New album: Gabriel’s Dawn || Gabriel’s Dawn

By / / Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

In the end, really good music always comes to the fore. When UK indie pop outfit Gabriel’s Dawn’s self-titled debut album came out last May, we pushed it aside too quickly. But now the temperature is higher, the sun is shining brighter, and the windows and doors are wide open, these ten songs suddenly sound perfect and indispensable. The band members – Gudg (vocals), Fran (bass), Leon (guitar) and Stuart (keys) – share a love for melodic pop, jangly guitars and classic songwriting, and that’s exactly what you’ll hear here, although I must also emphasize the beautiful angelic vocals. The band is reportedly named after Peter Gabriel and Genesis’ Hidden in The World of Dawn, but musical references are more likely The Bangles, Alvvays and Jeanines. Opening track Loose Canyon pays tribute to the Laurel Canyon music scene that influenced them so much (“I want to be part of a movement // Subculture, self-improvement”), and maybe they’d rather be there than in the Midlands (“England is drowning in dark anxiety”), but this shows once again that dreams can lead to beautiful things. In this case to an LP that you can leave on repeat this hot summer.

Gabriel’s Dawn is out now digitally, on CD, and on vinyl LP with alternative artwork (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Sino Hearts || Lightening The Darkness

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Last time we checked in with The Sino Hearts they released a compilation with the best tracks of their first two records. For me that offered the best of both worlds, because neither record was perfect but both contained some killer tracks. Now, the Bejing band (who moved to Berlin recently) returns with their third album called Lightening The Darkness. Mark this record as the moment where The Sino Hearts fully live up to the expectations raised by those killer tracks. To be honest, The Sino Hearts exceed my expectations. I’m blown away by how good this record is.

Whereas the band’s previous output was very much Exploding Hearts influenced – never a bad thing, it’s almost like The Sino Hearts finally found a sound of their own. Like a writer finding his or her own voice, The Sino Hearts brand of powerpop/garage/rnr/’70s punk is more effective than before, and you won’t find any filler on Lightening The Darkness. It’s hit upon hit. Goodbye Tonight. Passing Shades. Stranglehold On My Heart. Falling Out Of Love. All hits, and those are the first songs on the record! Or what about Commotion Of Love?

Lightening The Darkness is a must have. Out now through Topsy Turvy & Otitis Media.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || Soundflat

New EP: The Dumpies || Roberto Clemente

By / / Punk / 2 Comments

An EP with more songs (6) than minutes (5)? Short attention spanners rejoice! The Dumpies return with their latest EP, which they of course again named after a sports icon. After tackling Bill Laimbeer, Jim Thorpe, Zola Budd, Mark Spitz, and Billie Jean King, this time it’s Roberto Clemente – the first Latin-American player to be inducted in the Baseball Hall Of Fame.

I am kinda surprised the band didn’t pick a Hockey player for this one since these songs have more in common with the short agressive and speedy shifts of a bunch of fourth liners than the leisurely pace of a baseball game. The short punk bursts of The Dumpies sound good to me though and fun as (w)(h)ell. The longest track on Roberto Clemente is a blistering cover of Shang-a-lang’s Commotion. Extra credits for cutting twenty seconds of the already fast original.

Roberto Clemente is out now on 7″vinyl at Hovercraft Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Hovercraft Records

New album: Fleur! || Fleur Fleur Fleur!

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

The girl group sound is also kept alive in Indonesia, not in the least by rock ‘n’ roll trio Fleur! (not to be confused with Dutch yé-yé singer/musician Fleur), formerly Flower Girls. After a recording process that took almost two years, Tanya Ditaputri (guitar, vocals), Tika Pramesti (drums, vocals) and Yuyi Trirachma (bass, vocals) have now released their full-length Fleur Fleur Fleur! and it’s everything you hope it is. You’ll hear influences from the big names of the 60s as well as local traditions, but the eleven songs here – sung in their native language – are truly original, contemporary, diverse and captivating. Fleur! looks cool, Fleur! sounds cool.

Fleur Fleur Fleur! is out now digitally and on CD through La Munai Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || La Munai

New EP: Senseless Optimism || It Gets Better

By / / Funk & Soul, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Good vibes in hard times, that’s the motto of Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brittany Tsewole. With her indie pop project Senseless Optimism – featuring Nate Leavitt (bass, guitar), Dan Cederholm (drums), Easmond Hoansi (keys), Matt Odabashian (keys), Brian Murphy (horns) and Dan Nicklin (percussion) – and their debut EP It Gets Better, she spreads a message of positivity, hope and overcoming obstacles. However, life is not without worries: the five tracks here span a lyrical spectrum across the various stages of grief, from denial (Give Me Time), to anger (Hater), to depression (Couped Up), and finally to acceptance (Nothin’ To Me and standout lead single Leave You Behind). They are basically pop songs, but with influences from jazz, rock, soul, R&B and psych. Groovy and warm music, wonderful vocals – the future is bright.

