February Is Scary

Download these 4 dazzling mp3s right here

Hedgehog- Toy & 61 Festival

END went to Beijing in January and picked this up. Hedgehog are one of a handful of Beijing groups (as well as Car Sick Cars and Snapline) he'd heard about and looked forward to checking out in person. No dice, though. END and an old friend went to D-22, the apparent epicenter of the local scene, but it was just a couple college kids noodling with guitars and loops from their laptops. Not bad, but it was no Hedgehog. D-22 was fine though. The white russians were on par and the sound was good. The bathroom was appropriately vandalized in punk tradition. There were comfortable couches on the top floor. But after a while at the bar END noticed that there was an unequal mix of genders. There was maybe one girl to every five guys. It was strange and a bit pathetic, but END attributed it to the curfew most young women follow until they marry and move out of their parents' houses. Anyway, maybe it would have been different if Hedgehog were playing.

RIYL: REM, The Pixies, energetic Chinese hipsters

Evangelicals- Skeleton Man

Some shaggy-haired dudes from the bible-belt play woozy, bouncy pop songs.

RIYL: The Flaming Lips, The Uglysuit, Grandaddy, Oklahoma City

Abe Vigoda- Don't Lie

Some short-haired Hispanic kids playing angular, exuberant punk.

RIYL: Women, No Age, frantic twitching

Like Honey- Nothing's Right

A guy and girl playing a harmless, infectious riff with a really satisfying rest that comes up occasionally. Listen to it. You'll know what I'm talking about.

RIYL: The Mendoza Line, Superdrag, saccharine but lovely power-pop