Mexican label Stupid Decisions celebrate their third anniversary later this year and are releasing three compilations to celebrate the occasion. Various Artists – Para Siempre II This is the second volume in the Para Siempre series. There are not many … Continue reading Catching Up…. Stupid Decisions
A solid compilation featuring and reflecting on bands over the years (1995-2015) from Bandung, Indonesia. It’s amazing how many of these bands look towards to the UK for inspiration and some of these tracks cover Britpop, C86 and Madchester. The compilers apologise for the lack of “high fidelity” in some of these recordings but that’s not a negative for me as these contributions are a snapshot in time as demonstrated on the likes of Old and Grey by Peewee and Sadford Lads Club crossing JAMC and the Wall Of Sound on Dan (Sheila on 7). It’s not all guitar based … Continue reading Various Artists – YLLWSPCL: Bandung Pop Darlings The Mixtapes
The Reds, Pinks & Purples – Last Summer In A Rented Room Another new EP from the ever prolific Glenn Donaldson and not even a demo in sight. Three pleasing indiepop songs that are pleasant to the ear with closer … Continue reading Catching Up……
Río Arga is the third self titled release from this Pamplona based band and this volume is crammed chock full of infectious indiepop songs. Straight from the off with Tus Canciones the band deliver one jangling pop tune after another. I have no idea what they are singing about as I have long given up on google translate but I have no doubt that these songs would sound great whatever language they were sung in. Tracks like No Me Aguanto Más (a speeded up Stereolab?) and the atmospheric La Javierada are some of the strongest tracks the indiepop genre has … Continue reading Río Arga – Río Arga
I have not heard anything from Puzzles y Dragones for a couple of years now so their appearance on this split single from Discos Garibaldi was a welcome treat. Formas De Mirar is a melodic and gentle indiepop song that … Continue reading Puzzles y Dragones/Alborotador Gomasio – Split
Russian band Herlights are back with their first release of 2019 with the Sometimes EP. If you have been following the band I guess you will know what to expect but if not their music blends post-punk, dreampop, shoegaze and to a lesser extent post-rock. The songs feature the now trademark brooding vocals whilst the translucent guitars shimmer brightly as ever. There isn’t much to differentiate each tune but seeing as Herlights rarely deviate away from their self-designed template that doesn’t come as a surprise. Sometimes though, I think it would be nice to break that mould. Until then this … Continue reading Herlights – Sometimes
The Memory Fades set the bar pretty high on their debut She Loves The Birds EP which was released earlier this year so the Space Pilot EP has a tough act to follow. Once again Stephen Maughan (Bulldozer Crash/Kosmonaut) is joined by a group of friends and flip me, they manage to pull it off once more. The opening and title track is a fuzzy pop number and contains the best end rhyming lyrics in indiepop circles (sky – high, been – seen) since The Mighty Lemon Drops. Talking of lyrics honey and candy feature in Listening to the Marychain … Continue reading The Memory Fades – Space Pilot EP
If you want vintage sounding, C86 inspired indiepop then A Certain Smile will be right up your street. Cherry Bomb is loud and fuzzy in just the way pop music should be. The sound has been revived before of course. The label mentions The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (well maybe they meant the early stuff when they mimicked the Lazy era My Bloody Valentine) but POBPAH have long faded out of earshot. A Certain Smile give to spirit to such a sound as previously demonstrated on 2017s excellent Fits & Starts. Thankfully they have, based on this track, … Continue reading A Certain Smile – Cherry Bomb
I enjoyed the Monument Series released earlier this year which was the side project works of members of The Leaf Library. Now the band will be releasing their new and second album, entitled The World Is A Bell, next month. Hissing Waves is the first track to be lifted from the album and it’s a hypnotic, vibrating track that through it’s various folds mixes elements from a range of genres. Drone pop in it’s element. The World Is A Bell is released on 25th October 2019 and will be available in limited, vinyl, CD and digital formats. It can be … Continue reading The Leaf Library – Hissing Waves
Low Tide is taken from the forthcoming self titled EP from Special Friend. It’s a mix of garage and indie rock which already makes it mark just as the psych influenced guitars start to make some noise. There is another track, Before, also available for streaming which merges garage and 1960’s influenced indiepop together for maximum effect. I cannot wait to give the whole EP a listen when it is released but for now these two tracks will do quite nicely for now. Special Friend will be released on Howlin’ Banana records on 10″ vinyl and digital formats at the … Continue reading Special Friend – Low Tide
Records I Like 