LOCAL BANDS* Blooper, Long Distance (out now, Manic Pop! Records, blooper.bandcamp.com): This four-song EP is a bracing blast of quick vocals, clacking drums, and muscular guitar riffs, making for some heavily enjoyable lo-fi garage pop. ERIN K. THOMPSON (Thurs., Feb. 7, Sunset Tavern)Paul Benoit, Ragpickers (out now, Zebadiah Records, paulbenoitmusic.com): Paul Benoit plays perfectly pleasant blues-folk. He should enjoy a long local career by virtue of his competent adherence to current genre standards, but—double-edged sword—he shouldn’t expect to break into the great beyond unless he does more to distinguish himself from like-minded safety dancers. MIKE SEELY* Brite Lines/Pocket Panda, “Greenville, WA” b/w “My Brother the Dreamer” (out now, self-released, britelinesband.com, pocketpandamusic.com): Joining forces to release two new exclusive tracks on a joint 7-inch, both bands deserve some serious applause. BL’s “Greenville, WA” is hauntingly beautiful, whereas PP’s “My Brother the Dreamer” is a fantastic feel-good track. JOE WILLIAMS***EDITOR’S PICKThe Grizzled Mighty, Thick Hand Grip (out now, self-released, facebook.com/TheGrizzledMighty): The new EP from the local blues-rock duo—drummer Whitney Petty and guitarist/vocalist Ryan Granger—is aggressive, sludgy, and distorted; it’s also the sexiest music to come out of this city in a good while. Petty’s splashy percussion and Granger’s thick, muddy guitar riffs coupled with his rustily crooned vocals make the songs sweat with heat and libido—it’s the music that should be playing through the blown-out living-room speakers of every legendary house-party-gone-wild. Granger nails the snappy deliver on “Monalisa” and a lusty howl on “Smooth,” while the oft-repeated chorus of the single “Stuck in My Head”—”You got me running around/ I got you stuck in my head”—is catchy as hell. EKT (Sat., Feb. 9, Neumos)The Not-Its, Kidquake! (Feb. 4, Little Loopy Records, wearethenot-its.com): Kidquake!’s strength is also its weakness: Lyrics aside, it doesn’t sound like a kids’ album. It won’t crack the kid code and command rapt attention. But it won’t turn off parents either. CHRIS KORNELIS (Sat. Feb. 9, Vera Project)*Pickwick, Covers EP (out now, self-released, pickwickmusic.com): This punch in the arm re-imagines Lou Reed, Richard Swift, and Damien Jurado, and is the most playfully aggressive batch of songs the band’s made yet. Consider us psyched for next month’s full-length debut, Can’t Talk Medicine. CKPilot to Bombardier, 117 (out now, self-released, facebook.com/pilottobombardier): This hard-rock band’s debut album is like listening to a dozen songs on KISW, with the band pledging allegiance to some of their favorite bands from the past 20 years, from Alice in Chains to Incubus and Tool. DAVE LAKE* Mike Simmons, Pop-Leech (out now, self-released, mikesimmons.bandcamp.com): A weird hybrid of three-chord, Soul Asylum-esque anthems (“I’m Not There”) and glam-inspired tunes like “Love,” Simmons’ latest buzzes with guitars, driving refrains, and shit-if-I-care ‘tude. Good tonic for your earnest-folkie hangover. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTTLOCAL LABELS’ NATIONAL RELEASESBoats, A Fairway Full of Miners (out now, Kill Rock Stars, yeahboats.com): This Manitoba pop quintet’s third full-length is a live wire of reckless, manic energy that bristles and quivers with lead singer Mat Klachefsky’s screechy vocals. EKT (Fri., Mar. 1, Comet Tavern)Pissed Jeans, Honeys (2/12, Sub Pop, subpop.com): The fourth LP from this quartet of Pennsylvania punk rockers is a torrential downpour of buzzy guitars and hoarse-throated vocals. EKTYoung Smoke, “Chinese Dragon” (out now, Automation Records, automationrecords.bandcamp.com): Another selection from Automation’s singles series, Chicago’s Young Smoke creates a bassy, non-aggressive beat with an overdone repetition that makes the track feel like it’s missing something. THmusic@seattleweekly.com