Schooner’s Reid Johnson sings as if he is lying down. He gives off a none too bothered impression which just about fits in snugly with the slacker vibe that beams from the foursome that accompanies him. The Chapel Hill band are on their second album ‘Hold On Too Tight’ and ‘They Always Do!’ is a prime cut. It may harp back to a Beach Boy standard but ‘They Always Do!’ leaves the dual carriageway about half way through. The detour sees the band getting an attack of the I’m From Barcelona’s and we all end up holding hands and singing in unison. Not that I’m complaining because I’m all for music that you can embrace and be embraced for. With Schooner you just gotta drink it up and sail into the distance under a setting sun. KD

Schooner - They Always Do!

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Buy Album: Hold On Too Tight
Year: 2007

It might strike you as a novelty record but I’ve spent most of my day humming this tune from exmagician of Belfast. At the moment no one approaches James Smith’s sense of giddy adventure apart from maybe Jim Noir. A nose for producing something different is generally frowned upon in an indie scene that sees itself best served by a riff and a wry lyric but Smith is genuinely pushing the boundaries. The fact that he is currently labelless leaves him without the awkward finger wags from a bankrolling label and free to spin weird and wonderful colossuses like ‘Lighting Struck A Deal’. When he’s famous and riding limo’s with P Diddy he may reminisce on those heady days in 2007 when peachy ideas poured from him like blood from an extra in a Tarantino movie. This is another giant fluffy rabbit from an increasing bulging top hat. KD

exmagician - Lightning Struck A Deal

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Buy Album: in the near future
Year: 2007

I spoke about this band over a year ago. The review was for a song of theirs called ‘Ett’, and I more or less compared it to something Explosions In The Sky were capable of doing in their sleep. Looking back it was a little unfair because it is now quite obvious that Ef are actually a prospect to saviour. The evidence; well there is this absolute beauty from ‘Give Me beauty...Or Give Me Death’ that rightly joins the pantheon of post-rock greats like ‘Helicon Part 1’, ‘Your Hand In Mine’ and ‘Levez Vos Skinny Fists’. Hell it’s even got some words that are suitably given an alluring canvass by a carousing string. This is a play over several acts, each one as devastating as the next, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you may even go for a swim in the buff. 'Hello Scotland' is an acute example of the power of music, dig in and get prepared for Ef’s next move in the autumn. KD

Ef - Hello Scotland

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Buy Album: Give me beauty...Or give me death
Year: 2006

With a lead man called Tim DeLaughter you weren’t expecting it to be doom and gloom now were you? The Dallas based collective (we’re talking 20 plus members here, and they seem to have ditched the white gear for a darker shade this time around) do have a terrific gift for capturing giant choral fireworks on record and new single ‘Running Away’ is no exception. This’ll shift you from your slumber, it may even shift granddad for his favourite armchair, just be sure to stick on some Leonard Cohen straight afterwards, don’t want him thinking there are other things he needs to do before he croaks it. ‘Running Away’ is the sound of exuberance and in its own little way it is making the world a better place to live in. Prepare yourselves for a spree of polyphonic ringtones inspired by the bands 3rd album 'The Fragile Army' in the near future (released 19th June). KD

The Polyphonic Spree - Running Away

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Buy Album: [UK] The Fragile Army [US] The Fragile Army (Bonus Dvd)
Year: 2007

I often wonder how bands who existed before the internet might have fared if they had muscled in on the affections of the blogosphere. The trail of dead bands with potential to burn is long and disturbing. Kilkenny’s Engine Alley were one victim of a fickle world but indications are that they are going to give it one last go and perhaps snag a few bloggers along the way to boost their profile. Engine Alley features 2 siblings in Canice (vocals) and Brian Kenealy (guitars), Eamon Byrne (bass) and an army of rotating drummers. Their debut 'A Sonic Holiday' on U2's Mother Records label was released in 1992 and was produced by Steve Lillywhite. Ken Rice was responsible for the orchestral swirls, which polished what were already sweet pop thrills. ‘Song For Someone’ included the vocal charms of Emmaline Duffy-Fallon who was the drummer at the time but left before album number two came along. The gentle playing softly augments a lullaby that unfolds gently before your very ears. KD

