Swedish act Henry Morgans Solokarriär is one Christoffer Davidsson. Davidsson has recently played drums on the Celestial album Dream On as well as remixing the Fragile Heart single by the same band. And if that wasn't enough he also plays in the indie pop/folk band c/o Happiness.

So back to Henry Morgans Solokarriär who have just released an EP titled Memories which is available as a free download. Don't for a minute think that because of the aforementioned associations it will sound exactly like Celestial - it doesn't. However it does take it's influences from the UK 1980's music scene but from the English Northwest music scene such as The Smiths or Wah! rather than say the jangle pop of the Creation Records roster. I can also hear some slight Gothic undertones in there as well.

Henry Morgans Solokarriär - Red Eyes

You can download the whole EP as well as 2006's demo CDR direct from here.

[My Space link]

Norwegian band The April Skies have been pretty quiet since I last wrote about them way back in April last year and the proposed single on Plastilna Records still hasn't emerged.

However they are now back with a brand new single on Cloudberry Records which is billed as a two minute single on a 3 inch CDR! The EP's tracks are available for streaming via My Space and of the three Memories of Annabel is far and away my favourite mixing a 1960's vibe with the British 1980's indie scene. In fact the whole EP is a jangle pop delight.

The April Skies - A Lifetime In The Sun

The single is due for release on October 1st 2007. You can buy it from here.

You can download most of the bands recordings here.

[My Space link]

I last wrote about Ringo Deathstarr back in February this year. They have now released their début single, a self titled EP, on SVC Records and boy is it a cracker.

Ringo Deathstarr, like their contemporaries Manhattan Love Suicides, take their cue from bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, early My Bloody Valentine and Meat Whiplash to produce indie pop of the highest order. Their feedback inspired chainsaw like guitars produce a tonic for ones ears. The EP's best track Some Kind Of Sad is pure JAMC circa 1984 whilst tracks like Sweet Girl is reminiscent of the fuzzy tunes the Primitives produced whilst on Lazy Records and no they haven't got a female singer! Others have compared the band to the likes of The Telescopes and other shoegazing bands but believe me when I say this EP is more "Upside Down" or "Don't Slip Up" than "Perfect Needle" or "You Made Me Realise". Essential stuff. Buy!

Ringo Deathstarr - Sweet Girl
Ringo Deathstarr - Some Kind Of Sad (demo)

Buy the high quality mp3 download here for only two measly quid or wait until 29th October when it is released on CD and i-tunes.

Kelman used to be the London band Baptiste. They now have one album and two singles under their belt all of which were self released.

On this double a-sided single they demonstrate that they lean to the darker side of indie pop which hints at the likes of the Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Nick Cave and Galaxie 500. Is This How It Ends is a tale of doomed love and a failing relationship respondent with haunted vocals supported by the sounds of sympathetic guitars and organ.

More doomed love is the order of the day on Postcards which is a reworking of an old Baptiste track. It's a tale of a relationship which has long exceeded it's sell buy date and the songs tender delicateness eventually gives way to gloom and despair. On both tracks the vocals of Wayne Gooderham, whose brother Mark is also in the band, are second to none. At times you can really feel what he is singing with the lyrics being well thought out. If neither track fails to send a tingle down your spine then you are in plot 47 of the East London cemetery.

Is This How It Ends/Postcards is a download only single and can be purchased on i-tunes. Both tracks can be streamed via My Space.

[My Space link]

The Gooderham brothers also help run the Uptight club at The Albany and you can get further clues on their influences via the playlist.

I get the impression that, like a 100 metre sprinter, Patience Please are flying right out of the starting blocks on their début album Fleeting Frequencies. But, like an unfortunate athlete before them, they pull up and struggle to reach the finishing line.

As previously mentioned the band gets off to a great start. Blue Line, You're It and I Quit are powerful power pop songs that pack a punch. There is no time to pause as the songs fly out of the speakers thick & fast being catchy, infectious, tuneful and fun. But then the songs start to lose their way becoming clumsy and awkward. Songs like Exclusively Windermere and The Way She Looked Away get bogged down and despite their best efforts the band doesn't recover with only Science Credits reaching the heady heights of the album's opening. Even with short running time of 30 minutes it sounds like the band is trying just a bit too hard and it becomes somewhat derivative with interest being hard to maintain.

