Blue Sky On Holiday (but it's out today)

I thought I posted about Annemarie before, but apparently not. So, Annemarie are a six-piece pop outfit from Indonesia. "Bubblegum" seems to be stuck to them like glue, and if you play "Bubblegum I See" off their Myspace, you'll see why. I got a nice little email the other day saying they're working on a new album, and it looks like they're going to make a slight departure from the usual "bubblegum pop" sound. Something about infusing some jazz and Latin sensibilities to it, and that's just fine with me (as you might gather based on my last post). I'm not sure exactly what that's going to sound like, but I am sure that the two new tracks I've heard are pretty ace.

Spring Bus .mp3

Cymbals!

So I stumbled across these guys while YouTube link jumping. According to Wikipedia, the trio was active from 1997 to 2003. They've got a sort of fusion between Brit pop and jazz thing going on. Anyways, all the tracks I've come across have been quite pretty.

NYC Popfest Hi-lite! Mustache of Insanity!

I was going to try to write something about all the bands playing the PopFest this year, but then Matt started first, so I decided not to steal his thunder, but now I've changed my mind. So first up is Moustache of Insanity, who are coming all the way from London before going on a mini tour of the Northeast (they play the PopFest on the 22nd at Spike Hill).

They had a release on WeePop! that was super-fun (yes that was hyphenated intentionally), and now have a EP out for free download, so you really don't have a reason not to listen to them. If you really need some specifics of why you should, how about: super-fun-DIY-casio-and-guitar-playing-out-of-key-singing-drum-machine-backing-pop-blast-YEOW! Translation: MOI (that's Moustache of Insanity) play simple songs that stray dangerously close to twee, in both subject and presentation. Utilizing a casio, guitar, and what could only be described as "sick" beats, MOI will charm their way into your heart riding on magic jumping beans. And they have more facial hair than I could ever hope to grow.

Anyways, here's their new EP Postcards to Strangers. Get it while you can!

Elm City Popfest Lineup!

Yay Danny!

FRIDAY, MAY 14
PopFest kick-off show @ Cafe Nine 9 p.m.
250 State Street, New Haven, CT — FREE
Boy Genius (NYC) with special guest Mr. Ray Neal
Veronica Falls (UK)
Steven Deal (Milford, CT)
The Wee Bees (New Haven)
The Nathan Hall Band (Southport, CT)

SATURDAY, MAY 15
Afternoon show @ ArtSpace New Haven 2 p.m.
50 Orange Street (at Crown Street), New Haven, CT — $5
Eula (New Haven)
Panda Riot (Chicago)
Midstates (Chicago)
The Fictional West (New Haven)
Roadside Attractions (New London, CT)

ArtSpace Underground @ Elm City PopFest 8 p.m.
50 Orange Street (at Crown Street), New Haven, CT — $5
Butterflies of Love (New Haven)
The Secret History (NY)
Procedure Club (New Haven)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26
PopFest follow-up show @ Cafe Nine 10 p.m.
250 State Street, New Haven, CT — FREE
The Tyler Trudeau Attempt (New Haven)
Women’s Basketball (New Haven)
Horowtiz (UK)
Plus possible special guests

When you look outside

Do you see
Snow Like This

NYC Popfest 2010 lineup!

Yay Maz!

Thursday May 20th
Venue - Cake Shop

Sweater Girls (CA)
Elephant Parade (NYC)
Dream Diary (NYC)
Leaving Mornington Crescent (Sweden)
Horowitz (UK)
Veronica Falls (UK)

* * * * *

Friday May 21st
Venue - Don Hill's

Cotton Candy (MA)
The Smittens (VT)
Allo Darlin (UK)
Pants Yell! (MA)
Tender Trap (UK)

* * * * *

Saturday May 22nd
Venue - Spike Hill (free matinee show!)

Hearts!Attack (UK)
Corita (NYC)
Gold-Bears (GA)
Moustache of Insanity (UK)
One Happy Island (MA)

* * * * *

Saturday May 22nd
Venue - The Bell House

Very Truly Yours (IL)
World Atlas (NYC)
Bears (OH)
My Teenage Stride (NYC)
BOAT (WA)
The Wake (UK)

* * * * *

Sunday May 23rd
Venue - Littlefield

Santa Monica Swim & Dive Club (MI)
For Ex-Lovers Only (FL)
The Young Friends (AZ)
Apple Orchard (CA)
Brown Recluse (PA)
Bunnygrunt (MO)
Sea Lions (CA)
Neverever (CA)
The Secret History (NYC)
The Embassy (Sweden)



Ticket info, DJs, and more details will follow soon!

xo
nyc popfest

New Pipettes!

It's like ABBA descended from the heavens.


And you can download the mp3 from Fortuna POP!

Wee! Disappear!

