Altogether thrilling and as titillating as any band named Morningwood has any right to be this New York foursome really are the full package. So much so that famed Pixies producer Gil Norton agreed to work on their self-titled sophomore album. ‘Nth Degree’ was one of its more exuberant tracks, a bombastic epic full of charging chords and dexterous bass lines. And like a fine wine Chantel Claret gives her vocals a full body workout as she serenades the boys from their pumped up gasoline machines. The effect is akin to the energy and excitement of a Friday night bottled up into 4 minutes of sheer adrenaline. KD

Morningwood - Nth Degree

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Year: 2006

Bands from the Blue Mountains are like buses, you wait years for one to come along and then two of them come at the same time. Cloud Control are decidedly quieter than their neighbours Belles Will Ring but no less ear catching, in fact if the heavy drums of ‘Mad Love’ gets too much for you then ‘Vintage Books’ will be on hand to provide a nice refuge. The 4 members of the band come with silly names (myspace cadets) and include a brother and a sister. Their biggest success to date has been to win a Sydney University band competition yet it shouldn’t take long for word to spread about their self-titled debut EP. And good value it is too, with ‘Vintage Books’ ambling in as the 4th track in a pack of six. ‘Vintage Books’ has much to savour and you’ll likely be still finding hidden delights by the 6th or 7th listen. It is unashamed indie pop, low on production values but deep on inventive harmonies and zig zag instrumentation. There's definitely gold in them thar hills. KD

Cloud Control - Vintage Books

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Year: 2007

Bolting fully formed and fantastically attired from the Blue Mountains where Christmas is a mere 6 months away Belles Will Ring truly are a tonic. Their debut album is already old news down under with a harvest basket of critical arse licking already to its name. And a cursory listen to ‘Mad Love’ reveals why adjectives and this band rightly go hand in hand. The first and last thing that will hit you about the song is the driving beat, which almost overawes the joyous psychedelic swirl that accompanies it. In fact in another life this could have been Alan Wren warming his wrists for the final reel of ‘I Am The Resurrection’. Elsewhere there’s a sneaking regard for the Dandy Warhols’ ecstatic sixties jaunt circa ‘Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia’. The result is a dinger of a tune that should send many interested parties down ‘Mood Patterns’ way. KD

Belles Will Ring - Mad Love

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Buy Songs: Belles Will Ring
Year: 2007

The Harvest Ministers are this year 20 years old. Around long enough to have been signed to Sarah Records (wow!) back in early nineties and also long enough to realise that talent alone is no guarantee of success. One of their first recordings was this heartbreaker which was initially given a vinyl only release. And for all of youtube’s enormous reach I can’t for the life of me trace the whereabouts of the grainy yet spellbinding video that accompanied it. Led by Will Merriman the Harvest Ministers were always a step apart from the guitar led scene that surrounded them back home in Ireland. In saying all that ‘You Do My World The World Of Gould’ could only have come from an Irish band. It is steeped in sadness, Merriman’s vocals being beautifully tempered by Gerardette Bailey’s gentle responses. The instrumentation is sparse, heartfelt and on occasion downright affecting. Aingeala de Burca’s violin part seals the deal in what is a near perfect study of a low-slung yet beautiful love affair. KD

The Harvest Ministers - You Do My World The World Of Good

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Year: 1991

Where are they going with a name like that, perhaps popularity will bring the theorists to their door and reveal all? For the moment Epo-555 come from Copenhagen and inhabit a space where Mew would probably congregate were they to add a poppier angle to their collective genius. ‘Maid In China’ is taken from their second album ‘Mafia’ and displays all the gifts of a band in full creative flow. There are nods to the 80’s electro movement and the beats are all old style New Order yet when that effervescent chorus kicks in time just stands still and the future unfurls before your eyes. This should be on every European radio playlist but I guess Boyzone have announced they are reforming and will all the help they can get to sell a few tickets. KD

Epo-555 - Maid In China

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Year: 2006

Won’t feel it now until there’ll be a set of Antlers on the roof, if you still believe in that sort of thing. Yes, that is quite possibly the worst lead in to a song but the near hallucinogenic quality of ‘On The Roof’ makes you do things you may later regret. Peter Silberman recorded the ‘In The Attic Of The Universe’ EP as cheaply as he could within the confines of his New York apartment. His gift is that the music sounds like it is as lushly produced as a Sigur Ros dreamscape. Vocally you’ll hear Jeff Buckley but the atmosphere is patently Silberman’s, a slow melancholic march to the city of sadness. The Antlers recently signed to Fall Records but hopefully the DIY aesthetic that has served Silberman’s 5 previous works so well won’t be lost. KD

The Antlers - On The Roof

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Year: 2007

Gil Mantera's Party Dream and Dan Deacon could possibly make up the wackiest line up in the history of modern music. But given the bonkers like nature it is somewhat soothing to know that both are capable of making mighty fine music that can be exhilarating or headache inducing depending on your mood. Well today I’d like nothing better than a big cup of synth produced church bells, a frantic 80’s beat and some vocals from someone who goes by the name of the Ultimate Donny (that’s Rich). As you can guess Party Dream are more than the music and a quick flick through their show pics reveals a tempting slice of madness going on whenever they climb into costume. Don’t hate me for thinking that ‘Chalklit Pyhe II’ could be very useful for the soundtrack to a movie where Scrooge is an ex-gurner who has fallen on hard times after his ecstasy dealer decided to take Christmas day off. Bottle this and the energy crisis becomes a thing of the past. KD

