"Tone of Voice" by Honey 2 Honey

Melbourne's Chapter Music is a "go to" kind of label.  We've covered electronic, club, pop, rock, and many, many guitar pop releases put out by these fine gents.  We've been wondering when their first release of the year would arrive, but we wonder no more.  Our ears have now had the pleasure of meeting Honey 2 Honey, via single "Tone Of Voice".  Firmly on the club side of the spectrum, it is the product of a Canberra/Sydney collaboration among Roy Stenning, Luke Keanan-Brown, Del Lumanta, and Daryl Prondoso, and is taken from their forthcoming EP A Taste Of.  Expect - no, anticipate - some jazz, dub, R&B and even Krautrock.  But for now, enjoy "Tone Of Voice".






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Chapter Music page for pre-orders of the EP

Attic Lights - Love In The Time Of Shark Attacks

After a lengthy quiet period, Glasgow's Attic Lights are back  with another satisfying album of power pop, the curiously titled Love In The Time Of Shark Attacks.  Adeptly echoing the best of '70s and '90s guitar pop, and in no small measure channeling Teenage Fanclub and Weezer, the hooks are plentiful and the melodies sugary.  We are always on the lookout for power pop that makes our day brighter, and if you are like us you will find what you need on Love In The Time Of Shark Attacks.

Attic Lights are Kev Sherry, Colin McArdle, Jamie Houston, and Noel O'Donnell.  Love In The Time Of Shark Attacks is out now via Spanish label Elefant Records.










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Delsbo Beach Club - Four Tracks & A Burger EP

It was almost dinner time, and we were hungry.  Hungry for food, but also hungry for some good music.  So we pulled into our favorite (and highly secret) place, and ordered Four Tracks & A Burger.  Our mission was accomplished in a very satisfying fashion.  We can't share the burger with you because we ate it.  But we aren't ungenerous, so we hereby present all you need to get your own Four Tracks & A Burger.  It will be made by the fine indie rock craftsmen at the Delsbo Beach Club, which insiders know to be a premium purveyor of such items for those hungry fans who find themselves in Sweden. We understand that you probably are not, at this moment, in Sweden.  However, due to the magic of the internet and the tasteful distributors at Stockholm's Rama Lama Records, you don't even need to be in Sweden to get your own Four Tracks & A Burger.  So visit the Bandcamp link and get your own copy of fuzz, melody, energy, and a very low calorie burger.

For this recording, Delsbo Beach Club are Erik Björklund, Aron Lange, Alexander Kuronen, Max Englund.



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"Skinny Dipping" by Dreams of Empire

Sundays may not have been invented for dream pop, but we think it likely that dream pop was tailor made for Sundays.  So here is "Skinny Dipping" dreamy new single by Brighton's Dreams of Empire.  The project of Andrew and Jane Craig, who create majestic walls of sound in which you are invited to loose yourself.  And if you are like us, you happily will do so.






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Mike Krol - Power Chords

Disappointment, heartache, disaffection, impossible expectations, multiple overlapping messes?  Could be your life, could be our life.  And it happens to be the script for Power Chords, the new album by L.A.'s Mike Krol.  However, Power Chords also stands as a glorious example of loud, fuzzy, hook-filled indie rock and power pop.  There is plenty of noise, and plenty of musical sugar.  Moreover, while the production serves up the music well, enough ragged edges are left to remind us of the subject matter and the style.

To our ears, this is a complete package of vibrant, vital rock with a big heart and astute craftsmanship.  Of course, we have no idea whether it will catch on with the masses, but don't let it fly under your radar.  Get it, you won't be disappointed.

Power Chords is out now via Merge Records.







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"Don't Let Go Of The Light" by The Golden Rail

For you listening pleasure, we present the guitar pop goodness that is "Don't Let Go Of The Light".  The creators are the Melbourne-based The Golden Rail.  The song is taken from their second album, Sometimes When, which is out this month.  "Don't Let Go Of The Light" is a free digital download, and also can be purchased in CD format.

And check out the full Sometimes When here. The Golden Rail are Jeff Baker, Dave Chadwick, Ian Freeman, and Saki Garth.