WeePOP! just released their newest 3" CDR, and as expected it's super cute in every way. This time around it's We Disappear by the Transmittens. The Kansas duo combine what could only be described as jangly "twee" and synth-pop to create something special. For those of you who want an imaginary reference picture, think Pipas meets the Besties and Smittens with less guitars and more glitter. Clocking in at about 20 minutes, the packaging isn't the only thing that's super tiny and super cute. Just give the opening track "Marfa Texas" a listen if you don't believe me. The wonderful thing about the 10 tracks contained on this tiny disc is the variety. Some are super-mixed-down-fuzzy-fun, some are super summer-y, some are good ol' pop, and some cover the space in between, but all of them possess wryly written lyrics that will lodge in your mind if the keyboards, handclaps and guitars fail to first. Oh, and did I mention that it's limited to 160 copies?

The Sea at Night .mp3

A Massive Shelflife Update

Somehow I haven't posted a word about a Shelflife release in a good while. It's not for lack of material, because at the moment there are five, yes count them five, newer releases (or at least newer to their inventory) in the Shelflife store that warrant a spot in everyone's little discography. Mind you, over half of these aren't actually Shelflife releases, but Matthew is a swell guy, and trying to save us a couple bucks.




























I guess I should start with the new Burning Hearts 7" "Night Animal." Honestly there isn't much to say except Burning Hearts make beautiful music and this 7" is no exception. I really really want to call them organic-electro-pop. I finally realized that they sort of remind me of The Lovekevins, who I think also fit into that little genre niche. The b-side is a remix of "A Peasant's Dream," by Anyways if you're on the hunt for something you can simultaneously sing, dance, and sit to, I'd pick up a copy on lovely white vinyl. And for added indie-cred, Matthew Edwards (from Skatterbrain) did the artwork. Neat!

Night Animal .mp3






























So it looks like 80% of what I'm talking about isn't actually a Shelflife release, but whatever, they're good and in the Shelflife shop. There's a 7" for Korallreven's (Marcus Joons and Johan Duncansson from the Radio Dept.) "Loved Up," with a remix as the b-side. It's a super great track, filled with heaps of reverb and delay, percussion that just keeps building, and beautiful vocals. The remix is pretty fun too. This was originally a Fastcut Records release, but like I said, Matthew is a swell guy and saving the world some crazy expensive shipping costs.

Loved Up .mp3

Actually I'm going to stop at two. I'll finish the update soon. Or you could just go see for yourself.

'69 Love Songs' on vinyl!

"The limited-edition box set includes all 69 love songs re-mastered for vinyl on six 10” records and housed in a super-sized 69 Love Songs box, along with a 10” version of the original booklet featuring liner notes written by Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler.

From now until April 20, pre-order the vinyl box set at the discounted price of $89.99 in the Merge store." Damn you Merritt!

I don't really need to say much more than that. Unless you work for Merge. Send me a set and I'll say as much as you want!

You can download the entire album
here (Disc 1)
here (Disc 2)
and here (Disc 3)

Slumberland's 20th Redux

Really? Really? Words cannot express the awesomeness that is this line-up.

March 27 at The Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
All ages, doors at 5:00pm

• Boyracer
• Brilliant Colors
• Brown Recluse
• Devon Williams
• Go Sailor
• Henry's Dress
• Neverever
• Pants Yell!
• Summer Cats
• The How

March 28 Part Time Punks at The Echo, Los Angeles, CA
All ages, doors at 7:00pm « tickets »

• Boyracer
• Brown Recluse
• Devon Williams
• Go Sailor
• Henry's Dress
• Neverever
• Pants Yell!
• Summer Cats
• The How
  

New Black Tambourine!

From Slumberland:
"March 30 will bring the long-awaited return to vinyl for Black Tambourine. This is no mere reissue, though; we've added unreleased songs, new liner notes and a trove of never-before-seen photos of the band, all wrapped up in a spiffy gatefold sleeve."

I believe this calls for a "YEOW!"

The Fictional West

Some of you may have seen that Tweefort has expanded to the point of starting its own online record label. Now Danny's a pretty cool guy and has pretty good taste, so needless to say I had some pretty high expectations. The Fictional West, a recently formed three-piece from Connecticut definitely exceeded them.
























With hints of The Magnetic Fields, the Smiths, and what I say tastes like Orange Juice have a perfect formula for down-tempo jangle pop, seeing as their jangle isn't exactly jangle-y, The Fictional West play that lazy-day, let's go for a drive, indiepop that I'm so fond of. And they don't just sound like the aforementioned groups, they also have the same knack for songwriting. No lie, the Giant Clouds single sounds like it could have been sent in to NME and gotten lost in the post for 20 years.

You can download the single directly from Tweefort here.

Quince Records is effing sweet!

So I've been meaning to mention some more recent releases from those fine folks that brought us Half Dreaming (which is still brilliant) for a while, and it just never happened. That said, here's two Quince Records releases that have been getting some pretty heavy play lately.

























