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

First off I'd like to thank Mike Cleare of My Brother Woody for giving me the heads up on this lost Dennis Wilson gem. You’ll look for the longest time before you’ll find a seasonal tune offering such soul and depth. Hardly surprising given that Wilson was a founding member of the Beach Boys. He recorded 2 solo albums before his untimely death in 1983 but only his debut ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ was ever given an official release. The follow up ‘Bamboo’ never saw the light of day, which seems rather odd given the continued love affair with the Beach Boys. ‘Morning Christmas’ was recorded during those ‘Bamboo’ sessions and is characterised by Wilson’s sensitive piano led harmonies. The church bells add seasonality and the lyrics describe a joyous rhapsody of the simple things that make this time of year so special. KD

Dennis Wilson - Morning Christmas

More Info: Wiki & Myspace
Buy Songs: Dennis Wilson
Year: 1977

You may remember I did a review on the brightly inventive duo Mikrofisch about a week ago. As a direct result of that post Matt Keppel from Microfilm got in touch and said I might be interested in his project because they were in some respects Microfisch’s electronic cousins. That got me interested and thinking about what a great place this online world is when out of the blue you can be served with a song as inspirational as ‘After Dark’. This is cool electronica to the core and retains a robotic infrastructure right down to its distorted voiceovers. ‘After Dark’ scuttles about with naked ambition and somehow succeeds in sounding both danceable and reflective. Microfilm are based in Chicago, a city with a rich history in progressive dance invention, yet they lean heavily on European inspirations. This may be a tad more aggressive than the Field but no less rewarding and marks this Chicago duo out as potentially one of dance’s new champions. Right now in the underworld a new orbital is forming. KD

Microfilm - After Dark

More Info: Official & Myspace
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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!

This should go down a bomb (sorry) at seasonal gatherings over the next few weeks. Originally imagined by Phil Spector in the early sixties it has been given plenty of new directions since Darlene Love’s pristine original. Some have been a twist too far but that hasn’t stopped U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Death Cab For Cutie amongst others from getting their snow mitts all over it. So the last thing we need is another take I hear you holler, well just give these Belfast lads a chance because they’ve worked absolute wonders. Rocky O’Reilly and Shaun Robinson have already lit up our tree with ‘Breakfast In NYC’ so it’s no surprise that their close harmonies sound so special on a Christmas record. This is so melodic it could have Brian Wilson thinking that the sixties have never ended. KD

Oppenheimer - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)

Watch The Video To Breakfast In NYC

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Oppenheimer
Year: 2006

The Raveonettes are a duo from Copenhagen who released their 4th album ‘Lust, Lust, Lust’ last month. Image wise they are a marketing dept's dream ticket; indie chic and good looks always help the cause and if it’s backed up with some nifty musical goods then limousine time will surely ensue. Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner don’t tend to get too caught up in the dynamics (there's no live bass or drums on the new album), instead they focus their efforts on constantly reinventing their Jesus and Mary Chain meets Lush sound. This means that each new album brings a bright new fuzz laden spectacle like ‘Dead Sound’. Foo’s shimmering vocals are in marked contrast to the blazing chords with only the periodic electronic tingles providing a snatch of quiet solace. This is undoubtedly cool by numbers but that doesn’t stop it from figuring amongst the songs of the year. KD

The Raveonettes - Dead Sound

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Year: 2007

You can now buy this song on our 2008 Christmas compilation called 'An Indiecater Christmas' here!

Right, I can’t hold off on this one any longer. From the very moment I clasped ears on ‘The Grey Line’ I was smitten. To make matters better it’s a Christmas song so I know that every December from now on I will be gleefully wallowing in its sad verses. Venice is Sinking have made an appearance on mp3hugger before, just last year their ‘Pulaski Heights’ came it at #11 on our list of favourite songs for 2006. Fancy they might even break the top ten this year with ‘The Grey Line’. Karolyn Troupe and Daniel Lawson somehow capture the magic that is Low at Christmas through their moving vocal expression. It’ll stop you in your snow tracks and in some cases it may even have you releasing warm salty water from your eyes. The music is distinctly slowcore, all trailing strings and half hearted beats adding to the sumptuous melancholy. ‘The Grey Line’ is taken from the Kindercore label’s new album ‘Xmas 3: War On Christmas’ (quickly now, there are limited edition copies with free comics) and is as near a perfect respite from the push and shove of modern day yule. KD

