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There’s something about a jangling guitar that is hard to resist, combine said hand movement with a memorable vocal harmony and you’re ascending towards indiepop heaven. Finnish band Cats on Fire have the trick down to a T, even if their homemade efforts suggest that they don’t exactly have the music industry banging down their doors (http://www.catsonfire.tk/). One of their more memorable moments is ‘Higher Grounds’ which is wonderfully realised for a demo. There are echoes of Belle & Sebastian and the Field Mice in the grand tweeness but there is also wholesome feel to the way the song thunders along. The warm vocal harbours lots of pretty riffs and the action never falters for its whole duration. Impossible to dislike, easy to fall in love with, it’s surely only a matter of time before this band find a kindred label. KD

Cats On Fire - Higher Grounds

Album: The Seelonce Mayday Demo
Year: 2004
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With the silly season on the way maybe it’s time to get a bit silly. Mike Batt wrote the songs for the Wombles and despite their fluffy exterior they could certainly belt out an impressive tune. This is a b-side taken from the ‘Super Womble’ 7-inch single and comes to you complete with impressive vinyl crackles and near-skips. The words recount the tale of the Orinoco Kid whose passion in life seems to have predated our modern day litter wardens; his was a bold, brave, fearless quest to clean up the grime in every town he encountered. Despite the daft premise, there’s no doubting Batt’s lyrical skills (‘I was quick on the draw, As I tidied up the floor’!) as well as his gift for catchy melody. If the Monkees had ever decided to record this it would surely have been a number one. The low-end production could have perfectly snuck in on any pastiche of the Spaghetti Westerns and will delight the whole family as they try and deflate around the yuletide log. If you are a fan of the Wombles 'Wombling Merry Christmas' is on its way in December! KD

Mike Batt - The Orinoco Kid

Album: Super Womble 7-inch
Year: 1975
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As elegantly cool as an oversized cigarette hanging from the lips of a sixties supermodel dEUS possess all the elements for rampant creativity yet they mask the sweet spots behind a elaborately tailored smokescreen. This is great if you prefer your thrills to be slightly inaccessible, yet this characteristic has shielded the band from a less than inquisitive public. ‘Hotellounge’ is a case in point; it has the usual Velvet Underground references, unsettling undercurrents and a map that swings from tense scene setter to a cathartic dancehall full of musicians from purgatory. While such an apocalyptic description may seem alarming it’s hard not to be taken in by the boisterous playing that features an elastic bass, Sonic Youth feedback, slow/fast tempo and Tom Barman’s Oscar winning vocal performance. Don’t play this before the 9pm watershed. KD

dEUS - Hotellounge (Be The Death Of Me)

Album: Worst Case Scenario
Year: 1994
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While post-rock straddles the borders of public appeal there’s no doubting the undeniable power of the genre when it’s executed correctly. The likes of Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor can summon fragmented works of genius just as easily as they can frolic about aimlessly on the spot. There are occasions when it all goes right, however, namely on ‘Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place’, ‘Ten Rapid’, ‘Storm’ and Do Make Say Think’s epic ‘Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn’. The latter is an unheralded classic from the peerless Canadian label Constellation Records. How this Toronto band contrived to rise so majestically from the admirable ashes of their previous efforts is one to debate at a later date. The album is awash with boundless guitar forays, looping rhythms and ever changing kaleidoscopes of sound. ‘Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!’ is possibly the way you’ll feel after the slopes and valleys of this nugget. The gentleness of the acoustic opening is only slightly tempered by racing car like reversing guitars. Then the percussion goes askew and the keyboards run out of batteries as if the backside is about to fall out of the tune. As is the norm with its neighbours on the album, however, there are close encounters of the chord kind at hand to iron out the seemingly endless list of anomalies. If you’d like to host a non-destructive tornado in your head for 6 minutes, hear you go. KD

Do Make Say Think - Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Album: Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn
Year: 2003
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The Paris Angels were completely of their time, melding the constituents of baggy; boys with guitars twinned with a propensity to add the necessary grooves to cock the ears of dance aficionados. They even borrowed from the Stone Roses penchant for headline grabbing graffiti (albeit, momentary) as ‘Sundew’s cover captures the moment when bright lasers emblazoned the bands name and album title across government buildings. The album went almost unnoticed at the time, which is a shame as it has plenty of worthwhile artefacts. The standout is undoubtedly ‘Perfume (All On You)’ an epic fusion of spurting beats, chunky keyboards and a trained indie sensibility delivering pinpoint chords and boy/girl harmonies. Despite its age the multi-textures still sound captivating, like Chapterhouse on E or the Happy Monday’s without. The finale bursts forward at will as the happy pulses struggle to get through the bottleneck that is your speakers. Your weekends may never be the same again. KD

Paris Angels - Perfume (All On You)

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Album: Sundew
Year: 1991
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Despite being overwhelmingly Scottish in its makeup there’s no doubting that the creative force behind the Reindeer Section is Irishman Gary Lightbody. The album was recorded at a time when it looked like his own band didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of selling more than a couple of thousand records. ‘Y’all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear’ was a welcome retreat for the singer to indulge his undoubted talents with the help of over a dozen other musicians. For the most part the record was a timid offering, not in quality but in the laid-back compositions it unveiled. ‘Sting’ was a notable exception that rallied around a circular jangling riff. Lightbody’s voice sounds imperious as the backing singers coo in the distance and a Belle and Sebastian trumpeter adds the necessary finesse to seal what is one of 2001’s most impressive alt gem. KD

The Reindeer Section - Sting

Album: Y'all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear!
Year: 2001
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Even in terms of Space’s non-linear style ‘Female Of The Species’ is a bit of an oddity (a space oddity, ahem). These Liverpool lads had to wait until their second album, ‘Tin Planet’, before success arrived by way of a duet with a Welsh lass and some avenging angels. ‘Female Of The Species’ is their crowning achievement, however, its effect on the psyche is akin to the sight of a puff adder slithering from a clothesbasket in your bedroom. As you’d expect there are plenty of exotic influences at work, don’t be surprised to hear it as you browse the wares in the Souks of Marrakech. But for all its dramatic vibes only the double-jointed could seriously attempt to dance to it. The singing sounds like it emanates from an analogue line, there are electronic hisses, bumps and bruises along the way but be thankful you don’t have to deal with a certain lady who places Jekyll and Hyde at the back of the queue in the deadly stakes. KD

Space - Female Of The Species

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Space Info: Official
Buy Album: [UK] Spiders [US] Spiders
Year: 1996

