Another release on Bedroom this time from Agent Simple, a 25 year old with a fine set of hair! Titled "I Got Mad At The Kids" it features 4 tracks, two of which are available on his website. Both tracks, which last a couple of minutes each, are rich in promise and hint at great things ahead. I really like the catchiness of "My Punk" and Jens Lekman must be looking over his shoulder as his position as the favourite Swedish singer/songwriter could be under threat!
Agent Simple - My Punk
Agent Simple - Make a right at Jordfallsmotet
Buy it at Songs I Wish I Had Written or direct from Bedroom
The Flame are a Swedish Lo-fi supergroup comprising of The Rough Bunnies and All My Brother's Girlfriends and I have just come across their debut release on Songs I Wish I had Written. Titled "Pump Up The Jam" it seems that the new indie-folk music (some call it anti-folk) is now reaching Sweden and although these are good tracks they are certainly not a patch on the music of The Rough Bunnies (i've not heard All My Brother's Girlfriends until writing this) but judge for yourself via the tracks below.
The Flame - See How I Smile #1
The Flame - When We Were Kids
You can buy the EP at Songs I Wish I had Written or Bedroom
The Rough Bunnies - Dance With Your Shadow
The Rough Bunnies - Poppy Eye
Burn your own Rough Bunnies CDR completed with artwork.
All of My Brother's Girlfriends - Breakfast
All Of My Brother's Girlfriends - Number Two In The Fall Suite
Seek and You Will Find is a free album download showcasing some Swedish bands which I came across on the Labrador forums. It's been made available by Claywear which is a Swedish clothing company.
I've not listened to all the tracks yet but the track by The Radio Arts is quite catchy!
The Radio Arts - Walk Right Through
Download the whole album or just individual tracks here. Links to the bands featured on the compilation can be found here.
I have been playing the two EP's by Suburban Kids With Biblical Names quite a bit lately. Titled simply #1 and #2 they are packed with rich pop songs you just want to keep listening too. They were signed by Labrador after placing some songs on the internet which got a positive response from those who heard them.
Their best track by far is "Rent A Wreck" from #1 but that's not to say the others are any way weaker.
Oh yeah - they are Swedish.
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Rent A Wreck
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Trumpets & Violins
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Julsang
The EP's are currently available and an album is due for release in August.
For some strange reason I have two copies of #2. So if you fancy the spare one send me an e-mail to blog at indie-mp3 dot co dot uk naming the two members of Suburban Kids With Biblical Names. First correct one out of the hat wins. Closing date is July 5th 2005.
I saw The Bridge Gang for the first time last night. They sounded quite raw and grungey in parts but I put that down to the constraints of the venue (Islington's Hope and Anchor). However you could see that they have something special about them and if there is any justice in this world they should go onto bigger and better things. I will post the link to a SoundsXP review shortly.
We chatted to the band after the gig and they graciously lost to SoundsXP on the pool table as well. Only after we mentioned that they would get a bad review if we lost you understand!!!
They are playing some more dates in London over the next couple of months with the next one due on July 28th at the Bull and Gate, Kentish Town Road, London.
If you have not done so yet download the following two tracks:
The Bridge Gang - Pangs Of Guilt
The Bridge Gang - Sarah's Brother
Download last weeks featured tracks.
The Rhythm Sisters - American Boys (12mb)
Link will be removed in one weeks time.
The Rhythm Sisters - American Boys (12mb)
Link will be removed in one weeks time.
You Are... Ride.
You are young at heart and full of energy. You are
talented but very modest. You are happy go
lucky and care free. You have learned to take
the good with the bad and you just accept life
for being what it is. People tend to be envious
of you, That's only because they don't
understand you and they just want some of what
you have. There's no task too hard for you and
you excel at pretty much everything you try to
do. You have a playful personallity and a
beautiful inner soul.
what Creation Records band are you? (complete with text and images)
brought to you by Quizilla
And there was me wanting to be The Bodines.................
And talking about Creation records, the Creation Records - Doing It For The Kids Site report that The Loft have reformed!
Forget all this talk about Pink Floyd or The Spice Girls reforming for Live8, we've got some far more exciting news for you.
The Loft featuring their original line up will be playing on Thursday 1st September at The Spitz,109 Commercial St London E1 6BG. Support comes from Darren Hayman of Hefner.
