I can’t get ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’ by the Cold War Kids and ‘I Turn My Camera On’ by Spoon out of my head. In many ways the 2 songs come from the same locality sporting bulbous bass lines and a momentum that is out of kilter with indie’s current fascination with sharp new wave tuneage. But, where ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’ sports aggressive balls Spoon’s effort reveals a feminine side that just doesn’t feel like dancing due to a blinding migraine. It’s wonderful of course, just short of epic, its sparkle getting brighter with each passing second. Spoon have been around since 1994, their Austin roots meaning that they have a ready showcase each year at SXSW. ‘Gimme Fiction’ their last album was a critical favourite and in ‘I Turn My Camera On’ Britt Daniel sang like he was partying like it was 1999. KD

Spoon - I Turn My Camera On

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Year: 2005

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If you like your indie pop blissed out and about as twee as tweety bird writing romantic poetry to a long lost feathered girlfriend then Sweden’s the Charade will be for you. Ingela Matsson, Magnus Karlsson and Mikael Matsson are from Stockholm although they take their cues from Glasgow’s bunch of fey popsters (and a pinch of Cinerama). Life for the Charade is an uncomplicated task and the soundtrack they choose to colour it will make your tummy warm inside. ‘Monday Morning’ is a pert twee classic, all twinkling piano lines, jangling chords and some neat interactive boy/girl vocals. In the wrong hands it could sound mawkish but the Charade sing like it’s coming from the lining of their souls. And the Charade even gave the indie world a presence at last years' World Cup writing the song for the Swedish National Team named ‘Dressed in Yellow and Blue’. Close the doors on the outside world, turn on the Charade and dream a little dream. KD

The Charade - Monday Morning

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Buy Both Charade: Albums
Year: 2005 & 2006

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It’s been such a strange start to the year as all the big hitters like the Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Explosions In The Sky, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and the Shins have released enjoyable yet somehow slightly disappointing records. That’s the thing with expectation I guess, every year we build ourselves into a big lather about the coming of Christmas and when it comes it is so often a let down. The Shins are onto their third album and edge ever closer to universal acclaim. It is well deserved as James Mercer is one of the finest exponents of indie pop that we’ve seen for a long time ('Sleeping Lessons' is quite perfect). It’s just when it comes to a full album of Shins material the trick does seems to lose it’s sense of wide eyed wonder. Taken in moderation the Shins music is like a blast of multi-coloured audio, laced with ripe melody, exotic rhythms and Mercer’s dainty vocals. Tracks like ‘Phantom Limb’ translates wonderfully to a broad cross section of listeners, it is in effect above criticism. Why is it then that I can’t take a whole Shins album in a single listen? Have I become a victim of the iPod generation or is too much of an undeniable good thing just not appetising enough? Carrie Bradshaw

The Shins - Phantom Limb

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Buy Album: [UK] Wincing the Night Away [US] Wincing the Night Away
Year: 2007

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Another year, another ace release from Jim Vallet’s Track A Tiger. After the delights of last years ‘Woke Up Early The Day I Died’ Vallet is putting the finishing touches to the follow up 'We Moved Like Ghosts' with a host of friends. Track A Tiger is a bona fida d.i.y. enterprise but that doesn’t mean that the end product is in any way shoddy. Something the fledging Future Apple Tree Records has recognised but much of the marketing for Track A Tiger’s records still comes from Vallet himself. And it worked a treat last year when several Track A Tiger tracks buzzed around the blogosphere for weeks on end. Vallet is glad to have to his music scattered (!) around the interweb and we are delighted to spread the word on his softly textured indie pop gems. ‘All These Accidents’ is taken from the forthcoming album and it marks a nice progression for the band. This time the foot has been taken off the pedal and Vallet’s multifaceted ideas are free to run riot with the listener’s audio receiving nodes. Kristina Castañeda provides the gentle female vocals that not only back up Vallet’s dreampop delivery but also soothe the choppy riffs. This cats' got all the milk. KD

Track A Tiger - All These Accidents

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: Woke Up Early the Day I Died & We Moved Like Ghosts
Year: 2006 & 2007

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Attempting to have your own career must be a pain in the tonsils if you’ve got to follow in the giant footsteps of a famous parent (in this case Little Feat songwriter Lowell George). But daughter Inara has made a good start, carving out a colourful niche for herself and her Bird and the Bee co-star Greg Kurstin who is himself a noted piano player and remixer. ‘Again and Again’ is taken from the duo’s self-titled debut album and has the polish and sheen to decorate any hip lounge lizard’s Ipod. George’s jazz background is easily identifiable and the summery beat harks back to a time when long hair didn’t necessarily go hand in hand with writing thesis’. Think St. Etienne in all their euro electro glory. The Bird and the Bee are signed to the Jazz label Blue Note records. KD

The Bird and The Bee - Again and Again

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Buy Album: [UK] The Bird and the Bee [US] The Bird & The Bee
Year: 2007

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Slowdive may have broken up in 1995 but most of its members still continue to make music. Forever associated with the short lived but much loved shoegazing genre Slowdive released 3 albums and a number of EP’s. For the uninitiated tracks to seek out include ‘Catch The Breeze’, ‘Machine Gun’ and ‘When The Sun Hits’.

