Sam Vicari keeps it simple. The Chicago-based Vicari’s songs have an electric pulse, but bear the imprint of a singer/songwriter, with themes touching on heartbreak, alienation and Midwestern ennui. That’s not to say that the record is a sad-sack, cry in your beer lament. Vicari harnesses the power pop hooks and sunny on the outside exterior of classic 90s alternative acts, recalling Pinkerton-era Weezer, Bob Mould’s poppier Sugar moments, and the smart, biting lyricism that has given Superdrag such longevity. “My favorite bands and musicians have always been the ones who are very simple, sincere, and honest in their delivery,” says Vicari. “I guess I strive for the same thing.  I don’t really like to premeditate; I just let things come out the way they do.”

In keeping with his humble vibe, Vicari was raised in a small Indiana town before moving to Chicago. After a series of demos and EPs, his proper debut LP Keep Careful was released independently while Vicari was attending college to become an elementary school teacher. Garnering marked press and a cult audience, the album went on to be named one of Chicagoist‘s favorite local releases. Fast forward to 2012, and we have Vicari’s followup Heart Explosion, fully funded through profits of tutoring math to 5th and 6th graders, and through a part-time Starbucks barista gig.

It’s this humble sincerity, and workingman integrity that informs every track on Heart Explosion, along with twenty-something heartbreak and healing. “It was my first year out of college, and I didn’t really have any idea what I was going to do next,” says Vicari.  ”I had put a lot of hope and energy into jobs and relationships just to have them fall through, which was really discouraging.  I was working all the time, so I was pretty tired.  It was definitely the right environment to write a record like this one.

Utilizing guitar overdubs and recorded on tape, Heart Explosion comes alive with a verve and rawness absent from so much overproduced, alt-pop these days. “We bought 3 reels of 2 inch tape for $25 dollars per reel,” recalls Vicari. That’s absurdly cheap. Since our tape was old and used, it made the record sound a little rough and washed out, but it still has the power of tape.  I’m really proud of the way everything came out.”

Sam Vicari – Heart Explosion

Glasgow’s Golden Grrrls have spent the last few years thrilling pop spotters with a series of excellent singles and tapes. What began as bedroom guitar experimentation soon bloomed into a fully-formed pop language inspired by the 80s New Zealand and Australian indie pop scenes, DIY punk and Glasgow’s own rich pop history (think The Vaselines, The Pastels). For Golden Grrrls the band has written eleven perfect songs about life’s realities dressed in three-part harmonies, heart-tugging changes and a playing style derived from punk and classic crash-pop enthusiasm.

Statistics is the solo project of singer-songwriter, Denver Dalley. His latest release, Peninsula, is reminiscent of the electronic infused rock-n-roll that defined his decade-old debut. But Statistics has matured into something vast, detailed, and deliberate, drawing inspiration from all corners of Dalley’s nomadic musical career.

Dalley grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He began making music in junior high, playing punk-rock loudly in garages with friends. After a series of moves (to Nashville, then to New York), Dalley found himself back in Nebraska to attend college at Creighton University. There, he was reunited with childhood friends, Ian McElroy and Matt Baum, aspiring musicians themselves, and the three soon began plotting their rock band future.

Joined by Dalley’s other childhood friend, Conor Oberst, the group called themselvesDesaparecidos. Their first and only album, Read Music/Speak Spanish, was released onSaddle Creek Records in 2002 and was praised for its emotional energy and raw production. With Dalley as principal songwriter, the Desaparecidos sound (at the time noted for its contrast to Oberst’s work with Bright Eyes) drew from Dalley’s love for the experimental spasms of the Pixies’ and the immediacy of Weezer’s Pinkerton, all while honoring the band’s roots in the Midwestern punk scene.

Bright Eyes’ increasing fame slowed Desaparecidos’ momentum, and the friends took time to focus on other projects. Dalley began experimenting with new sounds and instrumentation, especially electronic elements, eventually compiling his ideas into a solo project, dubbed Statistics. Dalley’s musical tinkering defined his self-titled EP, released in 2003. Two more albums followed, 2004’s Leave Your Name and 2005’s Often Lie, but by his third release, Dalley found himself burnt out, uninspired, and tired of a solo career.

‘Whole Lotta Truth’ is released on June 10^th and is the lead track from Wild Combination’s forthcoming ‘Pulses’ EP, which is set for release in July.

Wild Combination are Daniel Williams (guitar), Christian Wright (keys and vocals) and Terry Clark (Drums and vocals). The Essex based trio have recently supported both Alt-J and Fenech Soler and have been described by Q Magazine as “lovely spidery dream-pop”. To date the band have also been heavily supported by XFM and BBC 6Music, with airplay from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Tom Robinson, Chris Hawkins and Bethan Elfyn.

‘Whole Lotta Truth’ is a dreamy, melody-infused affair. The track is underpinned by the band’s trademark synth-based sound and rolling drums, which compete for airspace alongside the intricate guitar and bass lines. Lead singer Christian’s distinctive vocal carries the song along without stopping for breath, even when he hits the epic and incredibly infectious chorus.

You can catch Wild Combination live at the following festivals this summer…

29^th June @ Walthamstock

6^th July @ Fling Festival

13^th July @ Willow Festival

27^th July @ Bay Day