Swedish band Bye Bye Bicycle release their new EP Specular via the Lazy Octopus label on October 16th 2020. The band are back after a lengthy absence and their last album Nature was released back in 2012 before this blog … Continue reading Bye Bye Bicycle – Specular
Russian band Motorama are set to release a new album later this year entitled Before The Road. If the album is as half as good as the new single that has just been lifted from it then we are in … Continue reading Motorama – Today & Everyday
Lost and Found is the debut EP from Indonesian band Guntingkuku (My Scissors) who I can find next to nothing about. The band certainly put the POP in indiepop as demonstrated on the recent single Leisure Time and second track … Continue reading Guntingkuku – Lost and Found
I am not sure how I missed this one last month but hey better late than never. Songwriter and producer David Newton is best known for being the bass player and co-songwriter in The Mighty Lemon Drops and has also … Continue reading David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels feat. Eddie Argos – The Songs That Changed Our Lives
It’s over a year since their self-titled debut album and now, Sweethaven, the sophomore album by Chicago’s jangle popsters Alpine Subs has just been released by South African based label Subjangle. The band’s influences are firmly rooted in the past. … Continue reading Alpine Subs – Sweethaven
This weeks pack of three features three releases from French label Howlin’ Banana Records. Cloud Factory – Cloud Factory #1 Cloud Factory are a Pop/Post punk band hailing from Toulouse. They consist of Alice (keyboard/vocals, Ben (bass), Bruno (drums), Robin (guitar) and Romain (guitar). This self titled EP is their debut release. The music is mainly inspired by garage rock but there other influences such as indie pop and a punk attitude also running through. The sound has a fuzziness about it and the female vocals stand out too. A pretty good debut methinks. Cloud Factory #1 is available on … Continue reading Something For The Weekend? Three From Howlin’ Banana Records
The other afternoon I was listening to some early Comet Gain, their offshoot band Velocette and the long-forgotten Kicker liking the way each of those bands blended a heady mix of Northern Soul and the 1960’s girl-groups/Phil Spector sound. Who does that these days I thought? And then, through the letterbox (well email), popped the latest release from New Jersey’s Fascinations Grand Chorus which does precisely that on Wherever You Go. To the dancefloor that’s where….. Facebook Continue reading Fascinations Grand Chorus – Wherever You Go
There are a few bands that operate outside imposed boundaries and constraints – self or otherwise. Of the top of my head, bands such as Haiku Salut, The Leaf Library and more recently Dummy fall into that group. I can now add Swedish band Hey Elbow into that mix. Late to the party as ever as the band have been going for a few years now I have been exposed to them via their new single Nurture/Aptitude. The band combine ambient, experimental and pop to mould a novel and, at times, unique sound. The vocals are woven like thread during … Continue reading Hey Elbow – Nurture/Aptitude
The Yearning has gone all ABBA on us as the new single Only When I’m Dancing demonstrates. The flip side Moonlight Fantasy errs on the side of disco. It all brings up images of wide lapels, flares, tassels, sparkling dresses and glitter balls. It’s very nice and fun too – check out the video. I wonder if they will move onto the 1980s next? When I’m Dancing is out now in digital formats via Elefant Records. Atlanta’s Bathe Alone has released six tracks since last September with new track In Deep being the latest. It’s an indie-rock track that tells … Continue reading The Wednesday Mix
Pale Skies, who hail from Tangerang (Indonesia), cheekily tagged themselves in a twitter thread I had going on the recent Bandcamp Friday. Normally I ignore unsolicited contact but in this case I was intrigued enough to give them a listen*. Before I go on I had better set the scene because I am currently revisiting David Toop (ex Flying Lizards) and Virgin’s Ocean Of Sound series which was released in the 1990s. It covered a historical survey of ambient music as well as other aspects such as vocals and structures. Why do I mention this? Well, should decide to Virgin … Continue reading Pale Skies – Larung Memori
Records I Like 