Engine Alley - Song For Someone

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Buy Album: [UK] A Sonic Holiday [US] Engine Alley
Year: 1992

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Rasputina are an interesting proposition from Brooklyn who’ve been around since 1992. Melora Creager has been the one constant in a revolving cast of members. The band is characterised by their cello parts, which should appeal to those of the Joanna Newson and Regina Spektor (near identical vocally in my book) persuasion. Creager has travelled an interesting road having performed live with Nirvana on the In Utero tour. She has also spent some time with Ultra Vivid Scene, the Pixies and Belle & Sebastian so there is an interesting biography in her story (not least for her, somewhat ironic, obsessiveness to the memory of Howard Hughes to which I am myself afflicted). ‘Oh Perilous World’ is Rasputina's sixth album and is released later this month on Filthy Bonnet (!). The album was conceived as Creager scoured newspapers and the internet for inspiration, a move that saw her partly abandon her historical conceptualisation. ‘Cage In A Cave’ is fresh and distinct, a welcome break from the lads and their guitars. KD

Rasputina - Cage In A Cave

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Buy Album: [UK] Oh Perilous World [US] Oh Perilous World
Year: 2007

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Villian Records is home to Richard Murphy of Michael Knight and Ronan Hession of Mumblin' Deaf Ro and is the type of label I generally fall for (I’m still pining for Dead Elvis Records after all these years). First time around I dismissed Mumblin' Deaf Ro for the wonders of Michael Knight’s debut but I am slowly becoming consumed by Ro’s second album ‘The Herring and the Brine’. It has taken a bit of time as Hession’s voice is a curious cross-pollination of the vocal genes of Nick Drake and Kerry’s Christy Hennessy. Try not to let this put you off though as there is genuine sincerity in his delivery that makes the colourful themes all the more believable. Where else would you find subject matter of the likes of the tale of the exhausted novice priest or the murder of two sisters in rural Ireland? The music for its part is sparse and generally acoustic but somehow sounds much bigger than it actually is. ‘What's To Be Done With El Salvador’ is wonderfully percussive and Hession raises his vocal game to sound almost sprightly despite the none too happy wordage. ‘The Herring and the Brine’ is the best Irish album I’ve heard so far this year and is destined to become a quiet classic. It is officially released next weekend in the Sugar Club, Dublin and the €10 entry entitles you to a free copy of the album. KD

Mumblin' Deaf Ro - What's To Be Done With El Salvador

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Buy Album: The Herring & The Brine
Year: 2007

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It seems London’s TBS flickered for the shortest time and then they were quenched. Well that’s the impression you get from their not-too-substantially-info-laden web spaces. It seems that James and Will haven’t let TBS going down the toilet put them off and have recently set up a new band called Janitor. Malcolm on the other hand has gone down the solo route (a route he repeatedly suggests he enjoys but somehow I’m not so sure). Tis’ a shame really that TBS, the band, are no more because songs like ‘Wrongstar’ and ‘Open My Eyes’ are pretty good indie fare. The guitars are tweaked to deliver maximum jangle and in doing so create the perfect platform for some impressive runaway chorus’s. Ah well, here’s to some bright new beginnings. KD

The Bright Space - Wrongstar

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The Bright Space - Open My Eyes

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Buy TBS Single: She Goes
Year: 2006

