I have finally caught up with SIFF madness and found three musical selections in the TIG stacks that are worthy of a shout-out.

Hermetic Delight: Universe Like Thousands of Red Alternatives
This band hails from Strasborg, France, so it was a pretty exciting package to open (we ♥ INTL mail, you guys!). Anyway, despite a totally mistranslated PR sheet, I snapped this up because hello. THAT IS A RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME BAND NAME.

Hermetic Delight specializes in throaty vocal whisperings that ramble all over swaying beats, keyboards, and sexy, sexy, sexiness. So, you know, very French. I can't really make out half of what lead singer Zey K. is saying, but it's damn compelling anyway.

Big Tree: This New Year
NY turned CA twee-folk rock band Big Tree have apparently been wowing the Bay Area with their pretty-pretty harmonies and easy melodies. It's road-trippy, deliriously basking in the sunshine music with a few surprises. The lilty high-pitched girly vocals sometimes burst with power, and I don't even know what else to say. It's beautiful, though. Lots of piano and mmm-hmms.

Yellow Ostrich: The Mistress
At first I thought this was just another whiny indie folk-pop album, but then I got to the third track "Hate Me Soon" and realized this guy might just know what he's doing. Hey! A beat! Hey! Fun, poppy lyrics! Hey! Angst! Of course, YO has already released another CD in the time it's taken me to write this one up. It's called Strange Land, and you can download a track for free here.