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You know it’s quite likely you’ve heard Clinic on the TV, it seems they have a knack for getting the marketing men to come with a begging bowl to their door (Levi’s, Heineken). It’s easy to see why because Clinic conjure aural backdrops that are breathtakingly unique. Central to their cause are heavy-duty organs that run riot throughout their albums. Combine this with the unfettered abandonment of some surging guitars and what you get is a melting pot to catch the attention of even the most casual of ears. ‘Distortions’ is a rare example of the Scousers concentrating on the melody even if the main thrust of the song comes from a pre-programmed drum machine and a lingering synth. The lyrics are uniformly dark (‘You never now how often, I’ve pictured you in coffins, My baby in a coffin. But I love it when you blink your eyes’…come back Guy Garvey, all is forgiven) yet this is essentially a tale of love. The coup de grace arrives when the machines get excited, scuttling about like insects that have been freshly released from a jar. This is so clever you could wet your hair and it’d wash it for you. KD

Clinic - Distortions

Album: Internal Wrangler
Year: 2000
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Aside from the odd slice of craft (check out the nimble guitar turns on ‘Oh No, Won’t Do’) Cud never really matured into enough of a prospect to produce a classic album. That said they did leave us with several pieces of sonic cotton wool. ‘Once Again’ is one such; supplying several minutes of tenderness through the gentlest of instrumentations and a vocal that is as effective as a head massage. The intricate playing is transparent enough to pick out the finger movements during the chord changes lending an added intimacy to the recording. Aside from the odd charged riff it’s the acoustics that drive the tune, a brief burst of strings is the only thing that raises the pulse of this even-tempered piece. Imagine a clear frosty morning where the birds have been replaced by a group of hushed players and you’ll get the drift. KD

Cud - Once Again

Album: Asquarius
Year: 1992
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You won’t be playing this at your grandfathers 90th birthday party yet ‘Early Whitney’s grumpy stance might sit well with him the next day as he suffers his over indulgence. Yoni Wolf runs the Why? show, a one man creative force that has fleshed into a full band in recent times. ‘Early Whitney’ sways back and forth with little or no consequence but there’s drama in spades. The twinkling guitars sound as if they are half cut, almost demo like but that’s what makes the descent into polished chaos all the more satisfying. ‘Early Whitney’ takes a cynical view of the world (‘that ain't no god it's just a burning bush’), throwing observed vignettes at a world/girlfriend not prepared to listen. It all culminates in a buffet of noise as the singers’ exasperation manifests itself through bashed drums, snares masquerading as rattlesnakes and a southern drawl that borders on invective. Turn up your hearing aid and let the younger ones have a moan for a change. KD

Why? - Early Whitney

Album: Early Whitney EP
Year: 2003
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Souless self-promotion doesn’t seem to be in Wheat’s handbook; in fact if ever there was a band that let the music talking this would be it. They now have 3 albums behind them and each release sees them getting progressively more ambitious. ‘Be Brave’ comes from the middle album ‘Hope & Adams’ and beautifully exhibits Wheat’s intentions. The opening straddles a fine line between low-key feedback and rising intensity until inevitably it engineers a thundering montage of lashing drums and lacy guitars. At intervals Scott Levesque voice breaks the door down delivering a single refrain only ‘standing on high facing love try what are you going to do’. Together he and his band portray the chaotic and often awkward situations experienced on the way to happiness. With Dave Fridman (Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips) on production was it ever gonna be any other way? KD

Wheat - Be Brave

Album: Hope & Adams
Year: 1999
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No, not a cover from the small balding buster’s back catalogue, this is something altogether more interesting. This and its ilk are the reason why Scandinavia is becoming Europe’s most prestigious hub for fresh talent. The Concretes create ostensibly happy music and ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ is no exception. The song is driven by the bands flighty horns that scuttle about with flavoursome abandon. Victoria Bergsman takes a trip to Motown, the distorted guitar chugs are a box of energetic puppies and the korg is given a workout worthy of Robby Krieger. Not a bad way to spend less than 2 minutes then. Hey, it that a unicorn outside the door? Yeah there’s definitely something in the air tonight. KD

The Concretes - You Can't Hurry Love

Album: The Concretes
Year: 2004
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Joy Zipper can take depressing subjects but all it takes is a simple spin from their collective sun drenched harmonies to mask the potential unpleasantness. In fact, the guise is so good that their music is best enjoyed on a balcony in the Balearics at sunset. ‘Dosed & Become Invisible’ apes My Bloody Valentine in their more reflective moments and its impact is no less dramatic. It opens eerily with a mock quartet practising before the curtain falls, the twist occurs when Vincent Cafiso appears like Jason Spaceman on a flotilla of hushed aural aroma’s. There are guitars, strings, flutes and a pinch of bass yet the blend is so fine it is difficult to pick out where each makes its contribution. But it’s Cafiso stoned delivery that steals the show, appearing like a hot current of air on a balmy evening it is totally unassuming yet intensely appealing. As the brass sinks in and out of the mix you can’t help feel that some day there will no such thing as work or Alzheimer’s. KD

Joy Zipper - Dosed & Become Invisible

Album: American Whip
Year: 2003
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It’s near impossible to describe Sigur Ros without resorting to all things Polar or Heavenly but let’s give it a go. For a decade now the Icelandic band have cut a deep impression, standing apart from their peers in the sheer scale of their music. The words they expel are often indecipherable but it’s the atmospherics that are created from all manner of quirky instrumentation that creates the spellbinding magic. ‘Olsen Olsen’ is taken from their sophomore album ‘Agaetis Byrjun’ that so cast their legend. The bulbous bass is initially what catches the attention but it is soon surpassed by the ghostly singing that appears out of nowhere from a distant snow-capped mountain range (see what I mean!). ‘Olsen Olsen’ also boasts one of Sigur Ros’ most expansive orchestral forays; as the song appears to tail off it is suddenly kicked into life by a series of slalom strings, a host of brass and a cast of thousands. With the season of goodwill on its way why not wrap this in a bow and send it to a forgotten friend. KD

Sigur Ros - Olsen Olsen

Album: Agaetis Byrjun
Year: 1999
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New Yorkers Panda Bear and Avey Tare aint your average duo, you can probably deduce that from their names alone. Signed on the deliciously appropriate Fat Cat label they are on a mission to record the sound of the schoolyard in dolby stereo. Their compositions are generally as dysfunctional as a family at Christmas yet the cobbled together mess can quite often breach even the hardest of hearts. Take ‘Winters Love’ for example that for the longest time scratches about in the back garden, voices hum in no particular pattern and the acoustics are as shaky as a freshly potted sprig. The change of direction in the middle is far more discernible as the celebrating Apaches clasp hands and sway around the mock fireplace. Animal Collective will likely flabbergast most, 10 seconds can often be enough to have the impatient running for a polished Chris Martin vignette. But, why would you deny yourself the chance to look through the portal that leads back to your childhood. These might be the boys least likely to but along the way they will lift the souls of many of the disenchanted. KD

