Fraser A. Gorman - Slow Gum

Melbourne's Fraser Gorman possesses an aw shucks kind of charisma that makes it easy to like him.  He seems open, friendly and without pretense.  It appears he loves animals and his mother.  He also looks a bit like a young Dylan, whose work admittedly informs his own, but he is quite upfront and comfortable with the comparison.  By day, Fraser is a carpenter, and its seems that constructing things is in his blood, because his debut album,  Slow Gum, demonstrates that with a guitar, pen and a head full of melodies and images, he is a hell of a songwriter.

Gorman's style is country-inflected folk and folk rock, and as is typical with the best work in those genres, the core of his songs are engaging stories, entertainingly told.  My first exposure was via "Book of Love", which remains one of my favorites of the past few years (I've included the Soundcloud clip, which has a button for download, but the video as well because it is a great video), although "Never Gonna Hold You (Like I Do)" from Slow Gum is overtaking it fast.  I eagerly consumed his next singles, "Broken Hands" and the noisier "Shiny Gun", and awaited his album with great anticipation.  The ten-song collection has a warm, homey feel with unassuming but infectious melodies, clever earworms and an atmosphere that spans two continents and a couple of eras.  In addition to his home country artists such as Paul Kelly and friend and label boss Courtney Barnett, his work carries strains of Nashville Skyline and '60s-'70s California singer songwriters and would comfortably fit in the American section of your collection.  Gorman loves and is knowledgeable about country music, but he certainly isn't, or at least isn't solely, a country artist.  Both his songwriting sweet spot and his performance style lend themselves well to robust arrangements.

Our bottom line is that Fraser Gorman is a pop storyteller with a well stocked toolbox, and Slow Gum will make all your chill moments of the summer much, much better.









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Linden - Rest and Be Thankful

At one point Joe McAlinden made a fair bit of noise.  His Superstar was signed to Creation Records and was known for its sun-kissed power pop.  His also lent his talents to Groovy Little Numbers, Boy Hairdressers, BMX Bandit, Edwyn Collins, Big Star, Alex Chilton and Matthew Sweet, among others.  He then left the music business and, among other things, became a restaurateur.  But apparently an accomplished musician and son of a music teacher just can't quit for good, and he has resumed blessing us with the fruits of his songwriting skills, albeit in a quieter vein.   His 2012 release, Bleached Highlights, earned deep praise in the UK.  In my view, Rest and Be Thankful, manages to succeed in the formidable task of topping the previous album.  Recorded in home territory in Argyll, western Scotland, in a fisherman's hut on the shores of Lock Fyne with the members of his live band -- Stuart Kidd, Eric Lindsay, Marco Rea, James Walbourne, and Paul Cook, and with finishing studio touches from Edwyn Collins himself, the album is peaceful, emotional and completely accessible.

Rest and Be Thankful succeeds for a myriad of reasons.  The songwriting is mature without looking backward, and intimate without being uncomfortably confessional.  The arrangements are lush without being fussy.  And one cannot overlook the value of timing.  It is late June and summer is upon us.  What better time for self-described 'pastoral pop' with weathered vocals, clever guitar lines and hooks at every turn?  Open the sun roof and head for the coast with your Ray Bans in place and Linden providing the perfect soundtrack.  But it seems to me that the pop perfection on the surface is just one part of the genius here.  Just as a good chef triumphs when he or she takes quality ingredients and combines them in complimentary fashion, with certain elements to the fore and the others evident but in support, McAlinden's songwriting deserves the songwriting equivalent of top Michelin Stars.  Each song is a dish, plated to perfection, with no element too dominant, no sadness or regret offered without a sunny hook or encouraging melody.

For my tastes, the best songs are "Window Pane", "Rest and Be Thankful", "Short Worm", and "Broken Glass".  By the way, the title of the album is taken from words inscribed on a stone at a rest stop at the end of a steep climb out of Glen Coe in Western Scotland.  The view from the spot is replicated in the album's artwork.






Rest and Be Thankful is out now on vinyl, CD and as a digital download via Slumberland Records in North America and AED Records in the UK.

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Midnight World Pop Scout

Another installment of our not always reliable weekend feature of new music of note.  These aren't reviews -- just alerts to music you may find interesting.

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We start in out in London with a house collaboration between Shift K3y (Lewis Jankel) and Born Dirty for Dim Mak Records.  The thumping rhythms of "Misbehave" should get your night off to a good start.  The single is available as of June 29.




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Next is Melbourne, Australia electro-pop duo Alta.  Consisting of Hannah Lesser and Julius Dowson, they releases a five-track EP Awake For Days last Friday.  We think it is very interesting.



