"Never By Myself" by Attic Lights

Glasgow four-piece Attic Lights will be releasing a new album in early 2019, but we don't have to wait that long for fresh sounds from the band.  They have just released a digital single consisting of "Never By Myself" and "Bright Eyes".  This is classic guitar pop, evoking Teenage Fanclub to the Beach Boys, and it just makes you feel good.

Attic Lights are Kev Sherry, Colin McArdle, Jamie Houston, and Noel O'Donnell.  Never By Myself single is out now via Spanish label Elefant Records.






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"Games" by Newton Circus

Coming to us from Singapore is indie rock four-piece Newton Circus with their new single "Games".  A romantic track that gathers energy over a steady groove, we find it appealing and a bit addictive.  Listen below.

Newton Circus are Kenneth Ong, Colin Ong, Jefri Chua, and David Tan.  The single is available from various digital outlets.



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"Overthinking" by Melby

In June we introduced you to Melby, a talented young band from Stockholm (link).  The quartet has just released a new single titled "Overthinking" via Swedish label Rama Lama Records.  We understand that the song is from their upcoming debut album, and it leads us to believe that it is an album we will want.

Melby are Matilda Wiezell, Are Engen Steinsholm, David Jehrlander, and Teo Jernkvist.  "Overthinking" is available today via the Bandcamp link below and other digital retail outlets.



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Link to various digital sources for "Overthinking"

Cool Sounds - Cactus Country

Cactus Country delivers the perfect vibe to kick off our weekend.  Spearheaded by the jaunty title track, it offers 11 tracks of soft rock/pop with a '70s sensibility (which really was a sweet spot for soft rock) with a western shading.  It is the creation of the Dainis Lacey helmed, seven-person Cool Sounds, a band whose name also serves as a foundational principle and mission statement.  The album radiates a force field of enviable cool, containing both upbeat songs that unspool like dawn on a sunny summer day and slower, moodier tracks.  We must admit that our initial focus was drawn to the former, but repeated listens to the more restrained songs reveal a compelling power and deft songwriting.  The result is a complete package that offers the listener one of the most important benefits of music -- it just makes you feel good.  At this point our favorite songs are "Cactus Country", Cassandra", "Twin Turbo", "Wrangler", "Loose Grips", and "Nowhere to Run".  Yeah, that is over half the album, and we like the others as well.  It is that kind of album.

Cactus Country is out now via Osborne Again Music (vinyl) and Hotel Motel (digital).








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Hotel Motel Records

Tears Run Rings - Somewhere EP

Although Tears Run Rings is not a prolific band, every recording that they find time in their busy schedules to create reminds us how good they are.  Their style is an appealing intersection of shoegaze and pop, offering the layered sounds and fulsome textures of the former, and the hooks and melodies of the latter.  While working on their fourth album, they still have found time to record the four-song Somewhere EP.  For us, the standout track is the soaring opener "Helios Heliadae", followed closely by the urgently jangling "Be Still".  But the lush "Someone Somewhere" and melancholy closer "Daylight" are excellent songs as well.  Yes, that is only four tracks, but we think that four tracks from this band is worth twice as many from a number of shoegaze outfits.

Tears Run Rings are Ed Mazzucco, Matthew Bice, Laura Watling, and Dwayne Palasek.  Somewhere EP is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Shelflife Records and Deep Space Recordings.






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"What It's Worth" by The Ocean Party

We previously have mentioned that Melbourne's The Ocean Party is, in our opinion, one of the best guitar pop bands in the world.  And in case you doubt us, we have another argument in support of our position.  Here to pleasure your ears is "What It's Worth", the band's new single.  The song, which is taken from their soon to be released new album, The Oddfellows' Hall, begins with soft keys and a single voice, but then expands with additional voices, an infectious beat, and a luscious slide guitar.  Great sounds, reflective lyrics -- it is easily one of the finest songs we've heard this year.  Play it, repeat. Play it, repeat.  There is your morning sorted out.

The Oddfellows' Hall is out on November 9 via Spunk Records (Australia) and Emotional Response Records (US).




