Every week, Le Diamant Brut shuffles through our inbox, unearthing musical MySpace gems for you -- here at home and beyond. Enjoy.

Photo by Aasim Syed courtesy of MySpace

What’s the Deal: They’re a local rock band with a fair amount of southern swagger and twang, some beaming piano pop and a vocalist who isn’t afraid to stretch his song to scratchiness. The band blends a way-back-when rock and roll sound with toe-tapping Americana that keeps things interesting with slow, winding tunes as well as bustling and writhing ones. The Black – Alan Schaefer, Dave Longoria, Yamal Said and Ryan Hall – released their debut full length, Tanglewood, in 2005 and an EP in 2006, which makes it about time for their next recording.

“Eshu Blues” off the Donna EP would be perfectly suited for a spirited, faster paced two-step or an old fashioned rock and roll shake-out. The guitars are sharp in the corners and piano reaches a point where the player has to leap from his seat to wildly pound out the notes on the keys. Tanglewood’s “Cellblock” isn’t nearly as dismal as you would think. It begins with light piano plinking and a pleasant sun’s ray of a song. Add some harmonica and twinkling guitar, and you’ve got a perfect mid-afternoon stroller.

Something Interesting: The Black has a rather impressive list of musicians who have played with the group in the past including members of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, The Sword and Voxtrot.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Donna”

The Black MySpace
The Black Official

Photo by Sarah Cass courtesy of MySpace

What’s the Deal: The songs on this indie pop duo’s sole self-titled CD playfully bounce back and forth between emotional and earnest minimal acoustic tracks and sweetly bounding folkie cuteness made complete with the inclusion of Kimya Dawson on “Devices.” The Terrordactyls – Michael Cadiz and Tyrel Stendahl – are currently balancing studying and music at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and, provided they don’t abandon their songcraft any time too soon for “real world” jobs, these two could have a bright future ahead of them. A couple of guitars, a toy piano, kazoos and a two heads full anti-folk awkwardness and eccentricity, how could you go wrong?

There’s no doubt that The Terrordactyls are going to benefit from the duet with Dawson on “Devices” considering enormous success of Juno and its soundtrack and the fact that the song is very similar to “Anyone Else But You.” Plus, there’s a kazoo solo or two in the midst of the acoustic chords and to-and-fro vocals singing, “you and I are meant for each other.” On a slightly sadder note, “Sandcastles” is a mopey indie rock number heavy with nostalgic guitar and keys.

Something Interesting: The Terrordactyls have a great collection of super-low budget, artsy videos featuring stop animation and kid art on their MySpace well worth watching.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Swimming” and “I Want to Cry”

The Terrordactyls MySpace
The Terrordactyls Official