"The Gown" by The Bats

 

In our view, The Bats were magic in the early '80s and they continue to be magic in 2025. They don't do it with bombast, frills, gimmicks, or by following the style du jour. They do it with sharp songwriting, relatable themes, personal connection, and quality performances. This week brought striking song "The Gown", which is the third single from their upcoming LP Corner Coming Up. The instrumentation is slightly restrained for a tune from this band, but with the percussion and bass up in the mix. Atmospheric and haunting, "The Gown" underscores that The Bats are not resting on their laurels. We think it is best appreciated with the volume turned up.

The Bats are Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean, and Malcolm Grant. Corner Coming Up will be released October 17 via Flying Nun Records.

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"Caught Onto You" and "Death of a Dog" by The Great Divides

 

Bright guitars, captivating stories and a DIY ethos? That's what we like! Check out the first two singles by Melbourne's The Great Divides. "Caught Onto You" and "Death of a Dog" are both taken from the band's upcoming LP, (i'm sure). Expect to be charmed. Expect to be entertained. Expect to make a note that the album drops on November 15 via Spoilsport Records.

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Slack Times - Gone Things EP

 

How about some jangle and chime perfection for a mid-week pick up? Yes, just what our moods needed. We introduce you to the Gone Things EP by Birmingham, Alabama's Slack Times. It consists of four tracks that will fill you with that indie pop bliss we all crave.

Slack Times are Chris McCauley, Abby Anderson, and Stuart Norman. Gone Things is out now in digital and cassette formats via Meritorio Records.

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"Spooky Signals" by Best Bets

 

Of the upcoming albums on our schedule one of the best bets to makes us smile and earn repeated replays is The Hollow Husk of Feeling by, coincidentally, Best Bets. It will be the New Zealand band's second album and is due on September 27 via Meritorio Records (Eur/USA/Can) and Melted Ice Cream (NZ/rest of the universe). The second single is the amusingly sinister "Spooky Signals, featuring a festival of wiry and jangling guitars and some abuse of beer cans. Our only criticism is that it appears much beer was spilled in the filming.

Best Bets are Olly Crawford Ellis, James Harding, Matt Phimmavanh, and Joe Sampson. James and Olly are members of Transistors and Joe has been in Salad Boys, T54 and other projects (including the label Melted Ice Cream). 

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"Don't Give Yourself Away" and "Telephone" by Dropkick

 

A couple of years ago we raved about an album from Scotland's Dropkick (our feature here). In the meantime we have covered releases from another project engaging Dropkick's principal songwriter, Andrew Taylor: The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness. But our gaze turns back to Andrew's main band as it is poised to release a new album in April. Titled The Wireless Revolution, we expect that it will feature the sweet jangle and even sweeter vocal harmonies for which this band is deservedly loved. And you can get a preview of the reason for that love on the first two singles from the album. Stream them below and enjoy!

Dropkick is Andrew Taylor, Ian Grier, and Alan Shields. The Wireless Revolution will be out via Hurrah Musica (Murcia) and Rock Indiana Records (Madrid).

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"Arboretum Miles" / "Estates of Sparking Haze" by Laughing Chimes

 

As we wrote in our last post, today is full of jangle with a San Francisco flavor at WYMA World Headquarters. While Laughing Chimes aren't San Francisco residents, the Athens, Ohio band is on the roster of Bay Area's Slumberland Records, and their new single has a full dose of jangle and chime. The two-song release is "Arboretum Miles" / "Estates of Sparking Haze", and follows closely the band's debut EP from last November (our feature here).

This new single further confirms the grasp songwriters Evan and Quinn Seurkamp have on the sound of classic jangle pop of the '80s and '90s, and a bit of British Invasion as well, despite all of that happening before they were born. Thematically, youthful hopes and yearnings and washes of melancholy are timeless and, when done as well as this, quite affecting.

The record is out now as a digital release via Slumberland Records.

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"Coming to Your Town" by Chime School

 

Today at WYMA is a mostly jangle day, and a San Francisco day as well. First up is the new two-track single by Chime School, the Rickenbacker-driven project founded by Andy Pastalaniec (Seablite/Cruel Summer). The band's self-titled album from 2021 impressed us greatly (our feature here), so we were eager to learn what new treats we coming. We listened, and were weren't disappointed. The A-side is "Coming to Your Town", a more muscular jangler addressing the reactionary turn of some San Francisco citizens during the pandemic. The B-side is a jangling version of Buzzcock's "Love You More". And in our view, covers of Buzzcocks are always encouraged. 

The release date for the record is scheduled for April 7, and will be out via Slumberland Records (North America), Meritorio Records (Europe) and Fastcut Records (Japan)..

