Seapony - A Vision

It is a special gift to be sufficiently self-aware that you know what you do well and what you like to do that also pleases others.  Couple that with an unwillingness to attempt to do something you don't want to do just to chase a few more ears or gather a few more favorable reviews, and you have Seattle's Seapony.  What Seapony does as well as anyone -- that is anyone now or in the past -- is create infectious summer songs with jangling guitar, sweet vocals and melodies with a hint of melancholy.  That isn't a template or a formula, it is the beating heart of a band that loves this music and just gets better making it with each outing.  On A Vision, the now-quartet's third album, you can press play, close your eyes and feel the summer breeze and warm sun, hear the waves lap the shore, and feel the gentle pressure of your main squeeze's shoulder against your own.  The words are there and they are sweet and inviting.  But you don't need to even know what Jen is singing to connect with the music.  These are songs that draw you into an atmosphere more than a specific story.  And while there is plenty of variety in the 11 tracks, it is all carefully crafted to no break the spell.  There is no major market gloss, but nor are there any ragged edges to distract you from your lovely summer dream.  This album will take you through summer, and Indian Summer.  And then you will pull it out when you want to be reminded about summer.

Two tracks are available to stream below, but the album is packed with jangling gems.  I particularly recommend "Hollow Moon" and "Go Nowhere".

Seapony is Danny Rowland (guitar), Jen Weidl (vocals), Ian Brewer (bass), and Aaron Voros (drums).





A Vision is self-released by Seapony, and is available in vinyl, CD, digital and cassette formats.  See the Bandcamp link.

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The Stammer - Days In Between

July 31 is a busy day for indie releases this year, and several have really caught my ears.  I will cover each of them today and over the next couple of days, so keep checking back for updates.

Philadelphia's The Stammer is a band that should be on your list of American indie rock bands to follow.  Trust me on this.  The quality songwriting and adept and sincere performances will win you over.  And that is even before we mention the generosity of Brian, Zach and Gavin in temporarily offering new LP Days In Between as a free download.  The album consists of eleven songs covering the spectrum from noisy post-punk to Springsteen-style indie rock to Smiths-influenced jangle to Antipodean folk rock.  The confident percussion sets the stage, the guitars shimmer, sparkle and chug, the talk-sing vocals paint the pictures, and at the end you know that this album is a special slice of music.

The three songs streamed below display the breadth of the songs on Days In Between.  "Hey Joan" is a sad song with an upbeat melody, and has been a favorite of mine since I first heard it.  The title track has a jangling California country-rock vibe.  The lovely "Kate & Chris" compares favorably to your favorite songs from The Go-Betweens, and is one that causes me to hover near the repeat button.







You can stream the entire album at the Soundcloud and Bandcamp links below.  Note that the album is a "name your price" download at Bandcamp, but the band advises me that the deal won't last forever, so act accordingly.  And giving the band a few bucks for this wonderful album would be most excellent.

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Video for "She's My Hero" by Crayon Fields

We recently share the good news that Melbourne's Crayon Fields will soon release an new album on Chapter Music, and we included a stream of one of the album tracks, "She's My Hero".  The quartet now has a video to showcase the song, and you can enjoy it below.




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C Duncan - Architect

Christopher Duncan follows his own path.  The son of classical musicians and trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland himself, he a unique ability to create richly detailed chamber, folk and dream pop songs that are both lush and completely accessible.  And the versatile lad does his own album art, as well.  Previously known primarily in the UK, Duncan's talent now is on display for all via hi debut LP, Architect, which is out now via Fat Cat Records.  If one tries to look underneath the surface of the music for influences or references, it can be a bit of a tangled web.  Do we mention the harmonies of Fleet Foxes (try "For" below)?  Jazz experimentation?  Classical composers?  '60s pop icons?  Yes, all of it.  But it seems to me that the critical point is that C Duncan thrills, delights, soothes and, perhaps as importantly, surprises the listener with the breadth of his vision and his ability to render a cohesive musical statement from his inspirations.  That the songs were created in his bedroom, layer by layer, further underscores the accomplishment.

If you generally listen to guitar pop, you will find Architect a different beast.  But it also is uplifting and rewarding.  Start the day with the triple shot of "Say", "Garden", and "Here to There", then end it with "For".  C Duncan is a damn fine soundtrack.