Slowdive - Shine (1991 Peel Session)


Rachel Goswell

As well as being every indie boy's dream girl Rachel Goswell was one half of the vocal team in Slowdive. Goswell is a member of Mojave 3, the alt country (who have recently turned all Powerpop on us) act who have a number of fine albums under their belts. Rachel also released a solo album in 2004 called ‘Waves Are Universal’. Of late she has been stricken with illness and was unable to go on tour in support of Mojave 3’s superb last album ‘Puzzles Like You’.

Rachel Goswell - Warm Summer Sun

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Waves Are Universal [US] Waves Are Universal
Year: 2004


Neil Halstead

Neil Halstead was the dreamy (background) voice in Slowdive, much of his words getting lost in the reverb. His songwriting skills took a pasting when the bands final album ‘Pygmalion’ was a flop (he wrote most of it) and saw the band getting dropped from Creation records. Thankfully more good times were on the way when along with Goswell and Ian McCutcheon he formed Mojave 3 in 1995 signalling a total reinvention of his signature sound. Halstead released a solo record for 4AD in 2002 called ‘Sleeping On Roads’ but Mojave 3 remains his primary focus.

Neil Halstead - Seasons

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Buy Album: [UK] Sleeping on Roads [US] Sleeping on Roads
Year: 2002


Christian Saville

Saville was guitarist with Slowdive and played in several bands including the Eternal before settling with his current band Monster Movie who have stayed faithful to shoegaze sound of yore. As other members forked off into quieter sonic avenues Saville has gone on to release 4 albums of panoramic dream pop.

Monster Movie - Waiting

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Last Night Something Happened [US] Last Night Something Happened
Year: 2002


Nick Chaplain

Slowdive’s bass player has vanished and not even google’s all seeing eye can provide any information on his current whereabouts. Anybody out there with any leads (preferably ones connected to a bass guitarist)?


Ian McCutcheon

McCutcheon replaced Simon Scott in 1994 on drums. Slowdive split the following year after the failure of ‘Pygmalion’ but McCutcheon continued his association with Goswell and Halstead with Mojave 3.

Mojave 3 - Stars In The Sky

More Info: Official
Buy Album: [UK] Puzzles Like You [US] Puzzles Like You
Year: 2006


Simon Scott

Simon Scott played drums on most of Slowdive’s recordings from 1990 to 1994. On leaving the band he became a session drummer working with the likes of Chapterhouse and St. Etienne. His own band Inner Sleeve enjoyed a short existence on the Fierce Panda label after which Scott played drums with the much undervalued Lowgold. He currently heads up a shoegaze band named Televise who were formed in 2003 on foot of a brief sighting of Syd Barrett.

Televise - Mercy Seat

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Songs to Sing in A&E [US] Outside Out Ep
Year: 2006

KD

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Gentle electronica sweeping gently to the sea. Et Ret’s background may be in folk but his 2006 debut ‘Gasworks’ swapped the beardism’s for more artificial sonic indulgences. The effect was breathtaking as strings and computer derived noises created a wallowing, mind-bending swirl of passivity. You could imagine ‘The First Day’ becoming the dentists preferred form of sedation as patients gently slip into a state of consciousness that is impervious to pain. This is perfect background audio for savvy beanbag emporiums, a soft Trundle bed commercial or the zenith for Mothercare’s launch of their autumn/winter range. James Angelos is the craftsman, time to become putty in his hands. KD

Et Ret - The First Day

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [US] Gasworks [UK] Gasworks
Year: 2006

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Red Star Belgrade were always one of the best proponents of alt country but for many small reasons they never actually achieved what their music deserved. I remember picking up a CMJ cover mount and instantly being enamoured with the ‘Saddest Girl In The World’. With RSB nothing was ever hurried, why rush things when there’s a mean song to be sung? Bill Curry has a strong vocal that can alternate between mature storyteller and wide eyed spokesman for the world. RSB's last new material ‘The Real Traitors’ appeared in 2004 and included this perfect track ‘Quiet & Terrified’ (listen to the words and you'll be the saddest little girl/boy in the world). Although it is a sub 2minuter it has a lavish design, strings fill the air like butterflies in summer while the singer and his wife Graham play vocal hide and seek with each other. Curry’s shoulder injury in 2005 has put paid to new RSG for a while but hopefully it will be a temporary blip in RSB's (slow) meteoric rise to success. KD

Red Star Belgrade - Quiet And Terrified

More Info: Official
Buy Album: [UK] The Real Traitors [US] Where the Sun Doesn't Shine
Year: 2004

