The best songs from the last two weeks (and a couple of late 2014 strays) . Tracks from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. New music from Belle and Sebastian, The Go! Team, Sleater-Kinney, The Dodos, Purity Ring, Father John Misty, Diet Cig, Cool Sounds, The Decemberists, Of Montreal, Girlpool, Ryley Walker, All Dogs, Waxahatchee, Twerps, Chastity Belt, Natalie Prass, and Iron & Wine.

Belle and Sebastian ‘Nobody’s Empire’
On first listen, the new Belle and Sebastian album Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance is all over the place – Kleztmer, Mariachi, disco, sixties pop. But it soon reveals itself as something rather special. This, the opening track, is one of the most instant and also one of Stuart Murdoch’s most personal songs, dealing with his experience with chronic fatigue syndrome.
[Belle and Sebastian]

The Go! Team Scene Between
Ian Parton’s Brighton-based genre-hopping pop mashup project returns with title track of their fourth album, due out in March on Memphis Industries.
[The Go! Team]

Sleater-Kinney ‘No Cities To Love’
Title track from the comeback album, out this month on Sub Pop.
[Sleater-Kinney]

The Dodos ‘Goodbyes and Endings’
Second track to appear prior to the release of their forthcoming sixth album Individ. Baroque indie folk psych.
[The Dodos]

Purity Ring ‘Begin Again’
After ‘Push Pull’ (ITP #69) another track emerges from forthcoming second album Another Eternity (4AD, March 3), the follow up to 2012 debut Shrines.
[Purity Ring]

Father John Misty ‘Chateau Lobby 4 (in C for Two Virgins)’
J Tillman, prolific solo artist and former Fleet Foxes drummer, prepares to release his second album under the FJM moniker, I Love You Honeybear, the follow up to his excellent 2012 album Fear Fun. This song is beautiful.
[Father John Misty]

Diet Cig ‘Scene Sick’
Indiepop duo from New Paltz, NY. Taken from their limited edition cassette only release, Over Easy.
[Diet Cig]

Cool Sounds ‘Death Boys’
Melbourne indie pop band with a track from their new album, Healing Crystals.
[Cool Sounds]

The Decemberists ‘Mistral’
Penultimate track on the forthcoming What a Terrible World, What A Beautiful World.
[The Decemberists]

Of Montreal ‘Bassem Sabry’
Funky number from the forthcoming follow up to Lousy With Sylvianbriar, Aureate Gloom, out March 3 on Polyvinyl. This track is named after the Egyptian journalist and human rights campaigner who died in tragic circumstances last year at the age of 31.
[Of Montreal]

Girlpool ‘Alone at the Show’
After last year’s excellent self-titled EP / mini album. This is a new track featured on The Le Sigh Vol. II
[Girlpool]

Ryley Walker ‘Primrose Green’
Lovely bit of retro, jazzy, psych folk. The title track of his second album, due out on Dead Oceans in March.
[Ryley Walker]

All Dogs ‘Georgia
’
Columus Ohio female fronted indie rockers first featured back in September 2013 with Lovesong (ITP #41). Like Girlpool’s ‘Alone at the Show’ this is taken from the new The Le Sigh Vol II zine + tape (sadly already sold out).
[All Dogs]

Waxahatchee ‘Air’
From Katie Crutchfield’s follow up to Cerulean Salt.
[Waxahatchee]

Twerps ‘I Don’t Mind’
Melbourne janglers with a track from their forthcoming second album Range Anxiety, out next week in Chapter Music / Merge.
[Twerps]

Chastity Belt ‘Time to Go Home
’
First featured with ‘Black Sail’ back in August 2013 (ITP #39), this is the title track from the Pacific North West band’s forthcoming second album, due out in March on Hardly Art.
[Chastity Belt]

Natalie Prass ‘My Baby Don’t Understand Me’
Following on from ‘Why Don’t You Believe Me’ (ITP # 67) here’s another track from the debut album by sometime member of Jenny Lewis’ backing band and old schoolmate of Matthew E. White, Natalie Prass. This is taken from her debut album due out January 26 on Spacebomb.
[Natalie Prass]

Iron & Wine ‘Everyone’s Summer of ‘95’
An old previously unreleased track, this is coming out on Archive Series Vol. 1 album and dates from the same time as the songs on his debut album The Creek Drank The Cradle (2002).
[Iron & Wine]