Gil Mantera's Party Dream - Chalklit Pyhe II

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Buy Songs: Gil Mantera's Party Dream
Year: 2006

From December 1st right up to Christmas Eve this site will be posting a different seasonal indie tune each day. So by the time the big one arrives you should have enough to soundtrack your festivities. Strangely though it still feels like summer has hardly left us, even if the shops are showcasing more glitter than a Cher costume. So what we need is a dose of Winterpills to start getting us in the mood. Having formed in the winter (!) of 2004 Winterpills have already recorded 2 long players, the second of which 'The Light Divides' arrived earlier this year. Their sound is characterised by the twin vocal charms of lead man Philip Price and keyboardist Flora Reed. Their demeanour may be sometimes frosty but shimmering harmonies often flow freely when their voices merge into a single fluid entity. ‘A Folded Cloth’ is especially delicate despite the sometimes-abrasive guitars. Yet, like with all of Winterpills music a spoon of sugar is never required to make their brand of sonic medicine go down. KD

Winterpills - A Folded Cloth

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Year: 2007

To some the guitar chug at the centre of ‘St. Pete’ won’t mean much, to me it means everything. And looking back over the career of Shannon Wright it is perhaps possible to see how a girl who has toiled for over a decade in the music industry (including a scrape with Big Cat) is capable of delivering such an honest piece of music. Wright has been disillusioned with how many things have panned out but that didn't stop her taking 3 years out of her life to record her latest album ‘Let In The Light’. She recorded most of the parts herself so the angst/sadness that seeps through on ‘St. Pete’ is undeniably her own. This is indie rock that has been distilled to its essential elements and in the process bravely unfurls an iconic banner that we can all fall in behind. KD

Shannon Wright - St. Pete

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Year: 2007

Whether the pun in their name does them any favours is open to question but what’s not in doubt is the drama that flows from Helen Stellar. They’ve already had a brush with fame when director Cameron Crowe chose one of their songs (‘io’) for the soundtrack to his film ‘Elizabethtown’ (check out his fine credentials on ‘Vanilla Sky’). There is an edginess to Helen Stellar, an attitude that is too often absent from emerging bands. That, and the fact that they are capable of turning what could have been a straightforward strum into a rampaging torrent of fuzz that hasn't been heard since Black Rebel Motorcycle's eponymous LP. ‘You Glow From Within’ is executed with cool detachment, especially so with Jim Evens' languid vocals which were more than likely delivered through a mushroom cloud of cigarette smoke. KD

Helen Stellar - You Glow From Within

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Year: 2006

It was a case of oh so close for Chester’s Mansun (an abbreviation of a Verve b-side called ‘A Man Called Sun’). Despite a smattering of great press they never quite built on the success of their debut which went to number 1 in the UK charts. And this is probably the best place to start exploring their back catalogue as ‘Attack of the Grey Lantern’ was a sweeping statement of intent. The bands grand vision is encapsulated on the opening track ‘The Chad Who Loved Me’ with its lush strings and swooping vocals that could have illuminated the opening scenes in any Bond movie. ‘Stripper Vicar’ was one of the albums’ incandescent singles. Singer Paul Draper is in fine form as the baggy beats make way for a full-blown sonic event where the highs are maintained throughout. The band dispense with the pesky verse, instead opting for the shiny chorus from the getgo. This is quite capable of filling the average room so make sure you only handle it in a wide open space. KD

Mansun - Stripper Vicar

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Year: 1996

It has been a godawful year for decent albums so when a good one comes along you have to shout it from the rooftops. Right, can’t believe the lax security in these tall buildings around Dublin, here goes, FOLKLORE’S ‘The Ghost Of H.W. Beaverman’ IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I’ll go so far as to say this may actually be my album of the year, and all this from a concept album based around the life of a fictional character. Folklore is Jimmy Hughes' (Elf Power) side project and he put the album together with a long list of collaborators. Many of the songs have a different vocalist which when combined with the gloriously rambling instrumentation provides for a breathless listen. And strangely in a world full of aimless shuffling it works best when this group of songs are played as a whole. It almost seems cruel to oust one of them from the comfort of the collection but ‘The Vet’ is one that is capable of standing proudly on its own. This is indie pop in the grand old tradition with twee vocals, jangling chords and a heart so ripe with activity it could power a small hamlet. Music like this makes me very happy. KD

Folklore - The Vet

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Download It For Free: Here
Then Buy It For Money: There
And Finally Buy It Again: Folklore
Year: 2007

Ok, I may as well bookend a hat-trick of hushed wonders with (actor, soundtrack composer) Willie Wisely’s ‘Through Any Window’. This one comes from his most recent album ‘Parador’ and displays intricate chords manoeuvres as well as an eye for close harmonies. Initially the tune presents a whirlwind of lo-fi pleasantries, which slowly erode as the song proceeds. Not that the experience ever becomes bland but it seems a shame that the unplugged fireworks at the start could not have been built upon. As it is Wisely proves a pleasant antidote to the blunt troubadours who fill stadiums with their forgettable diary entries put to sub-standard musical backdrops. KD

