In many ways ‘Between 10th And 11th’ is the Charlatans great lost album. Coming as it did after the baggy trip of ‘Some Friendly’ many fans seemed thrown by its more traditional reliance on guitars as opposed to Rob Collins psychedelic hammond adventures (his jail sentence at the time didn’t help). Many of the songs from the album have matured impressively, especially the cool detachment of ‘Can’t Even Be Bothered’ and precise angled melodies of ‘Weirdo’. The album opened with the scatty ‘I Don’t Want To See The Sights’ with its scraping guitar lines and Tim Burgess’s echo fed vocals. A few listens and the song soon loses its unfocused veneer, however, the meander is a deliberate ploy to highlight the rich bass/chord ensemble that forms the centrepiece of the tune about 3 minutes in. It’s a fluid piece of audio narcotic, a form of indie jamming that the band has struggled to replicate in recent years. You'd have to be bananas not to fall for it. KD

The Charlatans - I Don't Want To See The Sights

More Info: The Charlatans
Buy Album: [UK] Between 10th and 11th [US] Between 10th and 11th
Year: 1992

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You can forget Dean Windass and his legendary pouch, Blackbud are about to become the biggest thing ever to come kicking and screaming out of Bradford. With songs such as the treasureable ‘Heartbeat’ their future looks particulary rosy. The essential ingredient is undoubtedly Joe Taylor’s voice that easily switches from lithe and lonesome to downright heavyhearted falsetto. The music is equally accomplished, drafting huge emotion through elegantly manicured guitar lines and chord skirmishes that recall Radiohead pre that anonymous adolescent. There is a huge market to be exploited with Coldplay fans still wimpering at the absolute insipidness of ‘X&Y’. For once it seems the attraction could be equally felt on both sides of the indie/mainstream divide (even if this is becoming increasingly blurred). Blackbud’s debut album 'From The Sky' is released at the end of the month through Independiente. KD

Blackbud - Heartbeat

More Info: Blackbud
Buy Album: [UK] From the Sky [US] From the Sky
Year: 2006

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The brothers Wilkinson could be another Snow Patrol (in a Reindeer Section kinda way) waiting to happen. Coming from the same part of the globe and bulging at the seems with songs that get under skin in the nicest possible way and without the irritating rash like side effects. Let’s hope that when the inevitable arrives they don’t let their creative guard slip in a vain attempt to titillate the suits. As it stands they are just one album in and a few noteworthy efforts to the good. ‘All My Wasted Days’ is so leisurely it could have had the participants of Dusty’s Trail reaching for the brushwood and whisky canteens. Country is well represented through a lazy slide guitar, the percussion is laidback but it’s the ear catching vocals that provide the most reward. Paul Wilkinson may only be moseying along but his unhurried style is both refreshing and endearing. TAP been quite of late but that’s probably just the sound of their next album being recorded. KD

The Amazing Pilots - All My Wasted Days

More Info: The Amazing Pilots
Buy A Flight Of Fancy: [UK] Hello My Captor [US] Hello My Captor
Year: 2004

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If I’d heard this about 10 years ago I would have scoffed at its inoffensiveness, missing the main argument of the heavenly slumber that is the wonderful vocal melodies. There are no elaborate guitar sequences, just pretty stay in the background strums yet the majesty is there for all to see. Alt-country it may be but when John Grant pours his heart into a cup it is certainly time to take a break from the humdrum of life. The Czars are from Denver and have been releasing music for a decade now, so often they produce music that sports an unclassifiable array of influences. This is taken from their much-lauded LP ‘Goodbye’ of 2004 which means that before too long a brand new slinky production will be winging its way into to our lives. KD

The Czars - Paint The Moon

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Goodbye [US] Goodbye
Year: 2004

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First a little background on this Montreal collective. They take their lead from Arcade Fire members Richard Reed Parry and violinist Sarah Neufeld. Their astonishing album ‘Recording A Tape the Colour of the Light’ was recorded simultaneously with ‘Funeral’ and despite no meaningful musical comparisons apart from the creative souls contained within it matches its better-known contemporary for its vast range. In the process Bell Orchestre created the worlds first post-classical masterpiece, an album to grow old with. ‘The Upwards March’ is one of the many standouts. It is a particularly emotional piece building incrementally to a point where you expect the Ark of the Covenant to be opened before your very eyes. It is the soundtrack to an inspirational movie not yet made about a boy who learns he can fly, but it exists perfectly without the visuals. It presents a New Order intro with a Velvet Underground sense of strings on the verge of losing their minds. Think Godspeed You Black Emperor! with their ‘lets stop faffing about’ hats on. For once its seems, gravity rides everything. KD

