Today’s second cloudcast brings it up to date with the 16 best new tracks I’ve heard over the last couple of weeks. Superchunk have a killer summer anthem, Cat Power returns with the best track she’s done in years, The New Pornographers cover Fleetwood Mac and there are healthy doses of electronica, indie, dreampop, 80s influenced pop, 60s influenced pop, and more Canadians than you can shake a stick at.
  

Superchunk ‘This Summer’
Indie rock of the highest calibre from Chapel Hill’s finest. Although it’s pretty much winter here in Australia, there’s always time for a great summer song. And this is one of the greatest – certainly my favourite summer lyric.
[Superchunk]

Cat Power ‘Ruin’
This is the Cat Power that I love, idiosyncratic and not trying to be anyone but herself. Back to her Moonpix / You Are Free peak. Some great guitar playing, an insistent piano riff, driving percussion and that voice with a refrain you can’t get out of your head.
[Cat Power]

The New Pornographers ‘Think About Me’
Carl Newman and co take an OK Lindsay Buckingham Fleetwood Mac song from Tusk and turn it into power pop brilliance. Can’t wait to hear the rest of this Fleetwood Mac tribte album featuring the likes of Lee Ranaldo w/ J Mascis, The Kills, St Vincent w/ Craig Wedren, Tame Impala and Best Coast
[New Pornographers]

Wild Nothing ‘Shadow’
Lush pop with an 80s textural rock feel – almost like something from The Church circa Heyday.
[Wild Nothing]

Heavenly Beat ‘Tradition’
John Pena from Beach Fossils side project. Very polished catchy 80s pop.
[Heavenly Beat]

Weird Dreams ‘House of Secrets’
This is the other side to the split 7” with Girls Names’ A Troubled See that was featured back in In The Pharmacy #9. A much more laidback beast from this London band.
[Weird Dreams]

Opossom ‘Blue Meanies’
A shuffling ‘Young Folks’-like beat on this none more 60s tune from New Zealander Kody ‘Mint Chicks / Unknown Mortal Orchestra’ Nielsen’s psych-pop outfit.
[Opossom]

Levek ‘Black Mold Grow’
The 60s vibe continues with this utterly charming baroque / sunshine pop meets Mercury Rev tune from Gainesville, Florida native David Levesque.
[Levek]

Dirty Projectors ‘Dance For You’
No polyphonic female vocals but plenty of handclaps, west-african influenced guitar noodling and a touch of Brian Wilson from David Longstreth and co. Understated and a real grower.
[Dirty Projectors]

Matthew E White ‘One of These Days’
Hints of Bon Iver, The National and even The Beta Band, plus a definite New Orleans vibe on this track from this Richmond, Virginia based artist. You can tell it’s something special straight away, but it’s appeal grows with each listen as you begin to notice everything that is going on in this wonderfully arranged tune.
[Matthew E White]

Daydream Vacation ‘Dare Seize The Fire’
Bright and shiny electro pop from Dave Einmo of Head Like a Kite and Asya formerly of Smoosh.
[Daydream Vacation]

Purity Ring ‘Fineshrine’
Second In The Pharmacy appearance from the Montreal based electronic duo after April’s Obedear appeared in ITP #8. This manages to be both sweet and creepy. Their debut album is due out on 4AD in July.
[Purity Ring]

LOL Boys ‘GetClose to Me’ ft Angelina Lucero
Another Montreal-based electronic artist to go with that? Certainly. Jerome Potter and Markus Garcia are the terribly named LOL Boys and this is their insanely catchy new single featuring Chicagoan chanteuse Angelina Lucero.
[LOL Boys]

Eaux ‘No More Power’
Synth minimalism with a lovely bassline. This is the b-side to the London based three-piece’s debut single ‘Luther’.
[Eaux]

Port St. Willow ‘Amawalk’
This is just fantastic. Dreamy, layered ambience with a little bit of The National at their most melancholy reaches from Brooklyn based Nick Principe. There’s a whole album of his stuff over on Bandcamp.

[Port St. Willow]

Willits + Sakamoto ‘Completion’
Instrumental from San Franciscan guitarist/ electronic musician Christopher Willets and legendary Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto “tranquil ambience, lush piano chords and beautiful, elongated guitar tones”.
[Willits + Sakamoto]