Animal Collective - Winters Love

Album: Sung Tongs
Year: 2004
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It’s about time you discovered one of the most promising urban poets of our time. Conor Oberst may be only be 24 but his album ‘I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning’ is destined for greatness. While his trademark compositions lie in gentle brooding masterpieces ‘Road To Joy’ is about as lively as a double-saddled rodeo horse. This is a song in 2 parts; the first is restrained, calculated and tuneful. Oberst lashes out the wry couplets at a breathtaking pace so toe tapping will be tempered by a studious ear. Then as the listener enters the comfort zone, all hell breaks loose, brass sections flit about with gay abandon and the rest of the playing becomes as uneven as a silicon implant. When this boy decides to make some noise you'd better sit up and listen. KD

Bright Eyes - Road To Joy

Album: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Year: 2005
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Her voice is like an icicle, cool, detached and sharp yet always alluring. She comes from Sweden and was announced to the world by way of a little star that barely twinkled such was its demur attitude. ‘Something Nice’ comes from the same album and bears all the hallmarks of a great Stina Nordenstam record. The music is unhurried and hushed to the point that you could be at max volume before all of its subtleties are unveiled. There is a childlike quality to the singing, a purity that only Bjork can match. The playing is sparse; a guitar is plucked delicately while a steady trumpet swerves into view at opportune moments. To the uninitiated the whole thing can seem a little odd. This is a world away from the mainstream diet of polished mediocrity, Stina Nordenstam is a singular talent doing something different and doing it with sumptuous verve. KD

Stina Nordenstam - Something Nice

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Stina Nordenstam
Year: 1994

It can be hard to figure how bands like the Killers can sweep to success with comparative ease while equally talented acts like the Shins continue to inhabit the fringes. Notwithstanding the by now compulsory appearance on the O.C. it seems the world has largely chosen to ignore James Mercer’s bands languid take on the sound of the sixties. ‘New Slang’ is a crushingly beautiful effort, the ante never lifts beyond the acoustic drifts yet there is enough melodrama within to fill a seasons worth of soap operatics. ‘Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth’ is how it begins and no amount of harmonious cooing can distract you from experiencing the singers’ world-weariness. The understated country licks and gentle tambourine scene setter reveal a beating heart among the debris, so much so that despite the sardonic lyrics its quite likely that this perfect piece of pop will put a coiled spring in your step. KD

The Shins - New Slang

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Oh Inverted World [US] Oh, Inverted World
Year: 2001

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Ah bedroom electronica, ya can’t beat it. Get yourself a clapped out 16mb computer, download a free version of fruity loops, add in a spot of ingenuity and the world is your oyster. And that’s exactly what’s on show here from this castaway from the Isle of Skye. While Mylo’s debut album may dip its toe in enough strands of dance to keep an eclectic audience amused ‘Muscle Cars’ is unashamed trance with added brain cells. The busy synths have the horizons to themselves, which produces a rush that is refreshingly clean and the inevitable beats do little to detract from what could be a page from Orbitals handbook on how to create vivid landscapes using primary numbers only. ‘Muscle Cars’ also straddles the grand blueprint as laid out by Sacha's 'Xpander' which means it can easily stand the test of repeated exposure. We could possibly forgive the man his threat to destroy Rock & Roll when the alternative he proffers is as noteworthy as this. KD

Mylo - Muscle Cars

Album: Destroy Rock & Roll
Year: 2004
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Continuing the John Peel theme, the bearded one was so besotted with Glasgow’s the Delgados that he once invited them to play at his wife’s birthday bash. Sadly both the man and the band have now departed. Peel’s legacy is obvious and the case for the Delgados is crystal clear if you have the time to spend an afternoon in the presence of their stone cold classic ‘The Great Eastern’. Even if you take this epic out of the equation the band were responsible for a basket of gloriously off-kilter gems. None more so than ‘Everything Goes Around The Water’ which has a childish sense of glee with beautifully delivered boy/girl refrains. The song staggers from one high to the next as the fleeting strings, starry guitars and some fumbling bass lines sketch a piece of pure pop out of what could have become an uneven mess. But that was the Delgados great gift, the multifaceted junkets they broadcast could have been construed as awkward and unwieldy but as everyone knows it’s what’s inside that counts. ‘Everything Goes Around The Water’ is truly one of the most magical pieces of contemporary music. It’s the Princess Bride put to song. KD

The Delgados - Everything Goes Around The Water

Album: Peloton
Year: 1999
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Smack bang in the middle of the broken box John Peel used to keep his favourite (142) 7-inch singles is a copy of Revelino’s ‘Step On High’. Probably not too surprising to most people considering that the collection is as obscure as a creature from the ocean bed. But, for Brendan Tallon and his cohorts you can be sure it means a damn lot. Over an unblemished career (including the short-lived Coletranes period) Revelino steadfastly stuck to their guns, in a Teenage Fanclub like stand they know what they were doing was good and it was just up to the public to perk up and listen. I once met Tallon in Whelans (Dublin) and I asked him what he thought were the best songs from their sophomore album ‘Broadcaster’, he casually remarked that they were all brilliant. I was a bit surprised, as the album seemed a bit of a letdown. With his self-confidence ringing in my ears I decided to give the album another go. And do you know, he was right. Ingrained in the piece are so many joie-de-vivre moments from the pop masterclass that contemporary artists like Snow Patrol pale in comparison. ‘Step On High’ is indeed a bon bon assortment of twinkling poptastic ideas but ‘Been & Gone’ that closes the album is the one that truly stands out. The tune sounds like it was recorded on a trampoline such is the way it bounces from ear to ear on your headphones. The Byrds chords are omnipresent and the dual-layered vocals are so infused with the spirit of athletically vocalled Lennon and McCarthy it can be hard to breath. The fade out is a psychedelic trip that goes so right it could turn the listener into an addict. So thanks Mr Peel for reminding us that the best stuff might be out of sight but with a little of effort it can be uncovered archaeologically-like to (hopefully) widespread acclaim. KD

Revelino - Been & Gone

Album: Broadcaster
Year: 1996
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Chapterhouse have been ignored for too long so here’s a belated attempt to get these dreampop evangelists back into people’s music players. This is music from a more innocent time, when you didn’t have to look back to march forward. ‘Pearl’ is a swirly concoction of featherlite vocals and jangling guitars. Add in a dose of chords that churn backwards in a meandering pattern and Rachel Goswell’s ethereal utterings and what you get is one of the most distinctive sounds from the scene that celebrated itself. ‘Pearl’ sounds so earnest when placed amongst the current crop of new wavers, the soundscape is broad and embracing often leaving the listener with little else to do but hum along. Chapterhouse never really progressed beyond their debut’s albums shimmering origins although the follow up single ‘Mesmerise’ floated piano keys and wandering vocals in the direction of certain g-spots you didn’t think existed. KD

Chapterhouse - Pearl

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Whirlpool [US] Whirlpool
Year: 1991

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Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty must go down as two of the oddest creatures in history of pop. Together they were the creative forces behind the KLF (Kopyright Liberation Front) and long before they had struck commercial gold with ‘The White Room’ they had written a manual on how to score a number one hit. Along the way they incurred the wrath of Abba and delivered several gallons of animal blood at the doors of an award ceremony to which they were invited. Not content with such daft manoeuvres they deleted their whole back catalogue and eloped to northern Scotland to burn one million sterling all in the name of art. The event was filmed with the intention of selling the recording for vast sums of money, sadly no eccentric could be duped into the sale. ‘What Time Is Love?’ is acid house/rave in a nutshell. It starts out like a cut from a schmoozy Alexander O’Neal’s album but quickly descends into a riotous example of what the Hacienda was pumping to back in the late eighties/early nineties. Listening now the song has retained an incredible energy even if it sounds completely of its day. It’s hard not to be taken in, I’ve already lost half a day searching for my moo moo whistle. KD

The KLF - What Time Is Love?

