You're not likely to find many Carpenters numbers floating around the blogosphere due in part to the age profile of the writers involved. I've always had a sneaking regard for the siblings because an uncle of mine used to wax lyrical about them. Their music was in general mostly coffee table but given the right occasion Karen's voice can be truly affecting. What an interesting experiment then to let some contemporary shakers and movers tackle the subject, giving the material their own curious bent in the process. 'If I Were A Carpenter' is a great listen and in one or 2 cases it is damn near indispensable. Sonic Youth would hardly be ideal candidates you'd imagine but their version of 'Superstar' is a revelation. Without ever losing their offbeat tendencies they crafted a hallucinogenic piece that while initially standoffish has an eerie charm all of its own. The bass is rotund, Thurston Moore's vocals are stoneresque and the feedback recalls Hammer House style creaking doorways. As far from the Carpenters take on the Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett song that you're might expect to hear but just as enjoyable. KD

Sonic Youth - Superstar

More Info: Sonic Youth
Buy Album: [UK] If I Were a Carpenter [US] If I Were a Carpenter
Year: 1994

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The only question that remains unanswered is how much longer this Dublin band can remain unsigned. This certainly ain't your average run of the mill indie-rock shtick. You can see the Interpol influence at work yet Delorentos' sweeping vistas are so starry eyed that they furrow exciting new ground of their own. The band have a gripping live persona with 2 charismatic frontmen continually outdoing each other as their eyeballs perform Linda Blair like gymnastics. So far their only studio output has been the 'Leave It On' EP which rivals Sound Team's 'Work' as last years most impressive debut. 'Solitude' is expansive and uplifting, surging from a core of marauding guitars and synchronised voices like Franz Ferdinand during a particulary rousing encore. I'd go so far as to say this could become a staple on indie compilations for years to come. Don't panic boys and girls, just make your way to that yellow waterfall and welcome solitude to the endless freak scene. KD

Delorentos - Solitude

More Info: Delorentos
Buy The EP: [UK] Leave It On
Year: 2005

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Jettisoned from the same part of the world that produced the Cranberries the Glee Club infused their shimmering guitar escapades with the more traditional elements of the Irish music scene. In Joanne Loughman they boasted a singer with that classic Celtic lilt, part Dolores O'Riordan, part Liz Frasier it has the majesty to send a tickle down your spine. 'No Reason' is taken from the bands one and only album and is a full house worth of incendiary nods to My Bloody Valentine, the Velvet Underground (ah listen for those tearing violin touches) and the Cocteau Twins. The song continually soars and troughs and in the process takes the listener on an audio tour of stony Connemara via uber New York. Give it one listen and you'll have no choice but to scurry back to Mine. KD

The Glee Club - No Reason

Buy The Glee Club's Album: [UK] Mine [US] Mine
Year: 1994

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Mojave 3 are pretty much polar opposite to the band their main man used to be part of. Slowdive were the leading purveyors of the shoegaze movement sporting blinding torrents of noise and ethereal glimpses of the humanity. Mojave 3 are Slowdive's more laidback parents, gone are the ravaging soundscapes and in their place sits gently plucked chords and softly delivered vocals with a continuing sprinkling of alt country themes. Slowdive fans could well be horrified but avoidance would be to deny oneself a rare treat. Neil Halstead's vocals have a neat sense of Americana filtered through Teenage Fanclub's notebook on how to get away with it without sounding copyist. The track attached is a demo from the bands forthcoming album 'Puzzles Like You' which will be out in the early summer. Don't be put off by the demo tag as this delicate is fully formed and raring to steal your heart. 'Big Star Baby' is deliciously sweet and easy on the ear. Its laidback character could well have grown up in the country with Luna and you are free to wrap it in cotton wool until your next picnic. Mojave 3 also boast Simon Rowe from Chapterhouse so Shoegaze fans need not have to wait for the reunion tour in order to gaze adoringly upon their heroes. KD

Mojave 3 - Big Star Baby (Demo)

More Info: Mojave 3
Buy Album: [UK] Spoon and Rafter [US] Spoon and Rafter
Year: 2003

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Matthew Adam Hart was the sole creative behind the Russian Futurists debut album. Hard to believe really because it possesses a grandness that normally only comes from collaborative sources. 'A Minds Dying Verse (You And The Wine)' closed the affair with a Cocteau Twins assured sense of aloofness. There are also nods to the Aphex Twin and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (nice). This is music from the digital age; the synth's are laid on pretty heavy but retain a distinctly human texture. Hart for his part jumps straight into the melee, for all intensive purposes he could just be a clever robot programmed to craft the sweetest of ditties for humans. His voice is chiselled so finely it must have taken precision lasers to square it with the rest of the piece. The whole thing might appear daft to some, but be warned behind the electronics brews a storming talent. KD