Wisely - Through Any Window

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Year: 2006

Hello, Blue Roses seem to have softened me up with the result that I’ve lapsed into a semi-conscious stroll through a hill of wispy aural fluff. That is not to denigrate the sweet vocal murmurings of Andy FM on ‘Go To Hell Mountain’, it’s just that I’m trying to prepare myself for a night of alcohol and mayhem and this is not really healthy preparation. On the bright side Warren Defever does his best to include a speckling of his experimental side and when he does the song temporarily loses its tight grip on vibrant loveliness. His Name Is Alive have been around since the late ‘80’s making intelligent music for 4AD for the best part of a decade before eventually moving to Defever’s own Silver Mountain label. Absorbing the band’s enormous catalogue would require a week of Sunday’s but songs like ‘Go To Hell Mountain’ should be persuasion enough to make sure your weekends are full for the next while. KD

His Name Is Alive - Go To Hell Mountain

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Year: 2007

Right at this moment in time I can’t think of a song as soothing and comforting as ‘Shadow Falls’ by Hello, Blue Roses. Gilded with perfect boy/girl harmonies it nonetheless proves to be a tad unsteady, somewhat like a heart that has just been robbed of affection. Dan Bejar should be familiar already as he fronts Destroyer and is well respected for his collaborations with the New Pornographers. Sydney Vermont is his girlfriend and together they make sweet music. Their first work together was conceived in Spain (far away from their Vancouver home) and goes by the somewhat longish yet perfectly encapsulating ‘The Portrait Is Finished And I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty...’. ‘Shadow Falls’ has a cinematic sweep despite the soft delivery and is perfectly angled to soundtrack a thousand moments of introspection. You'll never need to be alone with this on your player. KD

Hello, Blue Roses - Shadow Falls

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Buy Songs: Hello, Blue Roses (due for release in January 2008)
Year: 2007

If you’re in the mood for an open fire and a glass of red wine after a bad week at work then perhaps this is not for you. If on the other hand you feel like a spine tingling brush with high innovation then read/listen on. ‘It Will Find You’ is bedroom electronica at its most visceral, James Chapman actually recorded his debut ‘We Can Create’ in a cramped space but the alchemy that went on behind closed doors eventually wound up being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Chapman is based in Northampton, which holds the distinction of being the largest town in England. Not that you’d be able to find it on a map, which is both sadly ironic and partly redundant in a paragraph like this. ‘It Will Find You’ builds like a brewing storm until the tug of the digital waves eventually sweeps you off your feet. It’s also quite moving, in a melancholic kind of way. Just perfect when accompanied by a hot whiskey bought on the strength of a giro cheque. KD

Maps - It Will Find You

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Year: 2007

Manchester Orchestra are nothing of the sort. Like, they come from Atlanta and don’t even have a trombone player, what gives? Aside from messing with our easily lead minds (like that other crowd of chancers A Sunny Day In Glasgow) Manchester Orchestra also make some pretty nice indie rock. I’m only starting to appreciate what they’re about having been lead to the party through their cover of Annuals ‘Brother’. Oh Brother, where art thou I hear you scream but in many ways this twist on last year’s anthem is as near a stand alone classic as you’re going to get. In fact if one was to get lost in the moment you could almost be listening to a fabulous new ditty from a band that have appeared on both Letterman and O’Brien this year (wowsers). But, it’s not all one-way traffic; the freakishly talented Adam Baker has returned the favour by DIYing ‘Where Have You Been’, something you may well be repeating with extra words like ‘all my life’ as ‘Brother’ floats about your head. KD

Manchester Orchestra - Brother

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Year: 2007

If this song were a girl then you’d probably find that most would fall for her every time she walked into the room. ‘Slow Return (To Sleep)’ boasts a flirtatious ingredient that takes full control of your senses for its entirety. Can’t put my finger on why the swirl of noise hits the bullseye but that’s the magic of the creation. Dora Flood are from San Francisco and have made 5 LP’s to date, the latest of which ‘We Live Now’ came out earlier this year. Most of their back catalogue can be downloaded for free from their website including ‘Slow Return (To Sleep)’ from 2002’s ‘Welcome’. This is perfectly executed dreampop, headed up by Michael Padilla’s velveteen singing and ably backed by a cavalcade of jangling chords. KD

Dora Flood - Slow Return (To Sleep)

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Year: 2002

I’m kicking myself that I haven’t posted this yet. Earlier in the year I had ‘Goin Against My Mind’ on constant rotation (do mp3’s rotate, hmmm) but reached a point where moshing in public places was beginning to get me into serious trouble so I stopped. Doug Martsch has that perfect grandaddy pitch, that nasal whine that you know was just bred for singing in a seminal band. Factor in the fact that his outfit Built to Spill have been on the go for over 15 years with an enviable back catalogue of 6 albums. The last one arrived last year and ‘Goin Against Your Mind’ was the sprawling opener. Laid out over 8 sumptuous minutes it stacks up well against the classics with the band slowly feeding ideas, falling back to near silence and then blowing the roof with a memorable noisy swirl. Can someone please post my bail, I’ll be in the cell marked ‘the agressive jumper’. KD

