Indie Pop

New album: The Smallgoods || Lost In The Woods

By / / Indie Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

Good news: after almost ten years of radio silence, Melbourne four-piece The Smallgoods return with a new full-length album, Lost in the Woods. Not being able to find the way is in itself a good reason not to make music for a while, but luckily the wandering has provided fresh inspiration, because Lachlan Franklin, Gus Franklin, Ben Mason and Ben Donnan have written and recorded ten beautiful new melodies and lyrics. The song titles alone are appropriate and poetic at the same time: Where’ve You Been All This Time, On With the Show, Hurry Up & Slow Down, A Month of Sundays, Settle Down, etc. This is dreamy indie pop mixed with psych and folk rock influences, a wonderful autumn soundtrack. This comeback couldn’t be much stronger.

Lost in the Woods is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Lost And Lonesome.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: L’Resorts || Vacation

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / 1 Comment

If the singers of L’Resorts sound familiar to you, it’s likely you have heard Vincent Kircher’s work in Jaill, or Martha Cannon’s in Lady Cannon. Under the L’Resorts moniker the duo are helped out by other veterans from the Milwaukee scene, and write folky (electric) americana pop tunes that are as pleasant as they are soothing. From what I’ve read, the duo started working together after Cannon send Kircher a Facebook message. At first, they did their recordings remotely, but when they finally met, their chemistry wasn’t just musical. Now the couple live together in Milwaukee.

L’Resorts is quite the departure from the garagepop of Jaill, although I could easily see album opener and title track Vacation reworked in a Jaill version. I love how the band namedrops Velvet Underground and Camera Obscura as influences, because these two acts signal of the bandwidth of the sound of L’Resorts on Vacation.: Pop music, but the good kind. And with an edge. The playful instrumentation of L’Resorts (listen to Bubbles for example) makes Vacation a joy to listen to, and the dual boy/girl vocals give the songs a timeless pop feel. Having been quite the fan of Kircher’s work in Jaill, I am kinda ashamed this is the first time I’ve heard about L’Resorts. But the band has been prolific since their start late 2018. Last year alone, they released two full lengths: Bad Love and Sad Happens (a fundraising kids album). In my book, L’Resorts are worth (re)visiting!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Dragon Rapide || Mumbo Jumbo

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

Pop music is not singular. In fact, and I hope our site illustrates this, good pop music is multifaceted. But usually, bands limit themselves to a specific corner of the pop multiverse, and in doing so, they are making it easier for us listeners. After all, it’s kinda nice when you can conclude within a couple of songs that a band is right up your wheelhouse. Here’s a band that threw me off base at first because they are unafraid to wander into different musical directions, and do so unapologetically and with attitude. I am talking about Dragon Rapide, a French band whose latest record Mumbo Jumbo is an intriguing trip trough pop’n’rock’n’roll history.

Seemingly effortless, Dragon Rapide switch from ’80s new wave and postpunk (The Rock Bottom – Week 42, Second Line Parade), to ’90s Britpop (Lost In Space (originally by Aimee Man), This Someone), to bouncy powerpop (A-OK), to indiepop (Ghost, and Your Scar – probably my favorite two tracks on the record). The label (Le Pop Club) namedrops bands like Nada Surf, Teenage Fanclub, Travis, Gang Of Four and R.E.M. as influences, which should give you a further idea of the wide range of sounds on Mumbo Jumbo.

Mumbo Jumbo is the kind of record that is all over the place, and worth diving into.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Le Pop Club Records

New album: Sweet Nobody || We’re Trying Our Best

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

Life’s not perfect, and human beings are the opposite of infallible. The best we can do is try our best, a mantra my mom programmed in my brain ages ago, and still becomes active whenever I have to do something that is new or scary or filled with uncertainty. It helps to explain why I instantly sympathize with Sweet Nobody’s second album which is titled We’re Trying Our Best. The circumstances in which this album came to live were far from ideal. There was of course the curse of the pandemic: We’re Trying Our Best would have been released 12 months ago in a pandemic free world. More importantly, singer/lyricist Joy Deyo had to cope with chronic pains caused by a hard-to-diagnose ilness while writing the record. And yet, rather than a dark or sad record, We’re Trying Our Best sounds more like a celebration of life. Press play on Five Star Diary and let the indie pop of Sweet Nobody wash gently over you. It showcases the gorgeous and melancholic qualities of Deyo’s voice and how it complements the jangly and breezy guitar licks perfectly. It’s not the only standout track on the record; uptempo songs like Rhoda and White Lies are instant attention grabbers as well. I am also intrigued by Other Humans and If I Should Die Tonight, two emocountrypoppowerballads that pull at the heartstrings. [post continues below]

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New album: Wildflower || The Ocean Rose

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

We go to great lengths to keep up to date with new albums and singles from our (potentially) favorite artists, through countless Bandcamp alerts, label mailings, music magazines, record store newsletters, and so on (check out this list of upcoming releases we look forward to). Sometimes it’s difficult to listen to new work, because some bands have names that are not googleable, not everything is available on every platform, and some songs are not even shared online at all. For example, when I was looking for the sophomore LP The Ocean Rose by Portland five-piece Wildflower today, initially I came across another Wildflower, from Santa Barbara, who coincidentally released the EP Into The Night in the same week, with three beautiful acoustic ballads. That even bands with the same name come up with good music at the same time. illustrates nicely how much there is to choose from. Anyway, let me not waste any more words on this little first world problem, but let’s travel to the miniature world of nostalgia and wonder – where past meets present – that The Ocean Rose offers. Close friends Mathew Maiello (keyboards, sax, clarinet), Jason Eckerson (bass), Roby Moulton (drums), Alex Winthrop (electic guitar, slide), and Adrian O’Barr (acoustic guitar, distinctive vocals) play nine warm songs about the simple pleasures of life on the Atlantic ocean. With each spin you’ll extend the summer by 39 minutes and 30 seconds!

