot” was blasting out of my speakers and I was convinced that Joe was the real deal and I was hooked.

There are some intense grooves, booming horns, some absurd rambling tunes, some guitar burners, songs about being flat-ass broke, songs about not remembering your girl’s name; what’s not to love here? The album is incredible and I feel like we’ll be seeing this man out and about a lot more. Even more so after this year’s SXSW wraps up, where he is playing about 18 times.

Black Joe Lewis and his band The Honeybears just released their debut album Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! via Lost Highway Records. You can stream in on their Myspace and/or check out the video for “Sugarfoot” below. Scream it with me now…..BITCH….I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU.

Photo credit: Kenny Corbin

Who: Sunlight Anscending

What do they sound like: Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, Maserati

Why YOU Should Listen: If you were to just listen to this band on a whim without looking at a press release or Myspace page, your first thought might be how they have mastered that dreamy, instrumental sound that has become increasingly popular through labels like Temporary Residence and Rock Action. But I want to focus on the press release for a second. The age of the band members in Sunlight Ascending range from 14 to 21. It is pretty impressive that a band this young can play at a level that some musicians 10-15 years their senior aren’t even close to. If you are a fan of any of the bands and/or record labels above, I would have a hard time imagining you not becoming a fan of this up-and-coming band. To the band, I say keep up the great work and go for it. College is overrated anyways.

Who: Young Lady

What Do They Sound Like: A mix of lounge singer finger-snapping, jazz, and dissonant post-hardcore.

Why You Should Listen: With members of now-defunct LNWF favorites Dear Tonight in tow, Young Lady are continuing the tradition of great hardcore punk-influenced music coming out of New York these days. The band put a unique spin on it while not letting anything conventionally hip and trendy “influence” them. Check out some songs on their Myspace page.

Who: Risk Relay

What do they sound like: From the band’s bio: “”They’re the guys down the block that grew up listening to too many records and agonizing over things like “tones” while the rest of the kids just pumped their fists in the air to anything that resembled rock.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Why YOU Should Listen: The New Brunswick, NJ four-piece’s new record took me by surprise. Ernest Jennings is a fine record label but I mostly expect to get great indie rock from them. But from the opening song “Dead City,” off the band’s new full-length Curses Sing, I was hooked. Most people would say I’m crazy for even typing this sentence, but it’s like Shellac without Steve Albini. Yes, I know, Albini IS Shellac but I guess what I’m trying to say is that there is a lot more focus on the melody and less emphasis on just pummeling your senses. Who loves life when listening to Shellac?

But don’t get me wrong, Curses Sing is just a loud, pissed and technical but there is just a different vibe. Sorta along the lines of “shit sucks, let’s get wasted in a basement.” Some of the songs, like “My Dark Turn of Mind,” even remind me of Milemarker (or maybe even Al Burian’s other band Challenger). There’s definitely some Unwound influences in the mix as well. Enough of my rambling, check out the track “Evelyn Nesbit” below.

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Who: Eddy Current Suppression Ring

What do they sound like: An Iggy Pop-fronted Radio Birdman with some Velvet Underground leanings.

Why YOU Should Listen: The Aussie-based rockers just released their second full-length Primary Colours via Goner Records. Yes, the Stooges and Radio Birdman worship is apparent. But I’m also hearing some Pagans, New Bomb Turks, and X in the mix too. Primary Colours is definitely one of the better albums I’ve heard lately. The boys are killing it in their homeland right now, with Colours reaching #6 on the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) charts. Why don’t you start by checking out a video for the song “Which Way to Go” below.