Pete Astor will also be supporting Darren Hayman at The Freebut in Brighton on Weds 24th August 2005. Tickets £5/£4
The gig will be followed by a new compilation on Cherry Red which apparently includes unreleased tracks.
Ballboy with Laura Cantrell - I Lost You (But I Found Country Music) (Peel Session)
Laura Cantrell Official Site which has plenty more tracks for downloading.
Ballboy - I Lost You (But I Found Country Music)
Ballboy Official Site which has plenty more tracks for downloading.
The Dolly Mixtures were a band I have heard of but had not really listened to much of their music due to it's unavailability. Formed in 1979 the excellent PunkModPop describe them as "......The Dolly Mixture was like the Shangri-La's or the Go-Go's if they had any class. Or the Raincoats without the weirdness and electric violins."
Influencing the likes of Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, The Flatmates and possibly Saint Etienne you can now hear how courtesy of Dolly Mixture Songs. This site has posted almost all their output in the vain hope that someone will reissue the songs on CD.
Whether the record companies, who are more concerned with lining their pockets with conveyer belt pap as Pop Idol or poxy ringtones proves, listen is another matter. In the meantime download these gems now!
The weekly roundup returns.
Two bands who have pages on My Space are up for a mention.
First up are The Bobby McGees who play a cross between indie and folk and they come from Brighton. This form of music seems to be popular at the moment. Check out The Nixon post from the other day.
The Bobby McGees - No Friends
You can listen to three other songs on their page. To be honest it err's a bit too much on the side of English Folk music for me.
Next up is Flat Of Angles. They getb a mention because they want to rip off Big Flame. The artist states:
I play everything myself, I have one guitar, one distortion pedal and one computer. I record music with things that are free from the internet. My songs are short because I get bored and they are repetitive and people dont want to listen for ages. My guitar sounds trebley because i want to rip off bIG*fLAME and to piss you off for that. All the bass parts are a regualar guitar with all the treble taken away, because bass guitars are too expensive. I am too young aparently.
It's a bit of a mess in places but at least it's original. No songs for downloading but there are four for listening the best being "Percy and the Whelks"
News!
The My Enemy track "Collage" I mentioned last week has caused slight confusion. It is actually a mix of all the tracks on their new EP. I obviously was not paying attention to it - I have suggested it should be renamed to excerpts! However that shouldn't prevent you from downloading any of their tracks - oh no!
Sixeyes has a link to a Bloc Party concert in mp3 format. It was recorded last week in Washington.
Wallpaper Silhouettes and their latest album release are reviewed in Norwegian Eardrums. I have covered them previously in May and January of this year.
I have been venturing onto other blogs of late. These are (and I am not responsible for what they post!):
Random MP3
Jamies Runout Groove
You Ain't No Picasso
Chocoreve
Mira El Pendulo (In Spanish but covers mainly indie music)
Little Hits
And England is still boiling................phew!
Two bands who have pages on My Space are up for a mention.
First up are The Bobby McGees who play a cross between indie and folk and they come from Brighton. This form of music seems to be popular at the moment. Check out The Nixon post from the other day.
The Bobby McGees - No Friends
You can listen to three other songs on their page. To be honest it err's a bit too much on the side of English Folk music for me.
Next up is Flat Of Angles. They getb a mention because they want to rip off Big Flame. The artist states:
I play everything myself, I have one guitar, one distortion pedal and one computer. I record music with things that are free from the internet. My songs are short because I get bored and they are repetitive and people dont want to listen for ages. My guitar sounds trebley because i want to rip off bIG*fLAME and to piss you off for that. All the bass parts are a regualar guitar with all the treble taken away, because bass guitars are too expensive. I am too young aparently.
It's a bit of a mess in places but at least it's original. No songs for downloading but there are four for listening the best being "Percy and the Whelks"
News!
The My Enemy track "Collage" I mentioned last week has caused slight confusion. It is actually a mix of all the tracks on their new EP. I obviously was not paying attention to it - I have suggested it should be renamed to excerpts! However that shouldn't prevent you from downloading any of their tracks - oh no!
Sixeyes has a link to a Bloc Party concert in mp3 format. It was recorded last week in Washington.
