All the girls at this party are into drama and Ginsberg and lemon lime Bacardi

In lieu of substantive new content (busy busy bastard, etc), here is matttbastard’s top-ten-of-the-moment list, culled from my ever-expanding Bandcamp Discoveries board on Pinterest (yes, Pinterest — shaddap):

1. Hookworms – ‘Form & Function’ (forthcoming limited edition split 7″ w/ Kogumaza on Gringo Records, released 05.28.2012) – Overflowing with naked swagger & ragged analog glory, these droned-out psych rockers from Leeds have reportedly turned on Paisley Underground icon Julian Cope.

2.  Japandroids – ”The House That Heaven Built’ (forthcoming limited edition 7″ – Polyvinyl) – New 7″ single from No Fun City’s favourite sons — Springsteen meets Westerberg in this fine, fist-pumping example of totally anthemic catnip for aging Gen-X college rock geeks (*kaff*).

3. New Coke – ‘He Got Stabbed in the Throat’ (from the He Got Stabbed in the Throat 7″ EP, self-released 04/03/12 [distributed by Slovenly]) – Catchy like the clap, only infinitely more pleasant (er, so I hear). RIYL Les Savy Fav & music that generally doesn’t lick the donkey bag.

4. Single Mothers, ‘Hell (Is My Backup Plan)’ (from S/T 7″ EP on Secret Voices/DeathwishINC, (re)released April 2012) – Local buzz band ends up  putting out the debut release on Touche Amore’s new vanity label. ‘H(IMBP)’ = the most pitch-perfect encapsulation of London, Ontario lifer ennui since the Demics dropped ‘New York City’ back in the proverbial day.

5. Ava Luna – ‘Stages’ (from debut LP Ice Level on Infinite Best Recordings, released 02.28.2012) – Krautrock finds its soul by setting up shop in Brooklyn.

6. Birds in Row – ‘Die, Testosterone, Die’ (from Collected on Throatruiner/Vitriol,  released 04.12.2012 – France has seen a wave of vital, leftfield contemporary hardcore acts; Birds in Row is riding the crest.

7. Lüger – ‘Dracula’s chauffeur wants more’ (from Concrete Light on Giradiscos/Marxophone, released 06/13/2011) – I know next-to nothing re: these kosmik space-rockin’ Spaniards, apart from two key data points: 1. They totally rock. & 2. They totally rock a superfluous umlaut.

And that’s sexy (or sëxy, if you prefer).

8. Nude Beach – ‘Some Kinda Love’ (from II on , released 03/06/2012) – Fantastic new full-length from Brooklyn’s favourite “cheeky bunch of power-pop assassins” (as per Spin). Think Brinsley Schwarz doing an extended set at the Stone Pony with key members of the ‘E’ Street Band sitting in — IOW, damn right yr dad loves it.

9. The Bats Pajamas – ‘Sarai’ (from the Totally EP, self-released 04.13.2012) – These cleverer-than-thou T-Dot garage-rawkers are truly the tree’s knees [sic].

10. The Greys – ‘Bettin’ I Don’t Gamble’ (from the Black EP, self-released 04.20.2012) One mic, live-off-the-basement-floor blues so raw it makes Fort McMurray moonshine taste like Kool-Aid.

Bonus: Titus Andronicus – ‘Oh Bondage! Up Yours!’ (from Rebel on the Underground: A Tribute to X-Ray Spex on Permanent Wave Records, released 04.12.2012) – Standout track from the new X-Ray Spex tribute comp  (because Poly fucking Styrene).