Apricot Rail - Pouring Milk Out The Window [Single]

When Apricot Rail play live, you kind of nod your head slowly, well, it’s not really a nod it’s more a progression of their sound. Then when one of their beautiful choruses hits, it is possessive. On my first listen to this single, I felt just like their live shows make me feel, which is a rare quality. They don’t “rock” so much as make you thank yourself that you’re listening to them at any given time.

It’s like walking around in a beautiful forest, looking up at autumn leaves falling, and feeling the delicate promise of rain.

Their debut LP comes out on July 4th, and until then you can get the single for a free download on the Hidden Shoal Records page:
http://agora.hiddenshoal.com/
and check out Apricot Rail at: www.myspace.com/apricotrail

Twin Piloda - "Brother Jona"

Sweden's Twin Piloda site "american music" as one of their influences... they aren't kidding. It's easy to pick up on the Posies, The Church, R.E.M., Paul Westerberg and Go-Betweens sounds they also mention as influences.

"Lake By The Sea" is probably the most "college rock" sounding song on the album. It's got some great ’90s harmonies over driving acoustic and electric guitars. Not to mention a great harmonica solo.

The fourth song on the album, "Easy on the Eye," slows things down a bit with a nice synthy opening. Sparse acoustic guitar accompanies boy/girl vocals before the tempo picks up a bit and turns somewhat dancey. Oooohs and ba-ba-bas round out a great tune.

The album ends on a bit of a folky/americana note with "Not Invented."

For someone who's used to hearing "Sweden" and thinking about the poppiest of pop songs... Twin Piloda offer a refreshing alternative.

http://www.myspace.com/twinpiloda

The Yellow Melodies – High

Released in 2000, the Yellow Melodies’s High holds up today. Slow, gentle melodies and drifting singing. The voices go a little soaringly here and there, but it’s always pleasant and relaxing. The cover of the album is pure Belle and Sebastian, a yellow photo of a girl wearing a bandana holding a cup of something, but the melodies are denser, less skippy, less playful.

“Brand New Way,” is probably the stand out track. It’s about a boy who’s a “cool boy in a cool world” who’s just trying to find a “cool place” to find his place, or else he has to disappear! The harmonies and melodies coat the lyrics in a syrupy concoction that’s perfect for summer.

www.myspace.com/yellowmelodies
http://www.yellowmelodies.com/

The Telepathic Butterflies - Breakfast in Suburbia

The Telepathic Butterflies is a psychedelic name for a band, fittingly their music aides this notion. Psych pop, wait – this totally sounds like it could be released on Rainbow Quartz, let me check…Holy s***, there actually is a Rainbow Quartz logo on the back. Another sweet signing by the R-B Q team. (That actually happened – I had to physically get up from my desk and look in an envelope).

There is a Joe Jackson feel coming through in a couple of the tracks, the difference is the level of reality in the voice - if that makes any sense. What I mean is the singer has the kind of voice that you can relate to. The TpBf’s sing about personal issues, in an open manner, the vocal harmonies that feature across the release are the type that you try to emulate, but can never get, unless you have had a little bit to drink, in which case you will totally get it.

I recommend this band to anyone looking for a sweet sweet summer sounding band. Though these guys are from Canada, which isn’t all that sunny. Never the less, this is what they sound like: beautiful sunsets and golden romance found on a fun night out - with a dose of the morning after, yeah.

http://www.myspace.com/thetelepathicbutterflies

Aycliffe Sunz

Dear Aycliffe Sunz,

You totally rock, there is no two ways about this. In terms of indie-pop your guitars, melodies and timing are up there with the greats. I could spend my time making correlations to bands you are similar to, or better than.

Instead, I send a musical SOS – please get a vocalist.
What you make is really great indie-pop, but it would be ever better with some sweet vocals, though choose wisely, and make sure they complement the music. I think female, or male of Asian descent.

Listening forever,
Tuesday.

