Wouldn’t say I’m one for quiet albums, partly because I don’t think I have the patience to track down interesting noise behind the hush. Then there are quiet(ish) albums like Woodpigeon’s ‘Treasure Library Canada’ that I persist with and bit-by-bit I am entranced. This is no mean feat given that the LP’s 14 tracks almost breach the hour mark (oh I am such a shuffler I know). What Woodpigeon do though is pretty special, their acoustic dramas are frequently given orchestral backdrops so as you melt to Mark Hamilton’s (he spent time in Edinburgh so has a song called ‘The Hamilton Academicals’) sweet vocals an uplifting tranche of strings mop up what is left of your world-weary senses. ‘A Moment's Peace For Mary Christa O'Keefe’ even sees fit to include some of the most brilliant banjo parts you’ll hear all year. This is heart wrenchingly beautiful stuff. Woodpigeon play a couple of dates around Ireland in May. Pretty much unmissable is what I say. KD

Woodpigeon - A Moment's Peace for Mary Christa O'Keefe

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Woodpigeon
Year: 2009

My dad is a lifelong Liverpool supporter and he can tell you a lot about the club and the city. He reckons he’s been to Anfield over 100 times and knows every blade of grass in the place. He can really spin a tale about the various adventures he’s had on these trips but my favourite is the one he tells about his chance encounter with George Harrison. It was in late 1979 that he met the famous Beatle in some pub or club after an all-dayer on the lash. Now my father likes his whiskey so his recollections can get muddy after several bottles so he is not fully sure about how the tape came to be in his possession. All he remembers from the time was finding a small untidy package in his suit jacket pocket the morning after his brush with Harrison. He didn’t think much about it until he returned home and decided to open the brown paper packaging. Inside was a cassette with ‘handmade s/t scratchy’ scrawled across its front. Now my dad is neither a music head nor a slave to technology (tapes were new at the time) so the prospect didn’t exactly fill him with excitement so he just gave it to his nerdy 8 year old (me!). At the time I was obsessed with Johnny Cash’s ‘San Quentin’ so didn’t take much notice as it only had one song and I thought it sounded a bit naff. I stashed it away with the Star Wars figurines that I’d grown tired of. Over the years I completely forgot where I’d left it. It was only on a trip back home recently that I happened upon my old toy box and came across the battered tape. The reference to ‘handmade’ may have been in relation to George’s production company and s/t could have stood for soundtrack, perhaps for a film that never happened. It’s all a bit of guesswork though and it’s possible that it's not even him or the other Beatles messin’ about. I guess the fact of the matter is that the song still sounds pretty awful and is just something myself and my dad can laugh about every now and then. That said my mates do bug me intensely when they ask to listen to the tape every saturday before we head out. How come dad couldn’t have been just one of those drunks that lost things!!! KD

George Harrison and Friends - Handmade

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: George Harrison
Year: 1979

Seems that Java’s greatest indie pop band Annemarie are on an extended hiatus. Pity because if anyone could wrestle back the indie pop crown it was this collective. Famed for their genuine twee instincts they released a couple of records that wouldn’t haven’t been out of place on the Sarah roster. What’s more they found themselves tickling the fancy of those tweepop loving labels Music is my Girlfriend (Sweden) and Plastilina Records (Peru). ‘Bubblegum’ is taken from their one and only album ‘ABC on TV’ and dishes their softly focused approach with gay abandon. They’ll sure be missed if they fail to return. KD

Annemarie - Bubblegum

Watch The Video To Apple

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

Indiecater time again and this time the precious audio comes from Northern Europe, Sweden to be precise. Are you excited yet? You should know by now about the Swedes and their unerring gift for exceedingly good music and so we wanted in on the action. And what better way to achieve that goal than by teaming up with Stockholm’s finest South Ambulance. The quintet are a godsend for anyone still pining for melody freckled shoegaze with spunky lyrics. ‘Davy Crockett’ is the lead song from the first of 3 EP’s that we are going to do together this year. It’s a lolloping delight enriched with cascading chords and sprightly vocals. If it takes your fancy then head over here where you can listen to the whole EP. We’re hoping you take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on them. KD

