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Possibly the only December playlist anywhere on the interweb that will not include any Xmas music. Grinch perhaps? Scrooge possibly? …but by now you must know that go, mistletoe and ho ho bloody ho, rhyme with snow !!! So I will not remind you.

See ya next for more great grinch-laden, schmaltz tunes.

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Films on Song

Track: I’m Starting To See You In A New Light From: I’m Starting To See You In A New Light (single) Label: self released Out:  Now

Reminds me of the sumptious sound of the early Lost Tapes. All dreamy, chiming jangle, that drifts shyly towards the late 80’s new wave / post punk sound.

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Man Tau

Track: Don’t You Want Me Too? From: Don’t You Want Me Too?  (single) Label: self released Out:  Now

Strange but beguiling mix of The Yellow Melodies style, melodic twee and the intropsection provided by the jangliest of bedroom-pop. Add that little bit of Lou Reed vocal texture to the mix and its all perfect left field.

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The Cry

Track: Understand From: Understand (single) Label: Dowd Records Out:  now

Whenever a band gets chiming jangle very right, the ‘sounds like’ reference point that immediately springs to my mind is this superb act. Thankfully re-united a few years ago nealry 30 years after the brilliance of their 1990 Beautiful Reasons album, this track typifies the brilliance of several singles since…they just need an album now!

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CalicoLoco

Track: Hole in the Wall From: Hole in the Wall (single) Label: Los Dolores Records Out:  now

Danny Robles led project that takes twinkling, jangly indie-pop from the 80’s and adds the most beautiful suggestion of the best of dream-pop’s allure. Beautifully The Sundays.

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The Blue Herons

Track: Go On From: Go On (single) Label: self released Out:  now

The Blue Herons are Andy Jossi (The Churchill Garden, The Serpent Garden) and Gretchen DeVault (The Icicles, The Francine Odysseys, Voluptuous Panic) and this is a second single that flutters towards the beautiful intricacies of a modern day Heavenly sound. With more singles planned in 2021, the year is already looking up!

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Good Stuff

Track: Take Me Home From: Take Me Home (single) Label: self released Out:  now

Pennsylvania native J.Keebler, takes Surf Curse style ear-worms and just keeps adding layers of jangled melodies to a foundation of resounding bass. Only three tracks are on Spotify for this act, but this singlesignals total potential to justify the pressing of any ‘follow button’ you can find.

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Toledo

Track: It’s Alive From: It’s Alive (single) Label: Off Brand Records Out:  now

Brooklyn based duo of Daniel Alvarez and Jordan Dunn-Pilz who somehow manage to weave the best of ’80’s dream-pop lusicious’, to a jangly, shy, indie-folk meets surf juxtapostion.

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Stoop Kid

Track: Careful There, Annie Oakley From: Camp Careful (single) Label: Uhm Yeah Sure Records / Gazer Tapes Out:  Now

Stoop Kid has always been able to find originality, however this is chunky, chopped out, left field Americana that resounds with a chiming sense of perfectly different. This Deist (Belgium) based act, is rapidly becoming a total jangly lo-fi legend! 

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McDead

Track: Oceans From: McDead (album) Label: Plastic Jungle Records Out:  now

Melbourne based act that manages to weave simultaneous threads of both stunning and cinematic through a juxtaposition of psych, Madchester and melodic shoegaze. 90s perfection.

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SWiiMS

Track: Counting An Hour From: Through Waves (EP) Label: Mint 400 Records Out:  now

Too pretty for genuine jangle-gaze and too much muscle for dream-pop. SWiiMS have long since mastered the art of making the music hinterland between the two their very own.

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Liquid TV

Track: Rose-Coloured Eyes From: Rose-Coloured Eyes  (single) Label: Idiot Scene Records Out:  now

Washington DC four-piece, who thrive upon the sound of the regions more rock infused jangle. Imagine the Elliot Smith melancolia with any sense of lo-fi swapped out with Dot Dash style alt.rock muscle and you are somewhere near the right musical ballpark.

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Sock Jock

Track: Know From: Know  (single) Label: Self released Out:  now

With the luscious made for jangle vocal textures of Chastity Belt juxtaposed with the cool, slightly aloof mellow of Snail Mail, Chicago’s Taylor Brown has the whole cool thing tapped !

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Remington Super 60

Track: I Won’t Change My Mind From: I Won’t Change My Mind (single) Label: Cafe Superstar Recordings Out:  now

The most sophisticated dream-pop you will ever hear. Think Watoo Watoo with an extra sense of totally gorgeous flighty.

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OhNothing

Track: This Time Around From: This Time Around (single) Label: self released Out:  now

Danish brother and sister duo, who present the most beautiful of musical dysphoria ,with their juxtaposition of haunted Cocteau Twins dream-pop and the genuine melodic intent of the more recent jangle-gaze phenomenon.

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John McCabe

Track: What For From: What For (EP) Label: Shelf Taker Music Out:  now

Mid 90’s era R.E.M jangle-pop with the sort of added melancolia that drifts the sound perfectly close to strains of post-punk forboding.

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Fire Island Pines

Track: I Love Making A Fool Of Myself Around You From: Fresh Kills (album) Label: Shelf Taker Music Out:  Album out 18.12.20

Slacker-pop the way the Brits do it. All slack stringed jangled riffs and left field vocal inflections. It’s a perfectly weird mix of jangle and 90 alt.rock.

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Dark Sven

Track: Love Life in a Coma From: Love Life in a Coma (single) Label: self released Out:  Now

Gorgeous jangly indie-pop with that subtle sense of twee that the likes of Eggstone and Cub also convey. Henrik Möller is carrying on the obtuse Swedish, melodic pop tradition.

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JamSkate

Track: What Happened 2 U From: What Happend 2 U (single) Label: Zedo Records Out:  Now

Surfy, slacker jangled riffs, mixed with Yo La Tengo / Pavement style chunky, disrupted riffs. Yet more glorious jangle to come out of Brooklyn, NY.

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Hometape

Track: Everest From: Everest (single) Label: self released Out:  Now

Grumpy, dulled, Pavement style riffs bounce around searching for, but purposefully avoiding melodies that step anywhere towards ‘too pretty’. Jangle for those that can dive into the muddied waters of the Flying Nun type acts and are quite happy to remain submerged.

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Pino Nwar

Track: Greetings to the Ceiling From: Pino Nwar (album) Label: self released Out:  Now

Bedroom-pop solo project of Joeri Koster, that has that unique quality of making his sound feel like he is somehow confiding in just you. Beautiful, jangly lo-fi, that cradles the listener in the warmth of human intropsection.

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Roller Derby

Track: Flying High From: Pino Nwar (album) Label: self released Out:  Now

Imagine the sultry deadpan, slightly disinterested vocal delivery of Louise Wener cool (Sleeper) and wrap it in Soccer Mommy lo-fi with the most precise of simple, twee melodies coursing through it. It’s a perfect mix from this Hamburg based threesome.

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