Built To Spill - Goin Against Your Mind

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Year: 2006

It has been a year of highs and terrible lows for Brooklyn band the Ladybug Transistor. After a seemingly never-ending journey and countless line-up changes it appeared as if the bands sixth album ‘Can’t Wait Another Day’ could be the one to propel them. Tragically in late April, just a few weeks before the album was due to be released, their drummer San Fadyl passed away from a severe asthma attack. With a reputation for heroic pop wonders this is a collective that have hovered below the radar but are undoubtedly seeded with greatness. Along the way they’ve had contributions from members of Essex Green, the Aislers Set and Great Lakes but it has been the contribution of their constant Gary Olson (singer/songwriter) that has kept Ladybug in such ship shape. His voice is distinctive and warm and when combined with the tailored genius in the music it becomes a truly winning combination. In fact ‘Three Days From Now’ is birthed so fully formed and expansive it may take you by surprise. The joy never flags over its 3 and a half minutes making it one of the pop jewels of 2007. KD

The Ladybug Transistor - Three Days From Now

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Year: 2007

Been a bit since Montreal blew us away with an incendiary new band. For a while there it seemed as if every combo from that part of Canada had cracked the elusive code to writing great songs. Of late though, the flood has turned into a trickle even if there are promising signs of life. Surface of Atlantic are still perfecting their art, their recent debut LP ‘Ephemeral As We Speak’ was only their second ever release. It is an album of polished indie rock that has a penchant for intermittent effervescent bursts of activity. ‘Lights Out’ is one of the impressive highlights and it somehow conjures a victory without the need for a meaningful chorus. Snow Patrol may be a reference and if anything they offer a deeper emotional experience. Surface of Atlantic have undoubtedly got a bit to go, but don't be surprised if this is the start of an epic voyage. KD

Surface of Atlantic - Lights Out

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Year: 2007

I suppose if I’m honest much of what appears here has little or no chance of making it with a broad audience. Just the way of the world unfortunately but the same cannot be said about ‘Made Concrete’ which comes from the recently signed Republic Tigers (Chop Shop Records, set up by Alex Patsavas who put the O.C. and Grey’s Anatomy soundtracks together, aha). This is just begging for an advert to garner its tender hooks and nuanced sonic fragrances to shift millions of units. The tune never overwhelms but pulls enough surprises to make it rise majestically above fodder filled radio playlists. In fact if Air were still a force to be reckoned with this would be the sort of electronic wizardry that they’d be producing. So grab onto the Republic Tigers coattails before they’re tainted by the zoo that is fame and fortune. KD

The Republic Tigers - Made Concrete

More Info: Official & Myspace
Year: 2007

Funny, falling in love with this tune didn’t find me doing the usual web search to discover who Vampire Weekend were. Instead, off I rushed to reveal the mystery of what the hell a mansard roof was. For those of the same persuasion I present the very disappointing explanation as culled from Wikipedia; ‘is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls’. Ok, hardly rock n’ roll (hip roof though it may be) but we’ll forgive them given that ‘Mansard Roof’ is a delightful listen. Ezra Koenig’s vocals set the scene wonderfully and in their wake follow all manner of flighty beats and extraterrestrial blips and flashes. Vampire Weekend are certainly an interesting prospect, they have a quirky affiliation with south African rhythms, which comes as a surprise given that the 4-piece were born and bred in New York. The bands self titled debut album is out now, at the very least it'll allow you to brush up on your architecture. KD

Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof

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Year: 2007

Hand ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’ to Fatboy Slim and predictability would soon ensue (can't forgive him the 'Brimful of Asha' heist). Let Dorset based Ingo Star Cruiser in on the action and the results are entirely more palatable. Like it or not the Cold War Kids rummaged together a modern day classic with their bass heavy monster but one thing you can’t do is shake a leg along to it. So with all the skill of diamond cutter Pete Ingo put the essentials in ice and crafted some fabulously disco diddly bits to surround them. The result is euphoric and curiously life affirming. And just to prove it is not just a lucky one off, Ingo has worked his magic on the Late Greats ‘Destroy My Brain’. Tune in to mp3hugger next month when Ingo walks across hot coals in an attempt to successfully recreate Low’s magical ‘Just Like Christmas’ (and the fecker succeeds too!). KD

Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry (Ingo Star Cruiser Remix)

The Late Greats - Destroy My Brain (Ingo Star Cruiser Remix)

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Buy Songs: Ingo Star Cruiser
Year: 2007

My, what a dutiful hybrid of all things early nineties in this song from Swedish band Swoon. Grasping at elements of the sound that was MBV, Ride, Chapterhouse and early Charlatans (principally in the Tim Burgessque vocals) ‘Encore’ will be of keen interest to the descendants of the shoegaze genre. Typically the vocals are wispy and ethereal appearing over the brow of a hill of distorted guitars and wild percussion. ‘Encore’ is taken from the ‘Jetglo’ EP that was released in 2005 after which Swoon seem to have gone to ground. Shame really because efforts like ‘Encore’ are perfectly tailored to the shoegaze audience that has been revitalised of late and could be resurrected completely if the rumours concerning My Bloody Valentine are to be believed. KD