(http://www.myspace.com/aycliffesunz)

Movie – White Whales

On their myspace page, Movie lists Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine as their influences, but it’s really Joy Division filtered through Galaxie 500 that I hear. The precision of the drum is there, but so is the reverb and the slowness, the extra space. They layer the extra space in droney vocals, separating the words just enough from the churning guitars. The deadpan vocals are delivered just slightly, charmingly, off-key, in a spoken word manner. In other words, they list the appropriate influences, but then, as Galaxie 500 did, they make the record their own shimmering pop song.

The whole album centers on nautical themes, and the second song, “Island” is a dreamy stand out. The singer “steps slowly off the land” and is “driven by the wind.” There is feedback, charming feedback, that will possibly call to mind the hazy waves of My Bloody Valentine, but Movie is so much more peaceful, so much more in touch with others, even though the lyrics sum up a drift between the singer and other people. Overall, this is a band to keep an eye one.

http://www.myspace.com/movieband

Rachael Dadd - After The Ant Fight

Sounding like something of a female version of Sufjan Stevens, Rachael Dadd's "After The Ant Fight" could probably fit in right between "Seven Swans" and "Greetings From Michigan." Just before Stevens went off on the epic (stalled) 50 states project.

Banjo, guitar, piano, trumpet fills, ethereal folk-pop vocals... they're all here. The music rambles on, rising and falling behind Dadd's sweet voice. Harmonies punctuate at just the right places.

"Table" might be the gem on this album, opening with piano and light vocals. The song gently crescendos, adding drums and horns. It backs off slightly before building again with Dadd's vocals on the chorus. "And So It Wells Up" opens brightly with drum and horns before Dadd's familiar voice begins. Horns punctuates throughout. Banjo and piano on the title track close out the album.

Dadd's own embroidered textiles, which she sells on tour and from her web site, provide the impressive album art.

http://www.myspace.com/rachaeldadd

Cameretta Whispers - Recipes for Sad Chickens

Two words: chicken samples. At least that's what it sounds like. There's definitely come clucking and cooing in the background of these songs. These Italian girls definitely have a weird thing with chickens going on. You know what? It works.

This lo-fi "bedroom music" drones on with light strumming on a guitar with a broken string and soothing vocals. Random clicks, clacks and other noises fill out the background ... almost giving the impression of being in the girls' home with them while they play.

"Are You Making Love with Loneliness" seems to be the hi-light of the album, with haunting harmonies and a sweet folky sound. "Witches eat Sandwiches" starts with horror-movie organ and cawing birds before the guitar and slightly more upbeat vocals kick in. The last track, "Lullaby for Me," is a droner, the last few minutes of which are dripping water sounds that go silent just before a hidden track complete with frog croaks closes out the album.

This could be the perfect soundtrack to a sad, rainy day. that's a good thing ... those days need soundtracks.

http://www.myspace.com/camerettawhispers

Shoebox Scrap "late start"

Shoebox Scrap hails from Highland, California. It is the project of one Ron Anderson. The songs are very lovely and as you listen on the songs you hear this irresistible charm attached to them. It's sort of heart wrenching for me to hear the resemblance to some of Elliott Smith's most fond moments. With the acoustic the songs evoke quite a bit of Simon and Garfunkel. These 7 songs are very well rounded and deserve much more praise and attention and if kept up by Ron Anderson he will surely get it done.

Check em out here: www.myspace.com/shoeboxscrap

Mikko Singh "Uskotko että siellä on kukkia?"

For those looking for music that is so interesting in a not so vague sense or unique, then this album would fit in find and dandy with you. This album is jam packed full of instrumentals and sounds that are sometimes eerie but are often pleasant one's too. It's very easy for me to imagine "surfers" having this music in their IPOD, etc. And it's also easy for me to imagine fans of Kings Of Convenience and fans of Jack Johnson's "Brushfire Fairytales" album being particularly those that will be most interested in this chill CD by Mikko Singh.

