This is perfect saturday morning music for me today. The artist is Pal, – Albin Johansson from Malmö, Sweden. Thanks to Solander for recommending him. More about Pal here: http://paltunes.tumblr.com/ and here: http://soundcloud.com/paltunes
Pal plans to release his debut-album in the end of 2011, and I am waiting in excitement for it!
The Indonesian indiepop-band Sharesprings have a new single out these days on HeyHo! records. This is the band’s first official single-release, although there have been several songs by them circulating around the internet earlier. The two songs, “Jasmine” and “I Love To See You (Daydreaming Me)”, are some of the more focused songs I have heard from this band so far, and both are really strong pop-songs. Their sound is somewhere between the jangle pop of Sarah records, The Radio Dept., Boo Radleys and Ride, with a little dash of melancholy added as a counterweight to the sweetness. Very, very nice!
Here is a stream of one of the songs, and the rest can be bought from the label’s website at http://heyho-records.tumblr.com/
Sharesprings – I Love To See You (Daydreaming Me) by HeyHo!
DOWNLOAD:
http://www.eardrumspop.com/2010/11/20/epop009-baffin-island/
(We’re told that the download-version sound MUCH better than the Soundcloud-stream, so you’re hereby adviced to download instead of streaming).
Two bands from two different parts of the world have joined forces to give you the next free single in our digital singles series at EardrumsPop. The Very Most from Boise, Idaho, USA, and The Hermit Crabs from Glasgow, Scotland, have collaborated via the internet to make this single. Baffin Island, the name of their project, is the exact midpoint on the map between their homes in Boise and Glasgow.
The music may also be seen as the exact midpoint between the two bands’ music: Baffin Island combines the densely-layered indie pop of The Very Most with the more stripped down, thoughtful folky indie pop of The Hermit Crabs. The result is as sweet as you’d expect with healthy doses of Phil Spector, handclaps, delicate vocals, and lots and lots of reverb.
The third track on the single deserves a special mention: It’s a cover of Math And Physics Club‘s “Darling Please Come Home”.
You can download the 3 track single for free on EardrumsPop’s website, complete with music, lovely cover-art made by Sathya Ranjana, a booklet with photos, interviews and info (booklet by Julia Pax and Andrej Dolinka).
Hope you like it!
UK artist Ralegh Long will self-release his debut single "Shtick" officially on November 22, but you can already now get it for a “pay what you want”-price on Bandcamp. The EP is also available in physical format, but it’s limited to 5 (FIVE!) copies, with exclusive artwork. To get the physical version, you have to make a bid on ebay (link on his bandcamp-page).
It’s the second track on the single that is my favourite. "Final range" reminds me of Lloyd Cole, The calmer moments of The Go-Betweens/Grant McLennan or the songs by Leonard Cohen, and it’s really beautiful. An EP is planned early next year, and I hope for more songs like this one. Good stuff!
Johan Brännström, the singer in Sweden’s Heart-Sick Groans has released a new free EP on Bandcamp today. Brännström gives us 4 really good acoustic pop songs, slightly different than what he usually do in his main band. His warm voice combined with the acoustic instruments reminds me a bit of artists like Ron Sexsmith or Martin Stephenson, both personal favourites of mine.
“Annabella” and “Just Another June” are the highlights for me on a strong 4 track EP.
I Hate You Just Kidding, – wonderful bandname, isn’t it? The good thing is that the music is equally excellent. I first heard I Hate You Just Kidding on Indiecater‘s christmas compilation from last year, and the band is now ready with their debut EP. Surprisingly, the title of the EP is not as imaginative as the band-name, – or maybe it is? It’s called “Untitled EP”, and features 5 folky pop songs with warm atmosphere and great storytelling. My favourite is the absolutely lovely title-track, but all five are definitely worth getting.
Here’s My Little Dove from the EP:
I Hate You Just Kidding – My Little Dove
Tracey’s Love is a new c86 styled indiepop band from South-East London. They have just signed to Pebble records, and are currently in the studio to finish the recording of their first proper EP, due to be released by the end of 2010.
Inspired by the bands on Postcard, Sarah and Creation Records, the two founding members Jon and Chris decided to start a band. Listening to records wasn’t enough anymore, and they weren’t satisfied with what they call “the trend of the twee sound that is currently on the indie-pop scene”. – “Meaningful lyrics with sophisticated yet danceable guitars is the aim”, says Jon.
Their third member, Simon, soon joined the band on drums, and Tracey’s Love was complete.
The band have previously self-released an EP, and their Pebble-release will be a 3 track 7″ vinyl, which hopefully also will be available in other formats too.
Have a listen to the band on their myspace.
Soda Shop is the new project from Horse Shoes‘ Drew Diver and Maria Usbeck from Selebrities. They will release their debut 7″ on Shelflife Records in January 2011, and wow, it does sound good! The two songs “Farewell” and “When You’re Lonely” both have the classic pop-feeling of the 50s mixed with modern indiepop, lots of love and sweetness. Soda Shop’s music is not full of elements and effects. Only what’s needed is used in their arrangements. Their melodies are always in front, carefully coloured with clever twang-guitars, glockenspiel and packed in reverb, – lots of it.
Their style reminds me a bit of Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey’s Summer Camp project, but the two songs I have heard from Soda Shop is even more “my style”. I’m really looking forward to this release!
That said, I hope Drew Diver and his companion Jacob Graham (The Drums) find time to make some new music as Horse Shoes too. The Drums are good, Soda Shop is good, but my heart is closest to Horse Shoes.
Have a listen to the songs from Soda Shop on Soundcloud:
Follow Drew, Maria and Shelflife on twitter for the latest updates:@drewdiver @Selebrities @shelflife
Young Hunting is a band from Los Angeles who recently released their gorgeous 7″ debut single, distributed via K Records. It feautures two lovely, dreamy popsongs with very good vocals. The band is currently working on their first full length release, and we’re looking forward to it.
You can download the two songs for a dollar over at bandcamp, or order the physical version from K records.