If they cut it down by four or five tracks Fleeting Frequencies would have been a stand out EP as there are some great songs on here. It's a shame the rest are poor imitations.

Fleeting Frequencies is out on Happy Birthday To Me Records.

[My Space link]

Swedish band The Margarets, who I wrote about here back in April, have posted some new songs onto their My Space page from their latest demo.

There seems to be three new songs plus another version of the track Sally. The band, who were were only formed last October, will be coming to England in the next couple of months and will play at Big Pink Cake (Bristol) and Twee As Fuck (London) on December 8th and 14th respectively.

Their first set of demo recordings reminded me of releases on the Subway Organisation whilst these new songs, which sound pretty good, remind me of the likes of Aztec Camera or Edwyn Collins.

No news on any releases as of yet but as they are friends with a label or two judging by their My Space profile it can't be too long!!!

The Margarets - Someone Heavenly
The Margarets - Bartender

Head to My Space to stream/download the two remaining songs.

The music room at Monkey Chews is like someone's living room and it is obvious that this was part of the landlord's residency at some point! Once upon a time a (un)wise person once said I know, lets knock down a wall, stick in a bar and some speakers in and call it a music venue. Sadly they omitted the facts that adequate ventilation and most importantly a sound man should be provided! However after putting these obstacles to one side this turned out to be one of the best nights of the year to date on the indie pop circuit!

Tonight The Cut-Outs are missing organ player Marisa. I for one have not been all that endeared to the bands 1960's cartoon pop sound but they have slowly grown on me for the sheer fact that they seem to be on the bill at every gig I seem to go to at present. Minus the organ and in such close surroundings (I was standing right next to guitar player Sean) I finally appreciate how lovingly crafted, well written and catchy their songs are, none more so than the excellent Leave Her Alone.

Sadly the sound problems affected Cooties Attack. One of the microphones had stopped working meaning the girl/boy songs were left out and then the drum machine had to go because of feedback problems. However that did not prevent me enjoying their set of charming, fun packed songs which they played with smiles on their faces. They sounded a bit like BiS being fronted by Helen Love and as they are soon relocating to London I am sure it will not be too long before I see them with all their working parts in order!!!

Strawberry Story recently reformed for a charity gig back in June and it went so well they decided to play a few more dates. Tonight is the first of those dates and it was clear to see that a few people of a certain age, myself included, had come to see them now they are out of retirement. The band were humbled by the reaction and that was clear to see. Whilst their children and friends handed out free CD's and Strawberry Story knickers (!) to those who danced or begged they delivered the musical goods.

Hayley's voice has not been troubled one iota by the intervening years and she passed the test that was Ashlands Road with flying colours. We were even treated a new song. The fuzzy numbers came thick and fast towards the end and they soon ran out of songs but still managed an encore. Wonderful nostalgic stuff and long may the comeback continue.

I was surprised by Bunnygrunt. I have heard a few tracks without claiming to be a fan and I was surprised how good (and loud) they were. I always thought they were twee-er than that. Their frantic guitar based songs are short to say the least. Not one seemed to last more than a couple of minutes and they came thick and fast. The band also promoted their brand new tour EP from Wee Pop which arrived that day playing two songs from that release - I am sure a few copies of those were shifted during and after the gig. They finished with a damn fine cover of Status Quo's Mean Mean Girl and exited stage left with other Quo recommendations from the audience - all polite I hasten to add!

I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Friday night - even the venue grew on me towards the end. Superb.

From the depth of my heart: don´t miss out on this album.

You can buy it from here:
[ Tonevendor ]
[ Fraction Discs ]

This is what Fraction Discs wrote about the album:

“The Greatest Story Never Told” is the fabulous debut album from Cris Miller, the man behind Silver Screen. Jangly summery guitars, gently whoosing synths, sweet vocals and such an abundance of lovely melodies, these twelve tracks are something of a follow-up to Blueboy’s “Unisex” album. Eleven years later in Los Angeles, the beauty, the melancholia and the immediate pop melodies; it´s all in there. If “The Greatest Story Never Told” was released on Sarah Records fifteen years ago, it would be a holy grail of indiepop by now. For fans of Blueboy, Brighter, Slowdive, Shoestrings, The Field Mice and The Radio Dept. Highly recommended!