Check em out here: www.myspace.com/mikkosingh

Beacon Street Radiants "First Degree Desperation"

Beacon St. Radiants hail from Finland which has taken me by surprise since I have recently been introduced to a large amount of great bands coming from there and in the past few years I heard very little stuff that struck my fancy coming from Finland. This artist comes across as sounding quite a bit like early Jesse Malin stuff. Other comparisons could be "Love as Hell" era Ryan Adams and early Pete Yorn. Funnily the three of them Ryan Adams, Jesse Malin, and Pete Yorn never really stayed consistent to me. I got into them early and as time went on they started making stuff that didn't appeal to me as much as their earlier stuff. Some agree on this especially the earlier fans. If Beacon St. Radiants is able to keep this songwriting on the level as it appears on this album they are likely to gain many fans in time and keep the original fans at bay.

Check them out here:
www.myspace.com/beaconstreetradiants
www.beaconstradiants.com

The Blank Tapes – Landfair

Propulsive, and with good lyrics, Matt Adams and friends make up the Blank Tapes. Their songs go chantingly round, circular surprises. In “I Tell Myself Again and Again,” the title makes up almost the entirety of the lyrics, “I tell myself again and again/she’ll never be more than just a friend.” Other words drop in and out, with just enough variation to keep the listener amused. The searingly upbeat guitar jangles the verses along.

Other songs start with a Beatlesequse “Ahh-ahh,” and “There Goes the Day” even uses a melody politely nicked from one of their songs, I won’t name which one, before setting into pleasant lyrics about “there goes the day/there goes the sun.” Time passes but with this record this it’s hardly noticeable you’re enjoying the music so much. The songs may set up drab situations with the lyrics, but the sunny pop melodies obscure the boredom the singer might be suffering.

Dizzyingly quiet and lovelorn, these songs show a diverse and pleasant range.

www.myspace.com/theblanktapes
http://theblanktapes.minus-world.net/

Godsmania - Tyre Kicker

I'm not sure it gets any janglier. Godsmania's “Tyre Kicker” EP is five songs of pure vintage indiepop in the style of C86 or even Postcard Records.

They start things off right with the head bobbingly good “Thanks But No Thanks.” A nice little bass line carries you into “Don't Go” before the jangle of the guitar kicks back in to hook you. The slower, ambling vocals of “Going To Be Blue” with fuzzy background guitar make a good interlude leading into the droopy, but heartfelt “Lost In You.” The EP finishes up on a high note with the driving “All Gone Wrong Today.”

Godsmania lists Teenage Fanclub, The Wedding Present, Orange Juice, The Mighty Lemon Drops and the Smiths as influences, among others. I can't disagree with any of those. This is a definitely an album with seeking out.

http://www.myspace.com/gdsmn

EZ Basic - Hocus Focus

From the first notes of Hungarian band EZ Basic's “Hocus Focus” you know what you're going to get — pure, unadulterated new wave. Although they don't specifically mention these bands as influences, I'm going to surmise they're fans of New Order, Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls. They might even be fans of Franz Ferdinand or The Futureheads.

EZ Basic does site Bauhaus, My Bloody Valentine, Interpol and Phil Spektor... and there is a distinct “wall of sound” to some of these tracks. You will find yourself bobbing your head along to these songs.

“Nice1” opens the album with Simon LeBon vocals. “Plot Hole” has a very Seagulls-esque intro. Dancy Franz Ferdinand choruses are throughout, accompanied by that familiar humming guitar and steady drum beat.

This is a very enjoyable listen and is recommended for fans of new wave, synthpop and just about anything in between.

www.ezbasic.hu
http://www.myspace.com/ezbasic

The Assistants – Fiction

image from http://www.theassistants.net/biography.html

There is a kind of 90s alt-rock feel to this, I think it is sweet: building up songs, and layered vocals, feel good melodies. The Assistants are from Toronto – or at least, they are based there – this comes through in their sound, they aren’t a wishy-washy east coast alternative band.