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And now for a more straightforward pop song, "I Won't Cry", from young Australian Mia Milan.



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Our stop in Brooklyn is to feature "City Lights" by synth pop trio DF3.  If you like this, note that their eight-song album After A While will be out later this year.



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Silicon is Kody Nielson, an islander -- from Hawaii, and now in New Zealand.  His LP Personal Computer will be out in late August via Weird World Record Co.  You can sample it via track "Burning Sugar" below.



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Finally, we are in Los Angeles for alt rock trio Raw Fabrics.  Ahead of their release of EP Plastic Joy they have unveiled record track "Move Over".  The band is Jack Franco, Jon Fredrik and Justus Dixon.

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"Voyeur Guy" from Andrew R Burns and The Tropicanas

Sometimes our Friday posts are dreamy, and sometimes they are sloppy.  Today, we have a post that is dreamslop.  Yes, dreamslop is the term that Andrew R Burns and The Tropicanas apply to their brand of guitar pop.  We featured their debut single last month (link here), and heaped upon it the sort of praise that reflects true admiration or a fair amount of under the table payola.  The lads have a new one out, and it hits the spot again.  "Voyeur Guy" is woozy, with lots of reverb over a retro-sounding pop tune.  By the way, the Soundcloud link below offers downloads of several tracks from the lads.



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Bob Collins and the Full Nelson - Telescopic Victory Kiss

Today is Bob Collins Appreciation Day.  For what are we appreciative?  Most generally, for Telescopic Victory Kiss by Bob Collins and the Full Nelson.  Specifically, we love the weathered by rich vocals, the songwriting that is personal and direct enough to have the lyrics stand for something, and the performance that passionately delivers the lyrics.  But most of all, we are thankful for an album that is all about guitar pop, with no pretense to be anything else.  The opening ringing guitar and rolling drums of opener "Sunshine Of Your Soul" sets the bar high, and the band achieves the standard for the remainder of the album.  "Your Star Is Fading" and "Emily" follow the same approach of full-blooded arrangements with muscular rhythms and crunchy riffs.  A few, such as "Espionage", "Golddust", and "Holy Man" showcase the band's ability to dial it back for a more reflective approach, and songs like "Seven Lives" display a mastery of power pop.  "Shaking Down The Secrets" has a breezy, country feel.  If you love guitar pop like we love guitar pop, we recommend this album.  The band has decades of experience, but the result is fresh and vital.

By way of background, Bob Collins was a member of the loved and defunct The Dentists.  In the years since that band dissolved, Bob has continued to write and perform as a solo artist and with a couple of other musicians as The Full Nelson.  Telescopic Victory Kiss presents his recent songwriting via a fully plugged in band.

Astute readers may have noted that this is Bob's second appearance on this blog this month, as he played with fellow alum Mark Matthews on the Matthew's The Treasures of Mexico project (review here).









Bob Collins and the The Full Nelson are Bob Collins (guitar/vocals), Rob Grigg (drums) and Mark Aitken (bass).  Telescopic Victory Kiss is available via Jigsaw Records as a digital download or CD; see the links below.

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"Phonecalls In The Bath" from The Deadline Shakes

A series of singles from a young band over a few years is like a set of photographs of your nephew at various stages over the same time span.  In each of the pictures the young nipper is cute as a button and you are happy to look, but the kid looks pretty similar in each.  Then, at some point, there is a photo in which your nephew appears to have grown quite a bit.  He's still your nephew, but has clearly hit a new stage of development.

That all seems relevant to me today because we have been enjoying singles from The Deadline Shakes for a couple of years now.  Each of them has been an exciting pop nugget, worthy of carrying on the Glasgow tradition of fine indie guitar rock.  But with the new single "Phonecalls In The Bath",  we find fresh dynamics to the arrangement, more adventuresome instrumentation and, it seems to me, increased confidence.  The song begins slowly with minimal instrumentation, then explodes into a racing pop tune, then dials down again before building to a wall of sound finish.  The spaces are filled with harmonies, and there are just enough ragged edges to the instrumentation to avoid excessive polish.  "Phonecalls In The Bath" is the sound of our little 'nephews (and neice)' growing up.  And it pleases our ears.



"Phonecalls In The Bath" is out new week via Flowers In The Dustbin.  You can pre-order now.

The Deadline Shakes are Greg Dingwall (lead vocals/guitars/banjo/brass), Iain McKinstry (guitars/vocals), Martin McLeod (bass/ukelele), Thomas Booth (drums/percussion), Michael Muir (violin/tenor banjo), and Kiera Pollock (guitars/vocals).