The Russian Futurists - Mind's Dying Verse (You & The Wine)

More Info: The Russian Futurists
Album: [UK] The Method of Modern Love [US] The Method of Modern Love
Year: 2001

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Lene Lovich may have had a curious Eastern European bent in her performances but she was actually born in Detroit. Her debut was released during the punk riot where her sense of theatrics meant she instantly acquired an audience. Her quirkiness also extended to her schizophrenic music. 'Lucky Number' was originally released as a b-side but it soon acquired such a fanbase that it was re-recorded and issued in its own right. The first thing that strikes you is the similarity between Lovich and Gwen Stefani vocal histrionics'. Levich cat-calls, screams and blusters her way through the song but it's never forced. The music is also attractively shambolic, the periodic guitar jangle adds a much needed plateau of accessibility but for the rest of the time it sounds as if the backing group are playing at close quarters in an airing cupboard. KD

Lene Lovich - Lucky Number

More Info: Lene Lovich
Album: [UK] Stateless...Plus [US] Stateless...Plus
Year: 1979

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Alex and Tom White carry on the grand old tradition of British siblings as successful songwriters. Early starters, they recorded their debut while still teenagers. And what a cunning tour de force with breezy melodies (well they are from Brighton after all) inside off the shelf indie stompers it turned out to be. Electric Soft Parade have gone on to record another LP and have contributed to the fascinating cow punk that is Brakes but 'Holes In The Wall' could well be their touchstone. All discussions on the relative worth of the band will need to include 'Silent To The Dark' because it remains an undimmed jewel. The song is so successfully joyous and ripe with melody that the twosome have tried on several occasions to dullen the effect through alternative mixes. So the album version runs to 9 minutes, the second half of this epic does'nt amount to a great deal except for partly exhuming the spirit of the tune. The version attached here is dubbed 'Silent To The Dark II' and while it is a near account of the rapturous pioneer it tends to flag during the overstretched acoustic interludes. You'll get the gist though and begin your fevoured hunt for the true pearl that is the original. KD

The Electric Soft Parade - Silent To The Dark II

More Info: The Electric Soft Parade
Album: [UK] Holes in the Wall [US] Holes in the Wall
Year: 2002

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Lowgold's deeply dull live persona belied their studio efforts. Darren Ford had the wherewithal to pen multifaceted gems but when faced with a studio audience he became a surly accountant. Ok, point made. Lowgold's debut 'Just Backward Of Square' was a stellar effort, presenting tumbling corridors of noise with stylistic twists and turns. 'Never Alone' is a standout where an elegant strum is livened beyond recognition by Dan Symons inventive riffs. The delicate opening is inviting enough but the sealer comes by way of the chugging chords towards the end that you'll want to go on forever. 'Never Alone' segues so seamlessly from those gentle moments to its wide screen Technicolor finale that it could end up being both your early morning riser and about to turn in soundtrack. KD

Lowgold - Never Alone

More Info: Lowgold
Album: [UK] Just Backward of Square [US] Just Backward of Square
Year: 2000

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You can now buy this song and the rest of the album on our record label Indiecater Records here!

Bill Curry used to be a rock critic but he got so sick of slagging off terrible bands he decided he'd be better served starring in one himself. So along with his girlfriend he set up Red Star Belgrade (named after a Balkan Football team). The result was a critical favourite that was never truly embraced by the public. Tis' a shame because RSB's slow anthems meshed an attractive country edge with a knowing indie swagger. 'The Saddest Girl In The World' is taken from their debut and is a down tempo cruise through the singer's feelings for his lover. The strumming is delicate and alert, subtly augmenting the boy/girl interplay. RSB have recently upped sticks from Chicago and moved to Canada. The change hasn’t been all good news, however, as Curry managed to fall from a second story balcony damaging his arm. There are some doubts as to whether he can ever play guitar again. You can keep up to date with his/the bands progress by visiting their website. Here you'll find the majority of the bands output on MP3 and ways to buy their CD's on the cheap! KD

Email received from Bill Curry 22/03/2006:

"thanks for the nice mention. it's funny you discovered that track--it's one of my favorites. i guess it still gets some airplay over in europe.
we still get royalties from overseas but nada in the states.

(check out "quiet and terrified" on the site, too--that's one of my
all-time faves). i think it's on real traitors or secrets.

it looks like i'll b able to play again, but perhaps on a limited
basis. my shoulder's currently paralyzed, but a nerve transfer surgery
in may/june might b able to provide some help.

the pain is beginning to subside from the damaged nerves and hopefully i can get back at it.

Bill"

We're all with you Bill. Speedy recovery.

