Tigercat!

Tigercat! is a band that hails from Vernon British Columbia CANADA. Tigercat! has a nice and fresh do it yourself indie pop sound that I can't seem to get enough of.

They have some nice influences (note:they actually wished they were in these bands) including neutral milk hotel, magnetic fields, yo la tengo, jesus & mary chain, the velvet underground, the beach boys...

So what's their plans? From what I heard they will be starting a label to self release their up and coming record. Also they will appear on a Series Two Records compilation in September. Sounds good to me. Check them out on myspace here http://www.myspace.com/tigercatmusic

Download their new song "Greyest Grey" here http://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01FUGhjTkxubHp2Wmc9PQ

Double Dan (the band with two chaps named Dan)

This band here named Double Dan likely got their name because two of the members are named "Dan".

Double Dan makes some really nice pop songs. It's something that you'd sort of have to expect especially knowing that Double Dan features current members from Acid House Kings and Club 8. They have a wide variety of great influences including some of my favorites such as Kings of Convenience and The Radio Dept.

In a conversation I had with them a few months ago Double Dan member Dan Eriksson (Club 8, Starlet, September...) said that they were working on some new material and were hoping to release it on a label soon.

Go check them out on myspace here www.myspace.com/thedoubledan

And here is their song "When The Sun Falls Down" (which appeared on the Series Two Records volume 5 compilation)
http://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01FUGhkQ1J5UkZjR0E9PQ

Bill Direen

I should probably start this blog post with a little disclaimer, this music is not really indie pop, but please don't let that stop you reading. It is very interesting music, it is quite different from stuff I usually listen to, but I love it none the less. A very cool unique release with an interesting story behind it.

Bill Direen is an interesting figure, not only releasing music, also writing books. He is what I consider to be a lost gem from the Flying Nun label. I always hear indiepop fans talking about The Bats, The Chills, The Clean etc ... but what about Bill Direen, who was in The Bilders, probably not talked about because it is more weird than pop.

The particular release I will be talking about is a 'new' EP (recorded in 1989 I think) from Bill, titled "Songs For Mickey Joe", Mickey Joe as in Michael Joseph Savage, the New Zealand politician, and first Labour party (the party that grew out of the unions) prime minister, from 1935 till his death in 1940. The songs were originally used in a play by Alan Brunton, about the life of Michael Joseph Savage.

Reading the liner notes that come with the CD it reads "Alan wanted a few tunes on piano that would have the flavour of parlour songs of the 1930s", and that is what these songs are, short, bouncy, piano ditties. I cannot tell you whether they have the 'flavour' of 1930s parlor songs, because I haven't really listened to any of that, but I can tell you this is a good listen.

This particular release was released by Powertool Records (Bill’s current label it would seem), you can buy the EP there as well as several other releases by him. www.powertoolrecords.co.nz

Interesting interview will Bill - http://www.powertoolrecords.co.nz/songsformickeyjoe.htm

Songs :

Comrade Joe - http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTdIYUlrNkdCTW5IRGc9PQ
Soldier In The War - http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTdIYUl1UzdwTVhIRGc9PQ

Greg Franco

GREG FRANCO

Greg Franco is from Los Angeles and he recentley toured in New Zealand. And I didn't go. Which sucked. I did however go see him play with his band 'Rough Church' last year and that was great.

Looking over his biography here it appears Greg has played in a number of bands, however I am unfortunatley only familiar with his solo stuff, his stuff with Rough Church and his stuff with The Wandering Bear.

The last band I just mentioned, The Wandering Bear, included Bats/Clean member Robert Scott and Clean member David Kilgour, so I think this fact should mean this has some interest to indie pop fans, even if it is not indiepop in the strictist sense.

These two tracks I post here are from a recent radio show on Fleet FM in Auckland, the Powertool Records radio show, at which I was present. I'm not terribly good at describing music but I think the two words 'folky pop' give you a rough idea.

track one - http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTdFblR0RkU1aWJIRGc9PQ
track two - http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTdFblRvNHZ1YlBIRGc9PQ

buy his stuff - http://www.powertoolrecords.co.nz/
rough church - http://www.roughchurch.com/ , http://www.myspace.com/roughchurch

Fantastic June

Fantastic June is this really cool band I had discovered in May. My friend Pang in Taiwan (he’s the one with the amazing indie pop record shop called Smash Hit Productions) had them among their friends list on myspace and I went to their page and heard the stuff and instantly fell in love with their songs.

Fantastic June comes from Indonesia. They make some really lovely songs. The lyrics, the vocals and the melodies are oh so lovely. I’d highly recommend them for anyone that enjoys the songs of Kings Of Convenience, Sondre Lerche and Club 8 (thanks for the Club 8 reference Ian). Fantastic June is due to appear on Series Two Records Volume 7 compilation that will be released on July 8.

Since I discovered Fantastic June in the month of May I couldn't think of a more suitable free mp3 for this blog posting than their song "May". Here is an acoustic version of their song “May” courtesy of YouSendIt http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTdFblRqY1MyWGZIRGc9PQ

If you want to be their friend on myspace or to check out more songs go here: www.myspace.com/fantasticjune