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"Beach" from Will Joseph Cook

We generally don't cover artists covered to major labels here.  In fact, if we've covered you before and then stop, you've either hit it big or you've really turned to shit (ignoring for the moment the possibility that we are drunk again and lost your files).  But I'm making a little exception for the talented 18-year old Will Joseph Cook.  With only one EP under his belt, his forthcoming four-song sophomore EP Proof Enough will be released by on August 11 by Atlantic.   The young man has a songwriting gift, and an engaging crooner's voice.  "Beach" gives us our first glimpse of the new EP.  Will deftly combines a shimmering summery guitar with skittering beats and a breezy vocal, and it seems a perfect summer song.



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Night Dials - "I've Done More Things"/"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"

"I've Done More Things"/"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" swaggers into your head with the kind of leather-jacketed strut and 'what are you looking at' attitude that brings to mind The Jesus and Mary Chain and the Velvet Underground.  Did the Night Dials' confidence in their abilities precede or follow the execution?  I can't claim to know.  But I've heard a lot of rock music in my life, and "I've Done More Things" is a jangling, buzzing, hook-filled calling card that ranks among the best in the business.  The second track on this double A-side, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", is a paisley underground nugget that dials back the slashing rock and suggests an intriguing depth.

On this two-track introduction the band skillfully blends pop smarts, energy, reverb, focused noise, a dash of danger, and generous measure of who-gives-a-fuck.  And they wisely leave the package of "pop preciousness" unopened.  The single is out now via Ciao Ketchup Recordings, and you can stream/buy the vinyl or digital at the Bandcamp link below.  iTunes has it as well, if you are an iTunes kind of person.





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Solvents - Modern Dystopia

The Pacific Northwest has been sitting on a secret called Solvents for too long.  We apologize, but sometimes you hang on to good things for yourself even though we're supposed to get joy from sharing.  A DIY duo .... well, I suppose most duos are DIY except, perhaps, Milli Vanilli so I'll start over.  Solvents are a duo of DIY musicians from Port Townsend, Washington, a small town on the state's Olympic Peninsula.  Loud and soft, snarling rock and acoustic reflections, pointed social/political commentary and inward looking reflection -- this husband and wife team fills Modern Dystopia with ten fuzzy rock songs with a live-to-record feel and a palpable conviction that make you want to stomp your feet and sing along in full voice (this may explain the pounding on the wall from the guy in the next office).

Solvents have released 8 to 10 albums by their own account, yet remain at the most a cult band here in the mossy upper left corner of the country.  And that is sad, as any band that can package well-articulated grown up thoughts in a slightly punky indie rock package with a violin as a regular part of the arrangement is a band to cherish, in our view.  You can stream the entire album at the Bandcamp link below.  And note that a digital download is a mere $7 (it is only $7 to you, but it might keep this nice couple from having to venture into the woods and pick potentially dangerous mushrooms to keep from starving).  You can sample a few of the fine songs below, and I will suggest that "Reeling Out" may well become your favorite song of the week.









Solvents are Jarrod Paul Bramson and Emily Madden.  Modern Dystopia is out now and is available as a digital download or cassette.  Rabid fans have already cornered the market for the CD version.

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Introducing: Kelly Lee Owens

Kelly Lee Owns is a London-based songwriter and producer.  Earlier this year she released a two track single "Lucid"/"Arthur".  At the end of July she is releasing "Uncertain" paired with a club reworking of "Lucid".  To my ears, there is a lot of promise in her work.  Check out the sounds below.  The July release is available to pre-order now.



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Woodenbox - Foreign Organ

Of course, Scottish indie/folk-rock/country/mariachi is a crowded genre these days, but on Foreign Organ Glasgow sextet Woodenbox still manage to elevate themselves above the others.  More seriously, Foreign Organ displays Woodenbox's ability to use their folk storytelling abilities in a pop rock setting -- with a dash of horns.  And who doesn't love a dash of horns?  Think of your favorite Calexico songs; think of Saint Max and the Fanatics; think of some of the songs from Eric Bachmann's Crooked Fingers.

On this outing Woodenbox nearly crawls completely out of their folk rock skin, with muscular arrangements, assured vocals and the kind of full sound that a talented five-piece can deliver when all of one mind.  They haven't lost their sense of fun so much as beefed up the overt rock drive.  And it fits them like a glove.  However, the band haven't lost their touch for quiet and happy killer tracks either, as demonstrated by "A9 North".  The performances are tight, but not overly polished, and they pop with vitality, conviction and warmth.

Try out a few tracks below.  You can stream the entire album at the Bandcamp link.