Album: The White Room
Year: 1991
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While Canada deservedly collects the prize for the most startling new bands this year let's not forget that Scandinavia has also been punching above its weight. Aside from the immaculate Swedish Labrador label (Afraid of Stairs, South Ambulance, [Ingenting], the Radio Dept. et al.) the likes of Magnet, Royskopp and the untouchable Mew have all released albums of distinction. Here's another one to watch, Stockholm's Shout Out Louds sit easily with the emo brigade, their songs are immediately enjoyable yet are suddenly forgotten 5 minutes later. Their debut album is about to be re-released and 'Comeback' is one of the standouts. Combining the sounds of an Atari console with the hearty guitar kicks of a good Weezer single it certainly begins with a bang. And the fun doesn't end there as the chorus is as pleasing as snow on Christmas day, just don't expect to be still whistling it by New Year's. KD

The Shout Out Louds - Comeback

Buy The Album: [UK] Howl Howl Gaff Gaff [US] Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
Year: 2005
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Did you know that MTV actually still plays music videos? Only when nobody is watching mind, tune in between 3am and 6am and you’ll be treated to the best new artists around. This is where I first spotted M83’s ‘Run Into Flowers’, no humans just a camera pushing through the clouds and the most amazing electronic music. ‘Run Into Flowers’ sounds like its creators are in the room with you such is its clarity with which it burns. Imagine the dynamics of the human body running through blocks of synthesisers and then some digitalised voices appropriating the human spirit through the mind of a robot. Ok, it all sounds a bit far fetched but it goes to show what can be achieved when men and technology cooperate. This is music for a 21st century Blade Runner. KD

M83 - Run Into Flowers

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts [US] Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
Year: 2003

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Before it all went right for him (and wrong for us) Guy Chambers had a credible history with Karl Wallinger’s World Party and his own band the Lemon Trees. Chambers is best known as Robbie Williams songwriting foil which has spawned countless mega hits yet it could have all been so different if the Lemon Trees’ ‘Open Book’ had taken off. This was the bands only major release and its lack of success is hard to counter when you compare it to the insipid Williams’ back catalogue. Released at the back end of baggy it boasted the requisite groovy textures as well as some of the most gorgeously simple melodies imaginable. ‘I Can’t Face The World Today’ is driven by a sea-saw trumpet and is soaked in Chambers hammond excursions. Paul Holman’s singing is wholesome yet alert to the possibilities presented by Chambers fertile imagination. There are so many different noises popping in and out of the song this could be possibly be one of the happiest sad songs ever written. KD

The Lemon Trees - I Can't Face The World

Album: Open Book
Year: 1993
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Calling your latest album ‘The Struggle Continues’ might be admitting defeat, but hey it worked for Snow Patrol! The Jubilee Allstars have been knocking around the Dublin indie scene for a decade now but despite local critical acclaim they have failed to incur even a smidgeon of sales. This is a shame because the McCormack siblings are a talented lot. Ok, the vocals may be ropey at times but that is a bona fide plus when you hear their lo-fi countrified compositions. Back in 1996 it seemed as if they were truly onto something special. The ‘By The End Of The Night’ EP was their third release but it set out the blueprint for their glorious ramshackle approach. All 4 songs revealed an innate quality in the songwriting even if the playing was occasionally so hushed it could have backed a nursery rhyme. ‘Without You’ is sung by Niall with such heartbreaking passion it’s easy to forgive the less than perfunctory drumming. The guitars twinkle about for all their worth to boost the atmosphere, so much so that you’ll end up feverishly flicking through that little black book to find that number that could’ve changed everything. Go seek and make them stars. KD

The Jubilee Allstars - Without You

Album: By The End Of The Night EP
Year: 1996
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Yet another Bob Dylan cover that is superior to the original. And it’s not just the fact that Even Johansen has a craftier voice, here the regurgitation is dressed up in some wonderful atmospherics giving the song understated prowess. The backbone comes by way of the lush instrumentation and the soft interplay between Johansen and Ireland’s Gemma Hayes. The smooth delivery is remarkable, picture the synchronised sequeing of 2 young lovers heartbeats and you’ll approximate the lavish drift. The oboe, ghostly backing singers and violin turns swirl together perfectly creating the perfect bedrock for the singers. At last there’s an alternative for all non-musicians to woo the maiden of their dreams from her balcony, just make sure there is a power supply close by to power those ipod speakers. KD

Magnet - Lay Lady Lay

Album: On Your Side
Year: 2003
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As eccentric as the old man down the lane who never ventures outside Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci share the same rambling patterns as their countrymen Super Furry Animals. While this can be utterly frustrating there are times when the scattered approach is parked and what remains is premium straight ahead pop. ‘Diamond Dew’ is minimalist in its application with Euro Childs strenuously holding court while the psychedelic surroundings and cackling banjos shadow his words. The verse chorus verse works a treat and even though the songs peaks and valleys could be alien to chart hounds the sound is one that would augment a winter’s afternoon tucked in beside the fireplace. KD

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Diamond Dew

Album: Barafundle
Year: 1997
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‘And The Glass Handed Kites’ is not only one of this year’s best albums it’s probably one of the most majestic of recent years. Of course, Mew always had it in them as their previous work ‘Frengers’ displayed a band not content to play it by the rules. Jonas Bjerre voice is their calling card; operatic in scope it is no less special than Jon Thor Birgisson’s from Sigur Ros. Mew play their guitars with the persuasiveness of My Bloody Valentine but in their quieter moments they can pluck melodies as sweet as ripened satsuma’s. ‘Comforting Sounds’ reveals itself in 3 stages, the calm disarming opening, the more robust centre and a close that pelts guitar riffs with the velocity of a hurricane. That the band achieves symmetry with these polar elements is a mark of their genius. Denmark must be one hell of a proud country to have produced this group as their influence will likely be felt in rock circles for decades to come. KD