Interview with Chris Miller

1. As I have understood it Silver Screen will release a new album at Clairecords this autumn. Considering the two new tracks that I have come across it seems as it will be in the same vein as your last album. Is there anything from the work with your new album that you would like to share with us?

Autumn might be an ambitious guess for a release, I would guess maybe early 2008. It has taken more time to record this album than I thought but I am pleased so far with the results. Yes Clairecords will be releasing this one too. It is in the same vein as the first record, although I think the quality is higher on this one. Please check myspace.com/thegreateststorynevertold where I will be posting the new songs for the record as they are finished.


2. When listening to your songs I can´t help but thinking of the label Sarah Records and bands such as Brighter and Field Mice. Is there a certain feeling that you are trying to catch when creating music? and in case it is, how would you descibe it?

I remember Sarah Records in the 80s/90s and I still enjoy many of those songs although I don't consciously reference them for my sound. I really admire the highly personal manner some of the artists from the sarah label expressed themselves. It sometimes felt like they were sharing private feelings with us as a friend would. I can definitely relate to that and that IS something I've been trying to do more and more rather than just singing a general nebulous story in the song or just singing about pretty scenery. On the new Silver Screen record I hope to include lyrics in the booklet and share more intimately that way. (in case you wonder, my favourite Sarah song is Hit Parade 'Autobiography'.)


3. What music do you listen to these days and what bands have followed you through the years?

I keep a very open mind about listening so I am all over the place. I listen to pop music, some of the new wave of indiepop. I really like Days from Sweden. I like a few bands on Matinee Records like Pipas and the Pines. I listen to a lot of music sung in Spanish, also Japanese pop stuff. I listen to lots of techno and house and electronic stuff. I almost never take offense to other people's musical taste either.


4. How do you look upon the future for Silver Screen. Have you made any plans, or will you just see where you will take it from here?

The first immediate plan is for the release of a Silver Screen single called 'When you don't see me' on Cloudberry Records. Three new tracks, it will be available from the label and simultaneously available for download on Itunes, this autumn. The next full length record of course after that. I would love to release a 7" record at some point. I would also love to record a single in Spanish. After these things I would like to take a break and look at what's done and continue from there. For every song that is on a Silver Screen release there are dozens more that don't make the record, so if I'm allowed to keep going and putting out records then I will.


My favorite:

songs ever: New Order - Blue Monday
Jeanette y Pic-Nic - Negra Estrella
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

films: Almost anything by Fellini,
most by Satyajit Ray, especially 'Pather Panchali'
'Spirit of the Beehive' by Victore Erice
'Cries and Whispers' by Bergman.

places: Long Beach where I live, Palos Verdes Ca, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Chicago, Scotland

season: Autumn, especially October.

books: Almost anything by Salinger, especially 'Teddy' from nine stories
most by Camus, Steinbeck, Kafka, Tom Robbins.
'The Woman Warrior' by Maxine Hong Kingston,
lots by Roald Dahl and Judy Blume too.


Silver Screens [ Myspace ]

Clairecords [ Homepage ]

Cloudberry Records [ Homepage ]

Músíktilraunir, which might be translated as "Music experiments", is an annual event in Reykjavik, where up and coming bands compete, the winning band wins free recording sessions and is usually picked up by some local label soon afterwards. Some gain international fame of sorts, the 2005 winners f.e. are now touring with Kaiser Chiefs.

In 1996 Stjörnukisi, or Starcat, won the Music Experiments. They released a 10" vinyl album that same year, and an EP the following year, named Geislaveisla. 2001 saw the release of a full-lenght album called Góðar Stundir. As far as I know the band never got a record deal and they released all this on their own. Their music was rather harsh and uncompromising and the band gained some following but never actually became popular. Harsh drum machines were overlayed with sampling and the occasional loud guitar, and dark but stoic vocals.

Úlfur Chaka Karlsson, the bands singer, battled leukemia for many years. Lately this disease reared it's ugly head after a period of inactivity, and on september 6th his friends held a grand concert in Reykjavik in support of him and his family. All the bands who played were related to him in some way, they'd shared practicing space, or included his friends, and all gladly played for free, and a decent sum was raised. During the concert, whom Úlfur could only watch live on the internet in his hospital room, it was announced that he'd married his long time girlfriend that same day. Overall it was a joyous and hopeful occasion, if somewhat mingled with fear of what might happen.

