Indie Pop

New album: Silicone Values || How To Survive When People Don’t Like You And You Don’t Like Them

By / / Indie Pop, Psych, Punk / Leave a Comment

If you are looking for answers to the question posed by UK-based Silicone Values on their debut full length How To Survive When People Don’t Like You And You Don’t Like Them, look elsewhere. This is no self-help guide – Silicone Values provide no tips and tricks, nor do they sugarcoat their boiled-up frustrations. “Don’t wanna live in society,” they sing in one song, “Why do all the assholes never get what they deserve?” in the other. The tracklist reads like chapters in a dystopian novel, uplifting this is not.

But despite all the dread and anger, and however bleak the picture Silicone Values paint is, the songs are appealing. The sound of Silicone Values originates in late ‘70s and early ‘80s UK. It is punk by design and attitude, direct and stripped down. But it also harbors underground pop and postpunk elements – Silicone Values just as easily use a drum computer as infuse their songs with a pop hook – for example, listen to Bystander Apathy or Streaming TV (a song we previously covered). The more time you spent with this record, the catchier it becomes, and I recommend holding off judgment until you’ve heard more than a couple of songs.

How To Survive When People Don’t Like You And You Don’t Like Them compiles the digital singles the Bristol band released between June 2020 and July 2023. A major thank you to Nico of Parisian label SDZ Records who believed that the string of singles deserved a physical release on vinyl. I totally agree!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Sylvia Platters || Vivian Elixir

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop / 1 Comment

Is the 8-song album becoming the new standard? For time-stressed bloggers, this trend certainly makes life easier. However, as a music fan, there are albums that leave you wanting more than eight tracks—like the new Sylvia Platters LP, Vivian Elixir.

Vivian Elixir is a record of contrast Thematically, it deals with lost minds and souls and making sense of living in a chaotic complex world – fitting for a band named The Sylvia Platters. Sonically, the album carries a melancholic yet melodic vibe that offers a silver lining of brightness. It’s a journey of introspection and catharsis; for a pop band The Sylvia Platters sure know how to rock out – or conversely, for a rock band, they sure have a great sense of melody. The Sylvia Platters excel in using these contrasts to their advantage with us listeners as the biggest beneficiaries.

This is a crisp and tasty record that takes jangly guitar pop to interesting places. And as with any release by The Sylvia Platters that are some songs that are particularly great. Listen to my current favorites below. Vivian Elixir is out now on tape at Grey Lodge Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Wolf Manhattan || Real Life Is Overrated

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

Wolf Manhattan* (not to be confused with The Wolfmanhattan Project) is the solo project of Porto-raised/New York-based bedroom producer João Vieira, who has already had a musical life in X-Wife and White Haus. You’ll hear that experience in the thirteen songs on his sophomore full-length, which bears the fascinating title Real Life Is Overrated, although it’s a completely different story in terms of sound and style. This is a mix of folky garage rock and quirky indie pop, like a kind of combination of Jonathan Richman and Richard Hell. It’s so well done, full of variety and ideas and hooks and wit, that with every listen I’m amazed at how catchy and charming this record is.




Real Life Is Overrated, produced by André Tentúgal, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP via Altafonte Portugal. *Wolf’s backstory is extensively described in the limited edition book Wolf’s Story, out through Stolen Books.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Josie || Demo 2024

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

If you are into ramshackle budget garage pop, these are excellent times. That Itchy & The Nits record is something else, and the emergence of CB Kiddo (aka Emily Williston of Phone Jerks) is pure ear candy. Copenhagen’s Josie is the latest addition to the mix. Each of these acts brings a different sound to the table, and it’s telling that Josie have tagged themselves as twee punk and C86 on their Bandcamp. Their new 4-song demo is super sweet and catchy, embodying their motto: One, Two, Twee! I’ve mentioned this before, but punks playing pop is such a winning concept.

Josie is Charlotte Fischer (Vocals & Guitar), Dawn Bruce (Bass & Vocals), and Martin Herskind (Guitar & Jangle)  – typical Danish names, huh?



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: SYBS || Bad Old Days / Paid Gofyn Pam

By / / Indie Pop, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

New is a relative concept. Take for example Cardiff-based bilingual post-punk/slacker pop band SYBS, featuring Osian Llyr (guitar, vocals), Kieran Macdonald-Brown (guitar), Herbie Powell (bass) and Daf Adams (drums). These two songs will soon appear on their long-awaited debut album, but in reality they have been playing them live for many years. Shoegazey Bad Old Days even is the oldest song on the record – it’s about teenage feelings and experiences that can still follow and affect a person throughout their life – and although there’s been a few versions recorded throughout the years, this should be the definitive take. A pretty good one, but it’s the re-recorded version of Paid Gofyn Pam – translated: Don’t Ask Why – that in my opinion will be reason enough in itself to justify purchasing the LP, because the combination of jangling guitars, grooving rhythm section and infectious vocals is nothing more than awesome. Old or new, who cares?

Double A Side single Bad Old Days b/w Paid Gofyn Pam is out now streaming via Libertino Records.