Mew - Comforting Sounds

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Album: Frengers
Year: 2003
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Dodgy had a lot going for them. Great songs, quirky image, neat t-shirts and their own fab club night meant that the scene was set for stardom. Aside from a few minor hits like ‘Staying Out For The Summer’, ‘Good Enough’ and ‘In A Room’, however, they remained on the sidelines. It’s a shame because their fluid harmonies and well-chosen references (early Stone Roses) could be a boon for listening ears. Dodgy’s first 2 albums exposes a wealth of material of the jangling kind and while their best seller ‘Free Peace Sweet’ was a tad diluted it had several moments of note. ‘Summer Fayre’ encapsulates the bands intentions and conjures Monkees like stylings with Beatlesque ingenious twists. This sounds like it was hatched in the sixties and the psychedelic edge certainly adds to the drama. The hold each other’s hands and sing out loud ending should be played at primary schools the world over during roll such is its potential happy inducing niceties. KD

Dodgy - Summer Fayre

Album: Melod-EP
Year: 1994
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As the scariest day of the year approaches how better to get into the mood than to sit back and be shaken by the threat of hooded axemen wielding guitars that conjure shadowy silhouettes. Despite the fact that Shipping News could alarm the vulnerable there is an emotional depth to their music that coaxes the brave towards further investigation. ‘Axons and Dendrites’ plays the post-rock card to perfection yet it’s the eerily layered vocals that appear after several minutes of expansive shenanigans that catapult this mood piece skywards. This is the sound of the voices that come from your cupboard at 3am as you hug your comfort blanket. The undeniable swing creates a momentum that could propel the pendulum on a 12-foot grandfather clock. Todd Cook’s rich bass and Kyle Crabtree’s ambling percussion integrate with such intensity that the whirling wall of sound can’t help but levitate nearby furniture until it crashes to the floor at fade out. KD

Shipping News - Axoms & Dentrites

Album: Flies The Fields
Year: 2005
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In an unfair world Bell X1’s legacy could well have been remembered for the backing track to a lesbian kiss in a teen drama. Fortunately their latest album ‘Flock’ looks set to change all that, finally placing them amongst the elite. ‘Music In Mouth’ is where it all started to go right for the Kildare band, Damien Rice had long since fled and the dubious directions of their previous incarnation Juniper had been vanquished. ‘Music In Mouth’ spilled great ideas from every pore; jangling guitars were ubiquitous as were great admiring nods to ‘The Bends’ era Radiohead. As a live prospect Bell X1 have few peers and even the potentially embarrassing sight of 2 papier-mâché apples holding hands fails to diminish the experience. ‘Snakes & Snakes’ is a rush of surging riffs, breakneck rhythms and vocals that career off at odd tangents until they uncover another source of pure melody. Picture a 21st century reincarnation of the Byrds at their most shimmering and you’ll get the idea. KD

Bell X1 - Snakes & Snakes

Album: Music In Mouth
Year: 2003
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You’d wouldn’t have guessed it from listening to their breakthrough album ‘Urban Hymns’ but Verve (the ‘The’ didn’t come along until Jazz label Verve Recordings threatened to sue over naming rights) were quite the space rock visionaries when they first set out. Their debut ‘A Storm In Heaven’ was full of heavy laced, wide-eyed arrangements that hinted at generous amounts of dabbling in the mind-expanding arena. This persuasion was aided in no small part by the fact that the band had talent to burn. Golf club Richard Ashcroft was the dream frontman and Nick McCabe, a gifted guitarist, his right hand man. The early days were characterised by song structures that lavishly occupied wide-open spaces with Ashcroft’s strong vocals soaring in and out of the dynamics. ‘She’s A Superstar’ appeared on the Verve EP in 1992 and boasted swollen waves of guitars and a deeply affecting performance from the singer. The star of the show, however, is bassist Simon Jones who weaves the atmospherics through a series of circular riffs. Towards the end he spins into hyperspace drawing a plot towards the stratosphere where McCabe twists his guitar into a fireball of sound. Just close your eyes and become a starsailor. KD

Verve - She's A Superstar

Watch The Video To All In The Mind

Buy More Songs: Verve
Year: 1992

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Back in early nineties you could scarcely pick up a copy of Melody Maker or NME without some reference being made about this quintessential indie band. Slowdive were one of the prime movers (oh the irony) in the shoegaze scene and were responsible for some of the most eloquent bursts of primeval guitar squalls imaginable. The cover of their ‘Souvlaki’ album shows a solemn yet good-looking band, perfectly capturing the archetypal shoegaze inhabitants. The vocals for the most part were distant and measured affecting an antidote to the more uplifting arrangements. ‘When The Sun Hits’ is the distillation of the Slowdive sound with crafty guitar asides and bulbous bass eventually being overrun by a sweeping tornado of noise that matches one their earlier tunes ‘Catch The Breeze’ heartbreaking finale. The songs progression is unusually athletic with the boy/girl interplay keeping pace with the incendiary accompaniments. Given the fact that much of the shoegaze scene’s output has dated poorly ‘When The Sun Hits’ remains surprisingly contemporary. Perhaps the band was really onto something special but 'Pygmalion’, the limp follow-up to 'Souvlaki', prematurely ended the affair and its incumbents set off on various other projects. Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell have been the most successful to date with their Mojave 3 collective continually unearthing albums of worth. KD

Slowdive - When The Sun Hits

Album: Souvlaki
Year: 1993
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It might be as immediate as an out-of-office reply but there is something fundamentally loveable about ‘In The Morning’. Perhaps it’s James Skelly’s wholesome vocals that nod to fellow Liverpudlian Lee Mavers or maybe it's just that loose-limbed strum that engenders sweet familiarity. But all winning formulas need a special ingredient and here it is sourced from the unlikeliest of sources. A mini xylophone overture is woven into the fabric of the tune and its repetitive nature makes it all the more endearing. You can trace a distinct nod to 'My Girl' in its execution but the ebullient charm is sufficient to throw even the mighty Sigur Ros a few more leads. You certainly won’t need your teeth to get stuck in, after several doses of this sugar coated pop you may not have any left anyway. KD

The Coral - In The Morning

Album: The Invisible Invasion
Year: 2005
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Your dad will probably think it’s a bad case of electrical interference so it’s up to you to inform him that it is in fact a rather fine cut from experimental electronic trio Add N To (X). Pioneers and founders of their own elaborate machines that make strange noises, they briefly sparked with the release of their ‘Avant Hard’ album in 1999. Their inventive sorties are often crammed with so many boxes of tricks it can sometimes detract from the magic of the tunes. ‘Robot New York’ is a glorious exception, however, as it plunders melodies from synths as bulky as concretes slabs. A digitalised human voice hums like a Dalek in the background reassuring the more timid listener that at no point have little green creatures taken over the bands London studio. So with Mr Moog sadly passing away this very year what better way to celebrate his life than with a tune from one of his many beautiful spawn. KD