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"Slipstream" (video) by Holiday Ghosts

Left to our own unrestrained predilections, we would now provide effusive text regarding the wonders in West Bay Playroom, the upcoming album by Falmouth, UK's Holiday Ghosts.  However, the album won't be released by PNKSLM until February 15, and if we leak the news that it is one of our favorite albums of the year so far, we will have less to say when we actually do the work of writing about the release of the album.  So we will just encourage you to enjoy the video for album track "Slipstream", and save your pennies for the album next month.





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"Daddy Issues" by Pip Blom

Midweek blahs -- we think everyone gets them, but the challenge is dealing with them.  We can settle in and wait for them to pass, or we can be proactive and wash them away.  Here at WMYA, we prefer the latter tactic.  So we will cue up some upbeat music to start our day.  Here, for everyone's benefit, is "Daddy Issues" by Dutch artist Pip Bloom.  Her debut album is titled Boat, and it will be released by Heavenly Recordings on May 31.  If opening track "Daddy Issues" is representative, it will be a good album.  We may have to play it every midweek morning.

Pip Blom will be at SXSW this year.



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The Cupholders - The Tractor EP

I once bought a used German luxury car that I thought had every convenience I would need in my typical trip on the road.  But one day as I was driving with a beverage in my hand I decided to put the beverage in the cupholder (as the statute of limitations may not have expired, we will use the generic term "beverage", and in the singular).  However, this luxury car was a 1991 sedan that the German engineers had not equipped with a cupholder.  I guess Germans were expected to drive 100mph on the Autobahn holding their, um, beverage.  OK for them, I suppose, but they haven't seen Seattle traffic.

The point for us here is that cupholders are one of those conveniences that we don't think about until we need one and it isn't available.  But when we need one and have one, we cherish it.  And that brings us to The Cupholders.  You may not have known heard their music before.  OK, chances are very high that you have never heard of them.  However, now you will hear them, and you will want to hear them again and cherish them.  Today's edition is The Tractor EP, which is the first of a series of EPs dedicated to watering holes in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle that have tolerated the members of The Cupholders over the years.  You will want to collect these EPs like those little Russian nesting dolls you Aunt collected, only while less colorful, the EPs will be a lot more fun.

The Cupholders are Bart Cameron (vocals/lead guitar), Casey Ruff (vocals/acoustic guitar), and Sam Russell (vocals/rhythm guitar), all veterans of other Seattle bands.  Friends Paul Beaudry, Kubby Casual, Dave Forrester, Colin J. Nelson, Ken Nottingham, and Shadrack Scott helped out with a variety of instruments and vocals, and Nelson recorded and mixed the songs.  The first song features Cameron, the second Ruff, and the third, Russell.  Don't ask me about the fourth song, I'm the guy who buys a car without a cupholder.

This is my kind of music, made by my kind of guys.  Like me, Cameron and Russell are from Wisconsin but have found their way to Seattle (Ruff is from Montana, but they have cows too, so it is all good).  This is honest, soulful rock, made for good times, good friends and plenty of beverages.  They will supply The Cupholders.




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Lying On Ice - The Dream

We increasingly receive dream pop offerings at WYMA, and most of them are very good.  Still, as we have limited time to devote to this hobby, we are selective (and sometimes arbitrary) in our choices.  However, we have no hesitation and make no apologies about bringing you The Dream.  The aptly named album by Lying In Ice, the duo consisting of Jesse Maddox and Angela Cross, have created a deeply textured and richly detailed tapestry of dreamy pop.  Warm and inventive, it is the perfect album to take a chill off of your winter days.

The Dream is out now in digital and CD formats; see the Bandcamp link below.





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"Backseat Warriors" by Misty Coast

Linn Frøkedal and Richard Myklebust are Misty Coast, a dream pop/shoegaze band from Bergen, Norway.  Their 2017 debut album earned a Norwegian Grammy nomination, and they are set to release their second LP, Melodaze, later this month.  You can take it for a test drive with "Backseat Warriors", their third single from the new record.  Featuring robust, but hazy, instrumentation, a pop-oriented melody and Frøkedal’s superb vocals, the song just makes our day better.

"Backseat Warriors" is out now via Norwegian label Brilliance/Moorworks, which also will release the new album.




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Vicious Petals - Main Street Lights

We recently were invited to attend a show in Seattle featuring Vicious Petals, but prior conflicts prevailed.  However, after checking out the band's 2016 album, Main Street Lights,  our regret became profound indeed.  The band has a completely wired soulful rock sound with great vocals, horns, passion and swagger.  The main focal points are songwriters Ayako Okano and Cooper Smith, but the ensemble numbers 8, and they hit like a freight train.