New album: Baby Blue || Of My Window

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Of My Window is Baby Blue’s debut record, but the Melbourne act has been around for a decade or so, initially as the solo project of Rhea Caldwell before evolving into a five-piece. Caldwell’s voice, characterized by a beautiful country twang, imparts a subtle Americana flavor to the band’s indie pop, which is further enhanced by the instrumental arrangements. The band’s sound also has elements of surf pop, resulting in a finely crafted indie pop album perfectly suited for the onset of Spring. I particularly like Hills Hoist, which is the kind of opening track that makes you sit straight in anticipation what comes next. Throughout the remaining seven songs, Baby Blue pretty much maintains that high standard. This is excellent stuff.

Of My Window is out now through Lost & Lonesome.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Reds, Pinks & Purples || Unwishing Well

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Glenn Donaldson is next level prolific. He is constantly writing and recording music and the latest addition to his quickly expanding The Reds, Pinks & Purples discography – one that is as consistent visually as sonically, is called Unwishing Well.

Donaldson plays almost everything on Unwishing Well, and what comes out is always tasteful, delicate and jangly indie pop. His strength goes beyond technical prowess. The gently flowing, subtly layered music automatically directs attention to the lyrics. Here is where Donaldson truly shines, his delivery complementary of the mood of the songs, the track list, including standouts like What’s Going on With Ordinary People, Learning to Love a Band, and Your Worst Song Is Your Greatest Hit, resembling chapters in a collection of bittersweet short stories.

Donaldson proves to be a masterful storyteller once again, and his latest album is another one where words and music are in a symbiotic relationship. Unwishing Well is out now on CD and LP at Slumberland, Tough Love, and World of Echo.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: The Wesleys || The Wesleys

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Today, Montreal’s The Wesleys release their self-titled debut LP on Little Village Records. While the band name signals power pop, and the press release as primary influences mentions “iconic bands like The Clean, Teenage Fanclub, The Pixies, and The Replacements,” to my ears The Wesleys have a sound that originates in the thriving indie scene of the zeroes – this band would not have looked out of place on a bill with The Spinto Band, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Surfer Blood and Throw Me The Statue.

The Wesleys is a fun little record showcasing a talented and creative band. The band’s tagline on Bandcamp is “a lil’ bit of this, a lil’ bit of that,” and they are not wrong. Expect snappy, smooth and bouncy indie tunes designed to get audiences moving, or at the very least provide an upgrade to your fresh music playlist – like I’ve Been Waiting, 25, Great Big Smile and A Lot To Lose.

If you need more reason to feel sympathetic towards this band, consider the backstory behind their name. Wesley was a beloved friend who tragically passed away far too soon, yet played a vital role in shaping the musical upbringing of one of the band’s founding members. What a way to pay homage.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Little Village Records

New album: Funeral Lakes || North American Martyrs

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

“Come with me, maybe then you will see // All that’s left of legacy.” These are the promising opening words of Clearcut 1917, one of the standout tracks from Funeral Lakes‘ beautiful sophomore album North American Martyrs. The dream pop/folk rock band of Chris Hemer and Sam Mishos, based in a small city on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, tells about reckoning with nationalism, history and settler identity in Canada. The eight new songs are the result of thesis project The Making of Martyrs: Musicians, Mythmaking, and Counter-Discourse, that interrogated the role of cultural production in sustaining Canadian national myths through a case study of Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy. The theme is certainly of added value, especially for those who are interested in history or enjoy unraveling myths, but musically it’s also very fascinating and atmospheric. It takes a few listens to grasp it, but then it won’t let you go.



North American Martyrs is out now digitally and on cassette (self-released). Performed, produced and recorded by songwriter Chris Hemer (vocals, guitar, bass) and Sam Mishos (vocals, keys), with additional drums and vocals provided by Arden Rogalsky, and bass guitar, upright bass and vocals by Michael Broadhead.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Wendy Darlings || Lipstick Fire

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Clermont Ferrand (France) three piece The Wendy Darlings have been a band for over 15 years. Their third LP is called Lipstick Fire and it’s out now through Lunadélia Records and Influenza Records.

The Wendy Darlings are not just ticking some boxes, they’re checking off most of what I look for in music. On Lipstick Fire they sound like either a garage band creating ’60s girl group songs, a twee pop band playing punk music, or a bubblegum band going riot grrrl. But really, it’s all of the above. This is DIY indie pop bliss in a concise, scrappy and ramshackle package created by a band that knows that this kind of music works best when played with genuine enjoyment and with all imperfections retained. Essentially, Lipstick Fire sounds like an invitation by Suzy (vocals/guitars), Baptiste (drums) and Sylvain (bass) to start your own garage pop band.

Of the 13 songs, just one is sung in French, but it sure is one of the highlights on the record. It is Ridicule, a song that already made quite the impression on that spectacular 227 compilation that came out last month. There is also a song titled Auf Wiedersehen, but that one is sung in English. But honestly, who cares? Lipstick Fire has a universal charm that transcends linguistic boundaries. It is out now on CD and vinyl.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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