South Ambulance - Davy Crockett

Watch The Video To Die 5times Times5

More Info: Indiecater & Myspace
Buy Songs: South Ambulance
Year: 2009

Disregard the fact that this is being touted as a b-side, it’s a fully functioning a-side in my eyes. And what an eighties sheen it has too, and before you scoff remember that that decade recorded the highest per capita choruses that the world has ever known. Ok, you might have trouble humming along to ‘Life Support Machine’ unless you are a Star Wars extra but it boasts a memorable pop sensibility. The 6 minutes plus just flies by and if such things were still being contemplated I’m sure it could fuel a pretty great 12-inch. The song is taken from the ‘Neon Hearts’ download single which is being released through Edinburgh’s 17 Seconds Records, a label run by the owners of the blog of the same name. They may not be that long in the tooth but what a great start they've made in uncovering this gold. KD

Ex Lion Tamer - Life Support Machine

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Ex Lion Tamer
Year: 2009

Another pretty piece of pop music (not sure what is happening to me), this time from down Sydney way. Lior has a large following in Australia and his clean cut vocals and political views should see him make it as big over here as well. On this song from his second album ‘Corner Of An Endless Road’ he is joined by Sia and their vocal union is faultless. The music for its part is unobtrusive, posing gently in the background as the harmonies intertwine in beautifully weaving patterns. Hard to see how it could fail really. KD

Lior - I'll Forget You (feat. Sia)

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Lior
Year: 2008

As openings go ‘If U Know’ has to go down as one of the more memorable. This Rademacher tune exhibits the unabashed wish to go whatever way it sees fit and that means the joie-de-vivre is palpable. The Fresno act has had some light brushes with fame but for the moment they appear to be just nicely bubbling underneath. This track is taken from a digital EP they put out last year called ‘Era’. Their instincts are sublime and one could imagine that with some minor alterations Rademacher could turn into something the general populace might fall in love with. Hope that doesn’t happen though and they continue to eek out a living while making some lovely off-kilter records. I'm a bit sinister that way. KD

Rademacher - If U Know

More Info: Myspace
Buy Songs: Rademacher
Year: 2008

Please don’t squeal because I haven’t gone all soft on ya. Yes, ‘Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop’ has probably been wetting knickers for months now but I can’t help escaping the fact that it’s a lovely little number. Apparently it has sold a quarter of million on itunes, which says a lot about the demographic it has been conquering. But there are many cases for the defence, the first being Landon’s insatiable love for the cassette tape. Then there’s his wonderful approach to arrangements that never strangle but merely coax out your good side. His vocals are pretty impressive too, displaying a nice falsetto when the need arises. All told it is a wonderful introduction to the young lads music, watch him soundtrack every pivotal teen scene for the next 12 months. KD

Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop

Watch The Video

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Landon Pigg
Year: 2008

Thrash as a genre is easily mocked by the slow witted but we’re not here to dispense easy jibes. Instead let’s focus on White Fang’s pursuit of the finest this genre has thrown up. And much of it appeared on their album ‘Pure Evil’ that gave ballistic loudness a new sense of purpose. If I’m honest I prefer it when they pepper the hurricane with moments of quiet reflection like what happens on most of ‘Tall Shadow’ where a quasi jazz perspective is the order of the day. I think you'll agree it proves beyond doubt that White Fang and the sphere they find themselves in are certainly not rubbish. KD

White Fang - Tall Shadow

More Info: Myspace
Buy Songs: White Fang
Year: 2008

Luke Wyland finally settled on Portland after his grand tour had taken him to many nooks and crannies. From what little I know of the place it would seem to be a good union as it has a great lineage of inventive acts. His Au project has fathered 2 children, the latest of which ‘Verbs’ arrived last year. The album displayed many Animal Collective/Grizzly Bear comparisons with the primary reaction being that of wooziness after a session in its company. We’ve already gone gaga for ‘RR vs. D’ yet there are many other moments of clarity (given time) amongst the breezy half lit vocals and transcendent music (‘Sum’ below is taken from the self-titled debut). Makes you wonder how Wyland could recapture the scene in a live setting doesn’t it. Well, you better grab your chance to do so when he visits upstairs in Whelan’s on Wednesday, April 29th. And what better way to achieve that objective than to go for free! We’ve got a couple of double passes to give away to the two nicest emailers.

Update: Congrats to Jamie and Jim!

