Contrary to what you might expect from the name Concrete Jane, this is the work of a man called Julien Zumkehr in everyday life. Together with his bandmates Cédric Gerfaud, Antoine Crettenand and Léon Boesch, the musician from Geneva (Switzerland) just released the lo-fi folk mini-album Sole Mio, containing six pleasantly languid songs that fans of Mac DeMarco and RF Shannon will appreciate. Out now digitally and on vinyl 10″ through Le Pop Club Records / Urgence Disk. Summery psych pop with wonderful guitar playing.
The Vovos are from Melbourne. Named after an iconic Australian biscuit that is covered in pink fondant and raspberry jam filling, it makes sense to expect the band to sound extremely sugary. But, although there is plenty of melody to the music of The Vovos, this is no bubblegum. On the 8-song Jana EP, The Vovos play DIY garagepop and indiepunk with ramshackle charm and youthful energy that sounds like a throwback to the eighties. Their songs about being lost in IKEA, schoolyard crushes, teenage drama, and climate change are a lot of fun, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this band inspire a new wave of riot girls to pick up instruments and create something of their own.
I am not sure how I stumbled upon If That Means Anything , the debut album by Recreational Mouthwash. The queer indiepop four-piece from New York plays a kind of music I don’t usually go for. But yesterday I had it on my headphones while walking in a summer drizzle, and for some reason, it just clicked. I was drawn in by album opener Everything But You, a minor masterpiece with soulfully sung deeply personal lyrics, wandering instruments, cool guitar licks and a slow buildup to a cathartic release. The sheer musical talent and the willingness to travel different musical paths in the song distantly reminds me of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s II album. Everything But You essentially offers a blueprint of the music of Recreational Mouthwash, a band that takes their time in building up tension in their songs and play around with delayed rewards for listeners. The emotional edge, sense of urgency, the stellar guitar work and pop sensibilities in the music of Recreational Mouthwash sets the band up for a bigger stage, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this band explode rather sooner than later. If That Means Anything is quite the leap from my usual musical diet, but I like it a lot.
Please pay attention if you like bands like Alvvays, The Umbrellas and Fazerdaze. Meet Torrey, a four-piece indie pop band based in the Bay Area (San Francisco, California), fronted by songwriters and siblings Ryann (vocals / bass) and Kelly (rhythm guitar), and supported by close pals Eric (drums ) and Adam (lead guitar). In their own words they make sweetly melancholic, hook-heavy pop tunes and there is nothing to argue with. Their debut album Something Happy has ten joyful jangly guitar songs, sung clearly and with a clear sound. As welcome cold snacks on lazy hot days. Stream below.
“What is this feeling that I have // Like I’m caught between the here and the now? // Just some shitty midlife crisis // That would bore even the steadiest crowd?” — the first lines of the track Reality Winner capture very well what Andrew Bryant’s new album A Meaningful Connection is about. Here’s a man confused about time and truth, needs and fears. What is a meaningful connection? What is real? What story haven’t I told yet? What if the supposed truth turns out to be a lie? How will I go when my time comes?
The cover photo recalls John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-ins for Peace, but we don’t see flowers but a smartphone. Opening song Private Window explains: “Folk singers on Twitter // You know they’ve got all the answers // They’re all at the tips of your fingers // In that pale blue light // You can lay down in your bed // Hang your hat on every line that you’ve read // While your lover is dreaming // You are waking to that blue bird song.” The American songwriter / musician struggles, but manages to capture his quest in poetic lyrics, with many topical phrases worth remembering. He wrote, recorded, produced, performed and mixed all the music himself, an impressive achievement. “I sing all my songs and feel them // Staring at the back of my eyelids // And we call this a meaningful connection”, he sings in Birmingham, with a voice that is vulnerable and powerful at the same time. I feel the songs too. This is a beautiful indie pop record.