Two weeeks ago, just three days after the concert, Úlfur Chaka passed away. He was only 31 years old. May he rest in peace.

Stjörnukisi - Reykeitrun

Úlfur's former bandmates are now in a band called Bacon Live Support Unit.

The Signed Papercuts are a Swedish band and make a noise blending indie pop and shoegazing that is reminiscent of the later releases on Sarah Records.

They released a 3" CD single on Cloudberry Records a month back and you can stream all three tracks via My Space. As previously mentioned the music reminds me very much of the later stuff on Sarah and one band which they can be compared to is Secret Shine. Pale Saints was also another name that also came to mind. This is epic shoegazing (sorry nu-gaze) at it's finest with swirling guitars, crashing drums with vocals breaking through, desperate to be heard. Check out Sound Of Silence for a perfect example of this.

Two of the EP's tracks are available for downloading.

Signed Paper Cuts - Nothingness
Signed Papercuts - Only Fools Rush In

Buy the EP.

Black Lips are a band I'd not heard a lot by before getting my hands on this, their 5th LP - 'Good Bad Not Evil'. The band are infamous for the raucous approach to rock'n'roll - a tag earned by 'wild' live shows and some no nonsense garage rock records. 'Good Bad Not Evil' is still very much a rock'n'roll record - but it's a very good one. The band have delved into their southern roots (Atlanta, Georgia) and produced a record that is a thing of real beauty. It possess a bluesy undertow - and it recalls many 'classic' bands of yesteryear like The Stooges, The Monks, The Thirteenth Floor Elevators, The Cramps and The Blues Explosion. It's not all out and out garage sounds though as Black Lips mix in a fair dose of 60s psychedelia to the mix - this is most evident on songs like 'Veni Vidi Vici' and 'Lock and Key'- The former has an almost funky bass line underpinning the guitar tune. Wonderful stuff.

On recent single 'O Katrina!' it's back to the no nonsense garage rock that the band excel at. It seems the band have decided to go for the double whammy of garage rock and pop tunes on 'Good Bad Not Evil'. It's an infectious mix - throw in a bit of surf guitar and a blues stomp or two and you are close to having one of the records of the year on your hands. This is a great, dumb and fun party record. It's a long way from indiepop I know - but it sounds refreshing and exciting to these ears.

Sept 20 - The Actress and Bishop, Birmingham
Sept 21 - Monkey Chews - London w/ Cut-Outs, Strawberry Story and more
Sept 22 - The Rose of England - Nottingham w/ Cut-Outs and Horowitz
Sept 23 - The Grapes - Sheffield
Sept 24 - The Portland Arms - Cambridge w/ The Roadside Poppies and more

[Bunnygrunt on Myspace]

Sunny Intervals is the occasional solo side project of Andy from Pocketbooks.

There are three tracks currently available for streaming. It's no surprise then that his work with Sunny Intervals does sound in part like Pocketbooks especially recalling his earlier work when that band was just Andy on his own. The songs, whilst a bit too long in places, are enjoyable lo-fi affairs featuring guitars, keyboard and a piano with some lyrics worth checking out .

There will be a single on Wee Pop! shortly comprising five songs with Let The City Run Away With Us being the only one of the five currently available for streaming.

[My Space link]

The Occassional Flickers are originally from Athens, Greece.

The band centres around Giorgos who has since relocated to Edinburgh. Judging by the bands "Scottish" sound you would have thought that is where he originally hailed from! Giorgos has been going under the Occasional Flickers guise for a couple of years now and the début album Scattered Songs has just been released on Peru's Plastilna Records which is the home to the likes of Annemarie and Amida amongst others.

If you head over to My Space you will find three tracks from the album available for streaming. It's hard not to think of bands like Belle & Sebastian or Butcher Boy when listening to these songs. There is also an obvious influence taken from singer songwriters especially those who lean to a more folkish sound such as Nick Drake for example. Of the three I really like Sunward and on it you will hear where I am coming from regarding the comparisons. These are heartfelt indie pop songs of the lo-fi variety you will definitely want in your collection.