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"I've Got Too Many Friends" by Acrylic

Glasgow's Acrylic was formed in 2014, and has been gathering enthusiastic review for their live shows and critical acclaim for their spring 2018 EP All I Am.  This week the band started a new chapter with the taut but jangling "I've Got Too Many Friends".  A cautionary tale of souring relationships in a fine, rocking package, it shows the kind of talent that should keep this five-piece on your short list.

Acrylic are Andreas Christodoulidis, Ross Patrizio, Jack Lyall, Lewis Doig, and Ruairidh Smith.  "I've Got Too Many Friends" is out this week as a digital download.



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"Religion" by Pink Chameleons

We have enthusiastically followed Finnish band Black Lizard for a number of years, so we were thrilled to check out Pink Chameleons, which not only follow the same naming format (color + reptile), and the same country of origin, but boasts BL's Paltsa-Kai Salama on vocals and guitar.  The trio is completed by Antti Sauli on bass and Iiro Tulkki on drums and keys.  And Iiro also supplied the stop action animation for the video for their introductory single, "Religion.  Suffice it to say that the single is a good reason for you to check out Pink Chameleons as well.

"Religion" is out January 1 via Soliti Music.



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"Keep The Blues Away" by Business of Dreams

We know Corey Cunningham via his other projects, Smokescreens (link to coverage of 2018 debut), Terry Malts and Magic Bullets.  But we now have another CC project.   This one, Business of Dreams, has is origins in the emotional catharsis and reflection after the death of Corey's father.  But the resulting music also is varied guitar pop of the highest quality.  The new album Ripe for Anarchy will be available February 1 via Slumberland Records (see Bandcamp link below to pre-order), but you can test drive album closer "Keep The Blues Away" below.

The band is touring beginning Wednesday, January 16.  Dates and locations are at the bottom of this post.




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Jan 16 San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill (album release show w/The Love-Birds & Blues Lawyer)

Jan 17 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater (album release show w/Night Shop, AO Gerber & Nelson Hallonquist)

Jan 21 Toronto, ON – The Beguiling %

Jan 22 Ottawa, ON – Black Squirrel Books %

Jan 23 Montreal, QC – Brasserie Beaubien %

Jan 25 Brooklyn, NY – Alphaville *

Jan 26 Philadelphia, PA – Super Wimpy HQ *

Jan 27 Baltimore, MD – Joe 2 *

Jan 29 Indianapolis, IN – State Street Pub

Jan 30 Detroit, MI – Outer Limits

May 1 Paris, FR – Mains D’Oeuvres

May 5 Berlin, DE – Internet Explorer

% - with Tough Age

* - with Corduroy

"Drive On" by Dreams of Empire

We'd be happy to tell you more about Dreams of Empire, but we know very little.  It is a two-person project from Brighton, UK.  One creates an enthralling crash of guitar, while the other provides dreamy, reverbed vocals.  And it is wonderful.

No website or Facebook that we could find -- just a Twitter account and "Drive On" on Soundcloud that you should be able to find at your preferred digital retailer.




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"Bubble" by I Was A King

Today we received an email with the happy news that Norwegian power pop legends I Was A King would be presenting us a new album titled Slow Century in early March.  The album was produced by Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub, and will be released by Coastal Town Recordings.  March seems like a long time away, but you can sample the goodies via album track "Bubble" below.

I Was A King are Frode Strømstad, Anne Lise Frøkedal, Ole Reidar Gudmestad, and Arne K. Mathisen.



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Current Affairs - Breeding Feeling

We are at the end of another work week, and that doesn't make us the least bit sad.  But our Friday is even better with the discovery of Breeding Feeling, the two track single by Glasgow's Current Affairs.  Consisting of the title track and "Draw the Line", it mines a dark pop vein with guitars dishing out an icy jangle with plenty of reverb.  If you like The Cure, Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Josef K (and we certainly do), this will tickle your musical sweet spot.

Current Affairs are Joan, Seb, Josh, and Andrew, an all-star group with credits including The Royal We, Seconds, Rose McDowall's band, Anxiety, The Downs, Jacob Yates, Sopping, and Kaspar Hauser.  Breeding Feeling is out now via Not Unloved Records.



