And how did this escape the evil clutches of every chart known to man? Hard to comprehend actually but then I guess the Go! Team still remain relatively ostracised from Joe public. Sonny J is shrouded in mystery, suffice as to say that he is a one-man troupe from Liverpool with an album called ‘Disastro’ on the way in March. There is more than a hint of the Michael Jackson’s in the vocals but one can never be sure whether it is he or not (it is not). ‘Can’t Stop Music’ is unashamedly boisterous, heavily redolent of the seventies but with sample-istic noughties appreciation. If it weren’t the 2nd of January this could quite well have been the perfect anthem for New Year’s Eve (or perhaps the 1st of April?). Watch out for the video too (link below) which is pretty much as chaotic and wholesome as you’d expect. Sonny J real estate should be appreciating in value quite a bit in 2008. KD

Sonny J - Can't Stop Moving

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Year: 2007

Sometimes I am a little slow off the mark, worryingly so in some cases. You can’t imagine how many times I read about the majesty of this song and the glorious brand of ‘Math Rock’ (‘Maths Rock’ anyone?) as espoused by its makers Battles only to find out on several exhaustive listening sessions that I hated the blasted thing. Then a curious thing occurred (the self same bolt of light that occurred in a record shop in Galway over 15 years ago when they played ‘Smells Like Theme Spirit’ loudly) as I watched the New Yorkers perform the song on Later! with Jools Holland. As I lay in bed half comatose with several disapproving and aggressive kicks from the other side it suddenly clicked. See for yourself via the link below. Never again shall I scoff at Tyondai Braxton’s moogerfoogering around, this is genius. With Battles on this sort of form they can take on the world. Now if only Simon Cowell would take note. KD

Battles - Atlas

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Year: 2007

Finally got to see the sleeper hit movie known as ‘Once’ last night. Can exactly see why some could be completely bored with its ‘just like a long music video’ style but I must say I was impressed. There is lots of music and for the most part it is of an incredibly high standard. The performances are touching and realistic and for once the chemistry between 2 leads is entirely believable (even if Glen Hansard looks at least a decade older than Marketa Irglova). Believable and quite touching as it happens because what ‘Once’ lacks in production it makes up for in gritty realism. All that and the fact that many of the scenes were filmed about 2 minutes walk from where we live which meant we were both hooked from start to finish. Hansard has rarely been in better musical form (check out his band the Frames’ best LP ‘For The Birds’), his acoustic forays are uniquely passionate and mark him out as one of best singer songwriters this country has ever produced. He can certainly come out with some ear bendingly embarrassing pronouncements on stage but this is a man that was born to make music. Marketa Irglova for her part is a worthy muse; this could be the start of one very long swell season. KD

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly

***And it went on to win an Oscar on Feb 24, 2008***



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Year: 2006

I’ve probably said it here before but my favourite era for music was 1989 to 1993. Madchester, shoegaze, grunge, dreampop and early Britpop were all represented in that golden era. So from to time I like to look back and bask in a forgotten gem. This time it is London band Moose who recorded a trio of revered EP’s on Verve’s label Hut Records. Their sound (they still haven’t officially broken up and released an album ‘High Ball Me!’ as late as 2000) on those EP’s was very much of the time and is probably what they will be best remembered for. Take ‘Last Night I Fell Again’ as a prime example with Russell Yates soft vocals competing with the ragged yet statuesque blaze of chords. In the bands early days Yates was known for staring at a lyric sheet that had been taped to the stage floor which was in part responsible for the coining of the shoegaze term. ‘Last Night I Fell Again’ is a reminder of how great that scene was and why over a decade later it continues to inspire a raft of contemporary artists (Peter Bjorn and John, Mew, South Ambulance, Film School). KD

Moose - Last Night I Fell Again

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Year: 1991

What a strange little song that appears at the same time oddly compelling. Put your focus on the dramatic 2nd half, which shows bravado and a good deal of humanity, something that is distinctly lacking early doors. Carlos Foster led For Stars over 4 albums but it seems the journey ended there. Their last opus ‘…It Falls Apart’ received pretty mediocre reviews but that shouldn’t stop you from falling for ‘In The End’, which features enough invention to illuminate a Thomas Edison convention. Nobody should ever be mocked for welling up when a piece of music moves so if this has that effect let it pour out with the voluminous intensity of a January waterfall. KD