Bell Orchestre - The Upwards March

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light [US] Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light
Year: 2005

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Can’t beat a good old electronic wigout to clear out the nostrils of any excess indiepop. And Londoners the Egg can generally perform this duty with aplomb. Getting a bit of notice lately have the lads, mostly for ‘Walking Away’s (version thanks to Tocadisco) inclusion on a striking car ad that exploited its incredibly kinetic energy. ‘Walking Away’ has a tremendous centrepiece, a robotic synth exchange made exclusively for Peter Crouch celebrations (let’s hope its used more frequently however :). Elsewhere it swings quite politely in the direction of beat friendly body parts providing a synthetic take on foreplay. This may be the perfect tonic for cross-country ice-skating transformers but it could also be the fuse for your weekend. KD

The Egg - Walking Away

Watch The Video

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

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You can boil the genius of Alan McGee’s Creation Records down to a handful of artists. The House of Love would certainly be included in this select group. Borne out of the vocal/songwriting talent of Guy Chadwick and Terry Bickers awesome jangling guitars this was a band that nailed at least a dozen perfect pop songs. Seeing as they started out in 1986 it’s easy to see why the House of Love were the logical next step for the C86 movement. ‘Beatles And The Stones’ is a case in point with its simplistic ebb and flow propelled by the sweetest of riffs and Chadwick’s rustic singing. This is the original version taken from ‘Fontana’ (or the second self-titled LP if you prefer, or the one with the butterfly on the front if you are confused) which comes complete with that sixties newsreel audio. The House Of Love were revived last year and put together a delightful LP called ‘Days Run Away’, proving once again that talent can indeed shine on despite the passage of time. KD

The House Of Love - Beatles And The Stones

More Info: The House Of Love
Buy Album: [UK] House of Love [US] 1986-88: The Creation Recordings
Year: 1990

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You wait for a new Explosions In The Sky (post rock kings) song to come along and then 9 arrive all at once. And you know what kids, they are all free, yep our Texan friends are out on their own in the generosity front. ‘Day Four’ is one of 8 tracks recorded by the band for the Travel In Constants Series (Vol. 21) and it boasts plenty of the usual rhyme and plenty of reason. The plan was to record a new song every day for eight days, very much going against their normal policy of sitting on an idea for months until it has fully hatched. The result was called ‘The Rescue’ and it is no less wondrous that any of their 3 official albums. There were only 500 copies of ‘The Rescue’ made available on the EITS website (sold out) although they are some copies available at the bands gigs (see the prices they are fetching on ebay). ‘The Long Spring’ is EITS’s contribution to the Temporary Residence’s compilation called ‘Thank You’ (to mark their 50th release) and very fine it is too. As you probably know by now EITS don’t just write music, they also save lives. KD

Explosions In The Sky - The Long Spring

Explosions In The Sky - Day Four

More Info: Explosions In The Sky
Free The EITS 8: Explosions In The Sky
Buy Songs: Explosions In The Sky
Year: 2005

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Oh boy, do I hate bands that employ flash websites. Nothing is given away unless you perform a lara croftesque form of puzzle cracking, trying to find a bio is akin to learning how to crochet and the effort involved in downloading some music makes the chore of going for a walk almost alluring. So after an eternity spent clicking empty gifs I deduced that the fivesome who call themselves Creve Coeur come from Atlanta. Being called after a broken hearted city from midwest of the US is leaving oneself open for charges of laziness but when you can come up with goods like on ‘5th and Incident’ it’s hard to be critical. This is a tune that we’ve come to expect from those rabid Texans And You Know Us By The Trail Of Dead; the initial scurries are loose and freewheelin but lack substance, that is until a streamlined Brian Fisher chorus waltzes into town with all the promise of a new sheriff. Now, if only they could provide us with ye olde text based website we’d be shouting their names from the tops of some very high buildings. KD

Creve Coeur - 5th And Incident

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy EP: Vast & Danger
Year: 2006

