The mid-January thaw in Cleveland is always a nice reprieve from the snowy assault that usually spans five months of our year in the snow belt of Ohio.  Typically, the gods smile intermittently and allow us the chance to catch up with the plowing and salting of the roads.  The slight increase above freezing temps late this week has been fabulous, and as the dead grass of my yard slowly emerges underneath the melting ice, I’ve been able to enjoy a slight jolt in spirits; the cavernous and introspective moments of winter are quite pronounced in those of us that reside in winter wonderlands.  We know the drill, right?  Hunker down in our homes, where the only light we receive is the 70 watt charge from a desktop light bulb.  These flashes of thaw wash this away, however, and remind us that Spring is on the way.  I’ve been using the time to get outside and do the things I do when snow doesn’t hinder progress.  If you’re a Clevelander and doing the same, get out and check out Citizen Dick writer Justin’s sponsored show tonight at Beachland Ballroom.  The Rural Alberta Advantage has been trolling across northern America and this evening’s stop in Cleveland promises to be well worth venturing out of the house.  The lively Canadian pop outfit is, additionally, another reason to enjoy this little late January thawing.

For the rest of you stopping by today, here’s a list of tracks that we’ve been spinning this week.  Some have just hit the webs, and others have been floating around for a little while.  Nonetheless, as we’ve mentioned throughout the week, early 2010 is shaping up to be monstrous, and February and March don’t forecast any sort of let up.  Enjoy the tunes and continue reading throughout the week as we review some of these upcoming albums.

Additionally, if you’re hip to the twitter game, we’re posting regularly @citizendickorg.  Click HERE to add us.

This Week’s Tracklist

Seabear – Lion Face Boy – This Icelandic septet, a project by Sing Fang Bous’ Sindri Mar Sigfusson, quietly released the first single from their upcoming LP, We Built A Fire.  The March release promises more sprawling indie folk sonic goodness, and this track brings everything but the kitchen sink at listeners in a smooth package.  Horns, synths, acoustic guitars, and hook-laden vocal arrangements.  One spin of this, and you’ll probably be leaning forward and diving in for a repeat listen.

Seabear – Lion Face Boy

Laura Veirs – July Flame – This track has been floating out across the interwebs for awhile, but we’ve been a little slow getting it out to you.  Initially, I didn’t give it a lot of credit, but it’s slowly been getting repeat listens throughout this past week.  July Flame drops this Tuesday, and the title track is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Veirs, and this certainly isn’t a knock.  Large, smoky, and regal tracks of yearning promise another spectacular release.  To check out a solid review of the album, click over to our pals at Knox Road and their review.

Laura Veirs – July Flame

Thomas Western – Your Front Door – British singer/songwriter Thomas Western currently resides in Scotland.  I Snagged this track from I Guess I’m Floating, as part of their Music Alliance Pact, always a great source for new and emerging global acts.  This track is, essentially, blues based, but steers into comforting modes that northerners like us require during these winter months as we enter our caves for the winter.

Thomas Western – Your Front Door

Twin Sister – Nectarine – Brooklyn’s Twin Sister is dropping two free-to-download EP’s, and the first, Vampires With Dreaming Kids is available at the band’s website. Some tracks are more large scale and sprawling, but I’m a fan of this one, primarily because of it’s simplistic, straightforward style, and more home-recorded feel.  Snag the EP HERE and their second EP, Color Your Life is planned to be unveiled later in the year from Infinite Best.

Twin Sister – Nectarine

Eat Skull – Don’t Leave Me On The Speaker – Portland’s very own Eat Skull are releasing a 7” on Woodsist Records.  I loved the 2009 full length, Sick to Death, and usually save it for my more gritty moments, when I’m more apt to punch things and throw objects about my house in frustration.  This track is the fuzzy and and sleazy (but entirely accessible) sound I attach to the band.  Look forward to the 7” entitled Jerusalem Mall and turn this one up.

Eat Skull – Don’t Leave Me On The Speaker

El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix) – Love is Not Pop, El Perro Del Mar’s 2009 release, topped many album lists, but for me, the best track of the loot was “Change of Heart.”  The rest of the album didn’t do it for me, but that track specifically was a mainstay in my rotation.  This remix is pretty solid, and comes on the haunches of the video combination performance of the track with indie songstress Lykke Li.  I’m usually a pretty heavy opponent to remixes, but this one isn’t too bad.

El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix)

jj – My Way – Secretly Canadian is set to release the label’s debut of jj, and released a track, “Let Go” that will be included.  Also dropped into the ether is this track, which won’t be on the album, but, in my opinion, blows the other one away.  Stereogum referred to the vocal tracks as sounding like Bone Thugs’ “Crossroads.”  We’re from Cleveland. Sign us up.

jj – My Way

Phantogram – Running from the Cops – Barsuk Records does a great job quietly releasing quality material without much fanfare.  Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel are the duo behind Phantogram, who recently released their label debut, Eyelid Moves.  This quirky and oddball track of looping synthesizers and flourishes is at the very least, intriguing.  What hits me on the first listen is the pummeling aggression lying underneath it all. Other Phantogram tracks have been blowing up the web of late.  Snag this first release to get a taste, but purchase the entire record for more.

Phantogram – Running from the Cops

Active Child – Wilderness – This is another track that’s been floating around for the better part of a week, and we’re just getting it onto the site.  I don’t know much about Active Child, other than fact that I like it.  This track is entrancing enough to put a smoky stamp on your weekend without sacrificing accessibility.  The Los Angeles outfit’s rhythmic pulsing of drum machines and smoothed out synthesized aura does an excellent job of throwing itself into the mix of bands doing this type of atmospheric blend of beats and hazy undertones.

Active Child – Wilderness

The Morning Benders – Promises – Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor has been busy, honing solo work and producing like a mofo.  The Morning Benders’ upcoming release Big Echo promises, if the first released track indicates anything, a Taylor touch to already pretty large-scale percussion based pop/rock.  “Promises” is pretty slippery, and doesn’t necessarily hold its ground in any particular narrowing genre.  It’s percussion heavy and rich.   We’re stoked for the new record.

The Morning Benders – Promises

Rogue Wave – Good Morning – Rogue Wave is releasing their 4^th LP, Permalight, through Brushfire Records.  The album was recorded in Mississippi and looks to be an album with some restless energy release.  Vocalist Zach Rogue’s muse throughout most of the process was recovery from a back injury.  The healing process left him bed-ridden, and Rogue has alluded to the physical and danceable nature to the tracks of the album.  Interestingly, this track does just this.  Guitars.  Check.  Ass shaking.  Check.  We’re looking forward to this March 2^nd release.

Rogue Wave – Good Morning

Phillip Oskar Augustine – Internal Combustion – In another welcome addition to the emerging “chillwave” robo-blast on the interwebs, Tyler Wallace, aka Phillip Oskar Augustine, released this track for the masses via GorillavsBear accordingly.  Earnest Greene, of Washed Out, provides backing synthesizers, so even if we stopped right there, it should be a pretty indicative sign of the track’s sound.  Nonetheless, the track is certainly promising of things to come from this South Carolina native.  Angular and distinctly retro, the track moves through lots of what we love.  Attach Augustine to new indie darlings Toro Y Moi and we’ve got some big things emerging from the South this year.

Phillip Oskar Augustine – Internal Combustion