Hey young rock and rollers, are you looking for cool summer jams to lower your core temperature from the blood boiling heat?

Look no further. Seattle's own TOMTEN are the musical equivalent of catching snowflakes on your tongue. If they were a delicious summertime ice cream confection, they would be one scoop Fats Waller and one scoop The Zombies drizzled with the Flaming Lips and perhaps a little Beach Boys (in the harmonic sense) sprinkled on top.

If that doesn't make you run screaming after their proverbial truck, then perhaps the fact that they use the organ extensively and cite Curtis Mayfield and Tiny Tim (WHO DOES THAT?) as influences of theirs might entice you further. They are a magnificent pastiche of everything that makes 60s-era pop so delightful and so memorable and brings an indie-pop sensibility to it, without completely destroying the intended effect by becoming too precious or distorting it into something unrecognizable. It's bike riding, daisy chain making, lemonade in the shade sipping summer perfection.

Does this sound like an Otter Pop to your ears? (Perhaps Sir Isaac Lime, or Louie Bloo Raspberry?) If so, you have two chances to hear them this weekend! They will be playing at Mars Bar on 7/10 at 8:00PM with Gashcat and at The Skylark Cafe in West Seattle on 7/11 at 7:00PM with Night Owl and Abraham. Go forth. Check them out. Fall in love.

{photo credit: the lovely Laura Musselman, courtesy of our imaginary flickr pool}

Now that we're all done with Sasquatch, it's time to set our sights on the next raddest lineup to hit the west coast: it's Noise for the Needy, 2010 edition. There's close to seventy-five bands and djs playing a baker's dozen of venues next weekend, when NFTN takes over every corner of Seattle from June 9th (Thursday) through the 13th (Sunday). Among the notables in big font this year are John Vanderslice, Visqueen, Horse Feathers, Delta Spirit, the Maldives, The Album Leaf, Animals at Night, The Portland Cello Project, and The Redwood Plan -- along with enough supporting acts to make your head spin. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, or you can just buy a la carte at each show / venue -- although there's some sweet all-access wristband deals being offered if you want to rock it like that.

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Portland Celtic-Punk Early Show at Mars Bar Saturday Night!

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The Mars Bar is having a cover night dedicated to the person who was once apathetically named King of Pop by The Onion.

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at Mars Bar

The cocky lead singer hid behind aviator sunglasses and a floppy engineer hat so that you couldn't see her expressions for most of the set -- just a quirky smirk in between song lines.

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A big congratulations is in order to Lesli Wood for organizing such an event that has become a staple in Seattle every Christmas season...

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at Mars Bar

Dorkweed rocked so hard, they needed {and had} two drummers.

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at Mars Bar

"I want a lover I don't have to love, or one too drunk to talk."

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at Mars Bar

"You've got teeth for biting and you've bore a hole in me."

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at Graceland

"I haven't felt this Ikea-rific since Lena Olin became a regular on Alias!" he drolly emoted, thoughts of Ingmar Bergman obviously racing through his head. "If I weren't vegetarian, I'd be tearin' up some Swedish meatballs, ok?"

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