Ramonescore Radio presents... What the fuck is Twee? is a compilation rounding up what the label says are the best twee bands. To be honest Noise Pop would be a more accurate description and the compilation features bands that have … Continue reading Ramonescore Radio presents... What the fuck is Twee?
US label Captured Tracks have just released a 28 track compilation that may appeal to many who read these pages. It’s titled Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987 and the label writes that “we’re very proud of this … Continue reading Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987
I seem to be writing about Indonesian label Shiny Happy Records quite a bit of late. And given the quality of their recent releases I am not sure I will be stopping some time yet. Take their new compilation which … Continue reading Various Artists – Asian Pop Heaven Compilation
Fallen Love Records is an indiepop/twee record label based in Toronto, Canada. Their new 18 track compilation Text Me When You Get Here was released earlier this month and it is a collection of home recordings by artists under COVID-19 Lockdown. There are not many names I recognise here. Well, it’s just the one in the shape of Sushi Backpack to be honest and they supply the entertaining When You Told Me You Were Lonely. If truth be told I am not that keen on the twee-er side of indie-pop especially when ukuleles are involved and I have always preferred … Continue reading Various Artists – Text Me When You Get Here
Volume 6 in Swedish label Plonk’s We Are Machine Pop series is dedicated to the memory of Kraftwerk co-founder of Florian Schneider who sadly passed away at the age of 73 in May this year. Despite leaving the band in 2008 Schneider and Kraftwerk’s influence on electronic music ranging from hip-hop to techno is unparalleled in history. Unsurprisingly the contributions sound just as you would expect and are heavily influenced, both musically and visually, by the band’s Man Machine period so expect plenty of mechanical sounds, robotic beats and vocoder laden vocals. This is best encapsulated by French artist Marboss … Continue reading Various Artists – We Are Machine Pop 6
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
Chinese label Small Animals Records published two fanzines at the end of last month. Both are sold out but the label have made available two mixtapes to accompany both. Both feature a mixture of indie and twee pop. On Volume … Continue reading Small Animals Records – Fanzines 1 & 2
This may be the eighth volume in the alternative melodies series collated by A Lonely Ghost Burning but it’s the first one I have stumbled upon. With the aim of “introducing new listeners to the underexposed and immensely talented artists” it features the likes of Fanclub and Soumbalgwang both of which have been featured on these pages before. But what about the rest? The trouble with compilations there are always going to be tracks which don’t agree with you. There are others such as Sua’s Love, which is a pleasant enough listen here, but isn’t ever going to find a … Continue reading Various Artists – Alternative Melodies 8
There are some interesting compilations turning up on Bandcamp of late. Guitar Days – An Unlikely Story of Brazilian Music is the soundtrack to the documentary of the same name which tells the story, coinciding with Brazil’s transition to democracy, that a new wave of bands emerged who looked to the US, UK and Australia for inspiration and who chose to sing in English rather than Portuguese. Aside from The Pin Ups and The Cigarettes these bands are new to me. I enjoyed the racket made by Garage Fuzz and New Ground by Valv. Musically most of it’s not my … Continue reading Guitar Days – An Unlikely Story of Brazilian Music
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
Records I Like 