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"Dreaming" by Skytone

I don't think there is a rule requiring a jangle pop/dream pop band to write at least one song with a variation of "dream" in the title, but perhaps there should be.  In any case, if such a rule were to be adopted, Canadian duo (we don't count the drum machine in the headcount unless it also receives songwriting credit) Skytone has it covered.  Their new single "Dreaming" has the title, the jangle, and a delightful '60 British Invasion vibe.  Oh, and it is a name your price download.  Deal of the week, folks.

Skytone are Rodney and Darius Doddridge.  They release their music on Ottawa's This Is Beautiful Music label.




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Blue Jeans - Adult Hits

Ah, a new year, bringing new resolutions, new projects, new clothes, and new blue jeans.  No, that list isn't redundant -- the 'blue jeans' to which we refer is the Michigan quartet of Tim Sendra, Heather Phares, David Serra, and Fred Thomas, aka Blue Jeans.  The project is starting out our 2019 in fine fashion with their second album, the ten-track Adult Hits.  Mining the sweet-sounding melancholy pop vein we crave and colored with a palette of scrappy muscle, urgent jangle and sharp hooks, the album is a musical statement of a band that has found their stride.  The vocalists may smile bravely while their hearts are breaking, but as music fans, we can only smile.  Check out the goods below, and at the Bandcamp link.

Adult Hits is out now in digital and cassette formats via Life Like/Loch Alpine Records.







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The Shifters - Have A Cunning Plan

Chicago's Trouble In Mind Records continues their enviable streak of finding good guitar pop bands regardless of origin, but have been particularly sharp-eared with southern hemisphere bands of late.  Among others, last year featured Melbourne's The Shifters, with Have A Cunning Plan.  Released in July, the band's debut album features wit, rhythmic, sometimes off-kilter arrangements and, overall, a very addictive set of songs.  Listeners may find some similarities with Boomgates, Twerps, Terry (whose Al Monfort recorded the album), The Fall, and some early Flying Nun bands.  But those are just touchstones, not models.  This lot is inventive and completely on their own wavelength.  Smart, taut, and not too serious.  Sounds like a perfect game plan to us.

The Shifters are Miles Jansen (vocals/guitar/melodica), Tristan Davies (bass/guitar/melodica), Louise Russell (keys/vocals), Ryan Coffey (drums/vocals), and Chris Gray (guitar/bass).








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Earth to Zena - Transmundane

Transmudane offers listeners a six-track stew of shoegaze, psychedelia and alternative rock, and it is well worth your ears.  The work of Wellington, New Zealand four-piece Earth to Zena, the EP combines dense sound with pop sensibilities.  The songs are well-crafted, and the band displays a masterful feel for the material, allowing the songs to grow and reveal themselves in colorful layers.

Earth to Zena are Renee Cotton (vocals/synths), Barton McGuire (guitar), Alex Sipanhioglu (bass), and Nic Allan (drums).  Transmudane is out now in CD and digital formats; see the Bandcamp link below.





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Loose Tooth - Keep Up

If you are here, you love good guitar pop music.  So have a Loose Tooth.   Oh, did that suggestion trigger your fears of the dentist's chair?  We apologize, but assure you that this Loose Tooth won't require cutting or yanking and will cost much less than an implant.  A trio from Melbourne, this Loose Tooth creates hyper-catchy tunes with terrific harmonies and a vibe that reminds me of '80s pop in all of the good ways.  Their 2018 LP is Keep Up, offering 11 tracks that will allow you to keep moving to ward off the chill, or strut on the beach in sunshine, depending on your hemisphere of choice.

Loose Tooth are Etta Curry (vocals/drums), Nellie Jackson (vocals/guitar) and Luc Dawson (vocals/bass/guitar/keys).  Dale Packard assisted with some sweet sax.  Keep Up is available in digital and vinyl formats via Milk! Records.








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Strawberry Generation - Losing Our Way

Our thanks to all of you who kept checking in for the past week and a half while we skied, drank beer, snowshoed, drank wine, and otherwise slacked off.  However, be are back and starting to brink you some bands to discover and tunes to enjoy.  Our first post of this new year brings you Losing Our Way, the four-song release by Strawberry Generation.  Energy, jangle, adept songcraft and interesting lyrics.  Happy 2019!

Strawberry Generation are Luk Yean, Valerie Zhu,  Max Lowndes, Michelle Bazile,  and Alejandro Subiotto Marqués.  The band is based in Providence, Rhode Island.





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