Swoon - Encore

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Year: 2005

Football much like music is never meaningless. No matter how much a game is classed as insignificant there will be someone, somewhere hanging their mood on the outcome of the result. So on the face of it Ireland’s game versus Wales in Cardiff today is been set up as an exercise in filling 90 minutes with a void. For some though, watching what could potentially be one of the greatest crop of Irish players come of age is more significant than points on a table. So much so that in 2 and half years down sunny South Africa way the likes of Andy Reid, Shane Long, Darron Gibson, Paul McShane and Aiden McGeady could be adding fuel to a passionate new team. Don’t let the blues ruin the game, think about what lies ahead, anticipation is half the fun. This song is taken from a new collection of Nick Drake rarities which is out now, it’s called ‘Family Tree’ and as you’d expect is beguiling from start to finish. KD

Nick Drake - Blues Run The Game

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Year: 2007

Ah yeah, Butterfly Bangs, a not terribly original 4-piece from Dorset. But then, when did a lack of imagination ever stop great music from being created. Right at this moment in time with the weekend on the horizon ‘Flowers In A Box’ sounds like a scattershot symphony. The beats are nicely pronounced, the chords a ragged gang of marauding henchman and you’ve got love any song that descends to peaceful bliss to only then reverse into full blown distractive melody overrun. Yep, ‘Flowers In A Box’ could so easily have been an insect fart but instead ends up becoming an elephant parade. KD

Butterfly Bangs - Flowers In A Box

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Year: 2006

I love the way indie pop quickly becomes indie poop by the simple addition of a rudimentary letter of the alphabet. Who knows, perhaps the very appearance of the indie pop tag on this blog could have the exact same effect. Maybe songs like ‘Desperate for Something to Say’ from Peace In Our Time will translate into something altogether less fragrant for you than it does for me. From this end the Jönköping project of Johan Regnér sounds pretty much essential for the well-being of those in possession of some inner twee desires. Cloudberry Records (see huggable labels to the right) have also spotted something so I’m not alone. An indie pop scoop after all then. KD

Peace In Our Time - Desperate For Something To Say

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Year: 2007

The Apples In Stereo seem to have been with us for ever (well I guess 1992 is for ever for most 15 year olds). Must admit I've never sat down and fully listened to any of their 6 albums yet whenever I come across any of their tracks it warms me up inside. In fact ‘She's Just Like Me / Taking Time’ from their debut ‘Fun Trick Noisemaker’ is probably one my favourite songs. So I was delighted to hear Robert Schneider & Co. were releasing an album in 2007, with a more focused blogger head on me I could surely surmount the pleasureable task of getting through ‘Small Magnetic Wonder’. Hooray I said as the CD spun to gather some pretty meagre data on the LCD display. Up popped 25, a CD inlay card was quickly glanced upon and it soon became apparent that Simian Records were gonna get their money’s worth (Lord of the Rings style). Flip this for a tin of biscuits I quickly muttered and clicked to unlucky track 13. As it happens it turned out to be a bundle of energy and was inspirational enough to have me promising to have all 25 tracks conquered by the time my unborn children go to University. This band really deserve better fans, or at least less ADDled ones. KD

The Apples In Stereo - 7 Stars

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Year: 2007

When Jonathan Parant’s old band because less airborne he decided it was time for something different. So he enlisted a couple of buddies and swiftly branded the collective as Feu Thérèse. Constellation Records got wind and the 1st album promptly appeared. And now 2 years later, the follow up ‘Ça Va Cogner’ has arrived. Feu Thérèse could be easily lumped in with Malajube because they are both Canadian, write/converse in French and have an intelligent way around electronic music making devices. In fact their sounds are both edgy and exhilarating so I’m going to do the easy thing. ‘Les Déserts Des Azurs’ is primarily instrumental in nature and divorces itself from the general 70’s electro vibe of much of ‘Ça Va Cogner’ (‘Visage Sous Nylon’ could be a radical remix of ‘I Feel Love’ for God’s sake!). It ranges from mildly distracting to 'let me climb upon on this rug and meditate about debut album Spiritualized'. KD

Feu Thérèse - Les Déserts Des Azurs

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Buy Songs: Feu Thérèse
Year: 2007

Ok, it may only provide a simple pastoral experience but my oh my ‘Another Hollow Line’ sure sounds comfy. And you gotta love any band from the fancily named village of Ashby-de-la-Zouch who started out by playing Ned’s Atomic Dustbin covers (talk about setting your sights high). Their exploits (never mind the decade long journey to this point) haven’t gone unnoticed either as their debut ‘Voices of Animals and Men’ made it onto the shortlist for the Mercury Music Prize earlier this year. ‘Another Hollow Line’ was never released as a single which is a shame because its gorgeous simplicity would surely have bagged the trio another batch of fans. As it is they ain’t doing too bad and we should be thankful for a group that at least attempts to stay grounded in reality (they launched their debut album at a garden fête!). KD

The Young Knives - Another Hollow Line

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Buy Songs: The Young Knives
Year: 2006

