The Smashing Times - Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys

 

Our friends at The Smashing Times have a clever musical time machine that permits them to package their delectable jangle and chime creations with an infusion of '60s - '80s British guitar pop. Perhaps they regard themselves as a Liverpool outpost on the banks of Chesapeake Bay, but whatever the backstory, the music on their new album Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys is sublime. And by sublime we mean that is a perfect balance of references to the kind of music guitar pop fans treasure from the past and original takes on pop music. The album is generous as well, with 14 tracks. The best one sentence summary for us would be "The Television Personalities are back with new energy and new ideas -- hooray!"

Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys is out now via K Records.

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Jim Nothing - Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn

 

They say things become clearer with the passage of time. While we aren't sure that is true (and by the way, who are "they" anyway?), but mid-October the candidates for our favorite album list are becoming clearer. And Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn by Auckland, New Zealand's Jim Nothing is certain to make the list. Boasting nuanced storytelling and observations of everyday life packaged in some of the best garagey powerpop we have had the pleasure of cuing up in a long time, it is an exhilarating listen from start to finish. If you are enough of a fan of New Zealand guitar bands to have perused the recent book Needles and Plastic, or better yet have a collection of the past gems from the island nation, you will be able to identify influences such as The Clean, The Bats, The Verlaines, and even a touch of Tall Dwarfs. But Jim Nothing isn't a nostalgia play. The music here is fresh and immediate, the creators just have a preference for the same style of music that draws is in whenever it is well done. Buy this album -- you deserve it.

Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn which is out now via Meritorio Records (most of the world) and Melted Ice Cream (New Zealand). Jim Nothing is James Sullivan and some talented friends

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"Summer's Right Around the Corner" by The Psych Fi's

 The Psych Fi's are a Canadian collective playing psychedelic indie rock/country rock that is intriguing and peaceful. You can hear nine minutes plus of their work below via "Summer's Right Around the Corner". If you are feeling the vibes like we are then you will want to play all 13 minutes of the glorious "Alone In A Room Of Mirrors / James Cagney". Both are taken from the five-track Can Con album which is due December 6 via Bobo Integral Records.

This project is helmed by Jerry Leger and 18 musicians contributed to the recording of Can Con. To use a term from our youth, these songs are a head trip.

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"Caught Onto You" and "Death of a Dog" by The Great Divides

 

Bright guitars, captivating stories and a DIY ethos? That's what we like! Check out the first two singles by Melbourne's The Great Divides. "Caught Onto You" and "Death of a Dog" are both taken from the band's upcoming LP, (i'm sure). Expect to be charmed. Expect to be entertained. Expect to make a note that the album drops on November 15 via Spoilsport Records.

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Slack Times - Gone Things EP

 

How about some jangle and chime perfection for a mid-week pick up? Yes, just what our moods needed. We introduce you to the Gone Things EP by Birmingham, Alabama's Slack Times. It consists of four tracks that will fill you with that indie pop bliss we all crave.

Slack Times are Chris McCauley, Abby Anderson, and Stuart Norman. Gone Things is out now in digital and cassette formats via Meritorio Records.

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Pop Filter - Ray and Lorraine's

 

Pop Filter is one of the most refreshingly unconstrained bands to which we pay attention. With all members writing songs and performing, the menu of songs on their albums represents each songwriter's best efforts. The results are a diverse set of songs that becomes wider in musical and thematic scope with each outing. Their most recent album -- the 13 track Ray and Lorraine's -- delivers synth pop, guitar pop, tender ballads ("Exactly Where I Want To Be" may prompt some happy tears), and other styles. That said, the album reflects and increased emphasis on bass, synths and beats, all of which add increased depth to Pop Filter's already stellar pop songwriting. A group of musicians who have been together this long (most were members of Ocean Party before this band was founded) have had many life experiences, revelations and transformations. The ability of the men of Pop Filter to illustrate their life moments in music is a treasure you should enjoy.

Ray and Lorraine's is out now via Bobo Integral and Osborne Again Music.

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Best Bets - The Hollow Husk of Feeling

 

We are music fans, not critics, which is why we don't post negative news. So you can be sure that if we publish a post about a song or album, we truly like it and have picked it from among our many submissions and discoveries. However, even among all of our favored musical "children", some work stands out. And that brings us to The Hollow Husk of Feeling, the second full length album by New Zealand's Best Bets. From a sturdy, broadly conceived power pop platform the band delivers 12 tracks stretching from the edge of jangle pop to the border of alt rock. Guitars jangle, chime slash or describe tangled figures as the material requires, and the rhythm section controls the pace with power and finesse. But this set of songs is more than solid gold sounds, as Best Bets features three songwriters with a feel for melody and a talent for lyrical craftsmanship. If you are only going to have room for ten guitar pop albums this year, make certain that The Hollow Husk of Feeling is one of the ten.

