Super quick double recommend this week to make up for last week - April is a very busy time in TV land! Now in case you haven't noticed, I'm fond of albums. Singles & EPs I have no love for. They're at best too short to get an idea what a band is all about and at worst just an early release of something you're going to get later on an album anyway, and rarely worth it. So these two releases already had a hurdle to overcome with me but I've had to make exceptions to my album-only policy!
First off, a band I've loved forever, The 88, has made a new EP that took my breath away even considering my high expectations of them. It takes an incredible amount of determination, perseverance, and talent to just stay together and survive as a band for 10 years in LA, let alone stay at the top of their creative game and do it without major label assistance. A standing ovation please for The 88! This EP has five solid tunes on it, I am particularly fond of "Do You Love Me" which has been known to be played on repeat in this house several times in a row.
The 88 - Actors EP: Amazon :: iTunes :: Official Site
Secondly, I came across a video so charming (and I generally have little use for music videos) and a song so sweet that I was immediately hooked. Dave Baxter is the 'epicentre' (according to his website) of Avalanche City out of New Zealand. The debut album is available as an import, but a four song EP just came out in the U.S. digitally and I'm sure the album won't be far behind. So, so, so, so GOOD! It's impossible to feel sad while listening to this song or watching the video so keep it handy for those times when you feel blue.
Avalanche City - Love Love Love EP: Amazon :: iTunes :: Official Site (Watch the video here!)