• Nepo: Demos.

Nepo mailed me a five-song CD of demos. No idea when I got it. Recently found it in my “to listen to” pile. The CD is in a slim jewel case with a homemade color sleeve. Kinda freaky looking, frankly. It looks budget – but it sounds very impressive. White funk meets indie rock. There's an amazing pop sensibility here, and a knack for a memorable hook, a percolating beat and a lyrical flair.

So I emailed the address on the CD sleeve to find out more. Here's the skinny: Nepo is a four-piece Brooklyn band that used to be called The O. Said the email response, "we ate, we shat, we listened to the Beatles, got assimilated by the Borg, and wrote music." You remember Self, who had a few albums out in the mid- to late-'90s? Nepo reminds me of Self. The band calls is "electrochestral weed pop." Good description.

Nepo is playing at the Lion's Den in the Village on Friday, July 29th. Set time is 8:45. There's a very good chance Coolfer will be there. Here's a download of a dizzying song.

Nepo: "The Humans"

• Aberdeen City: The Freezing Atlantic (Dovecote)

This Boston band travels in some pretty trafficked waters. Melody and dissonance. Blue lyrics woven into uplifting choruses. Lots of mid-'90s Radiohead on the iPod but everything comes out like the band shared a practice space with Elefant. Nothing new here, but music isn't all about pure innovation is it? It's nice to find a band that does what it does well.

Aberdeen City plays the Mercury Lounge on Monday the 25th. Here's an MP3 from the band's website:

Aberdeen City: "God is Going to Get Sick of Me"