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"Sweet Gin" from Leisure Suite

Last October we brought your attention to the self-titled EP from Melbourne's Leisure Suite.  An electro-pop delight, it left us hoping for more music soon.  I guess now is soon enough, because we have "Sweet Gin", our first taste of the EP to be released later this year via Deaf Ambitions.  Smooth and smoldering vocals and throbbing, skittering production have our full attention.

The duo is Bridgette Le and Mitch.  For live performances they are joined by Nicholas and Dylan.



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The Popguns - Still Waiting for the Winter EP

Last year The Popguns made a triumphant return to the scene with Pop Fiction (our review here), which was one of my top 30 albums of the year (list).  They are too kind to allow us to get through the summer without another edition of their wonderful guitar pop, and it arrives this week via Matinee Recordings.  The Still Waiting for the Winter EP combines the title track, which was one of the top songs on Pop Fiction, with three fresh offerings.  "Still Waiting for the Winter" is a classic Popguns tune.  The jangling guitars and dual female vocals tell a story of nights out in Brighton and reconciling the conflicting tugs of the past and present.  The following "BN3" is an acoustic romance tale.  "Why You Fell In Love With Me" is my favorite of the new songs, featuring an upbeat arrangement and lovely harmonies.  The wistful "Diane's Song" closes the EP with a perfectly crafted echo of '60s pop.

You'll love these tracks under the stars on the deck while the sun goes down, and long after the last sip of wine.



Still Waiting for the Winter EP is out on July 31, but is available for pre-order now.  It is offered in limited CD as well as digital formats.

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"Derek Scott" from Natalie Pryce

"Derek Scott" is a stomping and deranged dose of blues rock.  It also is a reminder that the album on which it appears, Vol. II: The Ascent From Ego to Ego, is available from Natalie Pryce's Bandcamp site for "name your price".  I have my copy -- do you?





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"The Woman" from Jimi Charles Moody

Here is a bit of advice to the women in the audience: Don't do Jimi Charles Moody wrong.  You see, with your average guy, you do him wrong and he may say a few unkind things, send a few angry texts, and complain to your BFF (while trying to sleep with her).  But you do Jimi Charles Moody wrong, and you might have your bad acts be the subject of a song storming around the airwaves.  So unless you believe that all publicity is good publicity, be nice to Jimi.

And speaking of nice things, after you enjoy "The Woman", hit the Soundcloud link and download Jimi's "Other Man" for free.




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The Rightovers - Blue Blood

Recording as The Rightovers, Chris Holmes draws a bulls eye on July 31, the internationally recognized heart of the summer, and then fires a burning arrow into it with Blue Blood.  The guitars jangle and crunch, the harmonies sooth your soul, and the hooks fill the air like fireflies on a summer night near the lake.  There are ten songs marinated in Rickenbacker jangle and cured in the sun, and picking your favorite is like trying to decide among your ten favorite desserts.  Chris may be based in Hawaii at the moment, but there is a clear vein of his former Southern California residence here.  "Valerie" is the perfect opener, with an uptempo melody and Chris' versatile vocals shifting between his ordinary register and falsetto.  "Country Canyon" follows with a country-inflected rocker.  We catch our breath a bit with the sweet mid-tempo "Vaseline" before sliding into two of my favorites, "So Famous I'm Fucked", which seems to me to have a bit of the old New Zealand '80s-'90s vibe, and the wonderful "My Trebly Underground", which lets you know what would have happened if The Jesus and Mary Chain had played with The Byrds.

The band's cover of the Mekons' "Hello Cruel World" provides another dose of guitar grumble.  Sun-kissed California jangle returns for "Arthurs Army" and "We Can Run/A Piper's Lament".  "Floating Near the Sun" finds The Rightovers in a psychedelic frame of mind.  The closer offers a tantalizing dose of additional variety with a funky psychedelic jam.

It would be too easy to simply tout this album as a welcome addition to your summer soundtrack.  But to my ears it is more than that.  These songs are going to live with me beyond Labor Day, and I'm going to hope for more music from The Rightovers.









For Blue Blood Chris was assisted by Sarah O'Brien (backing vocals) and Mike Kamoo (drums).  Limited vinyl and unlimited digital are available via the band's own Bandcamp and Jigsaw Records.  Jigsaw also has the album in CD format.  All necessary links are below.