Woodenbox is Ali Downer (guitars/vocals/harmonica), Nick Dudman (drums/vocals/ukulele), Fraser McKirdy (bass), Jordan Croan (electric guitars/vocals), Phil Cardwell (trumpet), and Sam Evans (tenor saxophone).  Foreign Organ is out now via Olive Grove Records in vinyl, digital download and compact disc formats.

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Sweet Madness - Made In Spokane 1978-1981 Volume 2

Why the hell didn't I know of this band sooner?  Why didn't all of us know of this band sooner (you can't blame music bloggers, because the "art form" didn't exist back then)?  I suppose the answer is that Spokane, Washington was no more a major music capital in the 1978-1981 span than it is today.  But during that time span Sweet Madness created a wealth of songs that strut the boundary where punk, garage, new wave and power pop join.  So at times they will sound like The Jam, and at times they will sound like The Clash, and there are definite strains of the British invasion and their Pacific Northwest brethren such as The Sonics, The Fastbacks and the Wipers.

Sweet Madness is Jan Gregor (vocals/guitar), John Robison (vocals/keys and synths), Mark Fenton (drums/backing vocals), and Don Lynd (bass/backing vocals).  Benefiting from two talented songwriters in Gregor and Robison, and solid vocals and musicianship throughout the lineup, their significant role in their area of the Pacific Northwest is that they were the first band to push past the rock and blues rock common in their area and fuse the underground sounds of new wave to their garage rock and punk.  Their songs are concise, sharp and focused.  Stuttering rhythms support spiky guitar lines and well-crafted lyrics.  Listening to this collection I can't help thinking that I'm listening to the greatest hits of some past band with decades of prominence and multiple major label albums.  The reality that this is the second fifteen songs from a short period of productivity of a Spokane, Washington band is mind-blowing.

Get a copy for Dad for Father's Day.  Then get a copy for yourself so you can discuss it with him, but really just because it is that damn good.  After a few spins, you likely will be motivated to chase down a copy of Volume 1.  I second that emotion.

The digital album is a mere $7 at the Bandcamp site below, at which you can stream the entire album.  The vinyl version is distributed via Seattle's Light In The Attic.










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Midnight World Pop Scout: Nova Heart and HoneyChrome

A few years ago we ran a weekly series briefly featuring artists and releases from around the world.  We thought this would be a good time to resurrect the series.  Today's artists are from China and Brooklyn.
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"Lackluster" from Nova Heart

 Nova Heart is a Chinese trio headed by Helen Feng (vocals/keys), with Bo Xuan (bass) and Shi Lu (drums).  Released last week, "Lackluster" offers a fresh take on icy electro pop.  The band will tour Europe in late June and July, including an appearance at Glastonbury.  An LP is coming in the fall.




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"Machine" from HoneyChrome

Brooklyn electronic/EMD wizard HoneyChrome will release the six-track EP All The Right Places on July 20.  You can sample "Machine" below (note that it is a free download), and you can pre-order the EP at the Bandcamp link.



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The Yellow Melodies - Students of Life: A Tribute to BMX Bandits

This delightful little release combines my love of discovering current indie pop talents with my passion for Scottish indie rock.  In the spirit of true international cooperation, we have Murcia, Spain's The Yellow Melodies with a tribute record for Glasgow's Duglas T. Stewart and his BMX Bandits, released by the excellent Canadian label The Beautiful Music, as brought to you by a blogger in Seattle, Washington.

Duglas Stewart was a central figure in the so-called C-86 movement of the mid-'80s, and the scene that produced Scottish bands Teenage Fanclub, Superstar and The Soup Dragons, among others. His BMX Bandits were purveyors of energetic indie pop with a sense of humor.  While never reaching beyond cult status, their rich catalog contains many fine songs.  Students of Life: A Tribute To BMX Bandits give a tasty twist to six of them.  While the songs are great, and I count myself a big fan of BMX Bandits, the stars here are The Yellow Melodies, who put a vibrant sheen on each track, with appealing hooks and great harmonies.  I encourage you to use the "replay" button, because this record with burrow further into your brain with each play, and you won't complain in the least.

The Yellow Melodies are Rafa Skam, Pilar Aparisi, Mar, and Jose Angel.  The CD of Students of Life: A Tribute To BMX Bandits is available from The Beautiful Music.  Vinyl can be found at the Spanish Distributor Sweet Grooves Records.  Digital Downloads at the Bandcamp link below.  You can stream the entire EP at the Soundcloud link.