Occasional Flickers - A Word Of A Friend
Occasional Flickers - Vision of Christine

[My Space link]

Here's a new post in Magnusk's ongoing series of obscure mid-nineties Icelandic indie bands.

In 1995, when I was approximately 22 years old, I harbored the dream of having my own record label. I set about making it happen, and borrowed loads of money from my mom to make a compilation CD with various Icelandic indie bands. I had no idea how to actually make this work, how to promote and distribute and how to design artwork. I did it anyway and the project saw the light of day in the autumn of 1995.

The CD release went largely unnoticed except in the very depths of the underground scene. It was called "Strump í Fótinn", a play with words which also poked fun at hugely popular compilations which I absolutely loathed. Not many bought it, and I now have a few (hundred) copies piled away, awaiting the day it becomes a priceless collector's item.

Amongst the artists on the compilation were a band called Mósaík. At the time they were around 15 years old, some a year younger, some a year older. The band was formed in 1994 and took part in the Icelandic "battle of the bands", Músíktilraunir, both in 1994 and 1995. They didn't win but someone took a liking to them and offered them recording session in which they recorded the song, "Sjáandi". "Sjáandi" can either mean "Seeing" or "Seer". I'm guessing it has the latter meaning in this case.

Hearing that "some guy" was going to release a compilation CD they offerd the song to me and to this day I frequently listen to it; it's simply the very best of the lot, including the songs I played on myself. I still find it amazing that these teenagers cooked up this amazing song, awash with distorted guitars, violins and cellos.

At that time Mósaík consisted of Benedikt Hermann Hermannsson on guitar, Ólöf Arnalds on violin and vocals, Hanna Ruth Ólafsdóttir on cello, Halldór Jónsson on drums, Andri Guðmundsson on bass and Guðrún Dalía Salómonsdóttir on keyboards.

Not surprisingly many of these pimpled teenagers grew up to become respectable artists. Benedikt now fronts the band Benni Hemm Hemm, Ólöf Arnalds has played with Múm for the past three years and in March released her debut solo album to critical acclaim. You can listen to a song here. Guðrún Dalía is now a classical pianist. Númi Thomasson, who took over the drums from Halldór in 1996, is now Björk's tour-chef, and occasionally joins electronic artist Borko on stage. Mósaík however never released anything besides this song.

So without further ado, and with no picture of the band, here's an mp3, published with kind permission of the artists:

Mósaík - Sjáandi

Bonus Track:
Benni Hemm Hemm - I can love you in a wheelchair baby

Phil Wilson who once lead the June Brides and then had a brief solo career has posted four songs to his My Space page.

All are cover versions and include his cover of The Field Mice track Emma's House and Kraftwerk's Neon Lights.

You had better get over there quick as I don't think they are going to be around for long.

Wilson will soon have his joint 7" single with Bunnygrunt released courtesy of the Happy Birthday To Me Records single club. There will also be a joint 7" release with Sarandon on the Japanese label Every Conversation which will see both acts doing a version of the June Brides track from which the label took it's name.

Florence Valentin released their second long player called "Pokerkväll i Vårby Gård" in June 2007. Expect trumpets, chaos and melodies influenced by The Clash or Dexy's Midnightrunners from lead singer Love Antell. Even if you can't understand the lyrics, this record can brighten your rainy autumn weather.






Coffee or tea or maybe chocolate? No! Elias Åkesson, singer and mastermind of Elias & the Wizzkids, prefers dancing. They released their EP and "The Dance" on Hybris. If you are not into moving your feet on the dance floor, maybe you prefer jogging? You can listen to it on myspace or at Hybris.








Pacific! are from Gothenborg and they released their new 12'' EP
"Hot Lips" on Dolores Recordings and a single for Moshi Moshi. They played at the Pop Dakar festival in Stockholm in a little tent and enjoyed great popularity with their warm and bright pop songs.






Sambassadeur are also from Gothenborg and one of the many great bands of Labrador. There, they have released three EPs and and one CD so far. They are coming up with a new one on 24 th October and you can listen and download the new single "subtle changes" here. Favourite one! You also can get the free song "Kate" of their EP "Coastal Affairs" on last.fm.