They’re classic indie-pop, and looking at their press pics, they look like a group of pals that one day decided to make some sweet music, and it took off. Fiction is their second release, but their first EP – and self released at that. This does not come through in their sound (or look), everything about the band is very professional, I guess that’s a testament to them as musicians and promoters.

They use some trumpet in the second track, “Stop Dead”, which is not a run of the mill indie-pop-strument. Though they make it work, it’s this kind of trumpet that you want to hear more of, it complements their sound and gives it a whole other aspect. On the whole, there is a subtlety of jangle-ness apparent in this EP. Very controlled and smartly done, I would recommend this to any indie-pop fan.

www.theassistants.net
http://www.myspace.com/assistants

The Rodeo - My First EP

“The Rodeo” is an anagram for the birth name of this young lady, and up until track 5, I was all like “Yeah. This girl sounds like a chilled out version of the CSS singer (Lovefoxxx?)” But then I hit the fifth, and the beautiful piano totally stopped me. The Rodeo has an amazingly beautiful voice that perfectly complements a piano played in sombre tones.

Smart or brave then, that most of her songs are folky… I think this was an unconscious decision, as her musical upbringing led her through “the pioneers of folk, blues and country music.” The word homage is used. Anyway, this folk style leads her to sounds like Alela Diane, minus the pirate element, but plus the attitude of Karen O.

The Rodeo’s “My First EP” was released under the label “Emergence” in 2007, Emergence is a French label, I think, and I think that The Rodeo is from France too, well it would make sense as her songs (though sung in English) have that French vibe to them. I strongly encourage you to listen to the song “I Could”.

www.myspace.com/iamtherodeo

Viva Maestro! - Y Luego...

Viva Maestro! are from Spain, they are “electro-pop” I guess; a genre that I do not (generally) get in to. Lucky then, for Viva Maestro! that I do find myself wanting to listen to this. It’s got a kind of 90s dance music vibe to it, unabashedly so. As in, I find myself wanting to get drunk with close friends, and close all the doors and windows of my house, and have a crazy all night dance party.

The words are all sung in Spanish, which I find to be a major positive, as for us non-Spanish speakers, it adds to the music, as opposed to being a separate layer of vocals, kind of like skat, but better. Viva Maestro! are from Barcelona, and in their influences list “VolksWagen New Bettle”, I agree with that. They do sound like the newer VolksWagen Beatles. Bright, shiny, bubbly, moving fast and smooth.

http://www.myspace.com/vivamaestro

The Man From Another Place "the loneliest cowboy ep"

Reminds me a lot of Belle and Sebastian, Kings Of Convenience, Todd Rundgren, retro sounding Josh Rouse... and to top it off these are just instrumentals. Some can put in an album that has the lyrics with music and they will say something like hey this would sound much better if you left it with music only. Would be neat to see another side of this band to see how this stuff with sound with vocals and if it didn't turn out the best they could leave them without. Either way this is a masterpiece that is catchy and pleasant and leaves you nodding your head in excitement and undoubtedly wanting more.

It is fair to say i haven't quite heard an album like this in my life. The experience reminds me of when i first discovered Kings of Convenience while being much younger or the first time i heard Sondre Lerche. I am very ecstatic and amazed at this masterpiece.

Check em out here:
www.myspace.com/themanfromanotherplace

Vacuum Spasm Babies "Whipping Clowns"

I have to start off saying how much i like the artwork for this release. Also i am quick to notice that these songs are very energetic. And from the sounds of this album it would be very interesting to see this band play live. The songs are very fun and some even have humorous sounds added to them. The voice sounds very much like the late Joe Strummer of The Clash meets Carlo Van Putten of the German band Dead Guitars.

One of the tracks reminded me a lot of the New York based band The Secret Machines. This album was very diverse in sound and was overall really hard to keep up with at times. The album has a lot of good things going on and from the sounds of things these very talented musicians will have a lot of bright years ahead.