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Soliti Turns 4: Free Anniversary Download from Soliti Music

It has been our pleasure to feature a number of releases from Soliti Music in the last few years.  The Helsinki label has a tasteful roster of artists spanning guitar pop, psychedelic, electronic, folk and shoegaze.  To celebrate their fourth anniversary, Soliti has made available a compilation of mostly exclusive covers by Soliti artists.  For example, Satellite Stories provides an excellent cover of Calvin Harris' "Outside".  Mumrunner reinterprets Stratovarius' "Speed Of Light".  The hard rocking Gim Kordon offers a stripped down version of The Sonic's hit "Psycho".  The recently formed The Ghost of Jack Nance contributes their feedback laden cover of The Shangri Las "Heaven Only Knows".  Streams of those tracks are provided below.  You can stream or download the entire compilation at the Soundcloud or Bandcamp links below.








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REVIEW: Mallee Songs - Natural Times

A while back we featured Gum Creek and Other Songs (here) from Mallee Songs, the solo recording project of Michael Skinner.  Now recording with a full band, Skinner has released Natural Times, a collection of songs he wrote in recent years.  I don't know how much press the album will receive, and I don't see any evidence that there is a big public relations budget.  So I'll carry some water to the millions who read this blog religiously and say this with the full weight of my formidable reputation: Natural Times is one of the best guitar pop albums of the year so far.  The songs initially appear relaxed and unassuming, but the melodies have an epic lyrical flow, with a generous helping of earworms.  The guitar lines are supple and engaging.  The atmosphere is both warm and melancholy -- an accepting look at life in all its facets.  The songwriting is masterful, touching on varied approaches to guitar pop without disrupting the soothing flow.  So there is psychedelia, dream pop, and a bit of country rock.  Folk rock touches abound, and a few tracks, such as "Water", seem to have crossed the big ditch from Dunedin, New Zealand. But as a whole, it is a wonderful and delightfully detailed tapestry.

Certainly, it is hard not to laud an album that contains not one, but several of my favorite songs of the year so far.  "Water", album closer "Nothing Abides", "Warm Breeze" and "Since the Kingdom" are all on my top songs playlist.  And that is before mentioning my favorite song on the album, "Christmas '93".

For my tastes, this is an excellent summer album.  I go out to the courtyard as the sun drops below the horizon, and listen to Natural Times on repeat while consuming several bottles of bone-strengthening IPA to recover from my recent cycling foibles.




Mallee Songs - Since the Kingdom from AVBadham on Vimeo.



In addition to Michael Skinner, Mallee Songs is Gerard Smith, Pascal Babare and James Allen.  Natural Times is available from Gaga Digi and at iTunes and Spotify, and in Europe the CD edition is available from Beko

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"Broken Doll" from Richard Thompson

I usually wouldn't refer to an active musician as a legend, but when you have put out quality music for as long as Richard Thompson, rules can be broken. A superb songwriter, and folk artist who easily transitions to rock, he has released over 40 album in group or solo guise.  His co-founding of Fairport Convention in the UK in his teens would have been enough to ensure a certain level of fame, but at this point that period is but one badge on a well-decorated chest.  His distinctive tenor and songwriting skills will again be on display on the upcoming LP Still.  Test drive album track "Broken Doll" below.




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"Trust Trust" by Knives At Noon

Dunedin, New Zealand's Knives At Noon were a band, then they weren't a band, and now after three years, three of the four original members have decided that they are a band again.  Given that history, it seems appropriate that their comeback track is a dark song about control issues in a relationship.  But in addition to being dark, the tune offers a great groove to accompany the post punk guitars and keys and vocals with a touch of grit.  Good stuff, and we look forward to more.

Knives At Noon are Tim McCartney (vocals/guitar), Tim Couch (drummer), and Oli Wilson (keys).  A bit later this year the band will release a new EP, for which this single is the title track.



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Finnmark! - Things Always Change

Things Always Change from Leeds, UK quartet Finnmark! seems to have dropped quietly on the indie landscape, and that is a sad thing as I find it a very, very enjoyable album.  Jangling guitar pop with echos of The Bats, spare but melodic keyboard and a pleasant baritone lead vocals.  There is a bit of Scandinavian melancholy which comes naturally to a band formed in, and spending a lot of time in, Sweden.  If you are an indie pop fan, you don't want to miss this one.

Things Always Change is available as a digital download at the Bandcamp link below (the limited edition CD version is sold out).





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The Sandwitches - Our Toast

In the ultra competitive blogging race for eyeballs, we constantly evaluate how to elevate our game to beat out our competition.  So today, we are offering lunch.  Yes, indeed, we have Our Toast from San Francisco's The Sandwitches.  Of course, you could argue petty details, such as the fact that this nine-course lunch isn't free, or that it isn't even edible, or taking refuge in the realm of pendants, that the name of the group is misspelled.   Well, life isn't perfect and it is about time that someone that owns their own internet device learns that hard fact.  Better now than after you move off you ex's sofa and go out in the real world.