Australian indie popsters The Lucksmiths have released their 10th album Spring a Leak. It's a double album compilation featuring 45 non album tracks going back the past decade.

It will be released on Matinee Recordings and it can currently be ordered via the label's shop. The band will be touring the States in support of the release although no, if any, European dates have been announced. The tour dates can be found on their site.

The album is out in Australia via Lost and Lonesome.

The Lucksmiths - Once Again
The Lucksmiths - Rushes of Pure Spring (a Ladybug Transistor cover)
The Lucksmiths - Dolly (real audio stream)

[My Space link]

Coventry based band The Sequins have their début album scheduled for release on Monday 19th November 2007 via Tough Love Records. It's titled The Death Of Style and features 12 tracks. The band are of the classic indie pop variety and comparisions can be drawn with The Smiths, Housemartins and The Wedding Present to name but a few. Three tracks from the album can be streamed via My Space alongside the excellent single from last year Patients.

The album is initially limited to a 1000 copies. If you pre-order direct from Tough Love Records you will additionally receive access to the mp3 version of the album before it's release and a goodie bag. Woah marketing!

The band release a free download single from the album on 22 October 22nd 2007. It's called Everyone Loves The Sequins (I do!) and can be obtained from here on that date. You will need to enter the code "19thNov2007" to get the single.

Finally the band will be playing a number of dates over the next couple of months including their London album launch at the Sounds XP vs Lost Music night at the Brixton Windmill on November 21st 2007. See their My Space page for more dates.

Plumerai, who I last wrote about here, have a new album scheduled for release on Silber Records. It's called Without Number and is scheduled for release on October 16th 2007 although it will be available via mail order before then.

Judging by the two tracks the band have available for streaming on My Space the band have not diverted away from their ethereal, sometimes Gothic tinted sound, that was apparent on their previous release Res Cogitans. If you like The Sundays, The Cranes, Cocteau Twins and the vocals of Beth Gibbons or Alison Shaw then Plumerai could be just for you. Interesting and worth checking out.

Plumerai - Home Again

[My Space link]

London based Weekender Records is an offshoot of the Innsbruck based Weekender Club which was set up by an exile from the UK. The club has a Britpop/rock slant and this is evident on many of the label's releases which are of a trashy rock variety purveyed by the likes of The Rocks, The Dash and Kingsize. No matter how hard I try to get anything out of that sort of music something doesn't click with me.

However it's not all bad news as there are some bands on the label that are worth checking out away from such rock tomfoolery. The Indelicates may be the one name you recognise but I prefer the luscious indie pop of The Hussys or the heavy sounding shoegaze of The Lea Shores.

The People's Revolutionary Choir lean towards the latter. Like it's predecessor The Breeze That Blows the new single Do You Feel Like I Do is a fine piece of shimmering psychedelic rock coming across like the Mary Chain's Jim Reid fronting Spacemen Three. Flip side Painkiller Blues slows things right down as per Jason Pierces finer moments with Spirtitualized and you could be in some kind of sonic wonderland. It's two excellent takes on a revitalised genre. If you like what Club AC30 or Sonic Cathedral do then this will be right up your street.

Both sides of the single can be currently streamed via My Space. The band play the rearranged Truck Festival on 22 September 2007. The single will be released on 8th October 2007 on Weekender Records.

[My Space link]

Like many other contributors here on indie-mp3 I have now gotten myself involved in club nights in London, more specifically a bi-monthly event called Reykjavik Nights in London. Like the name suggests it will feature bands from Iceland, sometimes coupled with a local London band, sometimes not.

Hailing from Bergen in Norway, Herr Nilsson play a particularly delicious kind of indiepop, making the most of a rag-bag assortment of instruments, from quiet banjos and trumpets, to delicate fiddles and keyboards.

According to Wikipedia, Herr Nilsson is the name of Pippi Longstocking’s monkey in the books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Apparently, Pippi is unconventional and assertive, with the amazing ability to lift her horse one-handed. Accordingly, Herr Nilsson pursue their own special brand of jangly guitar pop, equally happy to lead a melody with a quiet banjo as a heavy guitar. Their influences seem diverse, from the more poppier Flaming Lips songs and country sounds of Wilco, to late Dexy’s Midnight Runners or even the harmonies of your favourite Beatles songs. Hard to describe in just a few words, their album is a must-listen for fans of pop, country, or even both…

Downhill Thrill is out now on Karisma Records. Stockists can be found here. The band feature Ragnhild Hogstad Jordahl who records as Soda Fountain Rag and is also in The April Skies.