Check em out here
myspace.com/vacuumspasmbabies

Painted Romans "Evil Wigs And Bedroom Moments"

They went far and beyond in regards to the packaging of this release. The CD comes with a very nice full color poster plus a nice photo. The sounds are very pleasant. The vocals remind me of a slightly upbeat Dave Gahan. This artist also reminds me of the up and coming Pop band from Seattle area named Poland. When speaking of Poland and Painted Romans they both have something very in common which is both bands are overly original and exciting to listen to. At times the vocals also recall Sondre Lerche which is quite interesting since both Sondre Lerche and Painted Romans both hail from Norway.

Check em out here www.myspace.com/paintedromans

The Cubby Creatures "After the Deprogramming"

This album reminded me of west coast singer songwriters Elliott Smith and Aaron Espinoza (Earlimart).
The lyrics in some of the songs appear awkward at times but catchy nonetheless. This album also reminds me a bit of Ben Folds Five. These songs have some very fine and promising moments to them.

Check em out here: www.myspace.com/thecubbycreatures

godsmania (demo ep)

Godsmania makes some really nice indie pop. Recalls indie poppers The Sunny Intervals (which is you don't already know them it's Andy from Pocketbooks). There are times that Godsmania comes across sounding like a Neo Beatle but in a cute Sondre Lerche kind of way. If that makes any sense at all. Godsmania has started their own label Spanner Records where they will self release some of their recordings. Sounds like there is some interesting British influence in here. I hear too many recollections that it would be hard for me to name them all here.

Check em out here www.myspace.com/gdsmn

The Gravitons - Redetermination LP

From the United Kingdom and armed with a list of influences that rivals any other I have come across, the Gravitons are self-described as sounding (among others) like Californian and English 60s & 70s Psychedelic Folk Rock. A broad but fitting description, their sound has nuances that you can’t just nail down to one genre.

The name “The Byrds” seems to come up a lot in reference to them, however I think a more fitting name is Cass McCombs (a less electronic reliant version). That is to say, the Gravitons “Psychedelic Acoustic Indie Folk Country Rock” is steady and very real, the “Contemporary British Folk Music” that they liken themselves to is a good movement that they fit nicely into.

I think I have used enough quotations in this review, as such here is something straight from my mind: The Gravitons 2009 LP Redetermination, is the album you put on mid morning, on a day that you have to do something stressful, the LP soothes you, makes you happy, and reminds you that everything is going to work out fine.

http://www.thegravitons.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thegravitons

Sofa City Sweetheart - S/T EP

Sofa City Sweetheart, I’m glad the name paints a very accurate portrait of the music they make. It’s on the more introspective side of indie pop, of the ‘sweetheart’ denomination, as for the term sofa city, it’s as though you were lounging around on a couch, chatting and enjoying yourself with friends. This is the music that plays to remind everyone how sweet it is.

This 5 track self-titled EP is around the 25 minute mark, yet the last track includes a ‘hidden’ 50 second vocal arrangement that I found very intriguing. I liked all of this EP, however the first song had the perfect balance of their sound “Good News For Jackie” a song dedicated to Jackie Johnson. Judging on their honeyed sound, I think that we’re talking in reference to the KCAL-TV weather forecaster and personality.

I found part 1 & 2 of "The Blind Man And The Boy He Used To Be" (each with respective titles) are the most absorbed songs referencing a childhood memory, a romantic one at that. Juan Lopez is Sofa City Sweetheart and his voice is one of the sweetest going around.

http://www.myspace.com/sofacitysweetheart

Boundary Jim ep

Very nice lo-fi recordings. EP came with instructions which tell the listener to play the songs as maximum volume. Very nice vocals reminescent of Thom Yorke in a good kind of way which is a very nice sound but not always easy to understand the lyrics but the end result is quite amazing. Oddly this reminds me a bit of Panda Bear and it also has a nice folk-y sound. Too bad none of the year end lists i've seen asked about what your favorite lo fi EP of the year was cos if they asked me i'd have a hard time deciding because of how great this record sounds.
Check em out on here: www.myspace.com/boundaryjim
Or e-mail: boundaryjim@gmx.de