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Adwaith - Melyn

A lot of music hits our inbox, and inevitably, some doesn't get the listening time earned by the artist's hard work. We only have so many ears (averaging two per person, thank you) and limited hours.  But we do make an effort to look back from time to time and look for gems that we may have passed over originally.  So that brings us to a mid-month release that almost eluded us, and, quite frankly, it is a monster.  The record is Adwaith's full length debut, Melyn -- a fifteen track soundscape of beefy garage bangers, post punk dark pop, and well shaped art rock creations.  Except for the several interesting instrumental pieces, the lyrics are in Welsh, but we assure you that you won't mind at all.  The performances are confident and, when appropriate, aggressive.  The arrangements are ambitious and inventive the sonic details delightful, and the production quality is excellent.

We find much to love about this album, but perhaps most notable are the varied textures -- a riot of shades of grey with slashes of vibrant aural color, all conveyed with a tone conveying mystery and anticipation.  At the end of the year, Melyn will be in our top 25 albums.  It really is that good, and we urge you to hunt it down and possess it.

Adwaith are Hollie Singer, Gwenllian Anthony, and Heledd Owen.  Melyn is out now via Libertino Records.










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Lights On Moscow -- Aorta Songs - Part 1

Today's musical musings begins with something for the heart -- your heart, my heart, and we hope, a wide audience of hearts.  The record is the fittingly named Aorta Songs - Part 1, by duo Lights On Moscow.  The members of the band are Justin Lockey (of Editors, Minor Victories, and Mastersystem) and Hazel Wilde (of Lanterns On The Lake), who began working on these songs a decade ago.  The bedroom project developed four songs that Justin and Hazel finally have decided to release.  Featuring lush, wall-of-sound arrangements and Hazel's intimate vocals, the music hits the pleasure sensors of your brain like a morning jolt of caffeine, and then seeps down to your heart and provides long-lasting satisfaction.

For our ears, the standout track is "Lord Let Me Know", which deserves to be the anthem for searching agnostics everywhere, but all four tracks are worthy of your attention.   Aorta Songs - Part 1 is out now via Physical Education Recordings.  And we sincerely hope that part 2 doesn't take ten years to reveal.





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Drew Beskin - Nostalgia Porn

It seems to us here at WYMA that Drew Beskin moved from strength to strength in past projects such as The District Attorney, Party Dolls, and Purses.  However, it is in his current solo career that his talents come into even sharper focus.  The newly released Nostalgia Porn, Beskin's second album under his own name, bears his trademark hooks and melodies, and his prefect rendition of the sort of guitar pop that put Athens, Georgia on the rock map.  But it also reveals a singer songwriter vein that thrills as well as promising great things for the future.  The album's variety is impressive, with Athens-style rockers such as "Still She Speaks", "Nostalgia Porn" and "The Ice Storm" sharing space with retro guitar pop gems "Pharmacy Girl" and "Just As Long" (this one could have been the concluding 'slow dance' track for any teenage dance in the '60s).  And then there are songs like "Midnight Avenue Edge" and "Super Suh & Sunny", which in our view compare favorably with tunes by master singer songwriter Jackson Browne.  Oh, and we should mention that as good as all of those songs are, the showcase song in our almost humble opinion is "Suspicion from the Start", which has found its way onto a permanent slot on the office playlist, the phone playlist, the car playlist, and even our cranial playlist -- I found myself humming it on a 50 mile bike ride recently.

Drew Beskin is a perceptive and evocative lyricist, and writes music that colors our lives.  This is the sort of album that too few people find, but is treasured by all that do.  Be one of the fortunate ones.

Nostalgia Porn is out now via Laser Brains, see the Bandcamp link below.










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Carla J. Easton - Impossible Stuff

Listening to Impossible Stuff, the second solo album from Glasgow's Carla J. Easton (late of Teen Canteen and Futuristic Retro Champions), we have the distinct impression that nothing is impossible for this artist.  The album features ten well-crafted pop tunes generously stuffed with optimism, escape, romance, delicious melodies and fulsome arrangements.  An accomplished and versatile songwriter, Carla also has an impressive range as a vocalist -- equally adept at suggesting heartache and hope, prompting a dance and bringing things back down to earth with a whisper.  The production is impressive as well, with rich textures and a shimmery finish.  Impossible Stuff is a grand statement from a talented artist, will fit nicely into anyone's pop playlist.