SPC ECO put out an album in June last year, and I have to say they're one of the best, true-blue, shoegaze acts out there. Sure they have a leg up on the competition seeing as Dean has umpteen years of shoegaze-xperience (remember Curve?). But you know they're good when they get Andy-fucking-Bell on one of their tracks. Talk about indie-cred. In the dead of winter there's only two things that pass through my headphones: Rose Melberg, or shoegaze. Unlike in the 15th century, everyone is a winner because Rose Berlin's voice can melt your heart faster than snow on a city street.

You're Alright .mp3





























Speaking of shoegaze and things I've been listening to, Quince also put out a Maribel album almost a year ago. I know I'm a little late (I think Matt from Skatterbrain used one of the tracks on a mix), but Aesthetics still warrants all the attention it can get. Between the fuzzy guitars, breathy lyrics, and occasional atmospheric dreamscapes Maribel have a bright future of staring at little LEDs.

Downstairs .mp3

Check out Quince's myspace for some other bands/releases as well. They have a really great roster.

A very late New Year's song

So, I got Allo, Darlin's "Will You Please Spend New Years With Me?" with plenty of time to fit in a write-up before New Years. Instead, I think I took a nap and baked, but that's besides the point. The point is, New Year's Eve is but a distant memory at this point, yet this "holiday" song is still getting pretty heavy rotation. It's just so cute, I can't resist giving it a proverbial spin at least once a day. Oh, did I mention it's a b-side? The "a-side" has the same sort of upbeat, melancholy, earnest lyrics based around a relationship and a Polaroid picture. If you haven't already (considering most blogs have given it the attention it deserves), head over to Fortuna Pop this instant!

Will You Please Spend New Years With Me? .mp3

Big Boy Genius Plans

I must be the laziest person I know. There's a plethora of great pop happenings right now and I haven't written a word. For starters Boy Genius put out a pretty ace video for their new single "Old New England" that features everything New England (aka rain, fields, lobster, and triangle hats), and everything Boy Genius (aka a pretty rockin pop song). It's from their forthcoming album Staggering, which I'm quite looking forward to since it seems they've been honing their chops since their last record. And they're on tour if you need something to do later this month (check their myspace for dates).

Look what blew in from Sweden...

Swedish folk-pop! Yay! The Heart-Sick Groans are a 3 piece from the northern forests of Sweden and have a new EP coming out next month! I think it will be perfect for those sunny winter days.

Here's the super cool paper cutout action video for their new song "Three Day Blow." (My titling skills are unparalleled, eh?)

Looking to tour Europe?

I'm not really one for shameless product endorsements, but I thought this was pretty neat, and could potentially be useful to some people. I got an email about a rather nice little reference/how-to guide on touring basically all of Europe (including Iceland!). Rock & Roll Highschool is a 292 page "resource book" that is half magazine, with articles about everything from label advice from a German metal-head to what the Raveonettes wear on stage, and half international directory for venues, promoters and labels all over Europe. While the articles are interesting on their own, I'd have to say the concise and well organized directory is reason enough to pick up a copy, and would be a great jumping off point for trying to book some shows (or even just a good list of places to check out if you visit any country in Europe). So if you're looking to tour and want some tips from people who know what's going on, or just an international venue directory, check out Rock & Roll Highschool. I know it's not exactly targeted at popkids, but like I said, it might be useful if you're planning on touring, especially for you European folks looking for some venues in your area.

Brilliant Colors/Kleenex

So I'll just go ahead and say it. The new(ish) Brilliant Colors album is light-years better than their old EPs. It's simultaneously more polished and more raw (alternately, I've heard "punk" thrown around), Jess' voice has more presence, and with more experience I would say the three of them have gotten better at what they do (makes sense, right?). With its raw guitars, reverb, and poignant lyrics, Introducing is 24 minutes of DIY pop fun. Think Kleenex meets The Flatmates or Shop Assistants and you're in the ballpark. You can pick up a spiffy copy on CD or vinyl from Slumberland.

Should I Tell You .mp3





























I've always been more of a Kleenex than LiLiPUT guy. They're kind of raw, kind of punk, and all kinds of catchy. This is their self titled 7" and it's a must have for fans of grrrl groups.

Heads Up Display

Hmm...so I'm going to try new format #3 now. Short synopsis new band/old band!

So...






















I got a nice email about Heads Up Display a while ago and hadn't had time to post about their new EP. AS/IS is like a rift in the space time continuum where 1990s college rock is seeping through into 2009 and mingling with musicians brainwaves. Think Weezer before they started sucking. Or The Pixies if they had formed 15 years later.Head over to their site to give the whole EP a listen! I'm partial to "Formula vs. Perfume" myself.

And here's an old bootleg of the Pixies live at Newcastle Poly in 1989. Now I'm not saying Heads Up Display are ripping off the Pixies, but I thought the two were a nice one-two, old-modern,"hey-this-is-pretty-good, now-I'm-in-the-mood-for-this" lunch special.