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The Debutantes - "Adams Apples" 7"

This post is all about emotional response.  The first emotional response most of your should have is regret.  Perhaps regret mixed with a bit of shame.  The reason for this is that last year I took the time to tell you about a very exciting young Irish band called The Debutantes.  The Galway trio had released a five-song cassette of noisy, hook-filled guitar pop.  Enough smart people took the hint and the cassette sold out.  But I suspect most of you didn't, and you'll never, ever see the chance to get that cassette again.

But now we'll trigger a different emotional response -- happiness with a topping of gratitude.  Why? Because four of those very same songs are now available via the Adams Apples 7".  The release consists of "Adams Apples" and "Kids" on vinyl, with a download code for those songs plus "X + Y" and "Gentleman's Wash".  The kind folks providing you with this rare second chance to do the right thing are Stewart Anderson and Jen Turrell of the appropriately-named Emotional Response Recordings.  By the way, the song from the cassette omitted here is "Burn the Merchandise", which is on a compilation from Emotional Response Recordings that we'll discuss at a later date.

The songs deliver dream pop, garage and shoegaze with plenty of reverb, fuzz, energy and hooks.  The production adopts a delightfully frayed take on Spector's wall of sound.  It is all so good that if you sleep on it a second time you should sell all of your music and just watch reality TV.





The Debutantes are Paula Cullen (vocals/bass), Sarah Grimes (drums) and Leon Butler (vocals/guitar).  Cullen also is in September Girls, and Grimes also is a member of September Girls and Cruising.

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"In The Fog, In The Flame" from Bec Sandridge

Young Australian Bec Sandridge has been building buzz as a folk and pop artist, but "In The Fog, In The Flame" is another beast.  The song, which will be on her forthcoming In The Fog EP, has the kind of big moments and arena-filling vocals that demand a wind machine, high ceilings, moody lighting and all the other effects that made '80s videos special.  High energy and an excellent performance.  Watch for this young lady.



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Snow In Mexico - Juno Beach EP

Snow In Mexico is Italian duo Andrea Novelli and Massaimillano Cruciani.  For Juno Beach, their third record, they have employed synths, drum machines and a penchant for lush shoegaze to craft a four-song EP that is equal parts urgently mysterious and hazily warm.  Proceedings commence with the up-tempo dance tracks "The Call", followed by the more darkly-shaded title track.  The beats are forward-pushing and high in the mix, while the minimal vocals hang tantalizingly in the background.  The mood shifts for the aptly named "Sunshine".  The set closes with the moody soundscape and dreamy vocals of "Gentle Rain".

Touchstones could include Tangerine Dream, M83, Radio Dept., The Pet Shop boys and OMD.  The closest genre may be dream pop, but these guys know how to ride a groove.  You can test a couple of tracks below, or stream the entire EP at the Soundcloud and order page links below.




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Motopony - Welcome You

Welcome You is Motopony's second album, following 2011's self-titled debut.  The line-up has gone through some changes, and the music has morphed a bit as well.  But the Seattle band's ability to craft interesting songs remains.  Stylistically, the eleven tracks could earn tags such as folk rock, dramatic pop, synth pop, glam, jam rock, psychedelic, and glitch dance rock (there is a chance I invented that one).  However, the demarcation between the genres is gleefully blurred, and what remains is a full, even lush, sound with plenty of delightful and surprising touches and a double live show dose of energy.  One does not want to set unnecessary standards for measuring achievement, but I will note that there is a bit of the Fab Four in the audacity of the vision on Welcome You.  This is a band that paints on a bit canvas with bold strokes and bright colors.

I think the best way to take this album is to let it take you.  If you approach it with expectations of what you are going to hear you may be confused or even disappointed.  But if you press play and let Motopony take you on a journey, I expect that you will have a very good time.



For Welcome You, Motopony founder Daniel Blue is joined by Forrest Mauvais, Mike Notter, Terry Mattson, Andrew Butler, and Nate Daley.

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Introducing: MoMBe

Noah McBeth is from Heidelberg, Germany but now is based in Los Angeles.  While trained as a classical pianist, he transitioned to instrumental hip hop as Rookie, and now to electro-pop/soul/hip hop as NoMBe.  I think his latest track "Miss Mirage" promises good things from the young man.  His Mood Indigo EP will be released later this year.  You also can check out some past work on his Soundcloud page.



