Here we are again. More individual downloads that may just serve as a tasty appetiser for that more filling meal or which you may prefer to enjoy as little snacks. You decide, people. And remember, home cooking is killing the restaurant business.

Anyway, here's what on the menu tonight...

Chair
First up is Big Deal with two vocalists (girl / boy) singing about a lack of trust whilst guitars thrash away in the distance. It's quite pleasant but "Big Deal" is stretching it a bit.

http://soundcloud.com/big-deal/big-deal-chair
http://www.myspace.com/weareabigdeal

Glass
There's a definite shoegaze influence here with a melody that brings to mind both When You Sleep and What You Want from My Bloody Valentine's classic Loveless, although it's no insult to point out that it's not in the same class as either of those wonderful tracks. Elsewhere the chorus is very early 80s, but personally I think it would benefit from the drums being a touch higher in the mix, because whoever is playing them is doing a pretty good job of trying to drive things forward. Personally I reckon it needs more of that oomph as it's just that bit too polite for my ears.

http://soundcloud.com/filter-magazine/field-mouse-glass
http://fieldmousemusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fieldmousemusic
http://www.myspace.com/rachelbrowne
http://fieldmouse.bandcamp.com/

No Love
No Love announces its entry with a big drum sound, but then it becomes a bit Animal Collective-ish, particularly in the vocals department - albeit an Animal Collective that had travelled back to the 1980s. The production is a bit everything-and-the-kitchen-sink and would probably benefit from a bit more restraint here and there, but there are some interesting ideas here all the same.

http://soundcloud.com/goldestegg/hooray-for-earth-no-love
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooray_for_Earth
http://hoorayforearth.net/
https://www.facebook.com/hoorayforearth
http://www.myspace.com/hooray4earth

They Think They're Soooo Philosophical
Blimey. This is an interesting one. The intro sounds like the Glitterband (which I must admit pleased me somewhat!), so it was a bit of a surprise when the verse came in and it suddenly got a bit earnest sounding. The chorus is very Beatles-ish and there's also a spot of 10cc-like clever-cleverness before the Glitterband sound briefly pops in again. I'm not sure who this will appeal to nowadays, but this could have been massive in 1974. And that's not meant as an insult by the way. There's definitely talent here.

http://soundcloud.com/the-405/sunbears-they-think-theyre
http://sunbearsmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sunbears
http://www.myspace.com/sunbears

Goodnight Trail
Imagine if Siouxsie had joined a band of gypsies and was trying to do a spot of flamenco by the campfire. If you like that prospect you'll surely like this. I do! A lot!!

http://soundcloud.com/seaweedsway/miwa-goodnight-trail-from-the
http://www.miwagemini.com/
http://www.myspace.com/miwagemini

Sweetest Treasure (Napoleon IIIrd NXVI mix)
A deep voice with a touch of the Michael Gira about it opens proceedings before a really great beat busts in. It really pounds along! Once it gets going it's very much in Interpol / Editors territory, until the end when, for some inexplicable reason, it reminds me of a short-lived 70's English pop act, Sailor, who were like a novelty version of Roxy Music. But it's that beat that I really love.

http://soundcloud.com/snipelondon/zebra-and-snake-sweetest
hhttp://www.zebraandsnake.com/
http://soundcloud.com/zebraandsnake
https://www.facebook.com/zebraandsnake
http://www.myspace.com/zebraandsnake

Get Right
Get Right opens with a 70s type riff playing over some rumbling bass and, even though it's got something of a lazy, lolloping beat, it's still a bit of a surprise when the West Coast voices come in. There are eight and half minutes of this and although it isn't necessarily my cup of tea, it's really well done and those chiming guitars and bobbing bass stop it from crossing the line into blandness.

http://soundcloud.com/crammed-discs/megafaun-get-right-from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megafaun
http://megafaun.com/
https://www.facebook.com/megafaun
http://www.myspace.com/megafaun

Patent Trolls
Haunting, almost distorted vocals over some post-punk guitar - imagine The Sound's Adrian Borland if he'd been playing with The Pop Group. And then it keeps building, getting more sinister sounding as it goes on. It's probably a bit of an acquired taste, but I think this is really good. It just pips Miwa for the coveted 'Hoover Up Track of the Week' in fact!

http://crystalswells.bandcamp.com/track/patent-trolls
http://crystalswells.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crystal-Swells/50532300177
http://www.myspace.com/crystalswells

I'm Homesick Sittin' Up Here In My Satellite
Blimey. This is all over the place. A woman wails over what sounds like a whole army of percussionists and the odd bit of eastern flavouring before we get to what sounds suspiciously like scratching. I could imagine this lot busking in the main street whilst some acrobatic dancers fling themselves about in all directions. And it could well be pretty damn entertaining. I'm just not sure I want to listen to it at home. All the same, hats off to them, because this is interesting if nothing else.

http://soundcloud.com/no-pain-in-pop/doldrums-im-homesick-sittin-up
http://www.kranky.net/artists/doldrums.html
http://www.myspace.com/thedoldrumsmusic

BPD
The shimmery sounds that open this bring to mind those on The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Maps, before the actual song makes its entry. It's not bad, but the vocals are in danger of becoming over-mannered in a Cranberries kinda way and some might argue that the production, which is kept suitably simple and direct for the most part, gets just a little bit too clever for its own good in the middle. It definitely spoils the mood that the drummer in particular had created.

http://soundcloud.com/monotreme-records/midas-fall-bpd
http://www.midasfall.com/home.cfm
http://www.facebook.com/midasfall
http://www.myspace.com/midasfall
Also on EvilSponge:
   EP: As Our Blood Separates

So that's it for this week, folks. I hope you enjoyed what was on offer. Gratuities kindly accepted...