KD

Au - Sum

Watch The Video To RR Vs. D

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

Glitchy electronica eh? Not exactly something to have you cuddled up on a Sunday morning is it but hey you're probably reading this on an angry Monday morning anyway so play it loud to antagonise your irritating colleagues. Not that it’s annoying, in my book it’s quite fetching even if it goes a bit psychotic towards the end. Not a lot is known about Parisian Stephane Laporte as he seems to be more intent on fostering relations with audio producing machines than humans but then you realise without this intimacy ‘Ma Stereo’ could have sounded much too like a composition that had its origins on earth. As it is it more resembles something like what those smash potato advert creations would have engineered after another fine bowl of the squishy stuff. Hitch yourself to more glitch here. KD

Domotic - Ma Stereo

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Domotic
Year: 2006

The last post and after 1200 tunes I need to go for a long walk.

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She beat the devil and but still sounds like a fallen angel.

Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers - Filthy And Free

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Out on the pavement they're writing songs about Stephen Malkmus.

Rotary Downs - A Feast In Squalor

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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An adventurous playground of electro movement.

Delphic - Delphic

More Info: Official

KD

Getting indigestion now, but there is still some great stuff seeping in.

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Dainty as a butterfly, off-kilter as a paddy's day celebrant.

Magic Magic - Sleepy Lion

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Like the Go! Team but with the unnecessary bits removed.

Floating Action - Absolute Sway

More Info: @ SXSW & Official

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Topsy turvy ramble that dispels a slow graffiti.

Yppah - Gumball Machine Weekend

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

KD

Day 2 at SXSW and as underpants start to get musty here is a recap of the freshest stuff we’ve discovered (from afar) over the last 24 hours.

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The suburbs of Joe Jacksonville are starting to find their own voice.

The Miserable Rich - Pisshead

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Gee fyfe by gum.

The Pictish Trail - I Don't Know Where To Begin

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Flying by the seat of ones pants never sounded so swish.

The Weird Weeds - Red

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

KD

Day 3 of our scattershot mission to find the best tunes currently doing the rounds in Austin, Texas. About 600 tunes in with a hit rate of about one in twenty.

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It’s acoustic by boy is it electric too.

Mom - Josh Likes Me

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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If Stereolab were a flower in the desert.

YellowFever - Hellfire

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Capital tune from Swedish chanteuse.

Sofia Talvik - My James Dean

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

KD

Part deux (the first one is here) of our SXSW roundup and 5 more tunes that have caught our attention.

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Modern day psychedelia reimagines the Byrds and Simon & Garfunkel.

The Asteroid #4 - These Flowers Of Ours

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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They’ve been around for a while but their melodies are fresh and pristine.

Pato Fu - Nada Original

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Wistful understated pop from the home of SXSW.

The Lovely Sparrows - Year Of The Dog

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Big and beautiful, futuristic retro dancehall mayhem.

The Golden Filter - Solid Gold

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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More preciousness but there’s no metal in sight this time.

Solid Gold - Get Over It

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

KD

It’s our national holiday so for one day can we desist from the national pastime of moaning and knocking the neighbours (and shur wasn’t their 4x4 only repossessed last weekend). We’ve got lots to be thankful about, for one dole payments in Ireland are amongst the highest in Europe and there has been some encouraging talk about the reintroducion of the butter voucher scheme. Plus shouldn’t we be celebrating in the knowledge that most of the basket cases who run this country are out of it (in more ways than one) on March 17. Who cares if they’ll be gorging on caviar while the rest of us make do with turf soup? And anyway a slimmer backbench would only make the rest of us feel worse and give us less to guffaw about. So Happy St. Patrick’s, we’ve never had it so good and it can only get better. KD

Dave Couse - Here Comes The Good Times (With Shalalies)

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Dave Couse & The Impossibles
Year: 1994

There ain’t nothing like it on earth and from March 18 to 22 the eyes and ears of the world will descend on Austin for the annual creative behemoth that is SXSW. Over the next few days I am going to run the rule over exactly 1267 mp3s that are scattered around the music section of the SXSW site. I’ll be then picking my favourites and in many cases I’ll be going on initial impressions rather than the more longwinded aproach I normally adopt. Overblown and effusive text will be replaced by a neater digest format, which will leave more room for the music. So let’s steam ahead!

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Twee indie pop never sounded so good.

The Peekers - Gather It All

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Jaga Jazzist meets Lemon Jelly meets the future of electronica.

