The Postcards the hours up to midnight e.p. (Valliant Records)

So if there was a secret formula for lovely guitar pop songs The Postcards have the best kept secret in their hands. This London based band is named in honor of the late and the great Postcard Records of Scotland. “Golden Boy” is a great representation of fine guitar pop. “John Peel Was a Friend of Mine” pays tribute to a very influential person. The Postcards describe their own live sets as being fast and fun. IF you are in the London area they currently have three shows lined up.

Preview six of their songs and find out how to purchase their lovely EP here http://www.myspace.com/thepostcards

2 out of 3 rule really elementary EP (self released)

2 out of 3 rule really elementary EP (self released)

2 out of 3 rule are an indie pop band that hail from the United Kingdom. Their refreshing sounds can put them in close comparison to top sounding indie pop bands such as Scotland’s own Camera Obscura. Their song “Artman” could be put on a list of the best indie pop songs of all time. A few months ago Steve Lamacq took notice and played “Artman” on BBC Radio 6. With their debut EP there is no doubt there is a lot of success that lies ahead for this band especially with a lot of indie pop fans already taking a good likening towards their music already. They hopefully won’t fall to the horrible fate of a lot of UK bands these days with the hype, etc. This band has a lot of substance already and would fit well with the listening tastes of most indie pop fans and would fit well with the lineup’s of most indie pop labels. This EP would definitely make my top 10 list for the year and will likely appear in many other top 10 lists for the year (or at least it deserves to).

What’s happening in the future for this band? If I read correctly in a letter from band member Paul it says they have plans to start recording their 2^nd album in middle October. That puts a big smile upon my face.

This was a very limited self released EP. You can check in with the band on myspace to see if there are any copies left that are available. Also while you are there you can preview 5 of their songs. http://www.myspace.com/2outof3rule

Webelos volume 1 ep (self released)

Webelos volume 1 ep (self released)

The Webelos is an indie pop band from Seattle. In this short little album they quickly impress me with some of the best indie pop I have ever heard. Takes me back to the time where Sweden had a little DIY CDR label called Bedroom Records which first brought you bands like Springfactory, Back in Judy’s Shack, Happy Go Lucky, Thehelpmeplease, and countless other great indie pop artists. If the Webelos were from Sweden when Bedroom Records still existed their music would have fit right in with that label. Webelos describe themselves as a bedroom pop group. And I say that description is completely valid.

The lyrics on “yellow” are slightly overshadowed by the backing music but for me that isn’t a problem because the end result still makes it a great pop song. My favorite of the four songs being “last time down to Portland” which happens to be a song that will appear on the November compilations put out by Series Two Records. This album is too good and sadly too short but would be a great addition to any indie pop CD collection. If I’m not mistaken if you get their CD they send you a lovely little comic that gives you some good peace of mind. Also a lovely sticker is also included. Also would like to add that this record is one of the best DIY handmade packaged records I have seen in a long time.

There are many good things ahead for Webelos. According to their press kit they have been touring throughout the west coast and the Pacific Northwest for the last year and a half. They also have a nice quote from Seattle Weekly.

Preview their songs and buy their album here http://www.myspace.com/seriouslysmith

La famille catastrophe self titled EP (self released)

La Famille Catastrophe makes some great and honest lo-fi indie pop. You may know the lone member Simon of LFC from the indie pop band Mutt Ramon. The backing music reminds me of this 60’s band called The Monkees. Respectfully said when taking into consideration the large crop of other indie pop bands that are many times more likely to be influenced by the Beach Boys and not The Monkees. The lyrics can be compared to the Dandy Warhols. I always felt the lyrics from some of the Dandy Warhols songs were quite funny (or at least to me anyways) especially with the way he works his voice.

Also somehow Dr. Seuss plays a role in the music of La Famille Catastrophe which makes it a little more interesting. I was really happy to receive this CD. The cover art reminded me of what the more rural countryside in my home state of Nebraska.

You can find album purchasing information and also preview three of the four songs from the EP here http://www.myspace.com/lafamillecatastrophe

Throw

Well it seems I have been pretty bad with this blogging thing, sounds like it show be easy, updating a blog once a week. Well it isn’t, or perhaps I’m just no good at it. I tend to gravitate towards the latter of those two options.  Anyway I’m going to try and get better at it.

The band I’m going to talk about today, well tonight…(well this morning if you want to be technical about it. It is 1.28AM) is a band from New Zealand who released in the early 1990s.I make this post to rebut those-and I know they exist-who say that there was no good music ccoming out of New Zealand during this period. Recently there music has been release as part of Failsafe Records retrogenic series (something I hope to tell you guys more about). A label that should be legendary, a label run by Rob Mayes, someone much more deserving of a knighthood than many other boneheads in this country who have receive them…not to name names of course……

The retrogenic series, to be brief, is Rob Mayes massive project to rerelease a bunch of long lost music, amazing music at that. Something more people need to be doing.

The band is called Throw, and features no other than Rob Mayes himself, if you get to know Failsafe records you will realise just how much fantastic music this guy is responsible for. Dark, wonderful power pop that could only come from Christchurch, a place that has produced lots of great music over the years, even if it could at times be described as a racist backwater….

Anyway, I am no good at describing music so I will let these two songs do the talking…so to speak…. Two tracks from the album Dreambaby Goodbye

Anything For You

Taking Back Whats Mine

L I N K S

Failsafe Records

Retrogenic