The Chills - Spring Board -The Early Unrecorded Songs

 

If we had to pick a music hill to die on, it would be the placement of Martin Phillipps in the pop/rock Pantheon. In our view, the frontman of The Chills is one of the greatest pop/rock songwriters of the last approximately 45 years. His lyricism was sharp, evocative and literate. His songwriting range broadly embraced a variety of styles. Despite the band's multiple personnel changes and Martin's own personal health and substance abuse challenges, the man created a wonderful body of work that deserves the word "timeless".

One of Martin's pet projects was to finish and record songs that had been written in his early years but never recorded. He took a look at the material with the increased perspective of another 40 years of life, and reworked and recorded them. Unfortunately, Martin died last year before the project was released, but happily Martin's family, band members, friends and Fire Records have brought  the project to completion. Simply titled Spring Board - The Early Unrecorded Songs, the album is a beautiful and appropriate posthumous swan song to Martins career. The album is available in vinyl, CD and digital formats. We think it is a recording to treasure.

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Dropkick - Primary Colours

 

We have listened to Primary Colours several times and a question lingers in our minds: If you are a guitar pop fan, why can't Dropkick be your favorite guitar pop band? The Scottish outfit has great melodies, vocals that tug on your heartstrings, and guitars and rhythms that pound in your chest. And then there is the range -- the ten tracks include crunchy powerpop songs that could nestle comfortably on a Teenage Fanclub greatest hits compilation and wiry country-washed rockers that call to mind the late Tom Petty. Add in a couple of slow burners and the answer to the question is obvious, Dropkick should be considered among your favorite bands. Take our four song challenge, if you can walk away from the album after the first four songs, it isn't for you. But we didn't even need four songs to consider it one of the year's highlights to date.

Dropkick are Andrew Taylor, Alan Shields, and Ian Grier. Primary Colours is out now via Bobo Integral Records.

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"Bubblegum Nothingness" and "Captain Palisade" by Jetstream Pony

 

Supergroup is a term that music PR firms deploy a bit too loosely in our opinion. But when applied to Bighton's Jetstream Pony, whose members' resumes include The Luxembourg Signal, Trembling Blue Stars, Aberdeen, The Wedding Present, The Popguns, The Fireworks, The Dentists, and The Treasures of Mexico, we have no complaints. Not only have those projects gifted us with excellent music, but the past recordings from Jetstream Pony earn them the right to be considered a proper successor in quality. We are happy to report that the band will release a new album this Spring titled Bowerbirds and Blue Things. We know it will be good. How do we know? Because two of the songs are available and they are sharp, energetic, and bursting with melodic goodness. Check out "Bubblegum Nothingness" and "Captain Palisade" below.

Jetstream Pony are Beth Arzy, Shaun Charman, Kerry Boettcher, Tom Levesley, and Mark Matthews. Bowerbirds and Blue Things will be release on March 28 via Shelflife Records (US) and Spinout Nuggets (UK).

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The Gentle Spring - Looking Back at the World

 

The weather here for the past few weeks has us dreaming of the joys of a gentle spring. We know it won't happen any time soon, but we've discovered the next best thing: The music of The Gentle Spring. The Paris-based trio featuring Michael Hiscock of Sarah Records darlings Field Mice recently released Looking Back at the World, a lovely instant classic of achingly perfect bittersweet indie pop. We are mature enough (finally, and just barely) to appreciate the nuanced lyricism and deft phrasing, but our perennially adolescent hearts dwell shamelessly on the emotional highs and lows. Quiet, but vibrant, it is near flawless and will keep our spirits high until our own spring arrives.

The Gentle Spring are Michael Hiscock, Emilie Guillaumot, and Jeremie Orsel. Looking Back at the World is out now via Skepwax.

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Pink Chameleons - Harmony

 

Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than sitting back and letting prime cuts of psychedelia surround you. And frankly, there doesn't seem to be much prime psychedelic music these days. However, Paltsa-Kai Salama and his Pink Chameleons mates are here to save the day. In past outings the band was more guitar pop and punk oriented. But for their new album Harmony, the Finnish trio deliver 10 songs that evince a deep mastery of the psychedelic arts. The sound is dense and dynamic, with reverb and fuzz riding throbbing, booming rhythms. The effect is both colorful and hypnotic. There are hints of Black Rebel Motorcycle and Jesus and Mary Chain, but Pink Chameleons are more adventuresome and adept than the former and more devoted to the genre than the latter. We could say that we haven't heard a psychedelic album this good in a long time, and it is true. But more than that, it is one of the more satisfying albums we have heard lately.

Pink Chameleons are Paltsa-Kai Salama (vocals/guitars/electric sitar/organ/mellotron/songwriting), Antti Sauli (bass), Ville Hopponen (drums/percussion). Harmony is out now via Helsinki's Soliti Music.

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Laughing Chimes - Whispers in the Speech Machine

 

We have been fans of Southeast Ohio's  Laughing Chimes since we first heard their music. Their sunny jangle lifted our spirits and quickly earned a permanent spot on the WYMA office playlist. Naturally, we have been eagerly awaiting the new LP Whispers in the Speech Machine, which was released last Friday. Did we get another edition of sunny jangle? Well, no. Are we upset? Not at all. Artists grow and evolve and Whispers in the Speech Machine is the sort of evolution that should be celebrated.

Here the jangling core is supplemented with dancing synths, moody reverb and expanded arrangements. Paisley Underground meets southern gothic strum and thrum? Perhaps, but there is a lot going on in these songs and all of it is good. The effect is to pull in elements or alternative, new wave and college rock, as well as an intriguing neo-psychedelia. The vocals are distinctive, reflecting the regional accents, and effectively convey the darker themes of the music. Whispers in the Speech Machine is a remarkable album by this young band and, in our view, a clear cut above much of the indie pop material being released. 

Laughing Chimes are Evan Seurkamp (guitar/vocals), Quinn Seurkamp (drums), Avery Bookman (bass), and Ella Franks (guitar/keys). The album is out now via Slumberland Records. 

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"Switch Over" by Horsegirl

 

We missed out on the first album by Chicago's Horsegirl, but what we have heard from the Chicago trio's upcoming second album Phonetics On and On have got us totally onboard to cover it. The release date if February 14 via Matador Records. Do you want to know why we're excited? Check out "Switch Over" below. There is an appealing VU vibe, but there is so much more going on in their songs.

Two other singles were released previously:  "2468" ; "Julie".

Horsegirl are Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece.

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