Die! Die! Die! - Though there are some better band names with "!" and "Die," the name is very straight forward and so, naturally, is the band. The second record Promises, Promises (February 12, 2008), is sounding an alarm within rock music, especially tracks like the shout-along "A.T.T.I.T.U.D." The post-post-punk bratty New Zealand trio is the type of band that's gonna be hot for at least a few months. They got much in their pocket already too: the first album was recorded with Steve Albini, and they've opened for Blood Brothers, Wolfmother and Wire. !.

mp3- "Sideways, Here We Come"

www.diediedie.net
www.myspace.com/diediedienz


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Danny Ross - [New York] - Ross is leading a double life- while he's not concentrating on his very polished Ben Folds/Harry Connick Jr. songwriting with the jazz, he works for Congressman Jerrold Nadler (Ross has a degree in Goverment). It'd be a shock if the girls don't go wild for him. He's quite a charming fella that Danny Ross. www.dannyrossmusic.com
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The Downbeat 5 - [Boston] - featuring ex-Queers guitarist JJ Rassler and fronted by a raspy Jen D'Angora, the D5's garage punk has earned slots with Dick Dale, the Zombies, Detroit Cobras, the Muffs. If you can't handle the tough rough side, check out the 1950s girl group-pumped "Dum Dum Ditty" or swooning "Out in the Streets." http://www.downbeat5.com/