April’s round up covers dream pop, indiepop and shoegaze releases that have caught my ear in the past few weeks. Full tracklisting: The Raft – Xanadu (Abloom Version) The track is an epic, creative dream-pop song which showcases the band … Continue reading The Records I Like Mix April 2019
New York’s Jeanines grabbed our attention this time last year with a couple of demos and the wonderful Hits The Bone which betrayed all of their indiepop influences. They have since signed with Slumberland Records and will be releasing their debut self titled album in June. Either Way is the albums opening track and it suggests that some great things are coming our way. Sounding like Tallulah Gosh and the American bands they influenced (The Aislers Set/The Frenchmen) it is indiepop perfection. Roll on June…… Facebook Continue reading Jeanines – Either Way
Citing influences such as Creation and Sarah Records is also going to get people listening to your music if they are indiepop fans. Thankfully Greek indiepoppers Ta Toy Boy manage to take those aforementioned influences and use them in conjunction with their own original ideas. They use an organ to distinguish themselves from their peers and it works harmoniously with the guitars and vocals resulting in an appealing, well crafted song. Nice work! Facebook Continue reading Ta Toy Boy – Goodbye
The Memory Fades is the new project from Stephen Maughan (Bulldozer Crash/Kosmonaut). On the She Loves The Birds EP Maughan is joined over various songs by Marc Elston (Bulldozer Crash/Franklin’s Kite/The Liberty Ship), Graeme Elston (Eva Luna/Astronaut/Love Parade), Jyoti Mishra (White Town) and Chris Morgan (The Deddingtons). So the pedigree is there. What about the music? Yeah, that ain’t bad either! There are lot of late 1960s psychedelic influences throughout the first two tracks, the title track and Picture Of You. The former could be a starting point for a new summer of love! Those influences fade on Am I … Continue reading The Memory Fades – She Loves The Birds EP
The Swedish Winter is the lead single to be taken from the forthcoming album Stockholm by Red Sleeping Beauty. It’s a full on synth pop affair that can spark comparisons to the likes of O.M.D, The Pet Shop Boys and Saint Etienne. And it’s rather good! The Swedish Winter can be purchased digitally from the label (lossy formats only) or via Bandcamp. Stockholm will be released later this month by Matinee Recordings. Pre-order it from here. An album sampler can be streamed here. Facebook Continue reading Red Sleeping Beauty – The Swedish Winter
The Hannah Barberas have compiled tracks from their first three EPs and have included three new ones for their first ever physical release. Hence, the title of course. I covered some previous EP’s before but will still give a heads up to the indie pop brilliance of Slow Cooked and the excellent Throwing Muses-ish Spellbound in case you have not heard these wonderful songs before. Of the three new tracks it’s the lovely I Like You In Blue that harks to bygone eras that tickles my fancy and the voice of Lucy is a delight. Very Amelia Fletcher like. The … Continue reading The Hannah Barberas – The Hannah Barberas Get Physical
This week’s pack of three features three new releases. HuanHuan – Charlie Charlie is the first we have heard from Taiwan’s HuanHuan for a couple of years now. And it’s worth the wait as ethereal female vocals forge an alliance … Continue reading Something For The Weekend? New Releases For Your Ears
I am surprised I have never mentioned The Raft on these pages before especially given how good the Jellyfish EP’s were. The band who based in Neston, UK are centred on Phil Wilson (no, not the June Brides one!), Claire O’Neill and J Pedro. Xanadu (no, not the Olivia Newton-John/ELO one!) is taken from the forthcoming album Abloom which is out later this week on Brighton’s Shore Dive Records. The track is an epic, creative dream-pop song which showcases the band at it’s strongest and is a benchmark for the rest of the album. Abloom is available in CD and … Continue reading The Raft – Xanadu (Abloom version)
On this EP Five Spanish bands who have previously recorded for the Discos De Kirlian label provide covers of songs by The Smiths. Actually make that four covers as Silent James have contributed a song in the style of Moz & Co. Cover versions can be nonplussed affairs but there a couple of gems here. Mieu by Lavandera is their version of Panic sung in the Asturian language. Whilst musically it replicates the original down to a tee the bands native tongue really suit the lyrics, making the song stand out and none more so when they close with the … Continue reading Various – Pálidos y Débiles EP (Grupos de Discos de Kirlian adaptan a los Smiths)
Child’s Play is taken from the forthcoming album Morning Thoughts that will be released in May via Luxury Records. If you are a fan of the band you will know what to expect but if not Child’s Play is a fine example of the epic sounding indiepop the band create so well. Morning Thoughts is available in a range of formats and can be pre-ordered from here. Facebook Continue reading Agent Blå – Child’s Play
Records I Like 