Left-wing garage rock/punk-pop outfit SP’s fight the power with catchy and dynamic songs on their debut EP via Baby Robot Records.

Hot London modern college rock band Bromide move into the future, as well as acknowledge the past, with a rhythmic, driving track.

Swedish-Australian indie pop outfit Tiny Fighter drop the catchy title track from their upcoming EP.

Seattle’s Loose Wing , formed by members of Black Nite Crash, Battle Hymns, Flop, and Fleet Foxes, drop an upbeat orchestral/jangle-pop track.

Garage rock band Raised On TV release a cool video for a driving and distorted number off their upcoming 2nd LP produced by Mark Needham.

Canadian post-rock/ambient/folk singer-songwriter Alex Stooshinoff, (as Patient Hands) offers his personal, perceptive, and gently powerful debut LP.

Austin, Texas-based shoegaze/retro-pop/soundscape band She Sir set to release artful and vibrant new EP via ATH Records.

Nashville-located fuzzed-out synth-pop band Waterfall Wash drop a new playfully surreal video for a re-worked older track.

Punk rock lifer Lenny Lashley (Street Dogs, Darkbuster) delivers the goods with members of The Bouncing Souls, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Street Dogs.

Liverpool-located cheeky gents Steven Doran and Brian Murphy, as the act Ernest Moon, go pleasingly bonkers on a new tune and video.

London-based alt-/electronic pop band Auld release the restlessly kinetic second cut from their upcoming debut album.

Acclaimed veteran instrumental group Impala (with Emmy-winning Scott Bomar in the mix) drops a mysterious and artistic video.

Detroit-based (via Texas) indie pop/rock band No Alarms (founded and led by Andrew Boles) releases an uplifting, energetic track and video.

Mike Watt, George Hurley (both of Minutemen and Firehose), and poet Dan McGuire recruit in-the-news J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. for their 4th LP.

Sludgegaze artist Outward (AKA Corey Philpot) unveils his deeply personal, passionate, and potent LP, along with an exclusive track-by-track video.

Italian solo project True Sleeper (Marco Barzetti of Weird. and Sonic Jesus) expertly blends heavy post-rock with dreamier shoegaze on new single.

L.A. indie rock band Warbly Jets launch a socio-politically relevant video/song off their recently released vibrant EP.

Ambient/dream-pop/downtempo duo SPC ECO (Dean Garcia and daughter Rose Berlin) drop a gentle to coruscating single from upcoming surprise LP.

The XTC Discovery Book What Do You Call That Noise?, which features all band members, as well as other artists, arrives March 4th.

Louisiana-based post-hardcore/-punk band Secret Smoker charge through with a pressing, kinetic single from their upcoming LP.

Renowned American songwriter Amy Rigby, recording with Wreckless Eric, lets the U.S. Occupier-In-Chief have it on a potent and relevant protest song.

North Carolinian singer-songwriter Cole Guerra, recording as I Am Casting, releases a politically relevant song/video off his upcoming LP.

Detroit-based vocalist/producer Alyssa Midcalf (Parts) unveils a mesmerizing synths ‘n’ beats-steeped, politically relevant track/video from her upcoming LP.

Australian synth-pop/post-punk hybrid duo Skydeck drop their latest dispassionate, yet infectious single from their upcoming album.

British indie label Burning Shed has announced it will be publishing a book bound to thrill lovers of the group Japan.

L.A.‘s Broken Field Runner releases an emotive and airy first track from their upcoming record via Chicago-based label Jetsam-Flotsam.

A surreal and swinging rave-up from the band’s new “Murder Barn Session”

NYC-based electronic/acoustic garage rock duo paris_monster drop a vivid, gritty, and volatile debut LP.

Australian singer-songwriter Christina Castle rules with bold, yet reflective pop single from her just-released EP.

Chicago atmospheric synth-pop outfit Pixel Grip delivers an enticing single from upcoming debut LP that melds synth-pop and electronica.

Brooklyn-based garage rock band Pink Mexico delivers a roiling, yet tuneful noise rock track from their upcoming 3rd album.

Liverpool-based The Room in the Wood (members of ’80s post-punk band The Room) unveil a mellow and engaging song/video.

Electrogaze duo Brim Liski (with one member from A Shoreline Dream) announce a new album and release a spacey single.

Norwegian rock band OHAF (AKA One Hundred And First) releases a lyrically relevant, vibrant track that follows up their well-received debut EP.

Power-instrumental trio Messthetics (w/ members of Fugazi) unveil a vivid and dynamic Candyland Studios cut via a SofaBurn Records session.

Houston-based indie rock/dream-pop band Rose Ette unveils their engaging and tuneful debut LP along with a track-by-track synopsis.

Hotly-tipped Boston-based punk/noise rock band Aneurysm unleash a raging and cathartic single from their upcoming debut album.

My best bets on another great year for music, old and new. (Never mind the cranks, here’s the good stuff as ever.) Hope this little list inspires you to find, or give a second look to, a few cool releases you might miss otherwise that you end up truly loving.

Twilight Fields (the moniker of singer-songwriter Allister Thompson) pays tribute to Bruce Cockburn by covering his classic protest song.

Rock ‘n’ roll/surf rock 6-piece The Boys Ranch create a fun new dance on their delightful puppeteering (courtesy of Mr. Bonetangles) video.

Belgium-based noise rock band Helium Horse Fly unleashes a riveting and icily noir album that alternates between tension and catharsis.

Montreal-raised, NYC-based singer-songwriter Matt Shapiro dashes out of the gate with the uptempo, reverb opener from his upcoming EP.

Fresh from their first show back together after eight years, successfully co-headlining November’s 12th edition of Kalamazoo, MI’s premier dreampop/shoegaze/beautiful noise festival, Kalamashoegazer 12 (appearing with Texas’s Ringo Deathstarr, California’s Soft Science, and five other stalwart groups), New York’s legendary proto-dreampop/shoegaze/indie-rock/post-punk trio—including our own Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid on drums and occasional lead vocals—is thrilled to announce they have added four shows on more home turf from New York to Washington D.C.—supporting The Chills, having once before played with them 29 years ago.

Philadelphia-based electro-folk/orchestral pop outfit Grandchildren release an engaging and melodic tune and natural world-centered video.

Experimental rock project Cereal Banter unleashes a wildly kinetic and riveting single from their upcoming concept album.

Swedish electronic alt rock duo ShapeShiftingAliens unveil a dystopian video for a electro-noir single from their self-titled LP.

The Los Angeles-based rock band Warbly Jets just blasted off with a new EP and will kick off tours of North America and China ASAP.

Veteran musician Gabriel Walsh (The Solililans, Timesbold, more) ushers in his heady second psych/electronic/rock LP as The Earthly Frames.

Renowed veteran punk rock outfit The Flesh Eaters (featuring members of X, The Blasters, and more) have reunited on an electrifying new album via Yep Roc.

Californian indie psych-/alt-rock band LoFi Satellites beam down a melodic, gritty track from their upcoming EP.