Impossible Stuff is out now in vinyl, CD and digital formats via Glasgow's Olive Grove Records.  By the way, Carla's first solo album appeared under the name Ette.







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Papercuts - Parallel Universe Blues

Boasting gently hooky melodies adorned with lush arrangements, Parallel Universe Blues is our dream pop pick for the week.  The work of Jason Quever in his artistic guise Papercuts, the music is an almost folky brand of dream pop with a cloudy, gauzy jangle and strum and electronic accents.  Lyrically, Jason explores relationship changes, life choices, and the process of coming to terms with what happens.  In its best songs, Parallel Universe Blues echoes a mythical collaboration of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Beach House (e.g. "Sing to Me Candy").  And since that is a wonderful idea that you never will witness in reality, we suggest that this latest addition to the Papercuts catalog will serve you needs quite well.

Parallel Universe Blues is out October 19 in vinyl, digital and CD formats via Slumberland Records.







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"Hold On Kid"/"Pissing Blood" by Shogun And The Sheets

Yes, life has disappointments, and one of ours is the demise of Sydney's Royal Headache, a band whose brand of garage and soul never failed to pull us in.  However, there is no need to dwell on what can't be fixed, because today brings us the debut single from Shogun And The Sheets, the new project from Royal Headache's frontman.  Consisting of two songs, the rocking "Hold On Kid" and the slow-burning garage soul "Pissing Blood", it provides the Shogun fix we have been aching for.

Shogun And The Sheets are Shogun (vocals), Gabby (keys), Seb (guitar), Abe (bass), and Derro (drums).  The debut single is released in vinyl and digital formats via What's Your Rupture -- see the Bandcamp link below or your favorite digital outlet.



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Bitumen - Discipline Reaction

A good life requires balance, so after beginning the day with some dreamy jangle pop, we bring you some excellent music in a different vein.  Discipline Reaction is a substantial work of post punk industrial rock -- loud, confident, aggressive, and very, very sharply written and performed.  The album is the work of Melbourne four-piece Bitumen, who last graced these pages about 18-months ago for their cassette split single with No Sister (link).  While that earlier work gave us a taste of the band's talent, we are nevertheless blown away by the nine tracks here.  The songs are the complete package, not only superbly performed metal-tinged post punk, but sharply written nuggets of dark, sinister rock.  This is completely captivating stuff, and we recommend you give it a listen.

Bitumen are Kate, Sam, Bryce, and Simon.  Discipline Reaction is out now in digital and vinyl formats via Melbourne label Vacant Valley.






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Bandcamp for Discipline Reaction (digital)

Kaveh Kanes - Loanwords

Even understanding that most of you have not reviewed the Articles of Incorporation for this blog, regular readers will not be surprised to know that one of our stated purposes is to celebrate jangle pop.  Quite simply, it is one of our things, and we are willing to go far and wide to find it.  So here we are with Loanwords, the new album from Indonesia's Kaveh Kanes.  This is the band's second album, but happily brings no stylistic changes to their seemingly effortless guitar pop.  The atmosphere is dreamy, and the melodies shimmer and soar while the guitars jangle and chime.  These songs fit well in the sunshine on the beach, or a late night drive with the windows open and the stars shining.  If you are facing a tough week at work, this album could be your medicine.  And even if your week will be easy, don't you deserve a treat?

Kaveh Kanes are Asad, Mumu, Zaim, and Hafid.  Loanwords is out now in digital and CD formats via Jigsaw Records.





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"You Want Me?" by Martin Frawley

We loved every recording we received from Melbourne's Twerps, but to our knowledge the band hasn't been active for a while.  But a songwriter and performer as talented as main Twerp Martin Frawley can't remain inactive for long.  Today brought the welcome news that Martin has signed with Merge Records, and he and Merge have celebrated by releasing new single "You Want Me?"

Eschewing the jangle of past recordings for a bass driven tune with piano accents, the song is a heart on the sleeve statement of lost love that strikes us as the perfect introduction to the next stage of Frawley's career.  Enjoy the single below, and expect a new album from Frawley and Stewart Bronaugh in the coming months.