Venice Is Sinking - The Grey Line

Watch The Video To Pulaski Heights

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Xmas 3: The War On Christmas
Year: 2007

Before you ask Marmoset are new world monkeys, apparently they are a highly active primate. As it happens Marmoset is also the name of a set of 3 cheeky chaps from Indianapolis. For a time it looked like the latter was in greater danger of becoming extinct given that their new album ‘Florist Fired’ is their first recorded output in 5 years. Fronted by the Beatles obsessive Jorma Whittaker Marmoset exhibit on record exactly why making the thing that pays their bills might be a slow affair. ‘Missing Man’ is undoubtedly lovely but it also identifies a group of men for whom knuckling down scarcely registers as a worthwhile activity. That said it leaves an indelible impression, probably having the legs to extend beyond its 1:53 length. That's the beauty of it though, carefree, near inactive and totally huggable. KD

Marmoset - Missing Man

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Buy Songs: Marmoset
Year: 2007

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

Although it may not have been strictly written for Christmas and certainly wasn’t written by Matt Pond (Lindsey Buckingham in fact) this song will forever be welcomed at my snow-covered wreathed doorway. It is taken from Matt Pond’s 2005 release the ‘Winter Songs’ EP, a collection of tunes recorded in the blazing heat of the previous summer. This and the lushly dispatched ‘Snow Day’ are the EP’s highlights. Like all the best Christmas tunes ‘Holiday Road’ boasts a soft focus even if Pond’s vocals initially mirror a grizzled Peter Gabriel. Before you know it though your fatigued ears are being treated to an engagingly warm carol service that’ll soon spread to the rest of your body until you resemble an inviting windowsill glow light. KD

Matt Pond PA - Holiday Road

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Buy Songs: Matt Pond PA
Year: 2005

Very few tunes this year can match Band of Horses’ ‘Is There A Ghost’ for thrills played out with fine precision and ecstatic propulsion yet Say Hi’s ‘Northwestern Girls’ comes pretty close. For his 5th album (‘The Witches And The Glitch’) Eric Elbogen has decided to ditch half his moniker and it’s hard to argue with the decision. And even though the album won’t be in the shops until next year you can get it directly from his website straight away. And get this, as well as getting a brand new shiny CD you also get a limited edition t-shirt and some badges. Even those who prefer to chew on their thrills instantly are catered for as the package includes a complete set of high spec DRM free mp3’s. Not bad, looks like Mr. Elbogen has been doing his homework, quite unlike most of the cloth eared buzzards that have been running the music industry since 78’s were considered quite de rigueur. ‘Northwestern Girls’ is a splendid turn of events for Say Hi showing that behind all the twee faffing about there is actually a talented band with balls of steel. KD

Say Hi - Northwestern Girls

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Say Hi
Year: 2007/2008

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

This is a brand new entry for Christmas 2007 from sonic entrepreneur Daniel James (Canon Blue). ‘Halcyon’ is one of 15 recordings by a collection of artists trying to rekindle the true meaning of Christmas. So you won’t be treated to the usual raft of seasonally adjusted wastrels, instead the feelings transmitted are genuine. ‘Halcyon’ is a lush affair, much as you’d expect from a man who has released an unheralded classic in ‘Colonies’ earlier this year. Signed to Danish label Rumraket James fetches cool experimentation from his soul and presents them to the world as soft aural tapestries. So ‘Halcyon’ flits from the speakers like it is in a state of reverse. Brooding and atmospheric the mood lightens considerably when the cascading vocals begin to dominate the scene and an imaginary perfect world emerges. From this day forth ‘Halcyon’ should establish itself as a true addition to the canon of Christmas songs you hold dear. KD

Canon Blue - Halcyon

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: That Fuzzy Feeling
Year: 2007

Probably the one thing I will take from 2007 was that the more enjoyable albums of the year were the ones that pushed the boat out a little. Or a lot in the case of Super Extra Bonus Party whose self-titled debut album featured so many styles it was hard to know what clothes to wear when listening to it. With my narrow mindset I generally kept to the stuff that stuck to the indie handbook, which left me with 2 absolute belters. I’ve already waxed about ‘Softly’ but I couldn’t let the year close without mentioning this super absorbent instrumental from the Kildare collective. Just listening to it makes me happy and sad all at the same time. I love jangling guitars you see and when they are pulled off with a raging honesty it really is a thing of beauty. In football parlance it’s the sight of Barcelona making a 22 pass move that ends up with Lionel Messi executing an overhead kick into the top corner. Gooooaaaaaallll. KD