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For me Primal Scream started and ended with ‘Screamadelica’. Perhaps it was the fact that it coincided with my college years but I’d put it in my top 3 albums. It was released on Creation Records in 1991 and saw the Glaswegian's drop their jangling noodles for a dance beat. Andrew Weatherall was responsible for the makeover but ‘Screamadelica’ wouldn't have succeeded were it not for the immaculate vocals of Denise Johnson, the menacing bass turn by Jah Wobble and Bobby Gillespie’s unmistakable way with a tune. Side one closed with an absolute epic that spliced a MLK speech with a creeping tide of swirling synths, giddy beats and a drum kick that’ll wipe out all your couch tendencies. In an album of unmitigated classics ‘Come Together’ just refuses to reveal a single weakness and unless you are shorn of a heartbeat you will be enthralled for 10 minutes. Primal Scream, know what I mean? KD

Primal Scream - Come Together

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Buy Album: [UK] Screamadelica [US] Screamadelica
Year: 1991

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While it’s hard to post about Strawberry Switchblade without resorting to type and blathering about their magnificent one hit wonder ‘Since Yesterday’ I am going to persevere. The Glasgow duo of Rose McDowall and Jill Bryson may have disappeared by early 1986 but no 80’s retrospective would be complete without Bananarama’s darker and more interesting younger sisters. Their debut single ‘Trees and Flowers’ was an ode to Bryson’s agoraphobia (beats Robert De Niro I guess) and was produced by future KLF insaniac Bill Drummond. Also featured on the song was a budding songwriter by the name of Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera). ‘Sunday Morning’ (Velvets cover) appeared on the ‘Since Yesterday’ 12-inch (not porn related kids) as a direct antidote to its lavishly designed a-side. While it lags in the comet trail of the original it is still a fragile piece of dream pop (they are the true predecessors of that scene) and not even the vinyl blemishes can disguise those wonderful voices. KD

Strawberry Switchblade - Sunday Morning

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Buy Album: [UK] The Platinum Collection [US] Platinum Collection
Year: 1985

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Oh yippee, what a fantastic way to start the weekend with a new song from Sweden’s the Shout Out Loud’s. This is the comeback we had all hoped they could make after their 2005 debut ‘Howl Howl Gaff Gaff’ hinted that something very good was afoot. The new album ‘Our Ill Wills’ won’t be released until September in the States but has already hit the shops in Europe. ‘Tonight I Have To Leave It’ is a wonderful primer issuing splendid waves of exotic indie pop that reminds one of the Cure (the vocals are particularly Smith like). The band even sees fit to abandon Northern Europe for several seconds near the start as their focus shifts to warmer climes. The effect is beguiling and adds one more feather to a cap that should be all the rage in fashionable indie clubs the world over this summer. ‘Our Ill Wills’ was produced by the ubiquitous but consistently brilliant Björn Yttling (of ‘Young Folks’ fame…). KD

The Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It

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Buy The Album Now: Our Ill Wills
Year: 2007

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Despite only releasing 3 albums Leeds outfit the Pale Saints have left an enduring legacy. Formed at the peak of the dream pop and shoegaze scenes their debut ‘The Comfort of Madness’ was their undoubted peak but ‘In Ribbons’ its follow up was a near classic. Buoyed by the addition of ex-Lush singer Meriel Barham it opened in dramatic circumstances with single ‘Throwing Back The Apple’. At this stage the Pale Saints had polished up their sound, in doing so they may have lost some of the charm and innocence of their debut but their songwriting remained stellar. ‘Throwing Back The Apple’ is endowed with impressive heavy-duty chords, Barham’s trademark cooing and a wonderous turn from vocalist Ian Masters who was to leave the band soon afterwards. This is classic stuff that should appeal to a new generation (as well as the marketing departments of all cider makers) seeking a portal into the sound of the early nineties. KD

The Pale Saints - Throwing Back The Apple

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Buy Album: In Ribbons
Year: 1992