Add N To (X) - Robot New York

Album: Avant Hard
Year: 1999
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Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) is described as dance music beyond the dancefloor, beats with an added creative nuance that your average floor filler forgets to include. Well, I’ve always been partial to the odd trance stomper (c.f. Madagascar by Art Of Trance) and to be honest I find this IDM lark a bit pretentious. I can understand indie snobbery (!) but isn’t the vast majority of dance music in effect, well er, disposable. There was a time when I wholeheartedly agreed with the last sentence but the rise and rise of electronica has changed all that. Orbital, Boards of Canada, The Aphex Twin, Four Tet and Underworld (their 9th Symphony ‘Rez’ still gives me goosebumps) are immensely talented artists. The latter may have been on a downward curve for nearly a decade yet in 1993 they crafted an album chock full of electronic classics. 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman' still sounds futuristic and adventurous with the sporadic chord interplay helping things along nicely. Darren Emerson & Co. sure knew how to whip a tune into action and ‘Cowgirl’ displays their myriad of gifts to full effect. A repetitive vocal is backed by a pummelling beat as the surface tension gradually ratchets to a point where a spinning electro fizzle whisks your mind to another dimension. This is the sound of the perfect high, with your functions unable to resist the aural onslaught you find Nike Air like properties pumping through your slip ons. Yeah, it’s that good. The trio went on to have worldwide success with ‘Born Slippy’ before Emerson departed and the project slowly diminished. KD

Underworld - Cowgirl

Album: Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Year: 1993
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It has taken him 3 solo albums but at last Stephen Malkmus is recapturing the dash he cut with his former band. 'Face The Truth' is decked out in enough curiously angled melodies to satisfy even the most disenchanted Pavement fan. Ok, it’s not the rollercoaster adventure that was ‘Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’ but at least Malkmus, with one foot set in middle age, is acknowledging the fact that growing old has some interesting artistic possibilities. Hey maybe there’s no terror in the twilight after all. 'Loud Cloud Crowd' is as daft as it sounds, Malkmus sings as if he’s humming while a fleet of guitars bubble underneath. The peace is only briefly broken to allow some shrieking strings to augment the chorus of sorts. For the rest of the time the singer knits an aural hammock that'll have you dozing in the nearest available shade, bingo card at the ready. KD

Stephen Malkmus - Loud Cloud Crowd

Album: Face The Truth
Year: 2005
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Once there was a band called Bawl, who came to be named Fixed Stars and ended up becoming Pony Club. While a bands moniker has a role to play the key component will always be the quality of the music. So you’d have to question the wisdom of the somewhat overzealous rebranding especially since the output has shifted little since these Dublin lads released their fine debut ‘Year Zero’ (as Bawl) in 1996. Bawl were peddling wholesome harmonies way back when the Thrills were failing height restrictions on the pier in Bray yet the Gods ultimately failed to smile upon them. Here was a group that put the tastic back in pop but were also capable of concealing ironic barbs amongst the candyfloss. ‘Mistake’ is ridiculously simple, both lyrically and musically leaving it instantly engaging. The jangling guitars support Ali like hooks that by the third listen will have you punch drunk in love. All the while singer Mark Cullen tries to get a Saturday night organised, he could be singing about cricket such is the effervescence in the shakedown. ‘Mistake’ appeared on a Melody Maker ‘Maker Shaker 3’ tape (ah, that dreaded medium), nobody remembers the other artists from the same compilation either (Puressence, The Gyres and Coast). Here’s your chance to give pop’s answer to Carlos the Jackal a happy ever after. KD

Bawl - Mistake

Album: Year Zero
Year: 1996

Self-belief and talent are sometimes not enough to achieve immortality. Coventry’s Adorable straddled the boundaries of fame for a few short years in the early nineties but through a wicked combination of arrogance, bad luck and record company indifference imploded on a Belgian stage in 1994. Lead singer Piotr Fijalkowski was the Ian McCullough obsessive who had the snarl to match his openly disturbing lyrics. Creation’s wunderkid Alan Moulder produced ‘Homeboy’ which was one of the standout on the bands debut album ‘Against Perfection’. Despite the ferocity of the guitar parts, the marching to war percussion and dedicated bass riff ‘Homeboy’ is utterly embracing. The intense fury is tempered by Fijalkowski’s line ‘You’re So Beautiful’ and the distance jangle of sweet chords. The close out is alternative gold, a fizzing stick of dynamite that ignites and is responsible for as many indie disco injuries as ‘Smell Like Teen Spirit’. It has also been known to unblock gargantuan wax deposits. KD

Adorable - Homeboy

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Album: Against Perfection
Year: 1993

There is something annoyingly inconsistent about Mogwai, rather like the post-rock scene they inhibit. On the one hand they can furnish unparalleled montages of sound that sees grown men snivel, yet on the other hand they can bleat about for endless minutes in the search for a winning avenue of sound and fall helplessly on their faces. From this point of view ‘Ten Rapid’ remains their high watermark, a series of early recordings without the flab, each piece offering fluid ideas designed to shatter cheap speakers. The Mogwai standard is to play the quiet/loud bits in quick succession often when you least expect your eardrum to be perforated. ‘Helicon Part 1’s trick is that it builds to the crescendo sequentially; the rotund bass forages melodically, while a twinkling guitar saddles up in the foreground. When the avalanche of noise descends there is a clear indication as to what instrument is doing what and you can’t help forgive the band their beards, bare feet and flap caps. The live version of this song on the BBC Government Commissions is equally impressive, appearing a little less controlled and shining a light on the subtleties that were lost in the studio recording. KD

Mogwai - Helicon Part 1

Album: Ten Rapid
Year: 1997

There are just some bands that have the added cool factor, not that they do anything that is inherently swish just a feeling of aloofness that can’t be canned. The Stone Roses, (the) Verve and Ride all had it, apart from blazing great swathes of mercurial noise in our faces they had the poise and laidback swagger of people who were born to be in a band. Ride had 2 gifted writers (although, quite what has happened to Beatles cover band boy Andy Bell is a mystery) who never really saw eye to eye but when they did they had the imagination to create guitar-fused masterpieces. ‘Taste’ was released as part of the ‘Fall’ EP, one of several EP’s that they put out in the early nineties. The EP’s artwork showing a colony of snow covered penguins roving the desolate landscape is a delightful guide to the delicacies that await inside. ‘Taste’ has Mark Gardener’s wispy vocals floating like a ring of smoke amid the multi-layered cascading guitars. He doesn’t say a great deal but the delivery is so sweet that his playful aah’s are much more effective than any words could be. This is hugely uplifting music that will shuttle you away like a daydream on a particularly boring day at work. As the taste just slips away you can’t help experiencing the childhood euphoria you last felt that day spent at the seaside. KD