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The amount of music submissions to this site has been building for a while now. One day I may even get exasperated at the tons of hard drive I have to absorb. So often tunes rack up one play and are discarded, other times they make the half a dozen mark and are revealed as the shadowy customers that they truly are. I knew RD Mauzy’s ‘Honeycut’ (I was dreading a mock rap jump around the car park effort) was going to stick though from the very first play. RD the Milkman (if you don’t mind) bares his soul and his stripped bare arrangements press buttons I thought I had lost along with that scruffy parka all those years ago. RD is a prolific recording artist, diary scribbler and long time escapee from Lakeside, California and his eye for crafting a velcro tune has even led him to reworking a Madonna banger from 1983 called ‘Burning Up’. ‘Honeycut’ could be this years answer to ‘the JCB Song’ except that this time the cartoon characters have fangs and the not so friendly vehicle will run you over at every opportunity. Everybody singalong now 'I Got The Shit Kicked Out Of Me......'. KD

RD Mauzy - Honeycut

More Info: Official
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Year: 2007

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You can probably blame Peter, Bjorn & John or his eminence Andrew Bird because it really seems as if whistling is making a case for inclusion in the hall of fame for the most dreamy of indie rock tools (last year it was the Glockenspiel). This time it’s Electric President’s Ben Cooper under one of his several aliases Radical Face who has pursed lips and broken hearts. His new album ‘Ghost’ (is it me or is ‘Ghost’ the word of the moment in alternative circles?) is as good if not better than last year’s self-titled EP album. As you’d expect it’s a cerebral homemade effort that is as warm hearted as the King of the good Samaritans. The beauty of the record is its ability to sound restrained while still packing an emotional punch that’ll have you clambering for the nearest headrest. ‘Glory’ is just one of many pretty tunes on offer as it provokes imaginative portholes into the sound of Sigur Ros, Magnet and even Paul Simon. Even with 'Ghost' about to drop Cooper is hardly whistling dixie as he retreats to the back yard to record the follow up to EP with Alex Kane. For the moment though let this hauntingly beautiful record give you a clutch of fascinating chills. KD

Radical Face - Glory

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Ghost [US] Ghost
Year: 2007

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Close, but no white smoke I’m afraid. It was always going to be an impossible task to repeat the magic of ‘Funeral’ and the Arcade Fire have so nearly pulled it off. This is a monumental achievement in itself, set against the best album of the century (thus far) most works pale by comparison but the Arcade Fire’s sophomore album ‘Neon Bible’ proves to be a valuable companion piece. Not much has changed, the dynamics are still irresistible and tracks like ‘Black Waves/Bad Vibrations’, ‘No Cars Go’ (a reworked version of an oldie from the ‘Us Kids Know’ EP), ‘The Well and The Lighthouse’ and ‘Black Mirror’ could have easily sidled up alongside the songs from the bands debut without ruffling its grandiose take on modern music. ‘Black Mirror’ opens the new LP and it’s a gripping listen that strokes the senses in all the right places. It has an underlying sense of menace, like an audio portrait for the darker scenes in Snow White. The percussion is thunderous and Win Butler adds a healthy dose of ambiguity to a set of lyrics that will soon be bouncing around your head with the accuracy of a panicked brain signal. 'Neon Bible' is released on March 6th, the Deluxe Edition is an essential purchase. KD

The Arcade Fire - Black Mirror

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Buy Album: [UK] Neon Bible [US] Neon Bible
Year: 2007

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Andrew Bird albums are about to fly out of the shops or perch on your creaking hard drive because his new album is one of the bright sparks of the new(ish) year. Of course Bird was always an ambitious musician, it’s just that this time he has decorated his compositions with nightime radio friendly melodies. He is classically trained and much of his output is laced with innovative string arrangements. The results are uniquely satisfying and if that wasn’t enough Birds whistling ability (c.f. ‘Dark Matter’) could have Peter, John and Bjorn staring is glazed admiration. Bird’s new album (his 10th) is due to be released towards the end of this month under the decidedly tongue twisting title of ‘Armchair Apocrypha’. The fast emerging Fat Possum label are in charge and this album will doubtlessly extend their current golden patch (Dinosaur Jr., Heartless Bastards, Fiery Furnaces….gulp). ‘Heretics’ is a promo from the upcoming album, a song so devoid of tired indie clichés it could almost create a genre on all its own. MozArt Rock anyone? KD

Andrew Bird - Heretics

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: Armchair Apocrypha
Year: 2007

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John Valderslice (ex of pioneer rockers MK Ultra) is the mp3 blogger’s dream ticket. Not only was he responsible for one of the first of the species, Tiny Telephone, but his progressive attitude to music distribution is a template that aspiring musicians (and the industry as a whole) would do well to study. And to cap it all off Mr. Valderslice makes some mighty fine music. He released 5 albums over a prolific 5-year period, the last of which ‘Pixel Revolt’ appeared in 2005. One of the standouts was ‘Exodus Damage’ which exhaled a dark atmosphere through its churning textures and Vanderslice’s heart pounding illustrations. KD

John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage

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Buy Album: [UK] Pixel Revolt [US] Pixel Revolt
Year: 2005

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