Spin Mag Making a Weekend Contribution

Call it a Sunday bonus when an article from Spin magazine leads me to some good new music. Reading through Peter Gaston's Summer Playlist, Part One I came across a couple new bands that are worthy of a background check.

Heavens is made up of Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba and F-Minus bassist Joe Steinbreck and their first download hit Spin exclusively on Friday. Their debut, Patent Pending, is out on Eptiaph on Sept. 12 and at the moment, the title track is the only song available on the WWW. It has more of an Interpol/ILYBICD feel to it than Alkaline fans are probably used to hearing.

MP3: Heavens - "Patent Pendng"
MySpace

Controlling the Famous are an LA-based band and were featured as the Spin band of the day back on May 12th. There has been very little buzz around the blogger community for these guys and that surprises me. Rock Insider put in a plug for their debut Automatic City as one of the best of 2006. From everything I've heard from this album it is a true rock sleeper for 2006 right there with Film School's s/t debut. This is pure straightforward rock with melodic choruses and great hooks (described by some as math rock??). The album, released on May 6th, was produced by Alex Newport who worked previously with At the Drive In. From everything I've read, their live shows are especially noteworthy and while tour dates are scarce I'll be on the look-out.

MP3: Controlling the Famous - "Two Sides"
MySpace (Stream 3 other songs)