Super Extra Bonus Party - Propeller

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Year: 2007

This goes out to anyone who was a fan of DIY pop in the mid 1990’s. I mean if you were of such a disposition it’s hard to dismiss any band that have a song called ‘Let’s Kiss And Listen To Bis’? An impossible job really but Mikrofisch’s cause is further aided by the fact that their music is quite fetching. Ok, it may sound like it was recorded in damp pantry but the sentiments and sense of wayward melody are hard to resist. Silvi Wersi and Mawe N. Klave live in different countries but when their paths collide out come the casio’s, broken down drum machines and a set of voices not heard since Manda Rin and Sci-fi Steven turned older. ‘(No One Listens To You When You've Got) Flat Hair’ has natural appeal as its sturdy bass line forms a spine from where all manner of giddy escapades rally around. The chorus is pretty non-descript but the rampant indiscipline in the music is somehow joyously appealing. Not quite masters of the universe just yet but they have the time and the inclination on their side. KD

Mikrofisch - Let's Kiss And Listen To Bis

Mikrofisch - (No One Listens To You When You've Got) Flat Hair

More Info: Official & Myspace
Free Songs: Mikrofisch
Year: 2007

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

If you’ve been reading the feature on the Christmas songs the world of indie goes for you’ll have noticed that a recurring favourite is Low’s majestic ‘Just Like Christmas’. Originally released 8 years ago the song was part of Low’s contribution to the sound of December. The song remained untouched for 7 Christmas’s until a little known one man band called Ingo Star Cruiser decided it was time for a reworking. Blasphemy roared the congregation but even they had to admit that the more they listened to it the more they felt like there could be room in their hearts for two ‘Just Like Christmas’s. The changes are not too drastic; in fact many of the essentials remain untouched save for a gender vocal switch. Elsewhere you’ll find a neat electro wiggle and an ecstatic fade out that really should be used to canvass support for the art of the cover. Pete was so pleased with the results that he decided to record a Swedish and French version too. This is the 1st in a series of 24 seasonal indie numbers that’ll bring us right up to Christmas Eve. KD

Ingo Star Cruiser - Just Like Christmas

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Buy Songs: It's Not Like Christmas
Year: 2006

Altogether thrilling and as titillating as any band named Morningwood has any right to be this New York foursome really are the full package. So much so that famed Pixies producer Gil Norton agreed to work on their self-titled sophomore album. ‘Nth Degree’ was one of its more exuberant tracks, a bombastic epic full of charging chords and dexterous bass lines. And like a fine wine Chantel Claret gives her vocals a full body workout as she serenades the boys from their pumped up gasoline machines. The effect is akin to the energy and excitement of a Friday night bottled up into 4 minutes of sheer adrenaline. KD

Morningwood - Nth Degree

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Year: 2006

Bands from the Blue Mountains are like buses, you wait years for one to come along and then two of them come at the same time. Cloud Control are decidedly quieter than their neighbours Belles Will Ring but no less ear catching, in fact if the heavy drums of ‘Mad Love’ gets too much for you then ‘Vintage Books’ will be on hand to provide a nice refuge. The 4 members of the band come with silly names (myspace cadets) and include a brother and a sister. Their biggest success to date has been to win a Sydney University band competition yet it shouldn’t take long for word to spread about their self-titled debut EP. And good value it is too, with ‘Vintage Books’ ambling in as the 4th track in a pack of six. ‘Vintage Books’ has much to savour and you’ll likely be still finding hidden delights by the 6th or 7th listen. It is unashamed indie pop, low on production values but deep on inventive harmonies and zig zag instrumentation. There's definitely gold in them thar hills. KD

Cloud Control - Vintage Books

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Year: 2007

Bolting fully formed and fantastically attired from the Blue Mountains where Christmas is a mere 6 months away Belles Will Ring truly are a tonic. Their debut album is already old news down under with a harvest basket of critical arse licking already to its name. And a cursory listen to ‘Mad Love’ reveals why adjectives and this band rightly go hand in hand. The first and last thing that will hit you about the song is the driving beat, which almost overawes the joyous psychedelic swirl that accompanies it. In fact in another life this could have been Alan Wren warming his wrists for the final reel of ‘I Am The Resurrection’. Elsewhere there’s a sneaking regard for the Dandy Warhols’ ecstatic sixties jaunt circa ‘Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia’. The result is a dinger of a tune that should send many interested parties down ‘Mood Patterns’ way. KD