Katrina Ford and Sean Antanaitis have been through the mill. Celebration is their 4th band together but this time is going to be different because the pieces have at last fallen into place. Already snapped up by the legend that is the 4AD label Celebration now has a fully-fledged sound that you’re unlikely to find ever originating out of a band of young bucks. ‘Evergreen’ is the opener on their second album ‘The Modern Tribe’ and is remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly Ford’s vocals spin into quarters you never knew existed and secondly the music is such a dreamy concoction you kinda get the sense that 4AD knew exactly what they were letting themselves in for. ‘Evergreen’ certainly won’t have them rolling out of the pub with this on their lips but as an exercise in quality music from the underground it is hard to top. KD

Celebration - Evergreen

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Buy Songs: Celebration
Year: 2007

What a strange trip it has been for Nada Surf. Feted by all and sundry back in 1996 for the cheerleader chic that was their debut single ‘Popular’ they have made a habit of bouncing back with new material against the odds. Now onto their 5th album ‘Lucky’ it seems the New York trio just refuse to throw in the towel. Lucky us, because Matthew Caws is a talented writer who cold shoulders anything resembling self-serving payola (which ultimately led to the band losing their record contract). He writes from the heart, which gives his compositions added expression (check out ‘Hyperspace’ for a rollercoaster ride full of heart stopping moments). ‘See These Bones’ includes vocals from Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and is the first taster from the new album, which won’t get an official release until early next year. The passion builds incrementally with the multi-layered vocals adding dimension until the devastating conclusion begs the listener to live life to the full. Music with a message, how refreshing. KD

Nada Surf - See These Bones

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Year: 2008

The Diggs cite the Stone Roses as their primary influence so it seems kinda appropriate that they are signed to Sugarspun Records. The New York trio have already had the blogosphere in a tizzy with their debut ‘Commute’ which came out in late 2005. If the first taster from their new album is anything to go by then it could be a case of history repeating itself all over again with the follow up. I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t fallen head over heels for ‘Careen’ but I find myself returning to it over and over again. This is because the piece is extremely well polished indie rock, that scuttles about with furious abandon and Timothy Lannen does a fine job supplying the well lubricated vocals. It probably won’t become the prized asset on your favourite mix tape but you’ll be reticent to leave it out. ‘CTRL-Alt-Del’ is due for release in early 2008, task yourself with tracking it down. KD

The Diggs - Careen

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Buy Songs: The Diggs
Year: 2007

Feeling a little bit shortchanged by the new Animal Collective album? Well, help is at hand from the Oxford collective known as Jonquil. Led by the frighteningly young Hugo Manuel their second album ‘Lions’ has slipped by almost unnoticed, which is a shame because it is never less than a ravishing listen. Cradled in experimentation but not requiring a degree in indietronica to crack its melodic code ‘Lions’ is capable of snaging the listener's affections almost immediately. The mosaic of sound that seeps from ‘Lily’ is a typical example of their majesty, a banshee beat without the scares. You can then factor in an emotional edge that can in some cases be downright draining. If you need to have your faith restored in music then the best advice I can give you is to throw yourself to the Lions. KD

Jonquil - Lily

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Jonquil
Year: 2007

I haven’t heard trippy jangle this good since January released their debut on the Poptones label. It is produced by a 4-piece from San Francisco called the Caseworker. The prime forces within the group are the Irish pair of Eimer Devlin and Conor Jonathan (once romantic, now platonic). Devlin creates the bold basslines that contract nicely with her own ethereal vocals. Jonathan spins the gently flickering guitars that recall some great works from the peak of the dreampop scene. Together their combined efforts are magnetically languid, just a swathe of imaginative lush noise. This song can be found on last years ‘When I Was A Young King’ and the follow up is expected in early 2008. Should make for some interesting studio sessions over the next few months. KD

The Caseworker - Scene In The Viewfinder

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Caseworker
Year: 2006

I can imagine songs of this ilk having the producers of Grey’s Anatomy wetting their phoney hospital beds with excitement. Can’t blame them really, it may well be light on compositional ingenuity but boy does ‘Going Out’ sound comfortable on the ears. The Perishers are from Sweden, have been around for a decade now and this track is taken from their 2nd last album ‘Let There Be Morning’. Ola Klüft’s vocals on ‘Going Out’ could be the stock of a MOR classic (he has a lot more in his locker) but thankfully he sees fit to surround them with a good deal of indie pop flair. So while he croons a chiming guitar and stray keyboard dalliance flitter about with maximum effect. And by the finish the whole experience becomes oddly uplifting in a watching a sad movie and sniffling type of way. KD

The Perishers - Going Out

Watch The Video To Sway

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Perishers
Year: 2003

Thank God all bands aren’t as good as the Inspiral Carpets. If they were then there’d me no need for music bloggers, you could just turn on the radio and bask in the glorious frequencies. But, it’s an imperfect planet we live on and when the Oldham band split up in 1995 we were left short changed. Perhaps this is just the ramblings of a man who for long spells believed in what those infamous ‘cool as f**k’ t-shirts proclaimed. I can quite clearly remember mooing loudly for much of the bands performance at Feile in the early nineties. Not sure what it was that inspired such radical bovine behaviour but back then I owed my haircut (!), fashion tops and general adulation for all things hammond to this indecently obscure band from the North of England. But fret not the Inspirals are touring again in 2008, make sure you've ordered in plenty of milk and a good lawyer if you're planning to shirt up. This band were so good they could make instrumentals like 'Dreams Are All We Have' that didn't even sound like the Inspiral Carpets. Moo forever! KD

