With a backlog of EP releases just sitting on the pass-through we thought we’d offer up just a few tasty samples from wide variety of recent releases. So much goodness in such short bursts. What’s not to like? More filling than a single but not quite full long-playing meal.

Chicago’s The Embryos continue their musical evolution with a new EP Full Disclosure that extends their stylistic reach. All four members contributed a song each to this endeavor and I like them all. But if I had to choose I’m really digging guitar-riffing sparkle that defines “Dopamine Scroll.” Strong guitar work is all over the latest release from The Brett Tobias Set on the five song set that is Tuneless Blues. I’ve already written about how fabulous “It Begins With a Lean” is. Now you need to spin “Happiness Writes White” with special guitar contributions from The Church’s Marty Wilson-Piper. The Unswept were putting out some great covers a while back but on Bittersweet on Repeat we get their original tunes. “Downtown Bridge” open with jangle and just gets better and better. The Dreambots initially wowed us with their single “Tightrope.” Now they add four more tunes to the mix for their self-titled EP, all exhibiting their signature sonic sophistication. Here I’m taken with the lush strut of “Up Where the Sky Ends.” Gorgeous in a Moody Blues in-no-hurry sort of way.

Chris Alvy breaks out the cover tunes on his recent five song Blah EP, nailing a killer version of The Smithereens “Only a Memory.” Hard to top the original here but Alvy loosens up the attack, giving the song a bit more room to breathe and it works. The set also includes a pretty groovy version of the Barrett Strong classic “Money.” Shade55’s EP Shark! is guitar fabulous from start to the last whisper of the inner groove. This has a Fountains of Wayne vibe but without all the suburban disdain. “Face of Tomorrow” is pretty special but “Red Handed” is the sure fire radio ready single. There’s something very Pacific Northwest about the sound of Research Vessel on their Part of the Charm release. The EP presser calls it ‘luscious lilting jangle pop’ on “Wish I Knew” and “Never Tell.” Murfreesboro, Tennesee’s Piglet has DIY in his DNA, his recordings are so rough and ready and charming. On Cow Tools he covers themes as diverse as clouds, not having sex, and being nice. But the tune you have to hear is “The Great Gonzo.” The mixture of abrupt organ, plinky guitar, 1950s space sounds, and earnest vocals is majestically lofi.

Vancouver’s The Nightflower Orchestra are a cabaret throwback. The vocalist is your emcee while the band can apparently cook up a range of styles to suit a crowd’s shifting mood. Pre-Cancelled For Your Convenience is cheeky, genre-bending fun, from the over-the-top “She Looked Like Elvis” to the Madness-like intensity of “King of Bad Notes.” Dip into any track here for a bit of fun but “Punk Rock Nursing Home” hits home. Melbourne, Australia’s The Gnomes rocketed out of their homeland last year an amazingly fresh garage-rock beat-group sound. Their new EP More is aptly named. This is more of that same good groove. “Thinking of Me” opens the session with a blistering guitar rocking assault. But then “Don’t Worry” and “Magic Man” hit the Beatles and Monkees notes so perfectly, with just a extra dollop of distortion. We wrap this EP sampling with a real palate cleanser. Toronto’s Jonathan Davies offers up short excerpts of miniature grandeur on Under Such a Moon. The whole EP breeze by in just eight minutes. But what drollery ensues. Each song is a mini journey to somewhere delightful. The instrumental “Springtime in Moscow, Ontario” idles by with a peppy demeanor. I’m just going to put the whole down here and you can decide what to sample.

We’re done but the kitchen’s not really closed. You can order up what you like by hitting the artist hyperlinks above. After all, the Bandcamp deli offers you tunes a la carte.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.