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Bedrockk - Ultra Violet EP

Recording as Bedrockk, Dave Marquess has crafted an enormously appealing collage of thick tribal beats, shimmering keys and soulful vocals on the Ultra Violet EP.  The tracks tend to unspool in unpredictable directions, but always to the listener's delight.  There is a noir vibe to the proceedings, with the bright lights and dark skies, and the glamour and grit, of the evening urban landscape echoed in the contrasting elements of the compositions.  You'll find spots to dance, spots to chill, spots to get sexy, and in "Telephone", one of the most delightful R&B pop tunes you've heard in a long time.

The EP is out now on Dave's Dirty // Clean label.



Stream the entire EP below --



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Introducing: Fakers

In introducing LA band Fakers we are re-introducing two members of a long-time and sadly defunct favorite around WYMA headquarters, The Henry Clay People.  Two of THCP were Joey and Andy Siara.  In addition to brothers Siara, Fakers includes Travis Shettel (piebald) Cameron Dmytryk (Vanaprasta, Sun Drug), and Benjamin Heywood (Summer Darling).  Given the players, the astute rock fan will demand energetic rock with a dose of punk and a liberal dose of hooks.  And the astute rock fan, and anyone else bothering to listen, will get what they demand.  Isn't it great when life works out that way?

This introduction includes two songs from the band.  A 7" will be released soon via Chain Letter, which we understand is label founded by band member Heywood and his spouse Heather.





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Eternal Summers - Gold and Stone

Eternal Summers seems to be in a good place in two respects.  First, they have arrived in a musical traffic circle converging dream, noise, fuzz, '90s alt rock and shoegaze.  Second, they are quite good at it, and I think Gold and Stone, their fourth album, is their best effort yet.  Perhaps the most delightful attribute of this band is that despite their core penchant for dreamy soundscapes, they often gleefully perform it all on steroids, or at least on a plenitude of caffeine.  Vocals soar in anthemic fashion, guitars paint broad strokes and punctuate with feedback.  They can play the Galaxie 500 card with panache, as evidenced by the lovely "Ebb Tide", but their core tendency clearly is the rocking end of guitar pop.  And why not?  Nicole's voice and guitar, Jonathan's bass, and Daniel's drums all do is so well.








Eternal Summers is Nicole Yun (guitar, vocals), Jonathan Woods (bass), and Daniel Cundiff (drums). Gold and Stone is out now via Kanine Records.

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"Another World" from Royal Headache

We have to wait until the end of August for the new LP from Sydney's Royal Headache, but now we have "Another World", the second album track to be revealed.  From the bite of the lyrics, to the energy of the performance to the pop core, these guys don't compromise, and we think they deserve your attention.  And speaking of attention, in addition to ordering the album, North American fans should make note of the tour dates at the bottom of this post.



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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

Peter Astor - Mr Music

Mr. Music is an appropriate label for Peter Astor.  Founder of beloved and influential guitar pop bands The Loft and The Weather Prophets, long-time solo artist, lecturer in the Music Department of the University of Westminster, and author of a book on Richard Hell and the Voidoids' album Blank Generation,  he is deservedly respected.  But Mr. Music also is the name of Astor's latest record, and in typically delightful Astorian fashion it both justifies his reputation and proves that he continues to be a vital contributor to pop music.  The title track, which is one of my favorite songs of recent years, combines the composer's gift for simple and enduring melodies, his warm and distinctive talk-sing vocal style and the backing vocal and instrumental assistance of James Hoare (Veronica Falls/Ultimate Painting/The Proper Ornaments).  Quite simply, it is pop perfection.  To my ears there is a connection with one of my favorite songs from The Weather Prophets catalog, "Joe Schmo and the Eskimo", which I played a few times after five or six repeats of "Mr. Music".  The B-side is the dreamy "Armitage Shanks", which features soft vocals over shimmering guitar.

Mr. Music is out via Fortuna POP! on 7" vinyl, and as a digital download from the usual suspects, Amazon and iTunes.  Let's all give a warm welcome the Mr. Music.