For Stars - In The End

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Buy Songs: For Stars
Year: 2004

That’s it folks for 2007. Hope you’ve enjoyed the objects of my affection over the past year. During this one I’ve bid farewell to writer’s block, the chills and a mutual misunderstanding with the result that I have hopefully started to make sense. And you know what got me over those 100m of hurdles? It was those unreleased audio backgrounds, perhaps a recorded show from Paris 2004 or just a song heard at a party on a Saturday night. Those forgotten chords strike up and I just start to melt, they beat me up every time. So as you sit back and reflect it’s time to say goodbye, again or maybe it’s just a temporary roll of the credits. KD

Peter Bjorn And John - Roll The Credits

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Year: 2006

The Studio's 'No Comply' is like a big fat broadcast from a MW radio station in the 1980's. It is an elongated creation, just when you think the Gothenburg duo of Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Häg can't squeeze out any more they just up the ante and along comes another batch of solid good times. 'No Comply' is a patchwork quilt of ideas that gel in the strangest of ways. Once the disparate parts have bedded down though they become eminently danceable. There are flashes of old school New Order but the Manchester combo tended to be a good deal more linear in their approach. The tune is just one of a delightful collection of odds and ends that can be found on 'Yearbook 1' (the sequel is due in 2008). Use it wisely, then put your best foot forward this New Year. KD

The Studio - No Comply

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Year: 2007

Fionn Regan may have raised the bar of late for Irish troubadours but Galway’s Adrian Crowley seems destined to take the art to an altogether loftier perch. He has thusfar had a slow ascent to micro fame yet if his latest LP ‘Long Distance Swimmer’ gets a proper airing he should be half way to becoming a bona fide star. Crowley’s melancholy vocals and forlorn yet nimble acoustics evoke a world weary Nick Drake yet it almost seems churlish to pigeonhole such a singular talent. Take the title track of his latest as a heartbreaking example of his burning talent where nothing is hurried and that signature downbeat mood emerges gradually from the wailing instrumentation. 2008 should be his. KD

Adrian Crowley - Long Distance Swimmer

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Buy Songs: 3 Previous Albums / Long Distance Swimmer
Year: 2007

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Well Folks that’s it. This is the 24th and final day of our indie Christmas songs project. I must admit I struggled to keep it running, not because the songs were drying up though as it has been a wonderful December for festive music. I have been mindful of the fact that this day would come so I wanted to end the series with something special. As it happened this piece of magic only arrived yesterday by way of a myspace bulletin and from the word go it fitted the bill. Shame on you if you haven’t already frequented Jacob Golden’s glorious sophomore ‘Revenge Songs’, a touching personal journey that was recorded in a variety of non studio locations. Golden’s humility lends itself to deeply affecting performances and richly intimate and innovative song structures. ‘Feeling Like Christmas’ is an old song of the same name reworked with new lyrics and is only available from his website. As with all Golden moments his voice is alone save for some intrepid acoustics, which makes it a perfect companion for warm firesides over the next few days.

In other news mp3hugger is pulling down the shutters for about a week or so to engage merrily with a completely non-online world. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Nollaig Shona! KD

Jacob Golden - Feeling Like Christmas

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Year: 2007

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Can’t imagine my Mam ever asking me to stick on that lovely Christmas tune by the Parenthetical Girls. This band are a logistical nightmare, spell their name, I can’t even pronounce it. Never afraid to be subversive or in the least bit shy in broaching semi taboo topics the Parenthetical Girls manage to cloak their lyrics in childlike musical arrangements that rely heavily on the dreamy glockenspiel. ‘Do You Fear What I Fear’ (ha ha) is one of a clutch of free Christmas tracks on the bands website. Much like Sufjan Stevens love affair with the season PG have been built their stock up over a number of years. Never less than weirdly experimental 'Do You Fear What I Fear?' has a joyful side that only materialises after several visits. PG (more a 15 cert I'd say) are closely connected to arch experimentalists Xiu Xiu (via Jamie Stewart) but provide a much softer sound to their near impenetrable cousins. KD

Parenthetical Girls - Do You Fear What I Fear?