The Inspiral Carpets - Dreams Are All We Have

Watch The Video To She Comes In The Fall

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Inspiral Carpets
Year: 1991

I like me some electronic music from time to time. It works like a refreshing sonic earwash when the guitars get tiresome. The thing about electronic music, however, is the difficulty in trying to describe it. So often there are no defined angles from which to hang some elegant prose. So when acts like Dublin’s Aleko’s produce pieces like ‘Pure Malevolence’ it’s better to use more vivid if less concrete descriptions. This is the sound of a honey-laden bee lost in a particularly furry faced amplifier. The channels of escape are few and far between and the routes resemble the territory Luke had to navigate on his way to downing the Death Star. During its harsh incarceration a DJ with an allergy to bee stings feeds ‘Autobahn’ through the speakers to pound the tiny animate object. In a frantic effort to escape the now dying insect forages gamely, his wings producing a sweet noise to counter the pure malevolence of the now grinning DJ. Aleko were at Whelans that night and so impressed were they with the critters fight for life that they wrote this song in its honour. KD

Aleko - Pure Malevolence

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Debut EP on the way...
Year: 2007

Football and music eh, go together like cyrsanthemums and training jersey's? Well, new band Glasvegas seem to think so and their music reflects the glorious union in technicolor style. The only thing holding them back is Alan McGee’s patronage (remember the Paddington’s and the MBV quote?), if you can see beyond that stumbling block then the band stand a good fighting chance. ‘Flowers & Football Tops’ keeps its heroes close to the surface, keen eared hoops fans will note the Henrik homage, yet what marks the tune out from the crowd is the sheer spectacle in the sound. Glasvegas are approaching us by stealth, they remain unsigned and their releases have been confined to limited edition 7-inch singles yet the majesty in tunes like ‘It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry’ means that they will soon hold a special place in the hearts of those who frequent paradise. KD

Glasvegas - Flowers & Football Tops

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Glasvegas
Year: 2007

It’s to the credit of the Stone Roses debut that no matter what tinkering is done to its faultless tunes through the endless remixes and mash ups over the years that the soul of the original songs still manage to shine through. That’s not to say that all of the cut and paste jobs have been disasters. Just last year Sam Flanagan took ‘Waterfall’ and ingeniously spiced it with Lily Allen’s ‘LDN’. The result was imaginative with Allen’s smart vocal gliding over the glacial Stone Roses music. This Soul Hooligan reworking of ‘Shoot You Down’ is less successful but has its own psychedelic charms. In fact it could be quite persuasive were it to be let loose on the right crowd at the moment the evening was about to go supersonic. Manchester woh-oh, Manchester. KD

The Stone Roses - Shoot You Down (Soul Hooligan Remix)

Have you heard this?

The Stone Roses V Lily Allen - Water Lily (Sam Flanagan)

Watch The Video To I Wanna Be Adored

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: The Stone Roses
Year: 1989

The inexorable rebirth of shoegaze (or neugaze if you’re into your contemporarism’s) continues apace with the emergence of SVC group Ringo Deathstarr. And it’s all building up a head of steam for the return of the gods of the scene My Bloody Valentine. Yep, it seems as if Mr Shields has finally decided to record the follow up to ‘Loveless’. The fact that it could be made up of songs that were recorded way back when hardly seems to matter given the desert thirst for new material from the Dublin band. In the meantime acts like Ringo Deathstarr will do just fine, in fact they’ll do just dandy. The Austin band come bearing a double pronged assault of shoegaze influences (the aforementioned MBV and the Jesus & Mary Chain). Just listening to their debut EP approximates the act of lifting the side hatch on a working delorean and fizzing back to the summer of 1991. Tracks like ‘Down On You’ boast a mesmerising tumble drier of molten guitars and a balmy sirocco of dreamy vocals. This is music to lose yourself in, close your eyes, here comes Michael J. KD

Ringo Deathstarr - Down On You

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Ringo Deathstarr
Year: 2007

For some reason I always bunch Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Thousand Yard Stare and Carter USM in a trinity of musical memories that are ring fenced by the sight of grown men in long shorts. For all I know Thousand Yard Stare may not have even worn the bermuda like threads but whenever I cast my mind back to tunes such as ‘Comeuppance’ the knee rubbing garments hove into my minds eye. TYS were from David Brent country but looked much further northwards for their baggy inspiration. Apart from the loose grooves the band were also capable of firing a volley of jangling hooks into the air. ‘Comeuppance’ has a languid style defined by the open ended riff, a ratatat beat and Stephen Barnes droll yet impressive vocals. It still sounds quite suave to these ears but perhaps it’s just the rose tinted effect at work. KD

Thousand Yard Stare - Comeuppance

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More Info: Unofficial & Myspace
Buy Songs: Thousand Yard Stare
Year: 1991

You’re a Howlies, I’m a Howlies, Everyone’s a Howlies. Yep, Halloween may be over but Atlanta’s finest can’t help reminding us that the werewolves are still amongst us. ‘Smoke’ from their ‘Trippin’ EP may start out like the Strokes but it ends up sounding like the Jesus & Mary Chain were they to have their ears hacked off in a moment of Tarantino inspiration. All very interesting you might say but is it really much cop? Well, I’ve already lost an afternoon trying to pierce the songs' armour for a weakness and I can tell you now it is quite pointless aiming retro kicks at this masterclass in garage rock. The Howlies are currently unsigned but have struck up a deal with ISP music who will be releasing ‘Trippin’ just before Christmas. Thankfully by then the fanged ones should be hibernating soundly. KD