Arms And Sleepers - Butterflycatcher

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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A deliciously aloof singalong swirling in the night sky.

Virgin Passages - Distance

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Note perfect and already on the lips of the scenesters.

Buddy - Is It Cold In Silverlake

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

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Remarkably different sound from deepest Russia, it’s all in the exotic voices.

Alash - Bashtak Joke

More Info: Official & @ SXSW

KD

One of the many things I love about fuelling this blog is that from time to time it throws up bands that are so deliciously different. I can remember listening to Pittsburgh’s the Van Allen Belt for the first time and wondering ‘what the hell is this’. Thankfully it wasn’t a shrug of the shoulders and move on kind of reaction but it still took quite a few listens before I comprehended their raison d'être. Even now the variety and downright epic nature of their debut album ‘Meal Ticket To Purgatory’ can be an exhausting experience. I sometimes start it in the morning, take in a few tracks in late afternoon and finish it off with a fluffy cocoa when the sun goes down. It’s a remarkable record that is funny, opinionated and full of tunes that should be helping people everywhere beat the recessionary blues. The Van Allen Belt are no strangers to these parts as they’ve already appeared on Indiecater Vol. 2 and Ben from the band gave us the tinseltastic ‘There Is No Santa, Little Boy’ via his side project Nonstop Everything last December. So we are really delighted to make it a hat-trick of appearances as ‘Meal Ticket To Purgatory’ is given the Indiecater treatment. You can buy the grand opus for just €4 and to give you a taster for what’s in store here is the incomparable ‘Baby Boomer Backstroke’. KD

The Van Allen Belt - Baby Boomer Backstroke

More Info: Indiecater & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Van Allen Belt
Year: 2007/2009

I had a friend once who’d return an album if he didn’t like the sound of it. Funny thing was that most shops mostly conceded to his request and gave him a refund. Times have changed a little though and in 2009 it is quite easy to dine out for as long as you care to on really good free music (and legal too!). The Dodo Fightback from London has gone this route and their debut album ‘Into The Wilderness’ is just begging to be downloaded gratis from their website. And it’s really good too, full of spikey jangling guitars and vocals that are neatly buried underneath but still possessing a voice worth hearing. The immediacy of the sound could be put down the bands use of modern and vintage instrument and the fact that most of the tracks were recorded live. ‘Wilderness’ is classic Friday night indie, something that would brighten up one of those ‘Indie Top 20’ comps that used to fill my walkman with such glee all those years ago. Even if they were charging I’m sure no one would be handing back their copy of ‘Into The Wilderness’. KD

The Dodo Fightback - Wilderness

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Dodo Fightback
Year: 2009

Here is a slight but entertaining ditty from Menomena’s drummer Danny Seim. The song is taken from last year’s ‘Your Anchor’, an album he recorded and mastered from the comfort (or lackthereof) of his basement apartment in Portland. Remarkably it was his 9th LP and the first one to be released with any great deal of fanfare. ‘Last November’ is really well put together; it’s constituent parts gelling to form a pleasant whole. Seim’s languid vocals are in marked contrast with the twinkling riffs and elastic beats. KD

Lackthereof - Last November

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Lackthereof
Year: 2008

Venice is Sinking have gone and done it again and crafted a record of deep emotional resonance. It’s called ‘Azar’ (out March 30th, thanks Daniel for letting us post this song) and has been incubating for a couple of the years (their debut 'Sorry About The Flowers' came out in 2006). The one thing that struck me about the record was how instrumental it sounded. Even when the gorgeous vocals appear they seamlessly slot into the slowly forming quilt of foraging soundscapes. As you’d expect from VIS there are moments of heart stopping beauty like ‘Wetlands Dancehall’, ‘Young Master Sunshine’ and ‘Iron Range’. The latter is completely devastating, I listen and it feels like someone has run a tiny sprinkle of freezing water down my back and for some reason my head responds by pulsing in the weirdest of ways. This level of artistry doesn’t come from endless practise; this is the work of a group of individuals destined to make grown men cry. If this blog gave ratings then ‘Azar’ would probably be awarded a perfect 10. On this sort of form Venice Is Sinking have the potential to become the best ever band to emerge from Athens, Georgia. KD

Venice Is Sinking - Iron Range

Watch The Video To Pulaski Heights

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Venice is Sinking
Year: 2009

