Today I returned to that work thing from a 3 week holiday with my wife and 3 kids, where I ate bag loads of bad glorious things, drank more beer and cocktails that I thought possible and generally had fun running about doing nothing in particular.
Grumpy is not the word…however I have managed to dispel the urge to declare that all music is just the ‘meaningless machinations of the disenchanted’, to bring you some of my favourite tracks from last week untold submissions that were sent to me…
Hope you enjoy…if you do please remeber to support these and any other indie acts in any way possible. A few bucks here and there and a bag load of social media likes/mentions will keep them around for much longer !
GRMLN
Track: Your Backlight From: Goodbye World (Album) Label: Self Released Out: Album Out 01.03.20
Californian Japanese-American, Yoodoo Park, somehow manages to imbue a sense of originality into an often crowded jangly dream-pop genre by juxtapositing consistent melancholy to vibrant jangled riffs that should be totally disparate….it’s just inimitably GRMLN and manages to become more so with every release.
Kiwi Jr
Track: Gimme More From: Football Money (Album) Label: Persona Non Grata and Kiwi Club (split release) Out: Album Out 17.01.20
Anybody who has been following this blog over the last few months knows that we have been touting this Toronto based jangly pop punk band for a few months now. Having heard the full album I can assure you any anticipation of brilliance is fully warranted!
Th Da Freak
Track: Twisted From: Hola Todos (EP) Label: Howlin Banana Records Out: EP Out 31.01.20
Great to see Th Da Freak about to release again after the brilliance of 2019’s Freakenstein album. This band are rapidly becoming the poster child for the brilliant psych weirdness of the French Howlin Banana label.
TIFFY
Track: I’m Not Equipped For This From: I’m Not Equipped For This (Single) Label: Self Released Out: Out now
Pixies vocals, Deal-esque riffs, mixed with the peculiar yet beguiling melodies of a fuzzed alt pop band like Cherry Glazer. This jangles where it shouldn’t but ultimately your glad it does! Superb stuff led by Boston based, multi-instrumentalist, Tiffany Sammy.
Big Baby
Track: String of Pearls From: Fizzy Cola (EP) Label: Hidden Bay Records Out: Out now
Brilliant fuzzy slices of warm melodic pop are the apparent default mode for this Richmond Virginia three piece, who put an early hand up to be considered in the ‘best ofs’ that will be flying around this time next year!
The Just Joans
Track: Who Does Susan Think She Is? From: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans (EP) Label: Fika Recordings Out: Out now
The Just Joans are back with a fine 7th album that will only cement them as the signature sound of the modern era of Glasgow indie pop….able to make life’s minutiae and mundane seem appealing!
jxss
Track: Crooks From: Fizzy Cola (EP) Label: Self released Out: Out now
Toronto based solo artist fuzzes up her jangly indie pop and drifts it somewhere towards the intersection between A Certain Smile and Girl in Red. A truly great combination.
Lemon Pitch
Track: Flat Black Sea From: Flat Black Sea (Album) Label: Repeating Cloud Out: Album out in March 2020
Fuzzy alt rock containing equal parts Pavement / Dunedin sensibilities and a jangly underlay. I am all over the follow button on this one in preparation for when the album comes out!
The Pierce Project
Track: Cry Me A River From: The Last Days of Summer (album) Label: Self released Out: Out now
Californian family project (three brothers and the Dad) playing easy 70’s jangly guitar pop that should be the first invite to every summer evening party.
Ethan Burns
Track: Long Lost Lover From: Long Lost Lover (Single) Label: Not For Hire Records Out: Out now
Classic guitar? Pedal steel? I would usually run a mile….but this is simply beautiful. If this ‘is’ indie folk, it restores my faith in the genre.
The Clever References
Track: BIG SAD From: BIG SAD (Single) Label: Self released Out: Out now
Melbourne based 3-some, playing 90s blues rock in the manner of Reef / The Black Keys with extra jangled guitar quotients and the sort of slightly deranged vocal delivery of all your favourite bands!
Pool House
Track: Not Enough From: Not Enough (Single) Label: Self released Out: Out now
Johannes Dimberger produces effervescent jangled dream pop that ponders where Make Sure ends and Lost Film starts.
Palm Ghosts
Track: Wide Awake and Waiting From: Wide Awake and Waiting (Single) Label: Ice Queen Records Out: Out now
Cinematic dream pop with the emphasis on the ornate and lusicious. In my opinion this is this act’s best track since the critically acclaimed Architecture album of 2017
Jaialai
Track: Victors Belt From: Culebra (EP) Label: Self Released Out: EP Out 28 Feb 2020
Jangly psych-rock with strains of afro-caribbean and cuban rhythms is the aesthetic of this truly original Miami based four piece.
Wild Manes
Track: Northern Wind From: Northern Wind (Single) Label: Self released Out: Out now
6 piece Brooklyn (New York) based outfit that twist a jangly 60’s girl band veneer around lush almost sophisti-pop crooning sensibilities. It all combines with the sort of repose that demands you spend some time in it’s presence.
Dee Lunar
Track: Spread The Love From: Spread The Love (Single) Label: Self released Out: Out now
Cairns (Australia) based home recording artist who unleashes the punk sensibilities of Hazel O’Connor vocals to a riff laden spacious 90’s Republica feel. At times cold, often desolate…always compelling.
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