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The Catburgers - Dreamworld Sessions

 

We can't claim to have been lucky enough to have seen The Catburgers perform in Edinburgh back in the '80s, but probably not many can. More would have heard them if the songs that they recorded for Dan (Television Personalities) Treacy's Dreamword label had ever worked their way to the top of the "print" list, but that didn't happen either. Fortunately the good folks at Copenhagen's FELT label grabbed those recordings and had them remastered. The result is the three-song Dreamworld Sessions. The 7" is available in vinyl or digital at the links below. You might be interested if you are into collecting Scottish music, or it you are a jangle pop fan, or you are a C86 era obsessive, or if you thrill to collecting rare music. But our reason is simple -- these are damn fine tunes that we would want whenever and wherever recorded by anybody. So there!

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Field School - When Summer Comes

 

At times like this we wish that we had purchased the deluxe box of superlatives because the subject of this feature certainly is worthy. Charles Bert, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Math & Physics Club, refused to let the isolation of the pandemic prevent him from creating music. He began his solo project Field School and released a couple of EPs on a small label started by a friend. But quality has a way of finding a broader audience, and Charles' debut LP When Summer Comes is now available via Spanish label Bobo Integral. For fans of the sweet and bittersweet tunes of Math & Physics Club, and more generally for fans of jangling indie pop, the album is everything we could wish for and more.

The DIY ethos of hometown legends K Records seems to come naturally to Charles. But his musical feet remain firmly planted in the jangle and twee channel of Sarah Records, as well as numerous labelmates at Bobo Integral. What elevates the songs on When Summer Comes above others in that category, however, are the incisive writing and sincere performances. The listener can feel the joy and the melancholy, and enjoy the self-effacing humor. And even the more melancholy tunes benefit from Charles' relatively light touch, leaving the listener with a warm feeling and an understandable desire to hit "replay". This certainly is one of the jangle pop albums of the year.

When Summer Comes is out now in digital and vinyl formats.

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"Jennifer Valentine" by Field School

 We are just a week away from the drop of an album that all indie pop fans should have on their wish list: When Summer Comes by Field School. We have shared a couple of singles from the album previously, but just in case you still have doubts or missed the earlier post, one listen to the final single, the yearning "Jennifer Valentine", should seal the deal. The song has made our "song obsession" list.

Field School is Olympia, Washington's Charles Bert. When Summer Comes LP, which will be out November 18 via Bobo Integral.

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Bandcamp for When Summer Comes

"Ice Cream Skies" by The Laughing Chimes

 

The optimism of youth plus an appreciation for the enduring appeal of jangle pop provide us with a couple of highlight tracks for our Saturday night. The band is The Laughing Chimes, consisting of teenage brothers Evan and Quinn Seurkamp. The Southeast Ohio duo have signed to Slumberland, and soon will release the six-song Zoo Avenue EP. The first single released from the EP is the jaunty "Ice Cream Skies". But just to let you know that the boys aren't one-hit wonders, we included a stream of the single edit of another of the EP's tracks, "Laurel Heights Court".

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Smashing Times -Bloom

 

Bloom deserves a lot more fanfare than we have observed about it. Thirteen tracks of jangling, twee folk rock, vibrant psychedelic pop and freakbeat reminding us variously of Felt, The Jasmine Minks, Sneaky Feelings and Television Personalities, and sounding to us a lot like a well-curated playlist of hits. But despite the wide influences, and perhaps partially because of them, the album sounds fresh and original. Of course, credit for that largely goes to the writing and execution by The Smashing Times.

The five-piece resides in Baltimore, Maryland, although their musical hearts seem well traveled in place to the UK, New Zealand and California, and in time to the '60s, '80s and '90s. But our musical hearts travel the same spots in the time-space continuum, which may explain why an album new to our ears sounds like it has been in our brains forever. One listen was all it took to move Bloom to our list of favorite albums this year, and repeated listens find it insinuating up the ranks. We highly recommend that your treat your ears.

Bloom is out now via Spanish label Meritorio Records.

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"Don't Let This Moment Pass You By" by Field School

Today's special song is "Don't Let This Moment Pass You By" by Field School. The song is a wistful slice of sunny, jangling pop that reflects and honors the artist's Puget Sound DIY predecessors (including his former bands). It is the third and final single from the upcoming When Summer Comes LP, which will be out November 18 via Bobo Integral. It is one of our eagerly anticipated albums for this calendar year.

Field School is Olympia, Washington's Charles Bert.

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Bandcamp for When Summer Comes

The Chesterfields - New Modern Homes

 

There are a number of bands that those of us who are, well, of a mature age remember fondly but don't expect to see again or record new music. As you would expect if you are a regular reader here, a number of UK guitar pop bands from the '80s would fall into that category. So imagine our surprise and genuine delight to discover that English band The Chesterfields have just released an album of new music. The band had been active in the later half of the '80s, disbanded, briefly reformed in the early '90s, and then again to play New York Pop Fest in the middle of the last decade. Their new album is New Modern Homes consisting of 12 tracks that recall the jangle and scruff of the C86 era of their origin, but also reflect some well polished updating. Treat your ears to some classic jangle pop, a bit of Television Personalities skewed pop, and some harder edged songs with a wash of psychedelia. This is a reunion to celebrate.

For New Modern Homes The Chesterfields are Simon Barber (bass/vocals), Rob Parry (drums), Helen Stickland (guitar/vocals), and Andy Strickland (guitar/vocals). Founding member Dave Goldsworthy died in 2003. The album is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats.