So, are you staying for lunch?  What we have are three female vocalists and musicians (hence the sly spelling of the band's name) -- Heidi Alexander, Grace Cooper and Roxanne Young -- who make an appealing melancholy brand of quirky garage pop.  In a way, I think of their music as a bit of a public service.  They wallow in life's offenses, heartaches and sadnesses so you don't have to.  You can listen to Our Toast and say "well, that's taken care of", and get on with your life.  And you'll do it with a bounce in your step.  And there is no lack of humor, as evidenced by the fact that the decision that the band was toast led to the album title.  Song titles include "Play It Again Dick", "Sleeping Practice", "Dead Prudence", and "Personal Hell".

Our Toast is a very satisfying little treasure, whether consumed for lunch or dinner.  And use can store without refrigeration and reuse without heating.  It is available via Empty Cellar Records in vinyl, CD or digital download formats.  See the Bandcamp link for details and a full stream of the record.







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Milton Star - Things Fall Apart

Scots duo Milton Star have become a musical drug of choice for this writer.  Simple arrangements evocative of both the American west and the dark corners of your mind that one does not voluntarily confront.  Their current offering is "Things fall Apart".  Presented below in video form, it presents a surrender to hopelessness and a slide to the bottom, accompanied by waves of tremolo guitar an rolling piano from Alan "Lug" Wyllie and Graeme "Kid" Currie.

"Things Fall Apart" is available as a digital download on June 15.




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Bel Etage - Quiet Town / Lonesome Heartache Constellation

While listening to medical professionals drone on about the physical carnage of my recent bike crash and the various medicines being deployed, it actually occurred to me that it all would be much easier to take if it were sung by one of my favorite female indie vocalists, like Pam Berry.  Of course, I don't have a recording of Pam Berry telling me when to take pain killers, but I can bring all of you something much more useful for your lives -- Bel Etage.  Bel Etage consists of Ms. Berry and Lupe Núñez-Fernández.  Combining their formidable talents, honed in Black Tambourine, Withered Hand, Bart and Friends, Pipas, and Amor de Dias, among others, the duo brings a '60s sensibility to their melodic guitar pop.  The opener, "Quiet Town" is a slow-paced acoustic track with a slightly ominous undertone.  "Lonesome Heartache Constellation" is a brighter, more C-86 adorned tune.  Both will be a welcome edition to your summer days.

The record is out now on 7" vinyl or as a digital download.  If you crave the former, act fast.  By the way, there has been talk of an album from this combination, but the world is uncertain.  Grab this single while you can.





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Introducing: Jimi Charles Moody

Following a week of no posts due to my bicycle crash and subsequent journey through modern pain pharmacology, it seems appropriate to recommence activity with a singer songwriter about which we can write very little, because very little is known.  According to one theory, Jimi Charles Moody is the alter ego of an artist that has charted well in another guise.  We assume that he is in the UK, as that is where his publicist is based.  What we do know is that he has unleashed two very good songs this year.    He sounds to me like Kelvin Swaby of The Heavy, but I'm on drugs anyway.  The most recent is "Other Man".  The impassioned vocals, piano and organ, and big choruses may take you back to Joe Cocker or the heyday of Stax Records.  And Jimi, while we can feel your virtual pain on seeing your love with another man, we love the resulting song.

The other track is the earlier released "Blue Honey", which delivers a lighter touch on keyboard-driven soul rock.

Jimi Charles Moody has that voice that we hope for when we listen to new music, and the songwriting chops to showcase it appropriately.  This is great stuff, folks.





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Interruption of Music Babbling

The regular visitor to this site probably noticed that there have been no new posts for over a week.  The blog silence has nothing to do with a lack of interesting pop music, and everything to do with my mistakes and bad fortune riding my bicycle last Sunday.  Fatigue, a change in road conditions and lighting and a few other factors resulted in me flying over the handle bars and landing on my head and shoulder.  The result was two ambulance rides, a stay in the ICU of the regional trauma center, one operation, a concussion, a broken clavicle, six broken ribs, and a partially deflated and punctured lung.  It has taken this long to feel like thinking and writing about music.  I plan to ease back into it today.

Michael O - Really?