Out now digitally and on vinyl LP. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
The Hollywood Heavyweight are an acoustic indie rock band hailing from the sunny Perth Hills in Western Australia. They just released their new album Narge Farge, their 13th(!) since October 2018 – and even by Australian standards that’s very productive. The 2 members – Jonathan DePiaz aka Jon (vocals / guitar / bass / pedals / keys) and Davoxx Weatherall aka Dan (drums / synths / mixing / mastering) – are nonchalant about it when asked: “We just like writing and recording music. We have both been writing songs for at least a decade in various bands and have a large amount of demos we are always going through and working on.” You would think that quality comes at the expense of quantity, but that’s not the case. Each of the 12 new songs features an original idea and an addictive hook, next to the varied use of instruments and the mesmerizing falsetto vocals. For example, listen to standout track Been Too Many Good Days, with a melody and lyrics that you can’t get out of your head. Dan explains: “I’m not sure what the songs are about or where they come from, but if you have a voice, some instruments and a few ideas, you will be surprised what can happen.” A lot, it turns out. Inspiring!
Eggs On Mars are from Kansas, Missouri. But, they may have just as well been from Australia, New Zealand or Scotland, because the sound of the band clearly is inspired by all the good jangle and underground guitar music from around the globe, anything from Flying Nun to Slumberland Records, and from the Pastels to the Velvet Underground. On their latest EP (Brighter Now) EP, Eggs On Mars effortlessly combine these influences. The songs are not overly produced, and Eggs on Mars infuse their songs with the kind of joyful energy and ramshackle charm that makes this kind of music work even better. Out now on Subjangle.
I was today years old when I discovered that the word business finds its origins in the Old English word bisignis. And wouldn’t you know, bisignis actually stands for anxiety, making the origins of business rather cynical and disturbing.
It also makes for a perfect album title in the year 2021, so a tip to the hat to Irish indie rockers So Cow for naming their seventh album Bisignis. It was recorded in a shed of a rented house in a couple of days during the third lockdown in Ireland. Despite the late pandemic and existential dread, Bisignis sounds like a fun collection of unfussy indierock with fuzzy guitars and solid melodies and hooks. Like all previous So Cow albums, it’s by no means a perfect album. But like all previous So Cow albums, Insignis includes some pop perfect indie rock hits. Check out Not Anything At All, Barry Two (a sequel to the band’s 2014 hit Barry Richardson) and Requests.
Contrary to what their Japanese sounding name might suggest, Tashaki Miyaki is an indie rock band with “California kids” who have been playing dreamy, hazy, melodic shoegaze / psych pop for 10 years. Their new album, Castaway, has 11 original songs about love, memory and time. “Give me a reason to cry // It’s been so long since I had feeling // I don’t remember why I do anything // What am I doing here” – those are the first lines you’ll hear in the title track with which the record opens, lyrics that say a lot about this record. The band members search for meaning, as we might all do in 2021, and that doesn’t lead to unambiguous findings; when they sing about Good Times there is a dark edge to it, and doubts are expressed with I Feel Fine. The cinematic songs seem sweet and soothing at first hearing, but turn out to be exciting and ominous at the same time. Although they are dreamy, they are never dull; before your attention can wane, there’s a guitar riff or vocal harmony that will keep you on your toes. This album is a cool one, stylish in every way, an image enhanced by some videos. Watch and listen below to convince yourself.
Castaway is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Metropolis Records. RIYL Still Corners, Mazzy Star, Dum Dum Girls. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Metropolis
I was triggered by the alienating cover art, convinced by the music, and then surprised by the story behind it. Unexpectedly, this turns out to be a “Throwback Thursday” post… In 2008, Tommy Ventura wanted to do a project for just one summer (hence the band name). No sooner said than done: he selected a number of musicians, and together they played a few shows and recorded the songs he had been working on for several years – pseudo-progressive indie rock with influences from Americana and baroque pop, for fans of Refrigerator, Lou Barlow, Guided By Voices. By 2009, The Army Of Summer was no longer active. The recordings made the rounds on burned CDs between friends and those involved, and now, 13 years later, there’s finally an actual record, with four tracks Tommy chose from the 2008 session. Out now digitally and on hand numbered single sided lathe cut 12″ vinyl (limited to 50 pieces). A nice surprise!
