"Säbä" by The New Tigers

We have long been fans of The New Tigers, and more recently we have lamented their absence from the recording studio. But the Finnish fuzz guitar band are back, and have followed the sage advice that if you are going to resurface after an extended hiatus, it is best done in a way that assures attention (somewhat like this blog beginning to post again after a week off). Their new single "Säbä" echoes the familiar TNT with a spot-perfect guitar arrangement. But in an startling move, the vocals feature no members of the band, but rather the voice of Jani Nyberg (Finnish ice hockey player, we believe) speaking in Finnish. We admit that we don't speak the language, but the overall effect is very pleasing to us. It is somewhat similar to Public Service Broadcasting, a UK band of which we are fond.

The single is out now via Helsinki's Soliti Music, and consists of two tracks: "Säbä" with the vocals and an instrumental-only version. Give it a try and broaden your musical experience.

Website

Facebook

X (Twitter)

Instagram

Bandcamp for single

WUT - Mingling With The Thorns

 

If you like things that are sweet, crunchy and bold tasting, we suggest that you new musical soundtrack should include Mingling With The Thorns by Vancouver, BC's WUT. The sound may remind you of the Shop Assistants, Flatmates or other C86 bands. But the lyrics are this trios own, addictive brand of humor mixed with sharp commentary. It is a breezy, euphoric listen packed with elements we search for in new music. It is the sort of album that you can play over and over without any complaints from others in the household/office, and if you don't believe it, try it yourself.

WUT is Tracey Vath (bass/vocals/guitar), Kaity McWhinney (guitar/vocals), and Lauren Smith (drums/vocals). Mingling With The Thorns is out now in digital and vinyl formats via HHBTM Records.

Instagram

Bandcamp for Mingling With The Thorns

Various relevant links

"Exactly Where I Want To Be" by Pop Filter

 

The Northern Hemisphere shuffles towards autumn, and the Southern Hemisphere embraces spring. But both haves of the world await the upcoming Ray and Lorraine's. A new bistro? Book? Meme? No, silly, as we have written before Ray and Lorraine's is the new album by Melbourne's Pop Filter. The third single is "Exactly Where I Want To Be", a touching tune of contentment and commitment. May we suggest that it is the perfect song to end your day. Perhaps a musical mantra for keeping our heads straight.

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

"Spooky Signals" by Best Bets

 

Of the upcoming albums on our schedule one of the best bets to makes us smile and earn repeated replays is The Hollow Husk of Feeling by, coincidentally, Best Bets. It will be the New Zealand band's second album and is due on September 27 via Meritorio Records (Eur/USA/Can) and Melted Ice Cream (NZ/rest of the universe). The second single is the amusingly sinister "Spooky Signals, featuring a festival of wiry and jangling guitars and some abuse of beer cans. Our only criticism is that it appears much beer was spilled in the filming.

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). 

Facebook

Instagram

Bandcamp for album pre-orders

Various relevant links

Chime School - The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel

 

Fall is coming and San Francisco's Chime School is back in session for its new course offering The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel. The materials feature an eleven song syllabus at a very appealing tuition rate. The work of jangle and chime melody master Andy Pastalaniec, the songs are not just top quality indie pop, although they most certainly are top quality indie pop. They also reflect the last several decades of paisley flecked UK guitar pop. The obsessive fan may even experience Deja Vu as memories of Smiths, Teenage Fan Club, La's, or Oasis run through the brain pan. But rest assured, these songs are no covers but rather distinct gems constructed by a man that knows exactly what makes this music rock our world.

We have it on good authority that Andy won't be giving any tests to those who sign up, so grab the album without any worries. The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats via Slumberland Records.

X (Twitter)

Instagram

Bandcamp link for album

Quivers - Oyster Cuts

 

One habit that our fellow indie pop obsessives sometimes fall into is the belief that their new-found and completely wonderful indie pop band should never change, but rather should continue to record similar songs for the duration. And why not? We love those songs and we want to hear more of them -- that's why we are indie pop obsessives. Right? And each of these fans can probably justify their beliefs by citing bands that disappointed them by changing and became worse. But we are here to sing another tune (metaphorically speaking, we don't sing well, we write).