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Mammoth Penguins - Hide and Seek

If Emma Kupa is stalking us, we aren't complaining.  Her musical work first appeared here a few years ago with her former band, Standard Fare.  Then last year we covered Home Cinema, her EP for WIAIWYA.  Now, she is back with Mark Boxall and Tom Barden as Mammoth Penguins.  On their debut Hide and Seek the Cambridge, UK-based trio offer 12 exuberant songs with bright guitar tones, scrappy ambition and confidence.  The vocals are heartfelt, the lyrics wry but sincere.  Focusing on life as late twenty-somethings, there is understandable introspection, and maybe a few self-criticisms.  But this trio loves a fast pace and embraces the noisier aspects of their art, so as a whole the package is fun and satisfying regardless of whether you find yourself in the same place in your life.  For my part, I find that after each listen I find myself feeling better than when I started.  Since I'm not a dumb guy, my conclusion is that I need to keep listening to Hide and Seek.





Hide and Seek is out now via Fortuna POP!

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"Dream Date" from The Salad Boys

A couple of years ago I raved about Christchurch, New Zealand's The Salad Boys.  As each member of the trio had other band affiliations, I didn't know whether we'd be hearing more from them.  The answer came recently -- we'll be hearing quite a bit and very soon.  Their debut album Metalmania will be released by Chicago's Trouble In Mind Records September 18, and the band will embark on an 18-date North American tour.  And don't be fooled by the album's title.  While The Salad Boys can make a lot of rocking noise, they are not a metal band.  Expect psychedelic swirls, jangling pop tunes and urgent rockers.  Your introduction is "Dream Date".



The Salad Boys are Joe Sampson (guitar and vocals), Ben Odering (bass) and Jim Nothing (drums).

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TOUR DATES
9.23.15 - Chicago, IL - The Owl 
9.24.15 - Columbia, MO - Cafe Berlin 
9.26.15 - Memphis, TN - Goner Fest
9.27.15 - Cincinnati, OH - Midpoint Music Festival
9.28.15 - Columbus, OH - Double Happiness
9.29.15 - Detroit, MI - UFO Factory 
10.1.15 - Brooklyn, NY - Palisades 
10.4.15 - Philadelphia, PA - Lava Space
10.6.15 - Asheville, NC - Tiger Mountain 
10.8.15 - Jacksonville, FL - Rain Dogs
10.10.15 - Austin, TX - Beerland - W/ Neil Michael Hagerty
10.12.15 - Tempe, AZ - Time Out Lounge 
10.13.15 - Los Angeles, CA - All Star Lanes
10.17.15 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar
10.19.15 - Salt Lake City, UT - Diabolical Records 
10.20.15 - Denver, CO - Rhinoceropolis 
10.22.15 - Minneapolis, MN - Hexagon
10.23.15 - Milwaukee, WI - Lucky Cat 

"(I've Got The ) Sanctioned Blues" from Ultimate Painting

Happy days!  Ultimate Painting, the project of Jack Cooper of Mazes and James Hoare of Veronica Falls will release their second LP, Green Lanes, on Trouble In Mind Records on August 7.  Our first notes arrive via "(I've Got The) Sanctioned Blues".  For this song the duo's sunny psychedelic tones are employed to address the serious subject of the humiliations the bureaucracy imposes on the economically disadvantaged.




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Midnight World Pop Scout

Because it is always midnight somewhere ….

Here is our (sometimes) weekly roundup of some music from around the globe.

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First is UK trip hop band Colour The Atlas with "I'll Be Your Lover".

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Here is Londoner Sami Switch with his summer anthem "Favourite Song".  It is from his Solace EP, which can be downloaded for 'name your price' here.

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The Real Alli, a nineteen year-old soul, R&B and hip hop artist from Maryland.


Free download link viable for a few days.

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Next is Conner Stark, an electro-pop artist with a striking voice, dramatic flair and some troublesome relationship issues.




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San Diego's Hollywood Principle follows with their new song "Seeing What's Next".

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EZTV - Calling Out

Brooklyn's trio known as EZTV has crafted a wonderful debut offering in Calling Out.  Its 12 songs will variously recall mid-'60s guitar pop, '80s-'90s college rock and, at times, Laurel Canyon, but it all blends together seamlessly.  To my ears, there is a strong vein of The Teenage Fanclub in the melodies and harmonies, and that can never, ever be a bad thing.  But the band doesn't adhere to any strict template, and this album features robust bass and adventuresome guitar lines.  It is a sound that is a perfect fit for hometown label Captured Tracks, so quite naturally, CT is releasing the album.