Red Star Belgrade - Saddest Girl In The World

Band Website: Red Star Belgrade
Album: Where The Sun Does'nt Shine
Year: 1997

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This is one of those songs that appears in an advert for a big brand and leaves google in a twist as the world tries to find out who it is. You know the story, Lazyboy will likely disappear without a trace but not without leaving us with their calculating beats, electronic forays into Amazonia and Orbital tinged frolics that are stirred into a streamlined cocktail. There are eastern influences at work but it is the synchronised electro bubbles that give it such a swing. The creators are not faceless monkeys either, as Rob Da Bank of BBC radio is a prime mover. 'Police Dogs Bonfires' reaches the part of your foot containing the tapping nerves that you thought had long since retired. KD

Lazyboy - Police Dogs Bonfires

More Info: Lazyboy
Album: [UK] Penguin Rock [US] Penguin Rock
Year: 2004

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If you like the way Fisherspooner are reigniting the glory days of synth pop then Shiny Toy Guns may also be right up your alley. The L.A. group certainly look the part with their (new) new romantic style and their updated take on what the Human League were famous for is instantly appealing. From the minute the electronic bells toll ‘Don’t Cry Out’ proves to be exceptional electroclash with Carah Faye and Gregori Chad each spinning computer aided curveballs. The tune plots a dizzying journey as it flits between besotted introspection to euphoric looping explosions of noise. Perfectly tailored for a Saturday night crowd, this one will put a smile on their collective Visage. KD

Shiny Toy Guns - Don't Cry Out

More Info: Shiny Toy Guns
Album: [UK] We Are Pilots [US] We Are Pilots
Year: 2005

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It's near impossible to trace Lake Trout's jazz/dance background to their current palette. Their recent album 'Now Them, You' is awash with effervescent pop songs and producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev) provides an assured hand. But it's the energy expelled by the band that startles. The opening seconds of 'Now We Know' is eerily reminiscent of My Bloody Valentines 'Sometimes' but quickly takes on a life of its own. Once Woody Ranere is airborne he has Bono in his sights and delivers a hugely melodic vocal performance. He is ably abetted by clever playing but Lake Trout's sound is defined by the singers quality input. There is a lot more to come from this Baltimore band. KD

Lake Trout - Now We Know

More Info: Lake Trout
Album: [UK] Not Them, You [US] Not Them, You
Year: 2005

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When Christy Moore gathered some friends from the traditional music scene in Ireland to act as his backing group for his next release little did he know what he was about to set in motion. The coming together of Moore, Liam O'Flynn, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine not only revitalised traditional music but also brought with it a much needed savvy that saw Planxty effortlessly incorporate folk and European influences to broaden the genre's horizons. Pretty soon the new band were releasing their eponymous debut that was to see them experience success well beyond their native country. 'The West Coast Of Clare' is as beautiful as the rugged landscape it describes. Irvine's gently plucked mandolin and the mournful tin whistle add balance to a vocal that is just as resonant as Nick Drake's. This is powerful and affecting music, a superb blend of the traditional with the emerging folk movement of the time. O'Flynn's tin whistle plays a pivotal role on 'Junior Crehan's Favourite – Corney Is Coming' as his nimble reflexes carry the first half of the song. As is the case with much of Irish traditional music there is always a fast bit around the corner and this time it comes by way of Moore's rolling Bodhran strokes and the all-consuming Uillean Pipes again produced by O'Flynn. The playing is lavish but never overcooked so it feels as if Planxty are playing in the room with you. Planxty have had a colourful history reforming and disbanding on a number of occasions often with different members joining in. The latest reunion tour occurred in 2004 when the original quartet played to audiences in Dublin and Clare to widespread acclaim. For the next 24 hours they shall supply the soundtrack to the gentle slurping noises of several million Guinness drinkers the world over. KD

Planxty - The West Coast Of Clare

Planxty - Junior Crehan's Favourite/Corney Is Coming

More Info: Planxty
Album: [UK] Planxty [US] Planxty
Year: 1973

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The Hoodoo Guru's started life out in Sydney but somewhere over the course of 9 albums ended up selling the west coast dream. The effect neutralised the promise that had been there in the beginning. That's not to say there wasn't a few thrills along the way. '1000 Miles Away' is a standout from their 'Kinky' album and although it might sound a tad stodgy today it once provided a lavish tale of international travel set to a soundtrack of tingling chords, head bopping guitar solos and a chorus of female backing singers. The perfect material for youth disco's at the start of nineties that combined a slow dance intro with a sock it to 'em finale. Oh the embarrassment of it all, on the plus side at least tennis headbands had gone out of fashion by then. KD

Hoodoo Gurus - 1000 Miles Away

More Info: Hoodoo Gurus
Album: [UK] Kinky [US] Kinky
Year: 1991

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