It was a piece of unswerving beauty from a Glaswegian band who had shown promise but never on this level. The album appeared at the turn of the century and was suitably epic in its approach. It was bedecked in grand gestures (Dave Fridmann produced), lush string sections and gorgeous boy/girl vocals. Neither Emma Pollock nor Alun Woodward would ever repeat the magic (later albums were still pretty impressive) and it’s understandable because ‘The Great Eastern’ had 10 faultless tracks. Opening number ‘The Past That Suits You Best’ needs to be tamed but it will eventually pull you in. The emotion is tangible with the uneven tempo playing dangerous games with your heart. Sometimes it makes me tear up when the strings kick in at the end. And on another Delgados thread, has there ever been a sweeter song recorded than 'Everything Goes Around The Water'? See a link for the video below and prepare to swoon. KD

The Delgados - The Past That Suits You Best

Watch The Video To Everything Goes Around The Water

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Delgados
Year: 2000

Who’d have thought it, the Killers doing their best Frank & Walter’s impression and hey presto they’re back riding high in the charts. Probably unlikely but when I happened upon ‘Human’ all I could think of was Cork’s finest and their splendidly turned out indie stompers. The inspiration may have leaked from the good ship F&W a few years back but you can’t knock their live incarnation which continually gives those of us in the sunset of our youth reasons to be cheerful. ‘You Asked Me’ turned up on the odd and ends collection ‘Souvenirs’ in 2005 and is the sort of jaunty affair the threesome (albeit now reconfigured) were best known for when they were getting singles-of-the-week in famous UK publications. Perhaps someone impressionable was reading intently in faraway Las Vegas. KD

The Frank & Walters - You Asked Me

Watch The Video To Fashion Crisis Hits New York

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Frank & Walters
Year: 2005

Notably bad name aside this could be the year that Monaghan (via SEA) band Sanzkrit make good on the early promise shown on their debut EP of a couple years ago. ‘Futila’ is memorable for a number of reasons, mainly because it sounds raw, like what might have appeared on a first take. It wears its blemishes proudly which ultimately gives the tune an even more heartwarming quality. This could be epic live as the guitars shimmering EITS edge are counterbalanced by Dave Marron’s holler. All told it’s a fine achievement and should mean that ‘After The Wedding’ gets plenty of attention when it drops in September. KD

Sanzkrit - Futila

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Sanzkrit
Year: 2006

I like me head swirls and this Texan outfit are giving a near perfect rendition of one just about now. ‘A Finch That Flew Beyond The Sky’ is taken from their debut ‘In The EP’ and distinguishes itself by not being like a song at all. Instead it positions itself as an absorbing swell of soothing sounds that gently rub off each other without ever hanging around for long enough for it to be construed as unfit for young ears. This should be emailed to the association of relaxation room proprietors who would on discovering the piece kick the endlessly looping underwater mammal recordings to touch. Such a non-linear tune has no right to be this delightfully fluid but Treebends pull it off with aplomb. If you look in the right places you can legally download this gem of an EP for free. KD

Treebends - A Finch That Flew Beyond The Sky

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Treebends
Year: 2008

I can see the headlines now ‘DDD in proper song sellout’, well not really but ‘I Smell The Blood’ has enough sweet coefficients to at least merit an errant glance from Larry Gogan’s ear lobe. Of course, Bobby being Bobby, the tasty forward momentum of the early manoeuvres is quickly swept under a carpet of blind alleys, creative cul-de-sac’s and general lo-fism by the finish. Wouldn’t have it any other way mind as this boy is destined to do something that will move a lot of people some time soon. With his unparalleled workrate this song is actually taken from 3 releases ago even though ‘Luanqibazao’ only came out at the end of September. God knows how current EP ‘Yykes Basket’ sounds, perhaps he’s already grabbed Snow Patrol’s copyright on cigarette lighter anthems by the nuts. The possibilities seem endless. KD

Dublin Duck Dispensary - I Smell The Blood

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Dublin Duck Dispensary
Year: 2008

Is there anything more thrilling in music than a band at the height of their creative powers going at it at full pelt? Probably not or perhaps you just prefer the new U2 record. That dig was carefully aimed for a reason as ‘88’ reminds me of them circa their debut (‘Things To Make And Do’) when incendiary was all they knew. Return To Sender come from much further away and operate as a 3-piece. They’ve suffered a fair few slings and arrows along the way but these experiences seem to have manifested themselves positively in their glorious assaults of white noise. ‘88’ is the opener from their latest album ‘The Grand Exposure’ and is an example of artful velocity put to music. As Mr. Vox might say, magnificent. KD