New music comes so quickly that I most often have to put an album aside after I write about it in order to cover the next worthy.  But that isn't happening in this case -- Calling Out is going on the regular playlist for a long, long time.







Calling Out is out today on Captured Tracks.  EZTV is Ezra Tenenbaum, Michael Stasiak and Shane O'Connell.  Will Cole joins the band for live performances.

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"She's My Hero" from Crayon Fields

Melbourne jangle pop band Crayon Fields was formed 13 years ago by four high school students (somehow I missed "forming beloved guitar pop band" on career day -- there must have been a talent filter).  Respected and beloved, they released albums on hometown label Chapter Music.  Their last album was issued in 2009, which after this passage of time usually that means the members have gone their separate ways.  But we are in luck this time -- Geoff O'Connor, Brett Hudson, Chris Hung, and Neil Erenstrom have crafted another album, titled No One Deserves You.  Chapter Music advises that you will have to wait until September 25 to get your hands on it, but they aren't completely heartless as faceless corporate titans go, and they have made the first single available for your ears.  "She's My Hero" is a lovely song, and a very assured return to the recording studio from the quartet.



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"Away From Me" from Chinah

Fine, Simon and Simon are a Danish trio known as Chinah.  On their debut single, "Away From Me", Fine's delicate, R&B inspired vocals float over moody synths and deep bass.  If this is representative of their art, they have the performing and production chops to make a splash.  The single and the upcoming EP will be released by No3 Records.



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Andrew R. Burns & The Tropicanas - One Man's Garbage Is Another Man Person's Good Ungarbage

Andrew R. Burns & The Tropicanas, our favorite Scots sloppy dream poppers are brightening our mid-week with a free four-track EP called One Man's Garbage Is Another Man Person's Good Ungarbage.  Of course, it is hard to challenge the truthiness of the statement made by the EP title, just as it is hard to argue with a free EP of dream pop.  We covered the opening song, "Voyeur Guy" a few weeks ago.  "Melting" and "Emargo" are instrumentals.  The former begins in thumping fashion before dissolving into an atmospheric soundscape.  The latter features skittering beats and what sounds like Casio noodling.  The closer is "Minkboy Sunday Overload", which add vocals back into the mix and offers a more overly exuberant and muscular version of the band's trademark dreamslop.  To my ears, the first and last songs are the best. and even good enough to pay for.  But the lads will give you all four free at the Bandcamp link below.  Happy Wednesday!



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"River of Longing" from Blank Realm

One of my current favorite bands, Brisbane's Blank Realm will release their next album on September 4.  The title is Illegals In Heaven, and while it is too early to say much about it here, I will tell you that it is very good.  However, it isn't too early to give you a taste via "River of Longing".  In my view, the song showcases what the band does so well -- a mixture of garage rock intensity, psychedelic imagery, and solid pop sensibilities that pushes boundaries while remaining eminently pleasing to the ear.



Illegals In Heaven will be released by Fire Records except down under, where Bedroom Suck Records has the honors.

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"Guess Work" from The Ocean Party

Soft Focus, the 2014 album from Melbourne's The Ocean Party, was among my top 15 albums of the year (list).  Things like that can make you quiver with excitement (I choose to blame excitement rather than alcohol withdrawal in the wake of the US 4th of July holiday) upon learning of a new single from the crew.  "Guess Work" begins with an sturdy beat, then blends in guitar lines, vocals and keys, revealing increased sophistication in arrangements and an uptick in production.  It is the first release from their upcoming fifth album, and if it is representative, this band will be high on my year-end list again.



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Kent Goolsby & The Gold Standard - No Substitute For Handsome

Kent Goolsby and I both understand that there is no substitute for handsome.  And in a parallel fashion, I'm sure we've both enjoyed the fruits of our random good genetic fortune.  Our paths diverge, however, because Kent and friends, under the banner Kent Goolsby & The Gold Standard, also can write and perform a set of songs that will make you smile, make you sigh, make you and your loved one want to hug each other, and clear up your seasonal allergies.  On the other hand, if I fronted The Gold Standard the product would be listenable only if the product consisted of instrumentals with no instrument allocated to my hands,  Oh, and your allergies would be untouched.  Accordingly, the remainder of this post will focus on Handsome Kent's No Substitute For Handsome.

The hallmarks here are excellent songwriting -- good stories with clever but efficient phrasing, and a great sense of fun.  Goolsby's vocals, as others have noted, have a hint of Roger Miller, but more importantly they have an everyman accessibility that makes it easy to warm up to whatever he is singing about.