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The Radio Field - Simple EP

 

Jangling and chiming guitars for a Friday? Yes, please! Treat your ears to Simple EP by The Radio Field. TRF is new side project by Lars Schmidt (also a member of  Germany's Subterfuge Band). He has a couple of other projects as well. Apparently, Lars does not like to be idle, so the second German lock down prompted a purchase of a 12 string Rickenbacker and a bout or writing and recording. The result is to upbeat janglers and two more melancholy tunes.

Other contributors to the EP were Josephine De Mogan (backing vocals), Gustav Andrees (backing vocals), Daniel Klingen (drums/mixing), Kai Blankenberg (mastering), and Carsten Johannisbauer (artwork support). Simple EP is out today via Subterfuge Band's Less Records and Subjangle. By the way, Subterfuge Band released the very good Dots LP earlier this year (our feature here).

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The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness - The Third Wave Of ...

 

In their third outing as The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness Andrew Taylor (also of Dropkick) and Gonzalo Marcos (also of El Palacio De Linares) have crafted an album that unspools like a top rated doctoral thesis in jangle pop and power pop. Listening to The Third Wave Of ..., you can guess the influences from Europe to the United States to New Zealand, but TBWTPN blend and evoke rather than imitate. The songs are consistently excellent which is all the remarkable because the duo reside in different countries (Scotland and Spain, respectively) and collaborate long distance. We note that "Isolation", the third track, also features vocals by Mary Lou Lord.

 The Third Wave Of ... is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Bobo Integral Records

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Neil Brogan - Things Keep Getting In The Way

 

Neil Brogan is a master of concise guitar pop nuggets. He charmed and thrilled us with his former project Sea Pinks and his solo work, and he continues to earn our praise with his new album Things Keep Getting In The Way. His sweet spot has been jangling, chiming, crunchy tunes with a good coat of sunny California vibes. Sure, he is in Belfast, but location is a state of mind. But while there are plenty of such songs on this album, Neil shows a deft touch with quieter, more reflective tunes such as "Build Back Better". Throughout the listener is treated to keep observations and wry humor to add substance to the hooks, riffs and bouncing rhythms. 

We had a brief editorial debate about whether the album is front-loaded or back-loaded, but decided that it was a trick question. The album is just plain loaded. This may be Neil's best, most consistent work. And for a man that has impressed us for a long time, that is quite a feat.

Things Keep Getting In The Way is self-released and is out now. See the Bandcamp link below.

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"Back To The Days Of I Don't Knows" by Yea-Ming & The Rumours

 

One of my favorite types of posts is a post about a current song obsession. I realize that not every reader will invariably have the same feeling about a song, but I feel better just highlighting a song that moves me. So that brings us to the perfect melancholy jangle of "Back To The Days Of I Don't Knows" by Oakland's Yea-Ming & The Rumours. The song appears on the band's recent LP So, Bird ... and the song was included in our feature of the album three months ago (link). However, a second post for the tune is timely, not just because it has been newly cast in video form (see below), but because there has been a second pressing of the album. Since the first set of vinyl was quickly snapped up, this fortunate circumstance gives those who missed out on vinyl the first time a second chance. And all of us sinners love second chances (I've been known to angle for third and fourth chances, but decline to disclose my success rate).

So don't sleep on this opportunity, folks. This is great, classic songwriting. And if the first pressing sold out, the second pressing may as well. The album is out via Dandy Boy Records in the US and Lilystars Records in the Philippines.

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Various links for the album

Bubblegum Lemonade - Never Have I Ever EP

 

One of our favorite janglepop artists is Laz McCluskey, aka Bubblegum Lemonade. A fan of, and influenced by, The Byrds, The Monkeys and other purveyors of upbeat, jangling guitar pop, the Rickenbacker-wielding dude has been thrilling us for years. Later this year he will deliver new 12-track LP Jangleadelica. But the new treats start right now, as Laz has released a three-song EP titled Never Have I Ever. The title track is taken from the upcoming album and is an effervescent delight. The other songs on the EP are "Sun Kiss Of Life" and "At The Pool", both non-album tracks. Sounds like summer, doesn't it.

The EP is available now via Matinee Recordings and other digital sellers.

Matinée Recordings · Bubblegum Lemonade - Never Have I Ever

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Go Sailor - Go Sailor

As an indie pop fan, you very well may have a collection of Go Sailor music. But if you have none, or a collection that you find less than complete, the music gods have smiled upon you through their vessel Slumberland Records. The label has re-released a fine collection of the beloved lo fi, twee trio, comprised of all three of Go Sailor's singles plus additional tracks. The self titled comp originally appeared in 2011 but quickly went out of print -- an indie pop tragedy that now has been rectified. However, we must admit that due to our COVID travails and business commitments, as well as the popularity of this album, the vinyl is already sold out. However, the album remains available for digital download.

Go Sailor was Rose Melberg, Amy Linton, and Paul Curran.

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