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Beauty is in the ear of the beholder I guess because I may be alone in thinking Should’s ‘One Two Feet’ is quite masterful. Dischordant, off-kilter and falling over the edge at every turn it is a gripping listen. Taken from the bands post-shoegaze 1995 album ‘A Folding Sieve’ it is actually a reworking of a song from Kiwi band the Jean Paul Sartre Experience. ‘Sarah Missing’ finds itself in much more familiar shoegaze territory but that doesn’t make it any less special. The boy/girl refrain and out of focus grandiose chords are just the tonic for fans of the scene that celebrated itself. Should (*2) have a new album out later this year on the increasingly influential Words on Music label. KD

Should - Own Two Feet

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Should - Sarah Missing

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Buy Album: A Folding Sieve
Year: 1995 & 2002

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It’s been a while since a Labrador release has appeared here so without much ado this is the new single from Club 8. The duo have been around since the mid 90’s and are characterised by Karolina Komstedt’s dreamy vocals and the soft lilting acoustics that provide the velvet scaffolding (courtesy of Johan Angergård). ‘Whatever You Want’ is very impressive, a perfect summer release that is easy on the ear but also stands up perfectly to repeated exposure. As if to seal the deal 2007’s most huggable piece of whistling appears about midway in, waltzing in time with Komstedt’s dah dah do’s. Also included is an old one from the band called ‘Spring Came, Rain Fell’ which is typically as comforting as the news that Club 8 have a new album out this summer. KD

Club 8 - Whatever You Want

Club 8 - Spring Came, Rain Fell


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Buy Club 8 Albums: Here
Year: 2007

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Richard Warren’s (Echoboy) ‘Giraffe’ came like a bolt from the blue. Sure he’d been part of the Hybrids but it was such a delight to find an unfamiliar artist fully formed and so perfectly primed to thrill. And that’s what 2002’s ‘Giraffe’ was, a windswept electronic masterpiece that recalled dubnobasswithmyheadman era Underworld and elements of Space’s dancier efforts. At the time Warren had been in talks with Noel Gallagher to join Oasis but the Nottingham based artist wisely decided against it. Instead he set his sights on a more inventive brand of guitars and synths and with producer Flood he arrived at a very successful formula. Opener ‘Automatic Eyes’ is perhaps the strongest track as evidenced by it fluid momentum and Warren’s zombie affected vocals that somehow managed to be warm and affecting. KD

Echoboy - Automatic Eyes

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Buy Album: [UK] Giraffe [US] Giraffe
Year: 2002

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A Is Jump are one of those bands that don’t seem to have much of a web presence. Perhaps this is the way they want it but a casual search reveals little in the way of reviews, write ups or gig information. Thankfully myspace threw up a profile and a link to their label Future Appletree. It seems the North Carolina outfit are recording a follow up to their 2004 ‘My Ice-Fingered Ghost’ album which featured the bundle of joy that is ‘Peeling Space’. This is indie pop with a rough edge, the clever blemishes only succeed to highlight how good the harmonies are. Self-contained specs of gold like this normally fit tidily on mixtapes you are completing in a sneaky attempt to snag the girl. KD

A Is Jump - Peeling Space

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Buy Album: The Ice-Fingered Ghost
Year: 2004

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The States have had their Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the English their Arctic Monkeys so isn’t it about time the emerald one had its very own blogger endorsed sensation. So far Fight Like Apes have received quite a bit of bandwidth from assorted green-backed sources (hurry along there Matt!) so I better join the fray. They are signed to the Frank & Walters label Fifa Records (how did they get away with that monikor, Blatter will be on their doorstep soon) from which their debut EP will flow quite soon even if they remain unlisted as of yet at Fifa headquarters. Led by the shouty Maykay and assorted blokes Fight Like Apes are an interesting proposition, like the Go! Team were they to lend their vocalists more airtime. ‘Lend Me Your Face’, quite apart from being title of the year, is a spunky piece of ear candy that reminds one of Bis in their prime. All told Fight Like Apes are a much-needed swill of peppermint mouthwash in a somewhat staid local music scene. The least you can do is lend them your ear. KD

