Lame Drivers are Jason Sigal (guitar), Joe Posner (bass), and Jeff Wood (drums). Become An Island will be out in vinyl, CD and digital formats on June 28 via Jigsaw Records and Bleeding Gold Records.
And as an extra treat, here is the previously released title track for the album --
Lightheaded are Sarah Abdlebarry (guitar), Stephen Stec (guitar), Cynthia Rickenbach (bass) (apologies to the drummer as we don't have his name).
Lightheaded are, simply, a great pop group. Their songs are full of melody and harmony, are bittersweet and memorable, familiar yet original. Their sound is a perfect mix of jangling guitars -- featuring Sarah Abdlebarry's exquisite, tasteful, but punchy Gretsch lead played over Stephen Stec's Rickenbacker chime -- anchored to singer Cynthia Rickenbach's Hofner Violin bass, which sounds like the bass on Michel Polnareff's first LP.
"Hugging Horizons" is the Sound of Young New Jersey. It's soul music, but by experimenting and playing around, they have accidentally invented some sort of New New Pop. "Because of You" ends the album on a real high, featuring Johnny Marr style guitar and some gorgeous strings. It's poignant and sophisticated, but still eager, slightly gauche even. And as always refreshingly, wonderfully, naively sincere.
Combustible Gems is a jump into the sparkling blue water, excited experimentation, exploration, finding themselves, with the effervescence of youth that makes for great debut LPs. It has the youthful urgency of Comet Gain, the wide-eyed nostalgia of early Orange Juice, the suss and anti-macho swagger of those early Pastels singles. It yearns for something, it is an exciting, stumbling, falling, laughing , charming, great pop debut.
Here is a relaxing, folky pop tune about a very unrelaxing event: The Big Bang, You know, the world explodes and everyone is burnt toast, blown to smithereens or whatever happens in The Big Bang. The event sounds scary, but the "Everyone" is ultra cool so we have that going for us, which is nice. Besides, the central message is that we are all connected, even if it takes The Big Bang to demonstrate it.
The song is by Auckland, New Zealand's Voom and is out now as a digital single via Flying Nun.
With clear-eyed introspection and determination to chronicle her journey to find her true self through the layers of expectations and perspectives of others, Yea-Ming Chen has created an authentically-voiced collage of her journey titled I Can't Have It All. She -- along with her band Yea-Ming and The Rumours -- also have crafted a top quality pop album. With tracks of '90s twee oriented guitar pop and country shaded folk rock, and melancholy but beautifully sung lyrics riding bright melodies and sweet hooks, this album deserves to be a regular on your summer soundtrack.
In addition to Yea-Ming, the players are Eoin Galvin, Sonia Hayden, Jen Weisberg, and Luke Robbins. I Can't Have It All is out now via Dandy Boy Records.
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Our track of the day is "Nightbug". All atmosphere, gritty riffs and swaggering vocals, it makes us yearn for the nightlife, as well as prompting gratitude for the replay button. The song is the latest from Wellington, New Zealand band Mystery Waitress, and it is the first single from their upcoming LP Black Black Night. Look for the album August 2 via Flying Nun. And if you live nearby, listen for the album blasting from our speakers.
Mystery Waitress are Tess Dillon, Olivia Campion, Xanthe Rook, and James Morgan.
Duck will be released via Melbourne's Spoilsport Records and, in the US, Earth Libraries.
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In recent weeks we had received several messages from publicists to check out a band named Personal Trainer. Because were are busy, had never heard of the band, and were so-so on the name, we didn't check them out. Then today we received a message about the release of a video for "Round" along with the announcement that the band's new LP, Still Willing, will be out on August 2 via Bella Union. We watched. And we watched again. And again. The song has a crunchy, pop rock vibe and the video is very amusing. So let us now say that we have discovered a new band that everyone should check out. A big welcome the Dutch masters, Personal Trainer!
Bandcamp for pre-orders of Still Willing
Neptune is out now in digital and vinyl formats via Madrid's Meritorio Records. Stephen's Shore are Viktor Sjodin, Johan Dittmer, Mattias Bergqvist, P.A. Blomqvist, and Erik Stackpole Undehn.
We expect that at this point indie pop fans, especially those fans that read this blog, need no introduction to The Reds, Pinks & Purples. But that familiarity does nothing to blunt the excitement about a new recording from the San Francisco project. So we eagerly welcome Unwishing Well -- ten songs of peerless pop craftmanship that looks at the music industry and the life of a musician from the inside looking out and the outside looking in. Those of us who have been following the band's music could be tempted to say that they have created their own sub-genre. Nevertheless, there are shifts from album to album. To our ears, Unwishing Well is both more nostalgic and wearier as compared to its most recent predecessor, and the pace of many of the songs seem to echo that weariness. But the musical and lyrical delights abound and the listener is rewarded as repeated listens reveal nuances that may have escaped notice on the first play; after all, the melodies do tend to demand attention on the first play of any recording by The Reds, Pinks & Purples. We heartily commend it to every indie pop fan.