Return To Sender - 88

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Return To Sender
Year: 2008

Bon Iver went to the woods and much salivation ensued. Bored the pants off me so instead I’ll use the occasion to concentrate on a group called the Rest that did the same thing and came back bearing songs akin to fruit trees heaving with ripe produce. You can hear them on the Ontario band’s upcoming second album called ‘Everyone All At Once’. If you are partial to soulful anthemic indie then this album will fuel your base desires. This is the (almost) title track and dishes the goosebumps with carefree abandonment, slipping in and out of epic grandeur while cosying up to your tender side during the introspective moments. On this evidence Adam Bentley and gang can truly walk on water, they even wrote a song chronicling their experiences. KD

The Rest - Everything All At Once

Watch The Video To Modern Time Travel

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: The Rest
Year: 2008

According to the all-knowing wikipedia Michael Zapruder is the music curator for Pandora. Not sure what that means but I’d say it makes him a few sheckles if his records don’t sell. The funny thing is they can’t help but shift when they’re dotted with perky little numbers like ‘Ads For Feelings’. This is a mostly slow cooked composition but comes complete with so many wondrous ingredients it ends up sounding more epic than it actually is. And Zapruder sees fit to include this little retro psychedelia turn that a band I used to love from Hull were prone to doing. All told it is a delightful invitation to explore his ‘Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope’ album which arrives (or should that be rearrives?) later this month. KD

Michael Zapruder - Ads For Feelings

Watch The Video

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Michael Zapruder
Year: 2009

Dreampop, outta Ireland, in 2009, hooray for Sweet Jane and their boy/girl call and responses. ‘Blackboots and Blackhearts’ is so dreamy it might even make you forget about the doom and gloom for a few minutes. It is a marked progression for the band and sees them edge away from their influences and closer to their own unique voice. And what a final destination it could prove to be. We probably won’t have long to wait either as their debut album is due something this year. ‘Blackboots and Blackhearts’ should be a staple on the college radio circuit at this stage but surely it is only a matter of time before all tomorrow’s parties are swaying to their perfect ditties. KD

Sweet Jane - Blackboots & Blackhearts

Watch The Video

More Info: Myspace
Buy Songs: Sweet Jane
Year: 2008

For the longest time Furniture’s ‘Brilliant Mind’ was my favourite song ever. I still remember the thrill of hearing it punctuate the soundtrack to ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. Was also bemused by the fact that the drummer seemed to use dried spaghetti for drumsticks on TOTP. In my mind ‘Brilliant Mind’ was how Furniture sounded (I’d heard ‘Love Your Shoes’ once on the radio and was transfixed) and nothing would shake that belief until I randomly heard ‘Song For A Doberman’ recently. Taken from their 1990 album ‘Food, Sex and Paranoia’ it featured the vocals of Sally Still (who went on to become a writer for Melody Maker, along with Furniture frontman Jim Irvin) and showed how accomplished and diverse the London band actually were. And we’ve also got to thank various constituents of the band for both Mojo and Transglobal Underground which they dreamed up in the wake of Furniture’s demise. KD

Furniture - Song For A Doberman

Watch The Video To Brilliant Mind

More Info: Wiki
Buy Songs: Furniture
Year: 1990

As far as I can recall this is the first song from Montenegro to appear on mp3hugger. And what a weird and exotic creature it turns out to be courtesy of Kotor’s Snow Creation & Trumpetman. The duo (Denis Balavac and Igor Borozan) are currently recording their debut EP in their home studio but have given us a sneak preview. ‘Winter Story’ is terrifically unique, like something an ogre might record were he into skinny t-shirts and adidas trainers. The talent is palpable because they configure a mood from the subtlest of sounds. And when Balavac sings ‘when I dream’ we all respond in unison ‘we dream about you’. Should be some EP. KD

Snow Creation & Trumpetman - Winter Story

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: Snow Creation & Trumpetman
Year: 2009