Wallpaper Silhouettes and their latest album release are reviewed in Norwegian Eardrums. I have covered them previously in May and January of this year.
I have been venturing onto other blogs of late. These are (and I am not responsible for what they post!):
Random MP3
Jamies Runout Groove
You Ain't No Picasso
Chocoreve
Mira El Pendulo (In Spanish but covers mainly indie music)
Little Hits
And England is still boiling................phew!
His Name Is Alive - Free Download EP
3 Comments Published by Tom on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 09:29.
4AD Stalwarts His Name Is Alive have made their latest EP available as a free download via their home pages.
Titled "The SUMMER BIRD EP" it is a special sneek preview of the forthcoming HIS NAME IS ALIVE LP, containing two album tracks and two non-Lp B-sides.
It's available for a limited time only. Head to their site to download it. It's in high quality mp3 format too!
Teenage Kicks 3000 currently has The Festive 50 for 1986 available for downloading. There were plenty of "C86" acts in the 50 including The Mighty Lemon Drops, The Shop Assistants, The Wedding Present and many more. Like the C86 tape there was not much in the way of diversity in the 50 for that year but that's what the "kids", including myself, wanted to listen to at the time!
Currently only available as a Bit Torrent download you can get your hands on it here.
See what John Peel thought about 1986's Festive 50.
It's boiling in London today. Literally. Bloody un-natural if you ask me. I need some lo-fi music to chill too (with the beers and juice on the go you understand) and Nixon fit the bill perfectly.
Hailing from Holland they play a laid back acoustic sound that's just perfect to relax too. Part sixties, part indie-pop and part alt. country it's a mix that cannot fail. It reminds me of The Morrisons and The Legendary Ten Seconds material i've been plugging recently.
Stick some more ice-cubes in my glass please............
Nixon - Elvis In Vegas
Nixon - Clowngirl Smile
They have plenty more songs on their site. Go and have a listen.
The Cuban Boys are not the sort of artist you would expect to find on indie-mp3 but I am going to give them a mention here because they have posted a tribute to the late John Peel. Peel was a fan of theirs and they made a big impression on the Festive 50. And yes they were behind The Hamsterdance!
It's a track based on Status Quo's "Down Down", a track Peel considered to be a floorfiller, Peel himself and a insane high adrenaline dance beat.
Titled "The Nation Needs You" it comes in two mixes. I prefer the longer version mainly for Peel's rant against someone who has been nicking his turntable stylus from his BBC studio. It's a track to put a smile on your face.
The Cuban Boys - The Nation Needs You (theoretical 7" mix)
For more on the track head to the Cuban Boys homepage to read about it and also to downlaod the theoretical 12" version.
More Swedish goodness! My Enemy have an EP out at present titled "Elil".
With a highly original sound (part electronica/indie) the band cross many boundaries on the EP's tracks. I love the sounds, some of which I cannot describe, they make on "Add Some Spiders" and "Collage" is a song which is so diverse it's surprising. It reminds me very much of the likes of Broadcast and I would rather have enemies like these instead of friends.
The EP is available via a new Swedish indie label called Vapen & Godis.
My Enemy - Add Some Spiders
My Enemy - Collage
There are two more songs available on the bands home page.
17th June is a National Holiday in Iceland and that gives me the opportunity to re-link to the wonderful Dýrðin or to give them their English name Catchy Tunes Inc.
The band say on their website:
Our independence is celebrated on the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, who played the greatest part in Iceland gaining independence from Danish rule.
Downtown there is an old weather beaten statue of him. However many people, especially of the younger generation, have no idea who he was, or why we celebrate independence on this day.
The song is about him standing there in the crowd, unable to move, but of course he also wants to participate in the celebrations, have a balloon and a hot dog too, and most of all, some candyfloss, which is the main source of energy for pretty much everyone on that particular day. After all, it is his birthday, he should be having a ball!
Dýrðin - 17 júní
Head to their page and download some more tunes. You will not regret it!
This is a page dedicated to Jón Sigurðsson so you can find out more about him. If you want to that is!
I have just discovered webjay which is a playlist community. Basically it allows you to create playlist of mp3's located on the web and allows visitors to stream them in a player of their choice. A bit better than the basic playlist stream I have at present on this blog.
I have created a playlist of tracks I have linked to on this blog. Enjoy!
indie-mp3 webjay page
I Have Not Mentioned Sweden For Some Time!