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Derry’s Scheer were characterised by Neal Calderwood’s abrasive guitars and Audrey Gallagher’s distinctly celtic voice. Despite only releasing one album in their lifetime (‘Infliction’) their cult following ensured that ‘And Finally’ was released posthumously in 1999. ‘Wish You Were Dead’ remains their most electrifying work with huge rambling guitar riffs reminiscent of Belfast’s Therapy! Gallagher for her part revels in the din sending a volley of words skywards that twist and swoop in an endless tango with the music. Scheer enjoyed a berth at 4AD which lead to lip smackingly tempting live appearances alongside Mojave 3 and Lush. Not exactly Sunday evening fare this but useful for clearing out the cobwebs for the week ahead. KD

Scheer - Wish You Were Dead

More Info: Scheer
Buy Album: [UK] Infliction [US] Infliction
Year: 1996

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I featured this tune on the theme based on the months of the year but felt it was worth revisiting because it is so unearthly beautiful. The comparisons are straightforward, there ain’t much to peel away because Kevin Shields hand is all over this yet paradoxically the dense mosaic lacks guitars. M83 can also take a bow because they too appropriated the My Bloody Valentine tapestry and lent it an altogether machine based alter ego. Belong are a duo from New Orleans and their album was for the most part assembled in their bedroom studio. ‘October Language’ is the title track but this version penetrates much deeper than the languid version that appeared on the album. Play this to your mother and she’ll scream to the high heavens, Buddy Holly it is not, but there is a fetching grace to the alien drone and a deep-rooted passion in the delivery that is so otherworldly it will quite likely shake your world weariness. KD

Belong - October Language

More Info: Belong
Buy Album: [UK] October Language [US] October Language
Year: 2005

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If you’re a sucker for juicy brass bits wrapped up in a slice of quirky wonderment then your ears will be aglow at the sound of the Positions ‘I Need You’. Not only is it full of sweeping melodies but it’s also careful enough not to overdose on confection. Despite being available stateside since last year the Positions debut album Bliss! is finally getting a release in Europe courtesy of the deliciously named yesboyicecream records. The 6-piece from Washington have 2 singers that go by the names of Nicole Stoops (and conquers) and Ivan Ramiscal (whose a bit whimsical). They could likely become this years Architecture In Helsinki but it probably won’t stop there as they come pre-packaged with elements of Camera Obscura and the odd Phil Spector flutter. There are so many diverting adventures spread-eagled all over Bliss! there’ll soon be a queue of neighbourly sugar bowls outside your door enquiring after the magical noise. KD

The Positions - I Need You

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

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With scarcely a sale to their name the Sewing Room threw in their colourfully embroidered towel in 1998. They certainly came from good stock with members having spent their formative years in Hey Paulette and the Stars of Heaven. ‘Why Did You Sleep With Me For So Long’ is taken from the ‘Drugfree’ EP and richly delves into Velvet Underground territory, the words are particularly bitter and may stir up pent up memories for some. ‘Rope’ has a more alluring melodic form with a triumphant set of jangling guitars and a vocal performance that just exudes character and quite unusually for this melancholic band a sliver of genuine hope. The Sewing Room were signed to Dead Elvis Records, who also put out the aforementioned Dublin band In Motion. KD

The Sewing Room - Why Did You Sleep With Me For So Long

The Sewing Room - Rope

For Not Much More Info: Official & Myspace
Year: 1997

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There is an element of artiness about everything that comes out of the 3-piece that is the Grates. Whether it be the school report styled bio on their website, the slick yet childlike press shots or the interminably cool music it not too difficult to spot that these are undeniably gifted kids. Hopefully the industry they find themselves in won’t spoil their quirky edge because it would be a shame if they didn’t soon occupy a popular niche all on their own. ‘Sukkafish’ (nope I don’t know what it is either) is a single from last year and highlights Patience Hodgson’s Manda Rineque lineage. She displays intensity without ever expelling through much bile; in fact her anger could easily be measured as a slight tantrum or perhaps amiable youthful exuberance (she is a noted speedball of activity on stage too). She’s not the only attraction either as John Patterson’s understated riff’s are effortlessly appealing. Alana Skyring, despite having a name built for stardom, takes up the rear with a punchy display on drums. The Grates ‘Gravity Won’t Get You High’ is being revealed piecemeal to the world throughout 2006 so get in there before the jocks do. KD

The Grates - Sukkafish

More Info: The Grates
Buy Something From The Hearth: [UK] Gravity Won't Get You High [US] Gravity Won't Get You High
Year: 2006

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