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Rex Wonderful & The Silk Sheets - Ego Death

We remain head over heels in love with Lightning Ears, the Wireheads album released by Brisbane's Tenth Court a year ago (our review here).  So we were happy to listen to an new Tenth Court release by another Adelaide band, Rex Wonderful & The Silk Sheets.  We cued up the music for Ego Death and, to our delight, noticed a lot of similarities with Wireheads.  A bit of research before we lost or senses to happy hour revealed a strong DNA connection between RW&TSS and Wireheads.  Specifically, both projects feature Dom Trimboli, Liam Kenny and Alex Gordon-Smith of Wireheads, as well as Elena Nees and Dana Ashford.  Legend has it that the band was formed at a drunken brunch, giving Wireheads and Dom & the Wizards and baby sister to play with.  I don't know if the legend is true, but the smashing opening track is titled "Mimosas", so we wouldn't dismiss it.  The music features stellar and varied guitars, the most delectable dirty grooves you could ask for and a rhythmic talk sing vocals.  It all makes you want to get up and start walking, very possible to your favorite purveyor of mimosas.

The weekend is here, and it brings Ego Death and mimosas!  We are very happy.







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The Persian Leaps - Pop That Goes Crunch

Drew Frosberg, frontman of St. Paul power pop masters The Persian Leaps and label czar of Land Ski Records, couldn't have chosen a better name for the band's compilation than Pop That Goes Crunch.  To be fair, he borrowed the name (with permission) from a radio show, but it really is the perfect title for a compilation of songs that reveals The Persian Leaps to be one of the best underrated power pop band in the United States.  The guitars do everything you would expect -- jangle, ring, buzz, chime, and of course, crunch -- and do it very well.  But what comes through even more clearly is just how good the songs are.  This is pop craftsmanship to celebrate.  In our view, many retrospective collections are enjoyable because they remind you of the good albums, and you accept a few songs that you suspect are makeweight.  However, with Pop That Goes Crunch something very different happens for us.  This album points out to us that a band who thrilled us with each EP was actually, when its production is viewed in its entirety, was an even better band than we thought.  Ten dollars for 18 songs -- it would be a bargain at twice the price.

In addition to Drew Frosberg, the band members for various songs on the album are B.J. Bonin, Adam Brunner, Brad Hendrickson, Michael McCloskey, and Neil McCloskey.










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"Victoria Park" by Red Telephone

Here is a tip for you -- excellent little Welsh label Libertino offers a Ghost Disco singles club, and through it you can get the wonderful "Victoria Park" by Cardiff trio Red Telephone.  It is a delicious dose of '60s-flavored psychedelic pop.



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"Cassandra" by Cool Sounds

We are eagerly anticipating the October 26 release of Cactus Country by Cool Sounds.  Following on the band's previous release of the title track, we now have "Cassandra" to fuel our dreams while awaiting the full album.  This is finely crafted and immensely satisfying pop, my friends.  Enjoy!


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Osborne Again Music page to order Cactus Country

"Painted Horses" by Ichabod Wolf

We are beginning our day on a softer note, with an affecting song about grief, and a few other things, by UK singer songwriter Ichabod Wolf.  The song is taken from his upcoming album, Carry On, Crow, which will be released at the end of the month.  "Painted Horses" is out today on digital platforms via The Adult Teeth Recording Company.


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Bad Sav - bad sav

In our defense, we know a lot about a lot of things.  But we freely admit that we have no idea what "bad sav" means, or even what "sav" means.  However, if this band and their self titled album is Bad Sav, we don't want good sav.  We'll just stay with the Bad Sav, thank you very much.

All the players as known to us and our regular readers -- Death and The Maiden's Hope Robertson (vocals/guitar) and Lucinda King (vocals/bass) with Shifting Sands' guitarist and frontman Mike McLeod on drums.  Moreover, we have learned that this project proceeded Death and The Maiden and Shifting Sands, so maybe Bad Sav is the big bad daddy of the trio, or the mommy, we don't want to be patriarchal.  But you can ignore what you know about their other projects because Bad Sav is guitar rock, and guitar rock of great quality.  The ten tracks of bad sav bring noise, majestic noise, while still providing haunting vocals and dynamic arrangements.  This is music that is dense and melancholy, but also varied and richly detailed.  The pace can be stately, but the atmosphere is anything other than laid back.  In physical form, these songs would be too hot to touch.  Cue up the first track and get lost in the aural storm.  At the end of the final track, press play to start again.  Look at it as a new lifestyle.

bad sav is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats via Fishrider Records in New Zealand and Australia and Occultation in UK and Europe.