2 Comments Published by Tom on Monday, June 13, 2005 at 10:45.
Despite Swedens' women knocking England out of the Womens Football Euro Championships on Saturday I am not one to hold a grudge! Especially when the musical quality is this good.
Steso Songs is one person with the singular name of Korro who hails from Malmo. She is a one women outfit and her music is electronica lo-fi via her casio keyboard and cubase software. Some of it reminds me of Compute who I have featured previously.
Steso Songs - Psychoman
Steso Songs - Be My Steso
Korro used to play in a band called 'Alien She' with Ella Glockenspiel who now records under the name of Bobby Baby. Despite looking like a refugee from Talulah Gosh her music isn't that too much twee - well not that much! The tracks I listened to were excellent, and have some similarities to Steso Songs and her vocals have a passing resemblance to Amelia Fletchers. It must be something in the water in Malmo. Please keep drinking it!
Bobby Baby - Lads Are Fun
Bobby Baby - The Some Place New
Ella has plenty of music available on her site, from different periods of her musical career so far. Well worth investigating.
You can also download some Alien She songs from the Steso Songs Site.
Swedish indie popsters, Acid House Kings, have a free download single availble at present. Titled "7 Days" it is a track from their "Sing Along With The Acid House Kings" album and is that mix of sixties melodies and eighties indie pop they do so well. Essential listening for any fan of indie pop.
Acid House Kings - 7 Days
Todd Stadtman has been around for a while. From the San Francisco Post Punk Scene to the current day he seems to have had a varied career whether it was in prose writing or music.
Now back recording he has his first solo album in the offing which is titled "Only I Can Save You". Todd's music has been described as electronic take on the traditional pop song and the track below is an extremely catchy example of this.
Todd Stadtman - I Don't Know Why She's Here
You can buy (and hear) the new album here or download it from i-tunes.
You can download earlier mp3's from Todd's music page.
One thing which has arisen from the mp3 blog revolution is the ability of some labels to realise what a valuable potential marketing tool they have at their disposal. This is mainly indies it has to be said and that's understandable really.
I get a number of requests from labels to "plug their wares" and have to turn many down because the music does not fit the indie genre or that I think that they are not very good. I must admit unsigned musicians who e-mail me get generally get their links blogged despite the quality of music or genre because, hey, in all honestly they need the help.
One such plug that has come my way is the record label of Abandoned Pools who describe them as "awesome". Normally that would set my alarm bells ringing and I would avoid it like the plague but I have to say that the band are quite good although not awesome as you would be lead to believe. Well maybe not yet anyway!
The track supplied comes from their "Reverb EP" and is an extremely catchy indie-rock number but it's the vocals that inspire you to listen this track. Good strong stuff.
Abandoned Pools - The Catalyst
You can listen to more tracks at the band's website which is very nice looking it has to be said!
If you want a plug feel free to e-mail me but remember this is an indie or alternative blog and I am sure the people who visit these pages are not interested in dance or hip hop!
I have finally got around to updating the indie-mp3 radio station. Apologies to any regular visitors on the delay. Anyway there are over 4 hours of tracks from the likes of Heavenly, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Mission Of Burma, Beat Happening, Acid House Kings and many more on the playlist.
Play Indie MP3 Station (live 365 account needed - free)
More information on the radio station
If you have any tracks you want played on the station (demos, unsigned bands etc) then send to me at the sites address via You Send It. They have to be in the mp3 format with the preferred one bing mp3 pro at 32 k/bits stereo. As the station is a legal service even any favourites amongst your own collection can be sent in and played.
Play Indie MP3 Station (live 365 account needed - free)
More information on the radio station
If you have any tracks you want played on the station (demos, unsigned bands etc) then send to me at the sites address via You Send It. They have to be in the mp3 format with the preferred one bing mp3 pro at 32 k/bits stereo. As the station is a legal service even any favourites amongst your own collection can be sent in and played.
To coincide with Egg Records new look (see news below) I have updated the egg records pages on this site. There are five exclusive mp3s for download (thanks Jim). If you enjoy the downloads then buy a CD from egg! Head here for the indie-mp3 Egg records page.