Best Bets are Olly Crawford Ellis, James Harding, Matt Phimmavanh, and Joe Sampson. James and Olly are members of Transistors and Joe has been in Salad Boys, T54 and other projects (including the label Melted Ice Cream). The Hollow Husk of Feeling is out now via Meritorio Records and Melted Ice Cream.

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"For Me" by Pop Filter

 

"For Me" is the final single from the upcoming Ray and Lorraine's by Australia's fine Pop Filter. Dominated by synths and a dubby rhythm, it is an enchanting two minutes. Quite unlike past tracks by Pop Filter, it suggests that the gang are continuing to push their boundaries.

Ray and Lorraine's will be out October 4 via Osborne Again (Aus/NZ) and Bobo Integral (rest of the cosmos).

Bandcamp for Ray and Lorraine's

Birdie - Some Dusty

 

Perhaps this opinion is a lonely one in today's world, but we believe that the world needs a lot more baroque pop. While our self image certainly embraces the robust, rough edged western outsider, we yearn to swoon to sounds offered by Beirut, Van Dyke Parks, St. Etienne, Belle & Sebastian and other bands that focus on melody, texture and, often, broader instrumentation (if that makes us more of Ralph Lauren western man than Marlboro western man, so be it). And in our view one of the finest albums of that genre is Some Dusty. Charm, melody, melancholy and sunshine are all on offer and presented with a perfect, and sincere, touch. The lovely artifact from 1999 was the happy musical and romantic union of Debsey Wykes (Dolly Mixture) and Paul Kelly (East Village) as Birdie. The songwriting is top shelf, and the instrumentation includes guitars, keys, brass and strings. Echoing and at least equaling other indie pop bands crafting baroque pop, the band also reflects just enough of the sort of gloss that characterized a lot of '60s pop hits outside of the garage and British Invasions sub genres.

The album has been resurrected by Slumberland records, and is available now in vinyl and digital formats. This music is timeless, you need it in your life.

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Slumberland page for Some Dusty

Bubblegum Lemonade - Love's Young Nightmare EP

 

We previously have shared a couple of singles from the upcoming Lawrence of Suburbia by Glasgow jangle pop master Laz McCluskey, AKA Bubblegum Lemonade. We now have a double treat: (1) Third single "Love's Young Nightmare", and (2) An EP with that album track packaged with two non-album tracks "Sad Comedian" and "America Calling". The lead track is an upbeat jangle anthem. For the second Laz slows the pace for a lovely, thoughtful tune. The third amps up the pace again and adds the vocals from Sandra, Laz's mate from the Strawberry Whiplash project. Bubblegum Lemonade has always displayed a deft knack for melody and is locked into what made '80-'90s guitar pop special The three-song EP is titled Love's Young Nightmare and is available digitally via Matinee Recordings.

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Dummy - Free Energy

 

We recalled Los Angeles' Dummy as a punky noise pop band of considerable skill and great appeal, at least to our ears. But their change of direction on new album Free Energy has us amazed and excited. The pop bent isn't gone, but it has been chopped, diced and spliced with plenty of new directions and experimental avenues. The result can vary among shoegaze, dreampop, trip hop (but with big drums) and noise pop. Of course that means that each succeeding track may sound different than its predecessor, but the surprise (and invariable delight) is part of the charm. Listening to Free Energy we felt like we were on a journey with the band traipsing through the rooms of a curious mansion. We can quite honestly write that there is not a single song on this album that we skip. Moreover, our favorite songs also seem to shift on repeated plays. We hope this album gets the wide listening it deserves.

The members of this Los Angeles band are Alex Ewell, Emma Maatman, Nathan O'Dell and Joe Trainor. Free Energy is out now via Trouble In Mind Records.

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"Wildflowers" by Jim Nothing

 

We are listening to Nothing, and it sounds great! No, we haven't given up music, we are just enthralled with "Wildflowers" by Auckland, New Zealand's Jim Nothing. The guitar fuzz in our ears and the thumping in our chest is an ace reminder of why we love guitar pop. The song is the fifth single from the 13-track Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn which is due October 18 via Meritorio Records (most of the world) and Melted Ice Cream (New Zealand). Jim Nothing is James Sullivan and some talented friends.

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Emma Russack - About The Girl

 

Emma Russack is a gifted songwriter and performer. But in our opinion what puts her above many of her contemporaries is her ability to evince curiosity and vitality in her music. And these qualities are at the forefront of her new album About The Girl, whether voicing a slow tempo vamp like "I Know You Feel It Too" or an up tempo pop should-be-a-hit like "About The Girl" and "Everything Is Big". Sophisticated yet accessible -- perhaps this is what it is like if the girl next door becomes a top flight musician but still chats over the back fence and hands you a beer on a hot summer day. She tells you about her day, and then tells you about her year. The words are direct and honest, but with perspective and humor.

We're are sure we'd stay for a second year and another round of stories if invited to do so.

About The Girl is out now via Dinosaur City Records.

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