Belles Will Ring - Mad Love

Watch The Video To The Coldest Heart

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Buy Songs: Belles Will Ring
Year: 2007

The Harvest Ministers are this year 20 years old. Around long enough to have been signed to Sarah Records (wow!) back in early nineties and also long enough to realise that talent alone is no guarantee of success. One of their first recordings was this heartbreaker which was initially given a vinyl only release. And for all of youtube’s enormous reach I can’t for the life of me trace the whereabouts of the grainy yet spellbinding video that accompanied it. Led by Will Merriman the Harvest Ministers were always a step apart from the guitar led scene that surrounded them back home in Ireland. In saying all that ‘You Do My World The World Of Gould’ could only have come from an Irish band. It is steeped in sadness, Merriman’s vocals being beautifully tempered by Gerardette Bailey’s gentle responses. The instrumentation is sparse, heartfelt and on occasion downright affecting. Aingeala de Burca’s violin part seals the deal in what is a near perfect study of a low-slung yet beautiful love affair. KD

The Harvest Ministers - You Do My World The World Of Good

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Buy Songs: The Harvest Ministers
Year: 1991

Where are they going with a name like that, perhaps popularity will bring the theorists to their door and reveal all? For the moment Epo-555 come from Copenhagen and inhabit a space where Mew would probably congregate were they to add a poppier angle to their collective genius. ‘Maid In China’ is taken from their second album ‘Mafia’ and displays all the gifts of a band in full creative flow. There are nods to the 80’s electro movement and the beats are all old style New Order yet when that effervescent chorus kicks in time just stands still and the future unfurls before your eyes. This should be on every European radio playlist but I guess Boyzone have announced they are reforming and will all the help they can get to sell a few tickets. KD

Epo-555 - Maid In China

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Epo-555
Year: 2006

Won’t feel it now until there’ll be a set of Antlers on the roof, if you still believe in that sort of thing. Yes, that is quite possibly the worst lead in to a song but the near hallucinogenic quality of ‘On The Roof’ makes you do things you may later regret. Peter Silberman recorded the ‘In The Attic Of The Universe’ EP as cheaply as he could within the confines of his New York apartment. His gift is that the music sounds like it is as lushly produced as a Sigur Ros dreamscape. Vocally you’ll hear Jeff Buckley but the atmosphere is patently Silberman’s, a slow melancholic march to the city of sadness. The Antlers recently signed to Fall Records but hopefully the DIY aesthetic that has served Silberman’s 5 previous works so well won’t be lost. KD

The Antlers - On The Roof

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Buy Songs: The Antlers
Year: 2007

Gil Mantera's Party Dream and Dan Deacon could possibly make up the wackiest line up in the history of modern music. But given the bonkers like nature it is somewhat soothing to know that both are capable of making mighty fine music that can be exhilarating or headache inducing depending on your mood. Well today I’d like nothing better than a big cup of synth produced church bells, a frantic 80’s beat and some vocals from someone who goes by the name of the Ultimate Donny (that’s Rich). As you can guess Party Dream are more than the music and a quick flick through their show pics reveals a tempting slice of madness going on whenever they climb into costume. Don’t hate me for thinking that ‘Chalklit Pyhe II’ could be very useful for the soundtrack to a movie where Scrooge is an ex-gurner who has fallen on hard times after his ecstasy dealer decided to take Christmas day off. Bottle this and the energy crisis becomes a thing of the past. KD

Gil Mantera's Party Dream - Chalklit Pyhe II

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Buy Songs: Gil Mantera's Party Dream
Year: 2006

From December 1st right up to Christmas Eve this site will be posting a different seasonal indie tune each day. So by the time the big one arrives you should have enough to soundtrack your festivities. Strangely though it still feels like summer has hardly left us, even if the shops are showcasing more glitter than a Cher costume. So what we need is a dose of Winterpills to start getting us in the mood. Having formed in the winter (!) of 2004 Winterpills have already recorded 2 long players, the second of which 'The Light Divides' arrived earlier this year. Their sound is characterised by the twin vocal charms of lead man Philip Price and keyboardist Flora Reed. Their demeanour may be sometimes frosty but shimmering harmonies often flow freely when their voices merge into a single fluid entity. ‘A Folded Cloth’ is especially delicate despite the sometimes-abrasive guitars. Yet, like with all of Winterpills music a spoon of sugar is never required to make their brand of sonic medicine go down. KD

Winterpills - A Folded Cloth

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Year: 2007