The Ocean Rose is out now digitally and on 12″ vinyl LP through Night Bloom Records. RIYL Woods, Neil Young, Rose City Band.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Night Bloom

New EP: The Pre-Amps || Four by Four

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

Nowadays, some music is still made as in the good old days, as is once again underlined by UK four-piece The Pre-Amps. The 1960s-influenced pop / rock band made some name for themselves by covering their heroes (The Box Tops’ The Letter, The Beatles’ Nowhere Man, The Beach Boys’ Sloop John B, and so on), but are now also writing their own songs. At the end of 2019 they released their debut single Doesn’t Change, followed by Hard To Say b/w With My Baby in early 2021, and those tracks are now bundled together with new tune Learn To Love You on the EP Four by Four. Robert William Gray (bass), Scott Charlton (drums), Lyndon William Philliskirk (keyboards), and Kelvin Banks (guitar / harmonium) can all call themselves songwriter and singer, and here they show that perfect jangle pop songs with captivating melodies and great vocal harmonies are still being created these days. We look forward to a full-length album with more of these gems.

Four by Four is out now digitally, and next week also on 7″EP, through Spanish label Hurrah! Música.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Christopher Walkman || If I Had A Band Part 2

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock / 2 Comments

To finish the title of his new single, if Christopher Walkman had a band, he would write gorgeous indie pop songs with cool guitar work.

If I had A Band  Part 2 is the latest single of Christopher Walkman, an Arnhem (Netherlands) based singer-songwriter who also plays in the more noiserock oriented band Jellephant. That band has a record coming up later this year, and Jellephant member Jelle Haagsma provides bass and drums on the new single of Walkman, further joint by Mischa Hager on guitar. If I Had A Band Part 2 is the follow up to 2017’s If I Had A Band. Walkman also released a full length last year but that is a solo effort that is specifically folk oriented. On the single, Walkman plays a clean version of scrappy indiepop that is uptempo and forward moving. Both songs are strong, but I particularly am taken by Oh No.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Pleasure Island || Pleasure Island

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

“We are Pleasure Island. We are from Pleasure Island.”

Pleasure Island use little words to introduce themselves. For a more informative introduction of this new band, that is actually from Carolina Beach (North Carolina), take a listen to their self-titled debut EP. Pleasure Island play a melancholic and nostalgic form of garagepop that incorporates elements of psych and surf. The songs are quite mellow, which allows the band’s great vocalist to shine. When We’re Together is a prime example. What a tune! But there’s an edge to the band as well, and the band’s not afraid to up the tempo and intensity, particularly in EP closer Cut Me Loose. Don’t know about you, but I’m keepin an eye on Pleasure Island.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Dazy || MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD: The First 24 Songs

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

Be careful what you wish for. Earlier this year, I wrote about Dazy. I mentioned how I hoped James Goodson, who is the artist/music publicist/podcast host behind this one-man band, would someday release his best work on a LP. There is no LP yet, but we do get a digital/cassette compilation of all of the songs Dazy has recorded so far, including three new songs. And that’s a lot: MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD has 24 tracks of hook filled fuzzy ’90s alt pop. What stands out even more than the quantity of Dazy’s output is its consistent quality. Good luck in finding a filler track among these songs. Don’t just take my word for it, here are some blurbs from Bandcamp supporters that I fully agree with:
“It’s brand new music that makes me nostalgic. That’s why we listen, isn’t it?” (Foobella)
“It’s like someone passed the 90s through a filter so only the best bits were left: fuzzy guitars and massive hooks.” (Mark Grassick)
“We are witnessing the beginning of something truly great.” (Captain_Codeine)

MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD is out now on cassette at Convulse Records in a limited run of 50, which of course is already sold out. Fingers crossed that this gets pressed on vinyl eventually.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Falconet || Magic Potion

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

“We drink and play indie pop music and don’t really know things,” according to the short bio of Falconet. Still, the Californian duo – Sally Jati (vocals, guitar) and Ken Aki (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard, drums) – managed to deliver a strong debut album. Magic Potion has 8 songs of 3 minutes or so each, songs about nearby subjects such as a Falling Star (temper your expectations), the Unbearable Friend (everyone has one), and Summer (waiting for summer love to bloom). The vocals are dreamy, the guitars jangling, the hooks enchanting – a perfect sound for this time of year. Too bad this bottle of Magic Potion is empty so quickly, more of this please. Listen to standout tracks The Train Song (about being used) and Goodbye (when enough is enough) below. RIYL Alvvays, Beach Fossils, Strawberry Whiplash.

Out now digitally. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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