Been a bit busy this week so I have not really had a chance to update the blog. Anyway if you can speak Portuguese and are a fan of indiepop then p!o!p tapes may be well up your street.
Tomorrow night (June 10th) sees the second How Does It Feel To Be Loved "Presents" night. Three bands are playing and they are The Postcards, Aujourd'hui Mme and Language Of Flowers. The night takes place at The Windmill and the price is a fiver (or three quid for members)
The Postcards - John Peel Was A Friend Of Mine
Language Of Flowers - Tara Mascara
Finally just top say that Egg Records site has had a revamp. Jim, who runs the site says that:
The Egg Records Web has been re-vamped and now includes more bits and bobs and space for more content and
· A mp3 sample from each release
· A couple of rare/live tracks for mp3 download (with more to follow)
· New look band pages
· Design to fit with the style of the forthcoming compilation
· A fanzine (for general waffling and to bring folk to the site)
There will also be Egg's first attempt at a download only single. The Egg records Japan compilation is in production. The track listing and samples are here.
Tomorrow night (June 10th) sees the second How Does It Feel To Be Loved "Presents" night. Three bands are playing and they are The Postcards, Aujourd'hui Mme and Language Of Flowers. The night takes place at The Windmill and the price is a fiver (or three quid for members)
The Postcards - John Peel Was A Friend Of Mine
Language Of Flowers - Tara Mascara
Finally just top say that Egg Records site has had a revamp. Jim, who runs the site says that:
The Egg Records Web has been re-vamped and now includes more bits and bobs and space for more content and
· A mp3 sample from each release
· A couple of rare/live tracks for mp3 download (with more to follow)
· New look band pages
· Design to fit with the style of the forthcoming compilation
· A fanzine (for general waffling and to bring folk to the site)
There will also be Egg's first attempt at a download only single. The Egg records Japan compilation is in production. The track listing and samples are here.
Download last weeks featured tracks.
Eternal - Breathe (9.67 mb)
Link will be removed in one weeks time.
Eternal - Breathe (9.67 mb)
Link will be removed in one weeks time.
One band who I have been listening to lately, thanks to other blogs, is The Chalets. Hailing from Dublin Ireland, they play indie-pop which has been described as a wonderful fusion of girl-group harmonies, New Wave vitality and classic 80s synth-pop (Sounds XP). Lazy people have been mentioned B52's which is an understandable but sometimes a way off the mark comparision. I don't know much about the band but have been impressed enough to buy their singles so far.
I downloaded a session (via a blog who I have forgotten) the band did for Irish Radio Station RTE in March this year. The link is now dead but I have reposted it via Rapidshare as it is well worth a listen. Download it from here (22mb). If you like it buy the singles.
Tortue Garden likes The Chalets - read their posts (and download other tracks) here and here.
A new blog, the latest in the increasing line of preserving John Peel shows has appeared. Titled, somewhat unoriginally, The John Peel Tape and File Project it has amongst it's downloads a show broadcast in January 1986. I am pretty sure this is the show where I first heard the Shop Assistant's "Safety Net" which stopped me dead in my tracks.
As well as tracks by the Mekons and The Wedding Present he also describes Half Man Half Biscuit as the most important band in Northern Europe!
It takes me back some years I can tell you - download it from here.
As well as tracks by the Mekons and The Wedding Present he also describes Half Man Half Biscuit as the most important band in Northern Europe!
It takes me back some years I can tell you - download it from here.
Beestung is a site that has plenty of downloads from Kristin Hersch, Throwing Muses and Belly. An archive of treasure if any of those get your bag!
Mesh describes himself as:
Who is Mesh? What is Mesh? Mesh is the sound of growing up in New York City beyond the strictures of conventions. A graffiti artist since I could pick up a pen, I bombed the trains of the city. The sound of my music is a combination of the things I have experienced in an electronic format. All done digitally, yet defiantly raw at times, I hope you enjoy this sound as it pumps through your speakers. It's meant to be danced to. It's predecessor is the post-punk new wave and no wave sound of the eighties. It's meant to make you move and think at the same time. I hope it especially sounds like something you've never heard before.
If you like artists I have featured before such as Eurosport and Compute I think Mesh, with his lo-fi electronica, will be right up your street.
Mesh - Mess With Me
More downloads from the EP can be found here. The EP can be purchased from CD Baby.
