COCKTAIL SLIPPERS - Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

This is the third album (and second for Wicked Cool) for the all-female band from Oslo, Norway. They play a mix of powerpop and garage rock with lots of girl-group harmonizing. Some of the artists they remind me of are the girls in the B-52's, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, and the Pipettes - but the Cocktail Slippers are unlike the Pipettes because they play their own music, and have cooler names (Sugar Cane, Modesty Blaze, Rocket Queen, Squirrel and Bella Donna). Little Steven wrote the title track for the album and also "Heard You Got A Thing For Me" and contributed some bongo playing; this band is also further proof that he picks the coolest bands on the planet for his Wicked Cool label. Awesome!

www.myspace.com/cocktailslippers
www.cocktailslippers.com

THE KILLS - Live At Electric Ladyland [EP]

This is an EP that can be downloaded from iTunes. It features new recordings of songs from two of the three albums the duo has released: "Sour Cherry" and "Getting Down" from 2008's Midnight Boom, and "Pull A U" and "Kissy Kissy" from their 2003 debut, "Keep On Your Mean Side". They have also included a recording of a song that Willie Nelson wrote, which Patsy Cline made famous: "Crazy". Female/male vocals over garagey rock/indie that has very subtle blues influences.

www.myspace.com/thekills
www.thekills.tv

Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us

The husband-wife duo returns with their fifth full-length and second for the Barsuk label. They play cutesy indie-pop. Kori plays a variety of keyboard instruments (keys, organ, piano) and sings while Jason is the drummer and second singer. Their indie-pop is sweet and adorable, to the point that I find them to be one of the most annoying, yet catchiest, duos in the indie scene today. It is hard to listen to them and be in a bad mood, they are very upbeat and just so darn cute. I don't know if I like this as much as their last album, but one thing can definitely be said: I really like the packaging this album comes in; it's simple and nice, much like their music.

www.myspace.com/matesofstate
www.matesofstate.com