Anglo Swedish band The Envelopes have a new track up on My Space. It's an instrumental track called Freebird and has more than a prog rock sound about it!

The band also have a new single due for release on Brille Records on 17th September 2007. It's called Life On The Beach and can currently be streamed via My Space although it is available now on i-tunes. A new album should be forthcoming but no dates regarding it's availability have been posted as of yet.

The Envelopes - Freebird

[My Space link]

I first came across The Voices in 2005. I saw them at a Club AC30 night at The Water Rats. I was so impressed I went and sort out their debut LP - 'The Voices'. I loved it and at the time I called it 'a mammoth slab of a record'. So nearly two years on the band have released their 2nd full length record - 'The Sound of Young America' on My Kung Fu Recordings. This is what can only be described as another mammoth slab of drone rock. The 7 songs on offer sprawl over 42 minutes. 'I'll Always Be Within You When There's No One Left Inside' is nearly 8 minutes long and it drives forward before collapsing in shards of guitar noise which chime on for what seems like an age. This is a sound I will never tire of hearing.

The band hail from close to my home town (Port Talbot) in South Wales - although they seem to have relocated to Cardiff. Some might call Port Talbot a bleak place. And from bleak places extreme sounds can be conjured. This is right on the edge of noise pop, as the pop in question is all but obliterated as the guitars wail and feedback. The Voices don't have a huge deal of variation on offer - as the bands that they most closely sound like are bands like My Bloody Valentine (mostly), Spacemen 3 (occasionally) and Loop (on rarer occasions). The band have my seal of approval for their influences. Sometimes I wish they step out from behind these shadows and stamp a little more of themselves on the record. That's a minor quibble though, as this record is better than their debut and I hear a young band growing and taking strides towards their own sound. The Voices are a band that are a rare beast these days, improving and growing as they go.

This is one for the shoegazers (young or old) of the world. If you've ever got a kick to Spacemen 3's 'Revolution' or My Bloody Valentines 'Isn't Anything' this is a band you should take the time to hear.

Butcher Boy released their debut LP ' 'Profit in your Poetry' at the start of this year and it was a rather wonderful LP. It's one of my contenders for 'Record of the year'. And now they've released this EP as it's follow up. Again on the How Does It Feel To Be Loved label. This is two new songs and two reworked offerings from the debut LP (more on these in a moment). First up the new songs - 'The Eighteenth Emergency' is a rather lush opening song, recalling The Magnetic Fields and the Tindersticks. John Blain Hunt's vocals are distinctive and the words he has written continue to transcend a mere pop song - this song moves him on and away from The Smiths/Morrissey comparisons that came on the back of the debut LP. This is a wonderful song and one where Butcher Boy are taking the sound they started with and moving it forward. Lovely.

The other new song is called 'React or Die' and it's another fine piece of chamber style pop, with strings and a soulful sorrow in the vocals. It's probably not as strong as some of the songs that were on the LP but it is a good little song none-the-less. Which leads me nicely to the two 're-workings' -'There Is No-One Who Can Tell You Where You've Been' and 'Keep Your Powder Dry'. The former seems to have been given a Spanish guitar treatment (excuse my ignorance if it's not Spanish guitar) - and that has only served to take the sting out of the opening and the whole song seems to have lost a little of it's punch. It's still a wonderful song, but I do prefer the LP version. One of the highlights of the LP is 'Keep Your Powder Dry' and the re-working here takes the song and gives it a near skiffle beat. It takes a bit of getting used to, and again I prefer the version on 'Profit in your Poetry'. Again, it's still a lovely song - but I have to wonder at the need to re-work them. This EP is worth getting for 'The Eighteenth Emergency' alone, and the reworkings and the other new song are nice bonuses to hear. But it's this song that tugs at my heart strings.

You can buy the EP from the How Does It Feel To Be Loved shop for £2.99 plus postage and packaging.

