The Strokes

Boxed Wine: Cheap, Fun

Boxed Wine ramps up the party with their debut LP Cheap, Fun released last May 2013. Experience the power of indie party pop with ten tracks from Chris, Ralph, Mike, and Steve. With musical influences such as Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, Two Door Cinema Club, and The Strokes, it’s no surprise that this New Jersey-based band has a lot to offer.

Sweetheart: Map Of The Human Heart

Contrary to their name, Sweetheart isn't a band that does mushy, lovey-dovey music. Instead, what you'll hear when you put on their record is a mix of hipster, new wave music that's filled with jangly guitars and shouty vocals. If you thought The Strokes on first listen, well it really shouldn't be a surprise since the band does list them as among their influences. The group is made up of Canadian quartet, Matthew, Marty, Sammy, and Weezee. Map of the Human Heart is their debut record and it's filled with upbeat cuts that deal with various relationship issues.

The Julys

If you're in the mood for some uptempo indie rock, listening to the The Julys is a good place to start. According to their facebook bio, the band started off "as two young men coping with the loss of their respective harpy women." They've certainly come a long way since then. Now, the band is a quartet that creates some really good and catchy indie rock mixes. Instead of bitter, heart wrenching lyrics; the band takes on a feel-good disposition; filling their sound with bouncy beats, hipster style guitars and some wild Little Richard-style singing.

Rozwell Kid: The Rozwell Kid LP

Rozwell Kid is the brainchild of Jordan Hudkins, a drummer from the band The Demon Beat. For this LP, he took a break from his drumming and tried out his hand at creating alternative electro noise pop. Listening to it now, it seems he's stumbled onto something here. This is his first foray into the solo route and it's proving a success. The Rozwell Kid LP comes with 10 tracks and one bonus single. According to the artist, his goal for the album was "to create the kind of music I love listening to, release it into the wild, and hope it finds an audience who can relate to my passion for thick, noisy power-pop.”

The Diamond Light: Krotona

In a scene dominated by the cheery and contrived, the gritty and bare-bones rarely stand a chance. Sure, The White Stripes and The Strokes made it, but their presence is hugely rendered anomalous by the prevailing forces. That's why it's a delight – and a respite – to stumble upon something as authentic as The Diamond Light. In 2009 this Los Angeles-based “soul-rock-blues” band, as the members categorize it, released Krotona, an eight-track EP that is a testament to how good and satisfying music gets when you keep it raw and real.

Motorama: Alps

Russian fivesome, Motorama, has been steadily building a solid fanbase with their post-punk, Joy Division-inspired sound. The group has been around since 2005 but they only released their first full length album last year entitled, Alps. The sound is unmistakably a clash of new wave, 80s sound with slightly danceable beats and monotone vocals. Inspired by some of the more prominent bands in the past decades, they also cite The Strokes and The Coral as bands that they grew up listening to.

Oh My!: 21

Maybe it's The Strokes upcoming album that's getting me into the new wave/hipster mood again; hence, couldn't help but review Oh My! and their new wave flair. This Swedish band was formed in the small town of Sundsvall back in 2008. To say they "sound like" The Strokes is an understatement.  21 is filled with catchy and polished indie pop rock beats that mostly clocks in at 4 minutes or less. Giving you enough time to love it but not too much to make you tired of it. The upbeat sound and energy characterizes Oh My!'s sound. Currently, the group is busy playing gigs in their area and looking forward to making a mark in 2011. The group is made up of Johan Åkerström, Martin Huss, Emil Källman, Adrian Karlman, and Adam Lodin. Enjoy 30 minutes or so of new wave madness from these fine Swedes.