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Hater - Siesta

Malmö, Sweden's Hater conjures a unique brand of indie pop, with the scrappy energy of C86, the charm of twee, and the crystalline shimmer of Scandinavian dream pop.  The band is unafraid of showing vulnerability and focusing on bittersweet moments, but they wrap it up in some of the best-sounding guitar pop on the scene today.  The spot-on pop sensibilities on display in their new album, Siesta, may remind the listener of Canada's Alvvays, but we find a bit more depth and nuance with Hater.  And we must admit the the tone and delivery of ace vocalist Caroline Landahl reminds us of one of our long-time Swedish favorites, The Concretes.  The arrangements here are layered and varied, and allow the band to coo or rock-out as they wish.  Several of the songs will impress and indie pop fan from the first listen, but the real treat comes with letting the whole album seep into your consciousness and time-release pleasure over a long period.  Siesta is a "keeper" album, and Hater is here to stay.

In addition to Caroline Landahl, Hater are Måns Leonartsson, Adam Agace and Lukas Thomasson.  Siesta is out now in vinyl, CD and digital formats via Fire Records.







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Peel Dream Magazine - Modern Meta Physic

Modern Meta Physic is the work of New York City multi-instrumentalist Joe Stevens recording as Peel Dream Magazine.  In a world of formalistic pop genres, this album is a breath of fresh air.  Its thirteen tracks deliberately reach back to times when being an underground band, unrestrained by convention, the demands of labels, or the search for online streams meant something.  The music is lo-fi, fuzz drenched and experimental.  But the songs are good, and celebrate influences as varied as the Velvet Underground, French pop, Stereolab, The Clientele, and twee pop.  Thematically is is a bit tongue in cheek and a bit nostalgic, with ample doses of whimsy and humor.  It may seem audacious for Stevens to use the name of the great indie tastemaker John Peel in the title of his project, but the sensibility is directly on-target, and I suspect that if Peel were still around, he'd set up a few sessions to promote the band.  Of course, that cannot happen.  But you can stream some delights below, and then go to the Bandcamp link and have your own, personal session to keep.

Modern Meta Physic is out now via Slumberland Records.






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The Pollies - Transmissions

A search will inform you that The Pollies reside in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee.  At one point their sound was more evocative of the latter location, but The Pollies of 2018 will strike more listeners as a Muscle Shoals band.  In fact, if you are willing to consider our humble opinion, The Pollies may be the Muscle Shoals band of today -- layers of chiming guitars, super-charged melodies, and deep organic soul infusing every performance.  That isn't to say that there isn't a strain of power pop in Transmissions, their newly-released album, as well, but it seems to us that Muscle Shoals has always been an amalgamation of many of the best elements of American rock music.  This one simply resides more on the rock side of the spectrum.

Following the release of Not Here three years ago, Transmissions finds songwriter Jay Burgess revealing his thoughts about the love and the associated highs and lows that love brings.  He paints on a broad rock tapestry that packs more juicy earworms than your favorite Britpop stars, driven by an melodic and rhythmic platform bristling with energy.  The band then embellishes its creations with experimental sonic details, adding a distinctive flavor to the proceedings.  The album is a succession of highlight tracks from start to finish, so to avoid making ourselves crazy choosing favorite tracks, we simply provide the first three songs of the album below.  It is a rare album that can be showcased in that fashion, but Transmissions is such a rare album.  For our part, this album will be on replay for a long time, and we expect you will read about it again on our year-end list of favorite albums.

The Pollies are Jay Burgess (guitars/vocals), Spencer Duncan (bass/vocals), Jon Davis (drums/percussion), and Clint Chandler (keys).  Additional contributions were by Cody Gasser, Anson Hohne, Miles Jordan, Toby Hartleroad, Max Hartleroad, John Paul White, Amber Murray, Jon Davis, and Rob Aldridge.  Transmissions is out now via This Is American Music.








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