Michael Olivares is the frontman for The Mantles, one of our favorite Bay Area bands.  He has released some solo work recently, but I think Really? marks his first solo album.  And of course, it would be surprising if there was no similarity with The Mantles, but it is in no way another album from that group released under a new banner.  The introspection is more overt, the instrumentation more subtle.  Those twin shifts seem small in print, but when added to a more sedate pace you have, at least in terms I use, an album that lives inside your head more than outside your head.  That makes a difference in when and how I listen to piece of music.  For example, I'm writing this review after 10pm with a large IPA at my side, a dog at my feet and no light except the monitor.  It is that kind of album.  The triumph for Michael O is that  I feel very satisfied with this set up.  And when the album finishes, I expect I'll listen to it again (that likely will require another IPA, but we music writers are willing to suffer for our art).  Introspective but unsentimental bedroom pop with solid melodies and a bit of jangle.  This is good stuff.









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Sick Sad World - Fear and Lies

Seattle isn't really known for guitar pop, but it should be.  The Emerald City has a wealth of indie bands covering a wide range of styles.  Favorites we've covered in the past couple of years include Zebra Hunt, La Luz, Posse, Dude York, Seapony, Unlikely Friends, and Tangerine.  Now we are adding young Jake Jones, who records as Sick Sad World, to the list.  Jake has assembled 11 of his songs on Fear and Lies, and we think it is a stunning debut.  Full of hooks and riffs, he spreads his songcraft over crunchy power pop, smeared '60s jams (for example, "Orange Lazarus" and "Being Weird") and raucous slacker pop with a few touches of swaggering glam.

This isn't the skatboarding Jones' first rodeo, as he is a vet of harder edged bands, but to our knowledge this is his first pop project.  His mastery of the vocabulary is obvious, but what makes it really special is his ability to put his own spin on guitar pop.  The result is songs with personality and an accessibility the inspires me to sing along (I apologize in advance to those within earshot).  Without being the least bit saccharine, they are sunny tunes that remind me of how happy I am that summer is here.  So I'll leave you to to sample the goods.  It is beer-thirty and I'm going down to the car, opening the sun roof and putting on Fear and Lies very loud.









Fear and Lies is out now via Seattle's Help Yourself Records.  Source the digital at the Bandcamp link or get the vinyl with a digital download at the next link down.  The record was recorded at Olympia's Dub Narcotic Studio with Jake playing all of the instruments.

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The Treasures of Mexico - Holding Pattern

As much as we would like to do so as fans, we can't will The Dentists back into existence.  But we have some excellent news for fans of that beloved '90s UK band -- The Treasures of Mexico are here.  The band includes former members of The Dentists Mark Matthews and Bob Collins, with the timekeeping duties handled by Russ Baxter.  Keeping the various projects of inveterate songwriters Matthews and Collins would take more time than I have, but to keep things straight, the 13 tracks on Holding Pattern are "Mark songs"  ("Bob songs" will be coming on the Bob Collins & the Full Nelson album coming soon), and the album started as a solo project.  Having invited Bob and Russ to join him, The Treasures of Mexico offer you the sort of delightful pop gems that underscore the second word in the band's name.  The songs are direct, melodic and energetic, the lyrics and themes well developed, and the performances are tight.  While the songs reflect adult concerns and a bit of a mature perspective, the songs remain bright and vital.  Depending on the song, listeners likely will find similarities to work by The Dentists, The Feelies, The Go-Betweens and The Wolfhounds.  And that range of references is deliberately broad, because Holding Pattern doesn't mine a single groove.  Some songs feature an aggressive pace and buzzing, crunchy guitars (e.g. "Dependence Day" and "Falling Over", and some songs feature jangling guitars dancing over a relaxed rhythm.  My favorite tracks at this point are "Holding Pattern", "Dependence Day", "Let's Start At The Beginning", "Tiny Lies", and "Stars".  You can sample a couple of those songs below.

Consider this album the shaggy dog that followed you home.  You didn't expect it, but you are happy it is here and want it to stay.






Holding Pattern is out now as a digital release from Shelflife Records.

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"High" from Royal Headache

One of the best items of music news I've heard in a long time is that Sydney's Royal Headache will release a new album, titled High, on August 21 via the What's Your Rupture? label, and will tour North America in support of the release.  Happily, rumors that the band had folded were incorrect.  For the virgins in the audience, Royal Headache unleashes melodic, high energy garage-punk and power pop with vocals that contain a strong vein of Stax-style soul.  The title track is the first single from the record and is available to stream below.  Give it a spin, order the album and then look at the tour dates and locations at the bottom of the post to see if you will get lucky in August.  I expect to be at opening night.



The album will be released via the What's Your Rupture label in North America and via the band's own Distant and Vague label in Australia.  Both labels are accepting pre-orders now.

