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  Pennsylvania born Evan Voytas has his own individual take on music. Mostly inspired by the music of the 60’s and 70’s, he took on many instruments and followed the rythmns of some of his favorite bands and singers. He pursued his dream of becoming a musician by traveling trying to find himself and finding inspiration in living in solitude for a while, where he ultimately found inspiration to write and record his EP.

                The flow on this album is fantastic. The songs twist in and out of each other beautifully, and almost unnoticeably and his soft and high voice mesh together well with the beats in the background. There is no competition on this album when it comes to sound, because everything balances out perfectly.  This album would make perfect background music for a very chill environment, like a bar/lounge area or a coffee shop. 

Check Out: "Feel Me"

Not native to any sound demographic in the US, of Montreal is back for a third time in two years with Paralytic Stalks.

 The first track, “Gelid Ascent,” has an uncanny resemblance to Bright Eye’s “Approximate Sunlight.” The vocals are nearly hidden under the gargling synths, but you are just able to make out the put down after put down from moaning lead singer, David Barnes. The echoing tracks eerie force draws you into a deeper, more confrontational, side of life.

These Sydney natives hit the indie scene hard with their newest release Prisoner. With fleshed out hi-fi and female vocals to rival Zola Jesus, The Jezebels know what they’re doing and aren’t afraid to show it.

Experimental infusions of spacey electronica, piano, strings and then the traditional guitar gives Prisoner a wide variety of flavors that juxtaposes nicely with the occasional folk overlays.

“Rosebud,” sounds like the score for Dirty Dancing or any other 80’s movie, while “Long Highway,” and “Endless Summer,” fall heavily on the folk side.

Hayley Mary’s vocals play savior to the track’s diversity, matching all genres effortlessly as she moans and hums her harmonics through each style. “Nobody Nowhere,” is the darkest track on the album, making a definite statement as Mary’s ghostly soprano hums high above the distorted wails that play as the background to a dramatic classical score.

Though Prisoner may be all over the place, it certainly makes a statement that you won’t quickly forget.

Check out "Nobody Nowhere":

          With a name like Biscuit Kings, an album called “Hambones & Trombones” and a song called “Hot Barbecue,” one might expect some tasty blues jams. The Kings deliver precisely that.

Singer Johnny Pierre kicks your teeth on nearly every song with a bourbon-drenched growl of a voice reminiscent of Tom Waits or Howlin’ Wolf. With an array of instruments from the electric guitar to keyboards to trombones, hey’d be right at home in any down and dirty bar, especially the Hickey Tavern.

“Hot Barbecue” is a simple upbeat song detailing the events of a Saturday afternoon: food, ice-cold beer and even some bathtub gin. These must be fun guys, right? Not every song is a blues party as Pierre settles into a series of ballads, like “Angel On My Shoulder” and “Close To The Sun.”

They’re at worst a fun, uneven novelty, but at times a refreshingly simple throwback to the roots of rock and roll.

Listen to "Hot BBQ" -

          The title of De Staats brand new album says it all.  Incorporating electronic mechanical-style rhythms, aesthetic classic hard rock guitars, and funky vocals, it’s a revolutionary sound to say the least.  Released on March 7, 2011, Machinery became an instant rock sensation across Europe.  It strays considerably from what most would call “conventional” music, which is the genius behind De Saats success

          “Psycho Disco,” track 8 on the album, shows the revolutionary feel of this music well.  With a rebellious hard rock kick like Queens of the Stone Age, funky Clutch-style vocals, dark chorus sounding backup vocals, and crazy electric guitar resembling the Mars Volta, De Staat creates a radical atmosphere with their music. 

          There is no doubt that De Staat is a talented group.  Originally started as a solo project, Torre Florim (vocalist and guitarist) created De Staats first album, Wait for Evolution.  Joined by Vedran Mirceitic (guitarist), Jop van Summeren (bassist, vocalist), Rocco Bell (percussionist, keyboardist, vocalist), and Tim van Delft (drummer) in 2009, the band in full became a continent wide sensation.  With their release of Machinery on March 7 2011, their ratings shot through the roof.

Listen to "Psycho Disco" -

          Singer-songwriter Will Oldham, recording under the stage name Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, adds to his catalog of understated alternative folk with his Wolfroy Goes to Town, 11^th release since adopting the moniker in 1999.

          Despite the incredible rate of recording, Oldham – who has recorded under the name “Palace” – stays fresh with some of his spookiest stuff to date.

          Depending on your mindset going into the album, Wolfroy could either lull you to sleep or haunt your dreams, perhaps both. Oldham delivers on storytelling on Black Captain, a seven-minute ode you’d expect to hear from songwriting legends like Townes Van Zandt or Bob Dylan. From start to finish, Oldham pounds you with hauntingly soft vocals and sparse arrangements, making for a personal sound, yet still accessable to the attentive listener.

Listen to "Black Captain" -

Two worlds collide, as Dirty Projectors and Bjork come together to create a single album.  

Back in 2009 th e two were asked to play a benefit concert at a bookstore in  New York. The two hit it off, and agreed they wanted to collaborate together. While in San Francisco at Mount Wittenberg, Amber, from the Dirty Projectors, saw a family of whales swimming in the ocean together.

Amber wrote some songs on the experience and asked Bjork to sing the part as the mother whale, while Amber and Angel sing the role of the children whales. The two acts agreed to that the proceeds from the album would go to the Nation Geographic Society to help protect the oceans, which currently only 1% is protected.

Listen to "On and Ever Onward" -

          If you’re looking for an international band with great sound and wonderful lyrics, then The Jefferson is the band for you. Based in Sydney, Australia, this band packs a punch when it comes to entertainment and putting an album together. “Days are Falling” is the new addition to their musical collection, with songs that have appeared in big name shows like “Degrassi” and “The Real World.”

The smooth voice of lead singer Geoff Rana sets the tone for the rest of the song. One great example would be on the song “Tell Me Your Name,” which is the turning point for the album’s tone, where Rana starts off with an upbeat start along with the guitar and drums following him short after. The rest of the album is mellow and relaxed, with some  faster qualities to them, but not often.

I recommend this band to anyone looking for something fresh to kick back and relax to.

Listen to "Tell Me Your Name" -