It Gets Better is out now digitally (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Rubs || Dust

By / / Power Pop / 2 Comments

There was an insane amount of interesting releases Friday – which we hopefully get to catch up to soon, but I got distracted when I noticed Joey Rubbish applying a mobile AED to revive the heartbeat of AM radio. And so here I am, taking a fourth consecutive spin of Dust, his latest release under The Rubs moniker. Still not satiated.

It’s been five years since Impossible Dream, and although The Rubs is an one man band, that’s a long time. But clearly Joey Rubbish used the time wisely. Dust is goddamn perfect and clever in all of its powerpop glory. With songs like I Want You, Dana, I Don’t Wanna Wait and What Did I Do, Rubbish proves that pop perfection is not limited to 3-minute songs. And with Hang On To Me, he shows that Thin Lizzy is still very much alive today. Meanwhile, the amount of hooks in these 44 minutes is simply staggering.

If you listen to just one record today, make it this one. Dust is out now through Hozac Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Hozac

New album: Neil Brogan || Things Keep Getting In The Way

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

A solo record by Neil Brogan of Sea Pinks, Girls Names and Cruising fame? That doesn’t just sound good on paper. Things Keep Getting In The Way offers 30 minutes of smooth jangle guitars, laid back vocals, and simply great melodies. Admittedly, this isn’t the first solo release by Brogan – there is a lot to discover on his Bandcamp page, but to my knowledge it’s the first solo release with a physical (CD) release. That makes sense, because I think it contains the best of his recent recordings. Brogan has a knack for writing tunes that make you feel good. The combination of his voice and the clean jangle guitar riffs has a soothing effect.

Things Keep Getting In The Way is life summarized in six words, but Brogan makes it sound like the world is alright after all (or will be). There even is a song on here called I’m In A Good Mood. Same, Neil. Same!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Ram Vela & the Easy Targets || Stuck on Yesterday

By / / Alternative Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 1 Comment

Please meet Ram Vela (songwriting, lead vocals, guitars) and The Easy Targets – Nathan Snyder (guitars, vocals), Dan Walker (bass, vocals) and Rachel “Spanky” Fuhrer (drums) – who are firing seven exciting new tunes at you from Austin, Texas. Their debut album Stuck on Yesterday is admittedly influenced by the past – 70s power pop / new wave (it’s somewhat reminiscent of Elvis Costello) and 90’s alt-rock / 00s punk rock (Jimmy Eat World, The Get Up Kids, Motion City Soundtrack, etc. ) – but the songs here are more original than the somewhat pessimistic title suggests. Standout track Pick Up Where I Left Off is a catchy hit full of sing-along lyrics, Let’s Start a Band is a relatable anthem for all aspiring young musicians. If upstart bands are as good as Ram Vela & the Easy Targets, the future of rock music looks bright.

Stuck on Yesterday is out now digitally (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Fo Daniels || Imitation Roses

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

Funny how you now can still discover an album that you overlooked last April. I was pointed to new single Promises b/w Portrait of a Morning by American singer-songwriter/guitarist Forrest “Fo” Daniels, which turned out to be stripped-down bonus tracks to complete his debut LP Imitation Roses that came out three months ago. That album is so good I don’t want to keep it from you. It contains ten powerful songs recorded completely live, along with Charlie Holt (drums), Selby Austin (bass), and Darby Mcglone (guitar) in the same room, in just one day. That makes the result raw and authentic, yet the energetic indie rock with alt-country influences sounds well thought out, with an eye for balance and detail. These are great guitar-driven tracks – well played and sung, superbly produced – that should prevail on alternative radio stations and festival grounds.

Add to wantlist: streaming only for now

New album: Tchotchke || Tchotchke

By / / Indie Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

New York-based trio Tchotchke – Anastasia Sanchez (drums, vocals), Eva Chambers (bass, vocals) and Emily Tooraen (guitar, vocals) – have released their self-titled debut album, produced by The Lemon Twigs. At first hearing these are simply nine indie pop songs with a 60s girl group sound, but surprising baroque, psych, folk and rock influences – guest musicians added cellos, horns and violins – make the album more unique, fascinating and eccentric than you initially expect. Wonderful arrangements, enchanting vocals. Actually, there are no weak moments here, but apart from the singles Ronnie, Dizzy and Don’t Hang Up On Me, in particular Oh Sweetheart, Come (featuring Jonathan Rado) is an addictive summer hit.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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