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Year: 2006

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Love the title as much as the song, which is sweet and about as short as its subject. Headlights come from Champaign, which is nice given the bubbly nature of their music. This tune is taken from the soon to be on ebay for thousands Xmas-3 compilation from Kindercore. Probably too late to nab it this side of the big day but it is still worth harvesting for a future family heirloom. You see not only do you get a bunch of tracks but the CD is festooned within the environs of a festive comic book. Venice is Sinking’s heartbreaking effort ‘The Grey Line’ from the collection has already been featured here. ‘Kicker of Elves’ reminds me of that great lost Scottish duo Adventures in Stereo but given that this is a cover of a Guided By Voices number that really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless Headlights have deviated vastly from the original. Ah well, who cares once those annoying small people get their just desserts. KD

Headlights - Kicker of Elves

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Year: 2007

This is flippin eightiestastic, like Propaganda had come back after a fairly vigorous paint job and newly fitted electronic mechanisms. The source is once again to be found in Sweden, the capital of indie pop. The authors are Henning Fürst and Eric Berglund, a pair of fresh faced urchins with a penchant for waving heavy wooden objects at inopportune moments. With their new LP ‘A New Chance’ popping up all over the place in end of year lists it seems the world (or at least the outer reaches of the blogosphere) is beginning to cop on to their talents. And a cursory listen to ‘Silly Crimes’ should have you making like putty in their hands too. It is undeniably electro in nature but it’s the acrobatic shiny vocals that will have you on many return journeys. Peter, Bjorn and John had better watch their backs. KD

The Tough Alliance - Silly Crimes

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Year: 2006

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Nothing beats a good Christmas at home and last year the Portland duo Eux Autres (brother/sister Larimar) decided to write about their experiences when they migrate back to Omaho at the turn of every year. As you can imagine it is a bittersweet affair despite the bubbly presentation and fine harmonies, which may have you believing everything is rosy in the snow flecked garden. All year you dream about that special week at home and then within 10 minutes you are wishing it would all end. Ah well, we’ll be making the exact same mistakes all over again next year. Eux Autres second album 'Cold City' has just been released on Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records. KD

Eux Autres - Another Christmas At Home

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Year: 2006

Sometimes I wish it was easier to write a music blog. It’d be nice to be able to drop the clumsy attempts at colourful platitudes and the sometimes unrestrained effusiveness for a largely primary school standard of appraisal. That way when songs as glorious as Pattern Is Movement’s ‘Right Away’ hove into view I could tell you about how all my friends listened at first before breaking into a smile at the loveliness of the noise it made. Sometimes descriptions no matter how angular and insightful just don’t do a piece of music justice. This is one such case, the 2 lads from Pattern Is Movement Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward are just wholesomely made to sculpt precious audio. If only they were here I could stick several golden stars to their foreheads. KD

Pattern Is Movement - Right Away

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Buy Songs: Pattern Is Movement
Year: 2007

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

How about some woozy psychedelia from the contemporary masters of the scene Joy Zipper? The Long Island couple of Vincent Cafiso and Tabitha Tindale have had limited success thusfar which is surprising given their aesthetically pleasing image and the sunshine infused pop that they produce. Their biggest hit to date was the 2003 album ‘American Whip’ that hoisted influences as disparate as Spiritualized, the Beach Boys and My Bloody Valentine into a swirling sea of tranquil noise. ‘Christmas Song’ is a prime example with the softly focused dynamics perfectly tailgating Cafiso’s smooth vocals. It may not exactly have them jingling bells in the aisles but the sentiments are sweet and wholesome. Joy Zipper have been quiet of late but recently posted a homemade video for a new song called ‘The Mind Is Dangerous’ (see link below). Needless to say it is drop dead gorgeous. KD

