Welcome and thanks for joining us for BTD #0102. After a quiet couple of early 2021  months in terms of albums (only the Model Village album is likely to threaten my 2021 ‘best ofs’ from the album releases of Jan / Feb) the music world is waking up and some incredible music has been released recently.

This has also coincided with bag loads of submissions of new music to the blog (and not just the re-hash of loads of Bandcamp Friday re-hash stuff) which I thank each and everyone of the following acts for.

If you like any of them, why not give  them a little ego tickle with a purchase of their music or some social media love?

See ya next week…Darrin

Beach Vacation

Track: Lost In Sight From: Lost In Sight (single) Label: Z Tapes  Out:  Now

Just four months after the release of their incredible I Fell Apart album, this Seattle based duo are back with another beautiful slice of isolated jangle-gaze. They could release every day and it would not be enough for me !!!

Chelter

Track: Phoebe From: Phoebe (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

Dreamy, surf-gaze fronted by the most sumptuous of Mazzy Starr vocal introspection. A truly immense debut single !!!

Remington Super 60

Track: Talk With You From: Nouvelle Noveau (single) Label: Z Tapes  Out:  Now

With the subtle Watoo Watoo meets Young Marble Giants mix, it is wonderful tracks like this, that have led to this Norwegian duo being among my favourites over the last two decades !!!

Cloud Cloud

Track: Fun From: Fun (single) Label: Z Tapes  Out:  Now

The lowest of minimalist lo-fi, course through tiny jangled melodies that inspire introspection. A truly beautiful sound from this Kiel based,German  duo.

OK Cool

Track: Divers From: Surrealist (EP) Label: Take A Hike Records  Out:  EP out 26.03.21

This side project of The Weekend Run Club‘s Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist, has everything from the initial laconic Melbourne style dolewave to a more driven The Beths jangle rock feel. A truly great track.

Marriage At Nevers

Track: When I Hear You From: Marriage At Nevers (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

New project of Derek Van Gieson (Witch Watch, An Atlas For Disappearing Youth) and Shawn Jones (The Lovely Sparrows) jangles with laconic, slow burning beauty.

Drake Elliot

Track: Gloucester Guys From: I Ride Bikes With Robert (EP) Label: Raw Pop Syndicate  Out:  EP out 01.04.21

Pop rock at its core with a sense of cool added from a Guided By Voices style fuzz. This Berkeley, CA ACTS’ new EP could well be something of an understated classic for those who like the understated classicism of 90s fuzz.

Ben Again

Track: Making The Moves From: Son of the Earth (EP) Label: More Beans Records Out:  Now

Jangly lo-fi, that adds falls somewhere equidistant between pop rock and a sense of glorious washed out slacker. Perfectly laconic in all the right places.

Ali Horn

Track: La Brea Tar From: La Brea Tar (single) Label: Self released  Out:  EP out 01.04.21

This Liverpool based singer songwriter has a burgeoning reputation for being enable to thread the most emotionally resonant ‘everyman’ lyrics through subtle jangled pop rock. Another truly great act from a wonderfully melodic city.

Fletcher Gull

Track: Transgressive Soliloquy From: Transgressive Soliloquy (single) Label: Happy Sad Music  Out:  Now

Jangly lo-fi, imparting stories through the juxtaposition of indie-folk and The Beatles-isms. Totally engrossing.

Even Kevin

Track: The Rest Of Our Lives From: The Rest Of Our Lives (single) Label: Court’s Cafe  Out:  Now

UCLA students Michael Zuker and Wil Sheets provide a sound steeped in 70s pop rock, surf inflections and sumptuous croon.

Maxton Hunter

Track: Noosa From: Noosa (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

Subtle mix of jangled riff laden dreamy psyche and just that edge of commerciality that makes the aesthetic accessible to all. Ambience, in the finest sense of the word from this Californian.

MK Blank

Track: Tickets. Numbers, Faces From: Tickets. Numbers, Faces (album) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

The jangliest Elvis Costello sound that the world will ever hear, fused with the slightest (and coolest) essence of Americana.

Graham Grease

Track: Consequence From: Consequence/Headlines & Pagans (single) Label: Editoris  Out:  Now

Washington DC act that fuses the chunky, rumbling basslines of Pavement with the incessant tempos of The Feelies and a 90’s alt.rock/grunge muscularity. Totally driven from start to finish.

The Tremelo Beer Gut

Track: Barfield’s Gambit From: You Can’t Handle… (album) Label: Crunchy Frog  Out:  Now

It would not be a Beat The Delete without early 60s, Dick Dale style, surf rock magnificence !!! This Copenhagen based foursome provide it in absolute abundance.

Dad Sports

Track: Many Sports From: I Am Just A Boy Leave Me Alone !!! (album) Label: Grand Jury Music  Out:  Now

Smooth as silk jangle-pop that neatly sidesteps the usual 60s / 70s melodies, to prove that the jangled riffs and harmonies of modern pop can be just as irresistable. Think The Magic Numbers with more pop energy.

Conspirators

Track: Like A Dog From: Like A Dog (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

Somewhere equidistant between Gang of Four post punk, Bloc Party jagged melodies and jangled riffs, this London based act seems intent in claiming the modern day Post Punk hinterland.

Impulse Bangs

Track: Liner From: Liner (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

Another glorious track of jangle inflected post punk, as this LA based grrl band wrap the Siouxsie Sioux drone around the prettier, more subtle end of the Kim Deal catalogue.

Maripool

Track: Blindness From: Blindness (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

London based, Lisbon born, Natasha Simões, provides subdued, jangly bedroom pop with that added sense of dulcet melacholy that appeals on so many levels.

Eric Bazilian

Track: Sarah When She’s Sleeping From: Sarah When She’s Sleeping (single) Label: 300 Hairy Bears  Out:  Now

This is the new project of The Hooters legend Eric Bazilian and mixes all the best aspect of 80s pop rock jangled essences, to a slight blue collar edge. His eagerly awaited album is out later in the year.

Abramo Abramo

Track: A Dream of a Night In Mexico From: A Dream of a Night In Mexico (single) Label: Self released  Out:  Now

Multi instrumentalist Bram Jacques Bernard Kniest, does ‘everything’ on this track and that everything is a huge mesh of prog, fuzz, energy and psyche. The best possible musical mess imaginable !!!