So another year over and it was one of the best I can remember but given my memory of late that’s no strong ask. It started strongly in January and never looked back. It was a painstaking task compiling the … Continue reading Records I Like – The Best of 2019 (Part One)
Estonian/Russian dreampop band Gaarden, whose single Shiny Day will be riding high in my end of year lists, are releasing their debut album The Fall later this month on Australian label Library Group Records. Said single will appear on the album alongside taster track I Am Tired. I am not sure if a band have a trademark sound after just the one song but the band’s style was easily recognisable early into the song. Shimmering and jangling guitars compete with forlorn vocals which are backed up by despondent words. I think the album could be very good indeed. The Fall … Continue reading Gaarden – I Am Tired
Late last month I bemoaned the demise of the UK indiepop bands who placed fuzziness and shambling above all else. Yes, there are one or two exceptions but this year I have been getting my fix mainly from Spanish speaking countries across the globe and Chilean band La Casa De Emma are no exception to this rule. This, their debut album is chock full of retro-sounding indie-pop tunes that will gladden the heart. Think Taluah Gosh, The Flatmates, 53rd & 3rd, The Shop Assistants, The Rosehips, Subway Organisation et al and draw as many C86 comparisons out of the hat … Continue reading La Casa De Emma – Desventura De Verano
Sugar World follow up their excellent Sad In Heaven single with the bittersweet We Fell In Love. Unlike the aforementioned single there is no fuzziness here and instead we are treated to a bittersweet twee-pop song. Both the vocals and guitars are in a mournful mood. Whilst the latter chime like bells the lovely female voice, which seek reassurance, insecurely asks if “do you blame me, do you miss me, do you hate me”. Lovely but sorrowful with it. Facebook Continue reading Sugar World – We Fell In Love
Edmonton’s Brunch Club are the purveyors of short but catchy jangling pop tunes and there is no exception to this rule on their first release for well over two years. They open with the addictive Dandelion Dreams which may well make all those who have already published their best of 2019 lists weep. It’s pretty much a near perfect pop song. It’s followed by short and appealing songs that flit from indiepop to power pop. The jangling guitars and the vocals will draw you in and before you know it all eight songs have been and gone. Bike Riding and … Continue reading Brunch Club – Another Wasted Summer
The new single from Fanclub is a delightful mix of synth and indiepop. The synths drive the song whilst the guitars buzz around in support. The vocals of Leslie Crunkilton are a delight as ever as she sings of “sneaking through unlocked gates” to spend time with a loved one before the inevitable heartbreak comes. Facebook Continue reading Fanclub – Trespassing
Indonesian band Turks & Caicos first caught our ears on the New Wave of Hype compilation and now we are treated to their debut EP Bad Situation. There are five tracks here mixing up synth driven indiepop and as well as the guitar dominated type. The synth driven songs open and the first two remind me of The Radio Dept. It gets even better on This Town which is a gentle and sometimes beautiful song. The title track sees the addition of frantic guitars that has that classic indiepop sound. They save the best to last on Subversive which is … Continue reading Turks & Caicos – Bad Situation
Still Corners have released a new digital single although it seems to be only available to stream and not too purchase. It consists of two songs the band recorded live at Abbey Road earlier this year. The first is a cover of Richard and Linda Thompson’s The Calvary Cross whilst the second is a live studio version of Black Lagoon which originally appeared on last years long player Slow Air. Homepage Continue reading Still Corners – Live In The Studio
Having been involved in putting out a number of releases over the past decade I know how stressful getting the finished article can be. That’s why I sympathise with Estella at Fadeawayradiate Records when she writes that, whilst putting the label’s third compilation together, “was like extracting a tooth from a whale”! Mind you sending the whale to the marine dentist was worthy sacrifice as this is a very good compilation indeed. The theme of the compilation, titled F.A.R. OUT, is that of a late 1960s sunshine pop theme and unlike the label’s two previous compilations which consisted of cover … Continue reading Various Artists – F.A.R. Out
This months bumper mix is dominated by shoegaze and dreampop with some indiepop and jangle pop thrown in for good measure. It features tracks released in the past month or so. Enjoy! Full Tracklisting: Terry vs. Tori – Keepsake Box The band have now added synthesizers into the mix which has added yet another layer of vibrancy to their sound. The Giraffe Told Me In My Dream – Relapse Suffice to say my ears were ringing after taking the headphones off after listening to this one! Fog – Fictitious Fiction Fictitious Sod looking at your shoes and, with this track … Continue reading Records I Like Mix December 2019
Records I Like 