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ROYAL HEADACHE TOUR DATES:
Mon. Aug. 10 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
Tue. Aug. 11 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Thu. Aug. 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
Sat. Aug. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Berserktown Festival
Mon. Aug. 17 – Austin, TX @ Red 7
Wed. Aug. 19 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle #
Thu. Aug. 20 – Detroit, MI @ UFO #
Fri. Aug. 21 – Toronto, ON @ Silver Dollar
Sat. Aug. 22 – Montreal, QC @ La Vitrola
Mon. Aug. 24 – Boston, MA @ The Great Scott #
Tue. Aug. 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade #
Thu. Aug. 27 – Baltimore, MD @ Windup Space #
Fri. Aug. 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA #
Sat. Aug. 29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Palisades #

* w/ Total Control
# w/ Sheer Mag

Expert Alterations - Expert Alterations EP

Expert Alterations have done some tailoring of my beloved jangle pop genre, and I must say the results are very flattering.  The Baltimore trio of Alan, Patrick, and Paul have stripped down the sound a bit to make it a bit more elemental.  It seems to me that the result add more effect to the elements that remain, giving it a scrappy, semi-punk flavor.  With equal parts of energy, melody and anxiety, their Expert Alterations EP is an quick and exciting listen.

The five song set begins with the racing pace, pounding drums and jangling guitar of "Venetian Blinds".  The following "Bell" begins with a Velvet Underground vibe, but then launches into full bore jangling.   Showcase track "Midnight Garden" sits in the middle of the record and provides its most fully realized moment.  "Memory Glands" and "Three Signs" close out the proceedings with all of the band's attributes -- and in particular the rhythm section -- on full display.

You may find resemblance to bands such as The Clean, Toy Love, The Wedding Present and Human Television.  If you are judged by the virtual company you keep, you can judge Expert Alterations a good band to keep your ears on.  We know we will.





Expert Alterations EP is out now on vinyl from Slumberland Records and Kanine Records.  You also can buy the digital at the Bandcamp link below.  Check your local record shop or hit the links below.

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Little Children - Traveling Through Darkness EP

Sometimes it is all about the children.  In this case, Little Children.  The band is centered around Linus Lutti, with contributions from Andreas Soderstrom and Mathias Bergkvist.  Known previously for collaborations with other artists, Little Children worked alone to record the Traveling Through Darkness EP, receiving the help of female vocalist Titiyo on but one track.   Comments by Lutti suggest that this record is the fruit of his personal mission to make music that represented his feelings and artistic vision.  Not knowing the man, I can only let him judge how well he succeeded in that goal, but from the perspective of this listener, these are excellent songs.

When I hit the play button for the first track, I knew nothing of Little Children.  Since I was working on some documents, I let the EP play in the background while I continued my business.  At some point -- I think during the second song -- I realized that I was listening to something special.  I put aside my work and began the EP again from the beginning.  The minor key melodies manage to be simultaneously cathartic and soothing.  The songs carry an emotional charge, but swathed in bright instrumentation and a propulsive rhythm track the overall effect is positive and memorable.  The sound is rich, with thick low-end bass and percussion and dancing high end synths.  And there is no mystery regarding the sweet spot for these songs, as Traveling Through Darkness EP is the best late night driving music I've heard in a very long time.





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The Catenary Wires - Red Red Skies

Sometimes heartbreak, disappointments and crumbling relationships can sound beautiful.  Well, maybe not if you are one on the participants.  But if you aren't, it can be grist for a beautiful set of music, as it is for Red Red Skies, the new album from The Catenary Wires.  The band consists of duo Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey, partners off the stage as well, who have worked together for decades in Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research and Tender Trap.  Playing all of the instruments themselves and shedding the jangling electric guitars and pace of some of their earlier work for gentler tunes infused with quiet emotion, and a bit of humor, they have crafted a debut album of intense, melancholy beauty with a few dashes of impish pop joy.

Instrumentation includes guitars, keys, and bells, but the stars of the show are the vocals -- Amelia's fragile but clear highs and Rob's best Calvin Johnson croon.  Their differences blend well and give depth to the quality of their songwriting, as ably demonstrated on album opener "Intravenous" (stream below).  Other standout tracks include "When You Walk Away" and "Throw Another Love Song On The Fire" (see video version below).  The latter focuses on heartbreak, but in a way that pokes fun at songs about heartbreak.  I don't know whether that makes it a happy song or a sad song.  Maybe it is a happy sad song, but it is in any case a very good song and gives Rob a nice showcase for his vocals.  There is a lot to like in this mini album, and there is a lot of promise in the comfortable intensity of Amelia and Rob as a performing partnership.  I hope that this is just the beginning for The Catenary Wires.

Red Red Skies is out this week on Elefant Records in Europe and Matinee Recordings in North America.








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