Ride - Taste

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Album: Taste EP
Year: 1990

Despite the fact that they’ve kissed and made up with their new band The Tears, it’s unlikely that Bernard and Brett will ever reach the transcendent glories of their opus ‘Dog Man Star’. Their break-up could have marked the end for Suede but they persevered commendably for several more albums. With Butler gone, Anderson needed another foil and he came in the shape of young whippersnapper Richard Oakes (rather unfairly nicknamed little dick in the music press). The new partnerships’ first outing ably proved that Suede could quite capably recover from losing one of their muses. ‘Together’ arrived as a b-side on the ‘New Generation’ single and outpaced the lead song through the sheer kinetic energy in the grooves. Anderson vocals are marginally skewed as are the all-consuming guitar chops. The momentum hardly falters and leads spectacularly to guitars as psychedelic monoliths at its epicentre. All the players lay down markers, Simon Gilbert is notably flamboyant on drums and Mat Osman plucks at his bass like a man scrambling for toughened roots at the edge of a cliff. This is Suede leaving the melancholic drama behind, pushing their creative impulses to breaking point and finally realising that being in a band can be good fun. KD

Suede - Together

Album: New Generation EP
Year: 1995

What is it about graffiti artists that have them pricing their art so low? All it takes is a single couplet sung by a French girl and they are off baring their imaginative creations to the world. As you’d expect from the purveyors of such simplistic themes Maximo Park inhabit a world populated by the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs but don’t let this put you off as Maximo Park have much the better songs. Their debut ‘A Certain Trigger’ (released on electronic label Warp) bustles along with imaginative verve, the energetic new wave ethic is omnipresent and there are enough short sharp tunes to populate a Franz Ferdinand record. ‘Graffiti’ is a pleasing example, guitars spin vociferous melodies, the momentum is punctuated by a slow/fast percussion and Paul Smith’s word volleys seamlessly wrap up the tidy package of sound. KD

Maximo Park - Graffiti

Album: A Certain Trigger
Year: 2005

Ryan Adams current double album ‘Cold Roses’ requires an intensity of concentration but buried inside the multi-tracked opus are some of the most delicate sounds of 2005. The ex Whiskeytown singer is nothing if prolific with an attractive penchant for drifting between alt-country and straightforward rock and roll. On ‘Meadowlake Street’ the singer carves open his heart to present a paean to lost love. Vocals are fragile and beguiling with the acoustic backdrop perfectly instilling the sense of hopelessness when your fountain of happiness is beyond reach. The focused fury that arrives from nowhere is gleaned from memories rather than your typical Hollywood ending. Sadly it seems, for the present time at least, love remains hell. KD

Ryan Adams - Meadowlake Street

Album: Cold Roses
Year: 2005

A creaking door, bogeymen lurking in the shadows and an over active imagination can be the only explanation for Sound Team’s ‘Don’t Turn Away’ because it’s quite unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Ok, there are ingenious nods to the underrated Clinic but who else could get away with unrehearsed church bells, drum beats recorded inside a cardboard box, indiscernibly juicy vocals and a keyboard that for all intensive purposes sounds like the midnight calls of a Mogwai. I guess that's what happens when ideas run riot in the recording studio you've built for yourself. The Austin band are about to release their ‘Work’ EP on an unsuspecting world and if ‘Don’t Turn Away’ is anything to go by they will have a very intense spotlight cast in their direction before too long. And if they sell a few records perhaps they'll have plenty to eat after midnight too. KD

Sound Team - Don't Turn Away

Album: Work EP
Year: 2005

When you get an opening salvo as memorable as ‘I was in a car crash, its not a hard luck story, on my back in the road with bits of me around’ its time to sit up and take notice. The song captures one mans world-weariness as he experiences clinical incompetence, political shallowness and the loneliness of old age during an altogether unpleasant hospital stay. You’d think that such a downbeat tale could have your reaching for the poison but the sharp humour and ingenious playing makes it rather jaunty. A memorable circular riff bolsters the tirade but its not until the swooping trumpet kicks in that it all goes supernova. With the words being spoken rather than sung the sentiments are easily translated making this one of the best short audio dramas you’ll hear in a while. Sadly Animals That Swim’s clever cleverness meant a wider audience eluded them and their albums lacked the persuasive feel of their finer moments.

Animals That Swim - Pink Carnations

Album: Workshy
Year: 1995

Sonic Youth are akin to a twin tub that destroys the colours on garments yet from time to time the newly rainbowed apparel displays a unique and satisfying take on high fashion. Throughout their career the band have been consistently inconsistent in their output. One minute they are parading a spellbinding mix of jangling guitars and low-slung vocal theatrics, the next they are in throes of sonic epilepsy that is too wayward to be considered ingestible. Their exalted status is no doubt down to their longevity and the fact that every now and then they pin down a stone cold classic. ‘Unwind’ is one such, extending over 6 minutes; it is effortless in its simplicity yet buoyant enough to reveal new subplots on every play. Thurston Moore provides the stoned impassioned delivery while guitar chords shimmer endlessly in the background. The gradual descent into a smorgasbord of electrics is inevitable but the slow recovery back to twinkling chords ensures a happy ending every time.

Sonic Youth - Unwind

Album: Washing Machine
Year: 1995

Despite the daft name Thee More Shallows seemed to have nailed down the prototype for a new elaborate wing in the house of rock. Their 'More Deep Cuts' album has a fresh exuberant feel to it, as if something exciting is being rolled out. Each cut is a distinct, multi-layered affair that reveals itself over repeated listens which just about explains the albums 3-year conception. 'Freshman Thesis' and '2am' are the highlights throwing imagination from the speakers like a Halloween fireworks display. '2am' has Dee Kesler as Lou Reed, the tumbling xylophone riff holds court as the bouncy drumming attempts to keep up. As the ascending barrage of noise envelopes you appreciate the scene as the singer tries the sleep in a city that doesn’t. There are flashes of Grandaddy and a host of post-rock entrepreneurs but this San Francisco band are out there setting their own mountain high standards.

Thee More Shallows - 2am

More Info: Thee More Shallows
Buy Album: [UK] More Deep Cuts [US] More Deep Cuts
Year: 2004

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In the early days it was like a secret club. With a debut in short supply, interviews at an absolute premium, grainy abstract photos and shorts pity essays included with all releases a legend was moulded. At first it seemed like the band couldn't put a foot wrong, new material easily stood up to the intense scrutiny from their invisible army of fans. The intelligence in the lyrics was matched only by the wholesome melody. This music didn't slap you in the face, it cajoled you slowly until you copped that every other band were altogether less useful. 'Push Barman To Open Old Wounds' chronicles those first steps from Art College Project to one of the most impressive acts in the world. 'Slow Graffiti' initially appeared at the tail end of 'This Is Just A Modern Rock Song' EP (their EP's proved conclusively that the single still had a role to play). 'Slow Graffiti' details how twee pop could muster more resonance than all the synchronised movements of a certain Mancunian set of siblings. It begins in that true Belle & Sebastian spirit with Stuart Murdoch alone with his voice, at times it sounds as if he is stretching to reach the high notes but this just adds to the occasion. The winning effect comes by way of trundling stop/start bowl of faded drums, oboe, trombone and a hoarse guitar riff. The song slowly garners momentum and doesn’t relinquish control until your urges are sated. After hearing this you'll realise it's worth suffering a century of fakers if the rewards for patience uncovers a band like Belle & Sebastian every now and then. KD

