I mentioned Your Favourite Colour back in April. However, due to a band with a similar name across the pond, they have had a name change to the Distant Shore. Moving Up North is the first track under the new moniker and it’s a gentle, synth driven ditty. Get it for nowt from here. Facebook Continue reading Distant Shore – Moving Up North
I cannot say I was too taken with last year’s BMX Bandits Forever album but the quirky Way Of The Wolf is a clever, catchy, fun and addictive track. The band’s label Elefant is partial to remixes and most sadly have not worked (see The Primitives for starters) but this surely single is ripe for the picking thanks to it’s beat. It’s backed with two unreleased tracks including You Justify My Life which BMX frontman Duglas T Stewart originally wrote with David Scott of The Pearlfishers and was released on their 1999 album The Young Picnickers. It’s available digitally from … Continue reading BMX Bandits – Way Of The Wolf (With Dr Cosmo’s Tape Lab)
I Can’t See Your Eyes by Moscow’s Neonic Sundrive is an enjoyable romp across both indiepop and shoegaze territories. Taken from the forthcoming debut album Lie Paradise it features noisy guitars and boy/girl vocals sounding like a cross between Tyrannosaurus Dead and a Strawberry Wine era My Bloody Valentine. Intriguing stuff. Instagram Continue reading Neonic Sundrive – I Can’t See Your Eyes
C86 and Flying Nun enthusiasts/revivalists Smokescreen release their new album Used To Yesterday via Slumberland Records on July 13th 2018. The album opener Someone New has been released as a taster and what a catchy jangle-fest it is, suggesting that the forthcoming album is gonna be something else! Pre-order the album from here or via the label. Facebook Continue reading Smokescreens – Someone New
Some late bank holiday listening for you – well here in the UK anyway. Click on the image to start the playlist (opens in another window). Enjoy! More playlists can be found here and the Playmoss page is here. Continue reading Hopes and Fears – A Records I Like Playlist (May #1)
Investigating Sunchoke a bit further throws up that they are comprised of members who have featured in a number of other bands such as Heavy Pockets, Gash, Crystal Methodist and Idling. This self titled EP is the band’s debut and their sound is a mix of dreampop and indiepop whilst the vocals of Jess Allard are utilised to great effect. The delectable Graceful Creature is my pick of the five tracks here but there isn’t a filler in sight. Download it for nowt from here. Facebook Continue reading Sunchoke – Sunchoke EP
The Golden Teardrops have made available two singles from their forthcoming debut album Promises & Smiles that will be released via Emma’s House Records later this month. Both singles mix 1960’s influences such as baroque pop and surf music with 1980’s indiepop and it’s a very good mix indeed as evidenced here. It’s the sound of summer and I already have my portable speakers alongside the bucket and spade at the ready! You can pre-order the album from here. Facebook Continue reading Golden Teardrops – Two Singles
Run & Run is an ode to the joys of spring but I think Belfast’s Sea Pinks have jumped the gun some what early as it’s pissing down and freezing cold in London Town as I write this! That said Run & Run is a pretty decent indiepop tune that has seen me press repeat on more than one occasion. And, thanks to the trumpet, it reminds me of The June Brides. Hang on? Is that the spring sun trying to break through? No….. *Presses play once more* Get it digitally from here. Facebook Continue reading Sea Pinks – Run & Run
I haven’t really got The Catherines or their appeal. Their music, artwork, song titles and lyrics all seem straight out of the C86/indiepop template recipe book. Don’t get me wrong they can make a good tune but it just seems to be the same one churned out time and time again. It all just seems to be too cliched for my liking. That said, and to create a balance, Sorry, But Your Suicide Note Is Really Funny is a catchy song and maybe it’s the addition of strong female vocals that gives it some spark which generates interest to these … Continue reading The Catherines – Sorry, But Your Suicide Note Is Really Funny
Could this be the long awaited 7″ release on Matinee? I certainly hope so as we have been waiting for Malmo’s Tinsel Hearts to deliver a debut single for some time now. It sounds like they had gone down The Redskins route at the beginning of Mona’s Eyes as it gets a starts off like Lean On Me. Whilst not as funky it is still as dancey. American Friend sees the band returning back to familiar 1980’s jangling indie guitar territory. Tinsel Heart have given us two contrasting songs but more importantly, two very good songs indeed. Now is it … Continue reading Tinsel Heart – Mona’s Eyes/American Friend