So, friends, today's story is about a band that blows the narrow belief discussed above off the stage. When we first met Melbourne's Quivers they were one of those precious jangle and chime bands that we keep close to our hearts and collect. And in addition to the jangle and chime, their songwriting had a depth and humanity that put them a cut above 99 percent of bands (citation omitted) and they are sincerely good people. If you are an indie pop fan, you should have a copy of their debut Golden Doubt. We still play it regularly three years later. But now comes their second album, Oyster Cuts, and we are confronted with a changed Quivers. Oh, there still is plenty of jangle and chime. But there is plenty of rocking guitar riffs, more shared vocals and a very appealing penchant for enthusiastic all-hands-on-deck choruses. Somewhat improbably, the songwriting is even sharper, fearless and open-hearted than the debut, with a wider range and more nuance to match the increasingly detailed musicianship and production. They can make you laugh and dance, they can bring tears (try the lovely "Grief Has Feathers"), and they can make you laugh through your tears. Oyster Cuts is an album with heart, guts, brains and soul, and you deserve it.

We congratulated the front man Sam Nicholson when we learned that Quivers signed to Merge Records. Now that we have heard Oyster Cuts, we would like to congratulate Merge Records for being able to sign Quivers.

The band is Bella Quinlan (vocal/bass), Sam Nicholson (vocals/guitars/keys/songwriting), Michael Panton (vocals/guitar/tape loops), and Holly Thomas (vocals/drums/percussion). The album is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats.

Quivers' website

Facebook

X (twitter)

Instagram

Bandcamp for Oyster Cuts

Various relevant links

Tony Jay - Knife Is But A Dream

 

Taking an aural trip through Knife Is But A Dream is like one of those pleasant afternoon naps where you shift between semi-awake daydreams, actual dream-filled sleep, and that fuzzy, gauzy space in between -- pleasing and rewarding, but ephemeral and just beyond your grasp. And interspersed with those moments are hushed lullabies, all brought to you by San Francisco musician Tony Jay. Mixing his gorgeous guitar tones and intimate vocals with ambient soundscapes, he delivers 15 tracks of inner space brilliance, simultaneously warm and mysterious. It must be said that he can't take all the credit, as his cat is said to have provided some guitar muting, keyboard playing and background vocalizations (we will have our paralegal check to see if "Penny" is credited on the copyright paperwork).

Tony Jay is Michael Ramos, who also participates in other Bay Area projects, including Cindy and Flowertown. Knife Is But A Dream is out now via Paisley Shirt Records, Slumberland Records, and in Japan by Galaxy Train.

Instagram

Bandcamp Knife Is But A Dream 

Paisley Shirt Records'' Bandcamp (digital/cassette)

Galaxy Train's Bandcamp.

"Bus" by Naked Roommate

 

Depending on the living arrangements you have had throughout your adult life, the notion of a naked roommate might be thrilling or frightening. But today we bring you an exciting (and completely non-threatening) Naked Roommate. The occasion is "Bus", the first single from the upcoming LP Pass the Loofah. And while non-threatening, it strikes our ears as sexy as hell and our feet can't stop moving. We cued it up first thing this morning and all our morning activities have been completed in record time. We may use the race shoes for the morning run!  Freewheeling and beat heavy, like Lizzy Mercier Descloux merged with Australia's No Zu.

The Oakland outfit's new album is due October 25 via Trouble In Mind Records.

TroubleInMind · Naked Roommate - Bus (Trouble In Mind Records)

Instagram

Bandcamp for Pass the Loofah

Trouble In Mind Records

Other links of interest

"Guts, Brains" by Wut

 

"Guts, Brains" makes us about as happy as we can be on a Tuesday. Beat Happening meets riot girls meets softies meets Shop Assistants in an effervescent gem. The message of the song is listen and learn, don't just trust your guts and brains. The impact is pure musical pleasure. The proud parents are Vancouver trio Wut, consisting of Tracey Vath, Kaity McWhinney, and Lauren Smith (who variously also ply their trade in Knife Pleats, Love Cuts, Tough Age and Jock Tears).

The song is taken from the upcoming LP Mingling With The Thorns, which will drop in a couple of weeks via HHBTM Records.

HHBTM Records · 06 Guts, Brains

Instagram

Bandcamp for Mingling With The Thorns

Various relevant links

"Fragile" by Pop Filter

The always terrific collective Pop Filter has cooked up another album titled Ray and Lorraine's. We featured the first single "Life Downstream" a few weeks ago, and now can share lead track "Fragile". The song commands attention with a weighty beat, accented by bass, synths and vocals. It is a bit of a change up from the former members of Ocean Party and other venerable acts, but it is energetic and intriguing. We are excited to learn what other treats will be revealed when the album drops.

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