Unwishing Well is out now via Slumberland Records and Tough Love Records.
With "You Belong With Us" we welcome you to the world of Sad Eyed Beatniks. We think this song is jangling lo-fi excellence from the heart of the Bay Area's lo-fi jangle pop scene; it is a warm hug of acceptance while your tears still run down your face. What else would one expect from Kevin Linn, who runs Paisley Shirt Records when not being the sad eyed beatnik? And especially when he is assisted by Cindy/Flowertown mates Karina Gill and Mike Ramos (you see all three in the homemade video below). The song is the first single from the upcoming Ten Brocades LP, due July 12 in digital and vinyl formats via Meritorio Records.
We don't like to over-promise, so we'll just close by saying that this album will be superb.
On Fool's Mate, his second full length album under his own name, R.E. Seraphin proves himself a rocker at heart. And not just a rocker, but a clever, adept rock craftsman. The songs on this album have are structured on driving rhythms and buzzing rock riffs, adorned with vocals delivered in a semi-whisper reminiscent of Jim Reid of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Ray's guitar is a standout -- versatile and commanding -- but it doesn't overshadow the songwriting or the contributions of the other players. The arrangements are lean without being stripped down, and the quality of the playing, production and songwriting is consistent throughout. This may well be one of the best rock albums we hear this year, and when add it to Ray's recent EPs and previous album, we think the man has created an admirable discography in a few years.
In addition, contributors to Fool's Mate included Joel Cusumano, Daniel Pearce, Josh Miller, Luke Robbins, Owen Adair Kelley, and Hannah Moriah. Jason Quever of the Papercuts produced the album. The album is out now via Safe Suburban Home Records and Take A Turn Records.
Yea-Ming and The Rumours contemplate the false image of full contentment with "Ruby" and treat us to a look back at innocence of "Somebody's Daughter". Those are just two of the joys that await us on May 23 when new album I Can't Have It All is released via Dandy Boy Records.
No, we can't have it all, but sometimes we can have great music.
We like all the music we feature here, but we have favorites. It is human nature. And one of those favorites is Melbourne's fantastic Quivers. They create terrific pop music, put on a great live show, and are nice people.
Earlier today Quivers let us know that they have signed to Merge Records and will release new album Oyster Cuts on August 9. We would be thrilled if the new album matched the highs of their previous Golden Doubt, but based on the first single -- "Apparition" -- we dare dream that it will surpass their debut. It is bold, bright and confident with crunchy guitars and a buoyant chorus. This album is going to be so, so good!
As we mentioned, Quivers are a good live show and they have an ambitious tour schedule beginning in June. The dates and venues are at the bottom of this post.
Tour Dates
Australian Shows:
Jun 14 Kyneton, VIC – Major Tom’s
Jun 15 Beechworth, VIC – Tanswells
Jun 21 Melbourne, VIC – Northcote Social Club
Aug 30 Adelaide, SA – Queen's Theatre
Sep 06 Ballarat, VIC – The Eastern
Sep 07 Castlemaine, VIC – The Bridge Hotel
Nov 1 Canberra, ACT – Sideways
Nov 2 Sydney, NSW – Waywards
Nov 3 Port Kembla, NSW – The Servo
Nov 15 Hobart, TAS – Altar
Nov 16 Brisbane, QLD – Black Bear Lodge
US Tours:
Jul 26 Carrboro, NC – Merge 35 Festival
July 29 Seattle, WA - Substation
Jul 31 Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
Aug 01 Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
Aug 02 Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong
Aug 03 Philadelphia, PA – TBA
Aug 04 Richmond, VA – Get Tight Lounge
Oct 14 Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner*
Oct 15 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall*
Oct 16 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue*
Oct 17 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room*
Oct 18 Sioux Falls, SD – Icon Lounge*
Oct 19 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater*
Oct 21 Austin, TX – Radio / East*
Oct 22 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall*
Oct 23 New Orleans, LA – Toulouse Theatre*
* w/ Superchunk
Europe / U.K. Tour: (More TBA soon):
Dec 03 Dresden, DE – Ostpol
Dec 05 Hamburg, DE – Hebebühne
Dec 06 Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
Dec 10 Paris, FR – Supersonic
Dec 11 London, UK – The Lexington
Dec 12 Manchester, UK – Castle Hotel
