Posted on March 22, 2010 by Margaret The UnCool

In a new periodic feature, we’re updating you with a list of tracks that we find ourselves listening to right now. These may not necessarily be new releases, but they are songs we think that you should be listening to too, if you’re not already.

Five songs were picked by Greg and five from Margaret.

Greg’s Picks

Blood Red Shoes : “Light it Up” (4:01) – Full-force 90s ass-kicker from our recently-reviewed British duo.

Earl Greyhound  : “Oye Vaya”  (3:24) –  Very Zeppelin-influenced NY band who has an uneven second album, but definitely worth checking out.

Free Energy  : “Dream City”  (3:22) –  70s AOR throwbacks from Philly.  An album full of gems.

Jamie T  : “368″   (4:48) –  Mike Skinner (The Streets) started a bang in the UK a few years ago with his average-guy rap-pop.  Jamie T is one of his very catchy proteges.

Tunng : “It Breaks”  (3:29) –  One of the stranger folk pop bands out there.  Strange, inventive lyrics and they play with any instrument you can think of.  Their last album Good Arrows was brilliant; one of my favorites of 2007.

Margaret’s Picks

Sleigh Bells : “A/B Machines” (3:37) – Hard beats, scuzzy noise, butt-shakin. I’m not splitting the world open with this prediction, but Sleigh Bells are blowing up in 2010.

A Place to Bury Strangers : “Ego Death (Radio Edit)” (4:34) – Never thought you’d feel again the way you felt listening to Jesus & Mary Chain rip through your simple teenage chest with a ragged-edged guitar? A Place to Bury Strangers will gladly oblige with their massive wall of sound.

The Magic Kids :  “Hey Boy” (2:16) – Sweetness and light and multipart harmonies. The Magic Kids make you feel like picking up your best gal or guy and cruising with the top down to the nearest carnival to win your love a giant stuffed panda STAT.

The Morning Benders :  “Excuses” (5:16) – From the beautiful new Morning Benders album , this is a real stand-out. Check out the live video they put together with the Echo Chamber Orchestra.

Smith Westerns  : “Girl In Love” (3:01) – We may be biased because they’re home-town kids … or maybe it’s the fact they’re channeling the Mark Bolan soul of T. Rex in this track. Either way, their throwback glam garage rock makes us smile.

UnCool Update | Tracks We’re Playing Now 03/21/201010.0102