Arthur and Martha are Adam Cresswell and Alice Hubley.

Cresswell was the founder of Saloon, the London based indie pop band who reached number 1 in the 2002 Festive 50. Hubley was previously a member of The Seven Inches and The Exteriors. Until recently she was a member of the Duloks and is one of the four people who run the Spiral Scratch indie pop club and promotions nights in London.

Arthur and Martha play electro-pop and they play it well. I cannot think of too many acts both myself and the mrs, who likes funk, soul & hip hop likes (opposites attract eh?) but they are one of them!

The band have four songs available for streaming on their My Space page including the forthcoming single Autovia and I guess the bulk of it's 22 plays to date have been listened to by me. Imagine New Order, D.A.F, Kraftwerk and any other electronic based bands you can pluck out of the sky, mix them together and throw in a bit of "pop dust" and the result is what this rather spiffing single sounds like.

Of the other three tracks Squarewave To Heaven is a highlight with it's driving synths and hushed vocals.

The band have completed their début album The Microchip Tears and are looking for a label to release it. Until that happens I suggest that you head over to My Space and stream some quality electro-pop tunes.

Irene released their debut LP - 'Apple Bay' back at the start of this year. I loved that LP when it came out. And so a mere 8 months later Irene return with their second long player - 'Long Gone Since Last Summer' again released on Labrador records. And like it's predecessor it's a rather wonderful little record that continues where the first left off. Although this LP took a little longer to completely win me over - it may well be a more rewarding record than the debut because after a few listens I am inclined to think it's a more consistent record than 'Apple Bay'. It is another short LP - this time clocking in at just over 27 minutes. Irene know that pop music is best played with soul and songs are great when they are 3 minutes or less.

Recent single 'By Your Side' is another effortless piece of indiepop - if you liked their earlier single 'Baby I Love Your Way' you will be love this song. It sets the tone for the LP - happy sounding brass and a catchy chorus all delivered with Bobby's mournful vocals. Although I have never noticed this before, the more I listen to 'Long Gone Since Last Summer' I can hear echoes of The Magnetic Fields alongside the regular 60s pop influences. 'September Skies' is the perfect autumn love song as Bobby sings of his insecurities. This is the sound of leaves being blown from the trees and way that love gets you tied up in knots. If you like your indiepop to have a melancholic twist, tunes to die for and just a hint of soul, Irene are the band for you.

On a side note - after hearing 'Long Gone Since Last Summer' I am even more pleased that Irene will be our special guests at the Lostmusic Record Label launch on October 5th. Tickets are selling well. So if you want to come along - please be sure to get one in advance.

Another band pitching us a curveball are Architecture In Helsinki. On their third album the band has left Australia and scattered around the world, main man Cameron Bird landing in Brooklyn. Places Like This is a big departure from the previous album, but ultimately proves to be a bit messy and sounding like a collection of scrapings from the studio cutting room floors.

It has it’s moments though, Heart It Races sounds like a chilled calypso version of MIA, Hold Music is good despite aping Talking Heads too closely, Like It Or Not is a fine calypso jig, while Debbie is the best thing, the song locking in to a Grandmaster Flash style groove.

Fair play to them for trying to branch out, however once the rediscover their own identity the magic will flood back.

October 1st sees the release of Stars follow up to Set Yourself On Fire. And there’s obviously something weird going on down in Vancouver nowadays if this album is anything to go by. The eighties influence is that heavy, you wouldn’t be surprised to see the album come with a pair of free legwarmers.

The Beginning After The End is a slow instrumental version of Enola Gay, while The Night Starts Here is a mix of Prefab Sprout and Curve. Nothing on the previous album prepared me for this, and while it’s a big surprise, at times it’s a pleasant one.

You’d think Morrissey was fronting Captain on Take Me To The Riot, while the occasional falsetto vocals on The Ghost Of Genova Heights take you aback at times and Bitches In Tokyo sounds like a tune Metric have desperately been trying to make. The bizarre way Midnight Coward sounds a bit like Deacon Blue can be forgiven when you hear Barricade, a beautiful piano ballad with quivering vocals.
It’s all over the retro shop, but an intriguing and sometimes rewarding listen nonetheless.

You can download The Night Starts Here from the City Slang website.