The album begins with teasing guitar riff while Kent explains his mother's advice for grooming and its likely affect on his future happiness.  Pay attention guys, this is important advice.



The old time country "Rags to Rags" contains two lessons -- the possibility that life may not be an upward economic spiral, and that there may be a silver lining in not trying.  By the third song, the wonderful,"This Daddy (Has Run Out of Strut)", our storytellers are admitting that work and pleasing the little missus have left them with an energy deficit.



"Natural Disaster" addresses an different economic fact, that being how fast one's daddy can fill up the family 'swear jar'.  Yes, some lessons are learned close to home.



The gang slows it down a bit for the bluesy "Outskirts of Love", which has a subversively strutting arrangement.  "Beast of Bourbon" tells of a working man's craving for the titular nectar as the weekend approaches.

Other highlights are the tributes to the narrator's true love -- "Leading Lady" and "Hitched".





This album is made for the hot days of the summer.  Put it on the outdoor speakers for the afternoon picnic, or for drinking under the stars later.  Everyone will feel better as they compete to prove whose daddy was the biggest natural disaster, and who was luckiest, or unluckiest, in getting hitched.

The players are Kent Goolsby (guitar/vocals), Steve Daly (guitar/mandolin), Dan Eubanks (upright bass), Roy Agee (trombone), Chris Housman (fiddle), and Anna Goolsby (vocals).  No Substitute for Handsome is out now -- see the Bandcamp link below.

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Princess Chelsea - The Great Cybernetic Depression

You can take The Great Cybernetic Depression from Princess Chelsea -- New Zealander Chelsea Nikkel -- on two levels.  First, there is the artist's concept of a world ten years in the future, in which increased digital interaction has eroded the depth of traditional interaction.  Or you can just take it as an eccentric but ultimately well-executed pop album with excellent production.  Nikkel's vocals are notable for their girlish quality, but she is note perfect and, in my view, manages to stand up to the robust production.  Some variety is contributed via duets with Jonathan Bree, but it is Nikkel's show.  My favorite tracks from the album are available to stream below.  If this is your cup of cybernetic depression, check out the Bandcamp link.







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Lil' Chief Records

Midnight World Pop Scout: SAFIA, The Radio Dept., Oscar, and Charlotte Cardin

Another edition of our sometimes weekly pick of some songs from around the globe.

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First is Sydney, Australia trio SAFIA, with their new single "Embracing Me".  SAFIA is Ben Woolner-Kirkham, Michael Bell and Harry Sayers.



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Next we have one of my long time favorites, Sweden's The Radio Dept. with "Occupied", which is the first single from their upcoming fourth album.  "Occupied" is available now on vinyl and as a digital download with two other tracks.


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Labrador Records page for release

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"Beautiful Words" is the title track of the recently released EP from Londoner Oscar Scheller, who performs under his first name.  We have the video version below.  Oscar is signed to Wichita Recordings.




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Wichita Recordings

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Finally we have "Big Boy", the single from Canadian model and songwriter Charlotte Cardin.  Cardin is signed to Montreal label Cult Nation.  "Big Boy" is available on iTunes, and is the first song released from her upcoming EP.

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Talking Bush - Ordinary Unusual

Ordinary Unusual is a wonderfully tasty little nugget to embrace going into the weekend.  Four diverse synth pop tracks from St. Petersburg's Talking Bush.  It also is a bit of a dual threat -- a lovely release in its own right, it also serves as an introduction to the music Nikita Bushmanov will offer on his 2016 debut album.  But 2016 is a long way away, and thinking about it reminds us of another dire United States election cycle, so let's focus on the here and now.

The EP begins with the throbbing beats of instrumental track "Hear It", which soars to a big finish via bright synth strains.  "Overgrow" (see video below) is an urgent post punk song with a bit of a New Order vibe.  Talking Bush show an adept hand with dream pop on my favorite song on the EP, the wistful "There Is Now".  I think the Lightning Seeds would have been proud of those hooks.  The closer, "Tell Me" blends dream pop and post punk to good effect.

If you only have time for one sample, check out "There Is Now".  I recommend streaming all four tracks, of course.  The EP is out now as a digital download via Shelflife Records.  See the link at the bottom of the post.







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