Editors' Picks: Kate Nash / Social Circkle

Brian: The Editors' Picks are a rare feature these days, so I'm bending the rules a bit and recommending two very different acts for you this weekend.

The first is Kate Nash, a 20–year–old English songstress who released the rather excellent Made of Bricks through Fiction/Polydor last year. Meg piqued my interest about her this past week with a Lily Allen comparison, and it's totally grounded (just listen to "Pumpkin Soup"). There's definitely a bit of Regina Spektor on the album as well though, where Nash expresses often bitter narratives through a multitude of arrangements involving piano, acoustics, horns and more. One particular track, "Mariella," exudes a bit of a Dresden Dolls quality too. Anyway, check out her MySpace page for a few songs.

The second is Social Circkle, a band who writes lightning–fast, excellent early `80s–styled hardcore, much like their celebrated contemporaries Career Suicide. Just listen to "Canned Response" and tell me that's not the best thing you've heard in months. It's from their new 7", I've Got Afflictions, set to drop this coming Tuesday via No Way Records. (If you're aching for more, check out an MP3 from their 2007 7", Static Eyes, or download their 8–song demo for free.)