Joy Zipper - Christmas Song

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Year: 2003

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Ben Trokan and Steve Mercado met as kids in a town called Poughkeepsie (not a made up place, it actually exists) and later went on to form the New York based Robbers on High Street. Their sophomore album ‘Grand Animals’ has increased interest in the band, as should this delightful yuletide composition ‘Seasons Greetings’. Effortless and melodic the tune could well become a Christmas staple. It's a simple affair with polite lyrics which are refreshing in an irony-saturated market. Believe it or not there are still lots of people out there that just like spending Christmas with their friends and neighbours. It doesn’t have to be filled with outrageous events or bouts of overwrought analysis on whether the world has forgotten the true meaning. This is dedicated to those who enjoy the simpler things in life. KD

Robbers on High Street - Seasons Greetings

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Year: 2007

My oh my this is absolutely epic. Matt Edwards has been knocking about the dance scene for aeons and quite readily admits that ‘I live in a hotel somewhere near a club in a city where people like to party’. With songs like ‘Next Stop Chicago’ gushing from the instruments of his trade it’s easy to see why parties gravitate to his door. The tune comes via one of his many aliases Radio Slave and packs a punch akin to that bout of ‘Crazy’ that shook the world earlier this year. But, ‘Next Stop Chicago’ will also appeal to those retro kids for whom old skool represents the zenith of the dance revolution. Edwards hand can be witnessed on a raft of remixes including the Knife’s ‘We Share Our Mother’s Health’ and Booka Shade’s ‘Darko’ but his own musical vistas are the real treat. KD

Radio Slave - Next Stop Chicago

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Buy Songs: Radio Slave
Year: 2007

Didn’t particularly take to ‘Control’, expecting bleak but not on that scale. The one thing that shone throughout though was Peter Hook’s inventive basslines, which were Joy Division’s unheralded genius. So imagine if you will that fluidity pitted beside a Mogwai's whisper and you have some idea how ‘September, Maybe’ sounds. Markland Starkie rowed his boat from the shores of middle England to the big sea that is London where he was quickly swallowed up. Instead of drowning though he built a raft of tunes and planned his escape from his submerged bedroom. It has been slow going but a self-released CDR and a 7-inch brought him to the attention of Tome Records who sponsored his debut proper ‘There The Open Spaces’ earlier this year. Cue rabid press, new band members, crashing homepages and pretty soon if I’m not totally mistaken lots of radio, live transmissions. KD

Sleeping States - September, Maybe

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Year: 2007

If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Almost there now, and for those experiencing the horrors remember that this time next week all chat about presents and who you'll be spending the day with will have ceased. Seasonal burn out is a distinct possibility at this stage so in an attempt to wash the Slade from your hair why not bask in the peaceful piano led creations of Chris Garneau. Garneau's debut album 'Music For Tourists' came out last year and with
the follow up not expected until at least the spring it is left to his new EP 'C Sides' to fill the void. And what better vehicle than 'It's Almost Christmas' to reinvigorate your hunger for the season of goodwill? It is sparse, uncomplicated and brings into sharp focus Garneau's wonderful singing (just feel that Vince Guaraldi glow). 'It's Almost Christmas' might not be the best for the moment your intoxicated Granny decides to let her perm down but it has no competition when a quiet corner is the only thing you can take to save your crumbling sanity. KD

Chris Garneau - It's Almost Christmas

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Year: 2007

Hey, MBV have reformed and they have lost none of those loveless moves we’ve grown up with. Ooops, that’s next year so thank the lord for Sounds Like Sunset who sound like….you know who. In fact this Sydney band are not new pretenders, they have been around for 10 years conjuring 2 albums along the way, the most recent of which ‘Invisible’ included this little treasure. ‘Frequency’ is lovingly crafted, full to the brim with luscious chord swells and a vocal from Dave Challinor that is so note perfect Shields himself would be proud to call it his own. Then you find out Sounds Like Sunset are signed to the rapidly becoming huggable Architecture Label based in New South Wales confirming those suspicions that this isn’t your average commonplace group. KD

Sounds Like Sunset - Frequency

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Buy Songs: Sounds Like Sunset
Year: 2005