Fight Like Apes - Lend Me Your Face

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Buy EP: How Am I Supposed To Kill You If You Have All The Guns?
Year: 2007

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Just right now Peter, Bjorn and John are about as popular a Swedish proposition in Ireland as ABBA. Their gigs have become more and more frequent and each visit sees the crowd swelling. We’ve a lot to thank them for, not least for their ace album ‘Writer’s Block’ from last year. Now Bjorn Yttling has gone and produced a double EP from a new band called Park Hotell. The EP is called ‘The Guest Who Stayed Forever’ and just right now it’s stopping me from leaving the house. Park Hotell have seen fit to add a nice dollop of variety to the EP as evidenced by the 2 tracks below. ‘Low On Resistance’ is the main single and turns out to be a spangly retro heeled ditty after initially giving Beth Ditto a reminder of her achievements to date. ‘Size of Spain’ mines a more traditional indie template which will always find a receptive ear on these pages. All told these are some young folks with potentially a lot hearts to melt. KD

Park Hotell - Low On Resistance

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Park Hotell - Size Of Spain

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Buy The EP: The Guest Who Stayed Forever
Year: 2007

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You’ll probably feel that you’ve heard this one a thousand times before, especially if you have some Substance (if you know what I mean) in your collection. Yep, it is totally derivative of New Order but you can’t but applaud the pristine application. In fact why not for once stop looking back to ‘Ceremony’, ‘Temptation’ and ‘State of the Nation’ for your kicks and instead give ‘Frustration’ a go. Of course it helps that the Whip are Mancs and that they have the wherewithal to put on a great show. The uneven beat patterns are attractively familiar from the off and even though Bruce Carter and Danny Saville don’t really bother with a chorus the piece is so lovingly crafted it’s hard to be critical. This was the first in a series of singles from the duo and later efforts have revealed a gradual widening of their influences. KD

The Whip - Frustration

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Whip It Up With: Kitsun Maison Vol 4 (which includes the Whip's current single 'Divebomb')
Year: 2006

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There was a time when Canada could do no wrong. It seemed that with each passing week there was another new exciting act to discover. Times have been less dramatic of late but there are signs of a mini revival. First Caribou dropped a brilliant new album called ‘Andorra’ and now Vancouver based Montag (aka Antoine Bédard) is making similarly inspiring electronic noises on his third album ‘Going Places’. Not that Montag should be a total stranger as he has already twisted ‘Set Yourself On Fire’ by Stars for their remix album. ‘Going Places’ was created with the help some notable collaborators including M83, Au Revoir Simone, Amy Millan and Beach House and was lovingly put together in Montag’s home studio. So far, so interesting and thankfully the music entirely lives up to the billing. The album's title track was imaginatively conceived from the collective imaginations of over 70 interweb dreamers. From such complexity seeps sonic gold as ‘Going Places’ slowly morphs into an utterly compelling listen. Gentle yet diverse Montag could be about to kickstart Canada’s next assault on the blogosphere and beyond. KD

Montag - Going Places

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Buy Album: Going Places
Year: 2007

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A casual cup of tea in an awful canteen at work is all it took to brighten up my day. Nothing to do with the leaves though, more to do with this chipper piece of pop that fell from a broken down stereo on a cobwebbed fridge. Yeah it has a Charlie's Angels feel about it but the production is superbly rich and animated. ‘Sky High’ was one of Jigsaw’s major hits from the mid 1970’s, helped in no small way by being featured on George Lazenby’s ‘The Man From Hong Kong’ movie. Nothing beats a good chorus and ‘Sky High’ is endowed with one of the best. It's aided by a distinct disco beat that should will also ensure it has a ready audience for the discerning wedding DJ for decades to come. Funny how a man with such frog eyed glasses could produce something so far sighted. KD

Jigsaw - Sky High

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Year: 1975

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