Atomic Cafe - "Stranger" (self-released) We love a good charity single. Especially if it's as good as "Stranger." Atomic Cafe follow up their Flamingo  EP from May with this one-off; all proceeds go to the Battered Women's Justice Project . If I didn't know that this single came out last month, you could have easily convinced me it came in the mid-20th century. The folk-y guitar and vague sheen of psychedelia paint a vivid impression of what your dad listens to in the car (and I mean that in the best possible way). The only thing that might clue you in that "Stranger" didn't come out in the late 1960s is the recording quality - the song has a stellar, clean mix. From the idyllic cover to rollicking lilt in the rhythm, Atomic Cafe rest easy with a pure and classic tune. If only it had been released in August, it could have soundtracked the unhurried end of summer. Purchase the track below (c'mon, it's for charity) or stream i...

It's certainly been a while since we've heard from Shrinking Violets. Fortunately, nothing has changed. Well, maybe they mellowed out a bit. New single "Nightclub Ballroom" is a carefree trip through a 70s nightclub and/or ballroom. Joe Cristo exudes confident disdain as he waltzes through the band's hazy sonic anachronism. I always love it when a band wields an era in music history like a simple tool, instead of letting it overwhelm and define their sound. So far, Shrinking Violets are two for two. The song is accompanied by a great, off-kilter music video. Watch it below.

( photo courtesy of The Shrinking Violets Facebook page) All hail punk music. It lights a fire beneath you and gets you moving at any expense. The debut single from Minneapolis' The Shrinking Violets does all of this and more. Wielding a toolbox of fuzzed-out riffs and pleading emo vocals, "Holding You Back" insists on letting you go. The staccato guitar line blazes as frontman Joe Cristo bows down at the altar of garage rock. Impeccable melodies bleed into each thumping note. The dichotomy of chugging power-pop chords and narrow shredding is vitalized by guitarists Joe Lunaburg and Jon Laczniak. But of course, what's a good punk song without a rhythm section crafted from pure steel? Fez Felzan's drums thud with glee; Bobby Volpendesta's bass plugs into the groove and spaces out.  The Shrinking Violets have churned out a stand-out first single. Each element meshes together with unfair ease. In under three minutes, the band establishes itself at ...