Belle & Sebastian - Slow Graffiti

Album: This Is Just A Modern Rock Song EP
Year: 1998

With a feather lifted from Roddy Woomble's rapidly disintegrating peak cap (cf 'When I Argue I See Shapes') 'Another Wound' leaves the blocks in record-breaking fashion. The Ponys may be relative newcomers but they are about to have an almighty impact. Their anglophile tendencies are obvious, yet they mask what they've borrowed behind romper-stomper ditties. This a 3 minute pop sensation, shimmering sounds are fashioned from the likeliest of sources and a centre as ebullient as a Wimbledon starlet sees Jered Gummere swing from his own ripened tonsils. Their sophomore effort ‘Celebration Castle’ is awash with similar sonic belters that are primed to replace any other fixes you may have grown accustomed to. While we’ve always had horses for courses, the time may have arrived to try some Ponys for choruses. KD

The Ponys - Another Wound

Album: Celebration Castle
Years: 2005

Ridiculously shunted from his previous incarnation Manitoba, Dan Snaith has conjured yet more bedroom masterpieces on his third LP ‘The Milk Of Human Kindness’. The goalposts haven’t shifted all that greatly with Snaith still intent on colouring life with electronic portraits of the colourful kind. ‘Barnowl’ closes the album in the giddiest of ways. A rollicking good time pummels forth via clockwork synths, breathy vocals, masked eastern influences and the sneaking feeling that the bogeyman could be about to turn up at any time. You may have trouble moving your body to it, but it'd take a heavy set of manacles to stop those hearty foot commotions. As far as Caribou is concerned it's only a matter of time before the only thing that's going ‘who who’ is the subject of this song. KD

Caribou - Barnowl

Album: The Milk Of Human Kindness
Year: 2005

Put a guitar, bass, drums and voice together and the sonic possibilities stretch to infinity. The trick is to come up with something that is worthwhile, something that can move the listener. Explosions In The Sky achieve this effortlessly and considering they don't even employ a singer makes their music all the more remarkable. Their third album 'The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place' is a post-rock masterpiece (see also Mogwai, Do Make Say Think, Godspeed You Black Emperor) with rich hook filled guitar escapades in plenty supply. 'Your Hand In Mine', 'The Only Moment We Are Alone' and 'First Breath After Coma', are particularly inspired. The latter starts out like a frosty morning, a jinking guitar solo and sparse bass flutter like swallows in a blue sky. The percussion is frenetic but controlled building slowly to the point where the guitars run freely. It’s the sort of music you can easily get lost in; the all-encompassing nature is total save for some intermittent reindeer bells. This is music for a virtual world, one where the only violence that is committed targets helpless 6 stringed instruments. KD

Explosions In The Sky - First Breath After Coma

Buy Songs: Explosions In The Sky
Year: 2003

While the Bluetone Roses moniker that was hoisted on them did an enormous disservice to the much superior Manchester band with King Monkey at the helm, this Mark Morris led project had initially, at least, some worth. Their first 3 singles ‘Are You Blue Or Are You Blind’, ‘Bluetonic’ and ‘Slight Return’ were fabulous examples of jangling pop, but sadly the bands albums were lumpen affairs that illustrated a remarkably limited potential. Funny then that one of their greatest tunes, 'Castle Rock', should be a b-side on the ‘Cut Some Rug’ single. Things don’t start out too promising as the guitars plod along aimlessly but out of the blue some dandy riffs fly about and Morris sends a shudderingly melodic vocal to the base of your spine. It’s all over in a blink of an eye but then spontaneous joy generally is. While the Bluetones are unlikely to fill little more than a footnote in the annals of indie history they have several recordings that they can be proud of. KD

The Bluetones - Castle Rock

Album: Cut Some Rug EP
Year: 1996

Criminally underrated, the Boo Radleys ably continued the proud liverpudlian tradition of producing brilliant pop bands. While they initially pottered away in the guitar heavy shoegaze scene it was their 1993 album ‘Giant Steps’ that signalled their true intentions. Martin Carr was the prolific songwriter who for a time in the mid nineties was unable to put a foot wrong with the bands b-sides often eclipsing their more illustrious neighbours. ‘Giant Steps’ excelled in contemporary psychedelia, the schizophrenic song structures were often too skewed to be consumed on a first listen but once digested the masterly song writing was evident. Lazarus is one of the albums many highlights. The 12-inch version holds the exuberant trumpets back for a bit but this is not to detract from the songs power. The Jah Wobble like bass and drugged out delivery is a masterclass in dub and perfectly rolls out the red carpet for the aforementioned brass. Add in Sice’s crystallised down a telephone line voice and what you have is a classic song waiting for a future generation to embrace it. KD

The Boo Radleys - Lazarus (12-inch version)

Album: Giant Steps
Year: 1993

Rollerskate Skinny are perhaps the closest anyone got to producing the multi-layered genius of My Bloody Valentine. Fronted by floppy fringed Ken Griffin they were an explosive live outfit, perforating eardrums one moment, applying cotton rimmed remedies the next. Their 2 albums are forgotten gems; the sophomore effort ‘Horsedrawn Wishes’ alone expelled enough fluid ideas to maintain a healthy career. ‘Speed To My Side’ perfectly displays the bands kaleidoscope approach; all manner of instruments are thrown into the blender but somehow the dish is delicately cohesive. Griffins voice holds true as guitar pedals are stomped on, feedback streams from a bank of 10-foot high speakers and several banshees wail from the unused abattoir next door. Griffin once described Rollerskate Skinny’s music as ‘controlled melodic chaos’ and on this evidence it's easy to see why. KD

Rollerskate Skinny - Speed To My Side

More Info: IMC
Buy Album: [UK] Horse Drawn Wishes [US] Horsedrawn Wishes
Year: 1996

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The electronic windowlicker may have had the critics on his side for most of the nineties but many of his offerings were about as appealing as long fingernails scraping down a blackboard. On occasions, however, he dropped his nocturnal guard to dramatic effect. 'Goon Gumpas' is as cute as the video it inspired (huge teddy bears bouncing on oversized beds) with sweeping organ flourishes and digitalised strings plucked in pretty patterns. This is the sound of little red riding hood in the forest after the successful introduction of myxomatoses for bad wolves. Heck, even my hairy eared grandma has nice words to say about it. KD

Aphex Twin - Goon Gumpas

More Info:
Buy Aphex Twins: [UK] Richard D. James [US] Richard D. James Album
Year: 1996

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mp3hugger is an indie mp3 blog based in Dublin, Ireland that started in September 2005. Its purpose is to introduce music to people who may not otherwise get to hear it. The mp3s on this site are only available for 6 days. My intention is not to violate copyright laws. If you are owner (copyright or creator) of an mp3 posted here and are unhappy about its use, please email me and I will delete it immediately. In June 2008 mp3hugger set up a record label called Indiecater. It has nice stuff that you can listen to and buy if you like it enough.

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