Shout Out Out Out Out’s new record is in in in in the shops tomorrow. And I for one am glad to have spent some time in its company. I have a past you see that involved much adoration of the dark dancey forces. It started with Underworld, Orbital and the Aphex Twin and for a while trance really took hold (I make no apologies, ‘Madagascar’ rocked my world). I quickly learned that the dance fraternity are a snobbish lot (much like ourselves in some respects) and that IDM is where it is at for them. Anyway, if I was to categorise this Edmonton lot that’s where I’d put them because you don’t have to be on something to be whisked to a higher state of consciousness when their deep layered synth’s kick in. The new album ‘Reintegration Time’ tips its hat to Kraftwerk, Jean Michel Jarre, several 80’s electro popsters and Josh Wink (eeek) but I can’t help feeling that 2009 is going to be the year where they blaze their own trail. Quite simply tracks ‘Guilt Trips Sink Ships’ just give me tickly neck hairs and I really wish I hadn’t turned my ankle at football yesterday so I could move to it. Not to stretch something that was probably a poorly executed idea in the first place but this is truly great great great great. KD

Shout Out Out Out Out - Guilt Trips Sink Ships

Watch The Video To Self Loathing Rulz

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Shout Out Out Out Out
Year: 2009

I checked online and $2 is exactly €1.59, $2 being the exact ticket price for Alice Rose’s second last show in Austin. For their CD launch they increased the admission charge by 50% to $3. Makes you wonder really how things are run on this side of the Atlantic. It was only at that stage that I discovered that the Alice Rose is actually a completely different entity to Alice Rose. The latter is in fact a Danish singer based in Cologne who undertook an ingenious project in early 2007 where she recorded a new tune for 21 consecutive days. Not surprisingly she called the album ’21 Days’ and in an act of symmetry she decided to only release 442 copies to the world. Not sure where ‘A Poem In Slow Motion’ fits into her discography (perhaps there’s a 3rd Alice Rose?) but it a delightful piece of indie pop. KD

Alice Rose - A Poem In Slow Motion

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Alice Rose
Year: 2007

Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm don't pour over lyrics with the consistency of a Moz ball but Mumblin' Deaf Ro's musical pronouncements seem to me to be worth the effort. I had my epiphany during a MDR gig when I found that against my better judgment I was giggling away at his clever turn of phrase and made up stories that contain more than a grain of truth. So in many ways it's a great thrill to be able to reissue MDR's 'Senor' via indiecater. The album was Ronan Hession's debut release and is stocked full of his signature acoustic led ditties. One of my favourite tracks is 'The Hero Is A Graduate', a simple yet endearing tale that is ever so delicately played. And there are many more where that came from. You can listen to the whole record over on indiecater where you'll also find a nice account from Ronan himself on the history of the piece. KD

Mumblin' Deaf Ro - The Hero Is A Graduate

More Info: Indiecater & Myspace
Buy Songs: Mumblin' Deaf Ro
Year: 2003

Oh I’m really getting nostalgic now. Whenever you see Slowdive appearing on mp3hugger you can be assured that I’m in rose tinted mode. That said, to me at least Slowdive still sound like the most delicious combo imaginable. I never listen to ‘Pygmalion’ (I mean what happened there?) but if I counted up the number of hours I’ve stared at the cover of ‘Souvlaki’ and dreamed about being in the band it could run into dozens. ‘In Mind’ is not really typical Slowdive shoegaze fare but it still boasts the highest calibre dreampop. It arrived via their 1993’s 5EP and didn’t appear on any of their albums. The beats are scattered and the organ drifts enigmatically but as ever Rachel Goswell’s vocals transcend the off-kilter music. Music like this makes me sad and euphoric all at once. KD

Slowdive - In Mind

Watch The Video To Shine

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Slowdive
Year: 1993

This is from a Galway band that no one ever remembers who were managed by a writer from Hot Press (OT). And they had a video that probably cost about 4p when it was shot on a lonely beach or a stretch of mud that looked like a beach. Said video was as grainy as the truth being peddled by the current Irish Government, awful grainy I think you’ll agree. And you know for all that I truly love it, always have in fact. Perhaps it was because I spent my formative years in the rainiest part of Ireland where discarded umbrella’s make up 90% of household waste. A google search for the Far Canals current whereabouts threw up the inevitable quizzical looks so let’s just say that the Far Canals made an impression and if they are reading I’d just like to say thanks. KD

The Far Canals - Glorious

Year: Early Nineties