The Howlies - Smoke

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Howlies
Year: 2007

Liam Finn has certainly made his opinion known on the state of the compact disc. When it comes to his debut solo album ‘I’ll Be Lightning’ for the price of a CD you get 14 tracks, for the price of that seemingly extinct but rapidly returning medium vinyl you can get 19 tracks and if like many you are now purchasing your audio kicks on the internet you can chose from 19 downloads. So fingers up to the shiny silver disc that for so long picked the locks of our collective purse strings, it seems your days in the Monaco sun are fast diminishing. Before all that though you better first establish whether your Liam Finn purchase is worth it. Well, this little beaut (New Zealander you see!) should give you some decision making fuel. Finn’s falsetto may be a hindrance to a few but when allied with the plushest of strings it comes across as knock down gorgeous. Finn as a solo artist wasn’t the way it always was, in fact ‘I’ll Be Lightning’ may only prove to be a nixer away from his main job with Betchadupa. Oh yeah, young Liamo also happens to be the son of one Neil Finn of Crowded House. So don’t even dream it’s over if ‘I’ll Be Lightning’ doesn’t work out. KD

Liam Finn - Second Chance

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Liam Finn
Year: 2007

Given that the quintet from Nacka in Sweden called Those Dancing Days were only formed this year it seems like quite an achievement that they’ve already recorded a 5-track EP and got signed to a prestigious label (Wichita). Not too surprising when you spy on their geeky layout and scatty sound however. This is a perfectly unique band, intoxicated with quirky fashion and destined to take their Hammond sluiced vignettes to the mainstream. Singer Linnea Jönsson is the central focus yet there is so much to savour in the free-for-all instrumentation. ‘Those Dancing Days’ and ‘Hitten’ are the primary sonic wares until the bands debut album drops early next year. ‘Those Dancing Days’ is a hyperactive romp that will take root in the sussed clubs before it envelops a larger audience that will be totally sold on its dizzy appeal. KD

Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days

Watch The Video To Hitten

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Those Dancing Days
Year: 2007

Before I slid over to their myspace California Snow Story had me thinking about some wee Glaswegian giants. Well giants in a small indie pool anyway, it’s hard imagine anyone listening to ‘Suddenly Everything Happens’ without recourse to thoughts of Camera Obscura or Belle & Sebastian (Stereolab at times too). And for this we should be thankful as a tune as preciously delivered as this one will always find a corner on twee pop hard drives. Then you discover that Calfornia Snow Story mainman David Skirving was actually a founding member of Camera Obscura before jumping ship and following his own destiny in 2001. Thusfar he has found himself on 2 of our favourite labels Shelflife and Letterbox Records. The latter was responsible for putting out the band’s debut album ‘Close To The Ocean’ early this summer. Band you say, well Skirving now has a little gang that includes Sandra Belda Martínez who is reponsible for catering to dreamers of all things girl next door. KD

California Snow Story - Suddenly Everything Happens

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: California Snow Story
Year: 2007

Hybrasil, from Wicklow, are signed to Fifa Records. Whether they are also endorsed by the king of spin himself Sepp Blatter is open to question but their groovy ditties should at least have enormous appeal for football fans the world over. The Hybrasil sound is bulked up on electronic flourishes, pummelling tunnels of noise and a vocal presence that keeps all the disparate parts running in a neatly cohesive manner. Live, the band can be an exhilarating experience and in many ways their debut album ‘The Monkey Pole’ successfully recaptures that feeling. Think Kasabian were they to possess an imagination instead of a diploma in mimicry. In fact at their best, like on ‘When I’m Yawning’, Hybrasil generate audio torrents that Liverpool’s finest Clinic would be proud to call their own. This is the sound of the first collaboration between a music producing A.I. robot and man. As you might have guessed it’s also the sound of the future. KD

Hybrasil - When I'm Yawning

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Hybrasil
Year: 2007

I do hope that some day I will feel the same way I do about the music that appeared between 1989 and 1993 as I do about contemporary music. For me that will always be the tranche of time when indie appeared at its most fertile. It always delights then when I happen upon an undiscovered piece of magic from that period. I spotted this gilded gem on a podcast just the other day. ‘Cancer’ was a b-side to Dublin’s Power of Dreams 1991 single ‘Stay’ (it also appeared on the Japanese Import of ‘2 Hell With Common Sense’). At this point the Clondalkin outfit were being courted by all and sundry and had already established a huge fan base in both Ireland and Japan. Their debut ‘Emigrants, Immigrants and Me’ was a lavish affair by a group of teenagers in the throes of rampant creativity. The energy and sense of melody was utterly convincing and listening to ‘Cancer’ just highlights what a prospect they were shaping up to be. As it turned out their debut was as good as it got, future albums contained some fabulous singles but the precocious instinct of their first-born was never quite recaptured. KD

Power Of Dreams - Cancer

More Info: Wiki & Myspace
Buy Songs: Power of Dreams
Year: 1991