It’s more than five years since Lali Puna released their third and latest album “Faking The Books”, and on April 1 the band will finally release their fourth studio-album “Our Inventions” on Morr Music. Almost all the members in the band have other bands and projects on the side of Lali Puna, and this is also the main reason for the long break. Markus Acher, one of the two main songwriters in the band, has a very successful career in The Notwist and he has been recording with them for a while now. While Acher has been focused on this, Lali Puna had to wait.

We actually interviewed both Valerie Trebeljahr, the singer and front-woman of Lali Puna, and Markus Acher five years ago, and this is what they said about their side projects and how they manage time schedules for so many different projects within the same band:

- “It’s not easy to have all these bands together and to make schedules. But it’s at the same time nice that there are so many bands and we found our way to deal with that situation. I think Markus’ main project is always the project he works with at that moment,” Valerie explains.
- “It’s difficult sometimes to not make too much with one band and forget the other. But at the moment it’s very equal with the different bands. They all have their special fans and places and times,” says Markus.

Valerie Trebeljahr’s main band is Lali Puna, but she likes to work with other artists too. In 2009, she collaborated with Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Yukihiro Takahashi on his brilliant album “Page By Page”. The song they made together, “Out There”, will also be on the new Lali Puna album in a different version. Valerie has also collaborated with artists like Styrofoam and Alias. As mentioned, Markus Acher is in The Notwist, and he also works with Tied & Tickled Trio and 13 & God. The drummer Christoph Brandtner is connected to Console and Tied & Tickled Trio, and Lali Puna’s newest member Christian Heiss on keyboards is in the sideproject Portmanteau.

Lali Puna will tour in may in Germany and Europe.

Here’s Lali Puna’s version of the classic Human League song “Together in electric dreams”:

Lali Puna – Together in electric dreams

…and here’s a spotify playlist of my favourite Lali Puna/Notwist + side projects songs:

lali puna | notwist | sideprojects

http://www.lalipuna.de

http://www.myspace.com/morrlalipuna

http://www.morrmusic.com

The Explorer’s Club is new and very interesting subscription-based mp3-club made as a collaboration between Eardrums’ favourite LOAF recordings (home of great bands like Dark Captain Light Captain , Seeland, Vincent Oliver and others),  and Arctic Circle, who arranges concerts in London (Efterklang at the Barbican, Notwist at the Union Chapel, etc).

For one year, starting in January, the new club will release new digital singles once a month from 30 artists from all over the world. The singles  will include two or three exclusive mp3s and a digital booklet with a new hand-drawn explorer-themed penguin illustration.

The list of artists that will be involved in this new club is amazing, and could well be our own list of favourite artists! Just have a look here:
Nils Frahm, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Peter Broderick, Bill Wells, Kama Aina, Johann Johannsson, Hauschka, Montag, David Kitt, Dustin O’Halloran, Minotaur Shock, Smile Down Upon Us, The Sleeping Years, Klima, Ryan Teague , Inch-Time, Vincent Oliver, Ted Barnes, Emily Barker and many more. None of these artists are afraid to explore new musical territories, so the name of the club is a good one!

Another interesting thing is that the project will also include Snowbird, the new project of Bella Union-boss and ex-Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde and the wonderful Stephanie Dosen, and several collaborations and so far unheard new artists.

When you subscribe to the club, you will also receive several handprinted artworks, a calendar, a tote bag and some other goodies. You can find more info about all of this and how to subscribe on LOAF’s Explorer’s Club page:
http://lorecordings.greedbag.com/buy/explorers-club-subscription-pack/

So, if you need a last-minute Christmas present for a music fan who is not afraid to explore new, interesting and beautiful music, – a subscription to the Explorer’s Club should be a good gift. And if any of my friends or family read this, – I want one!!

Here is a spotify playlist I’ve put together with some of the artists in the club (not all, and none of these songs will be in the club):
Exploring the Explorers (Spotify-link)

It’s the 15th again, and we are back with new music from the MUSIC ALLIANCE PACT (MAP). 24 songs presented by 24 blogs from 24 countries, and it happens on all these blogs every month on the 15th. I am especially happy about our Norwegian artist this time. It’s an exclusive preview from the debut album of the new project The Electones, and their album is so good! Browse down and have a listen! Here are the MAP artists  of March.

As usual we present the countries Alphabetically from A for America to S for Sweden:

AMERICA: I Guess I’m Floating
4 Viernes – Glacial Change Of Pace
Viernes are an electronic rock duo from Florida who’ve managed to capture a thrilling loud/quiet/loud aesthetic akin to Grizzly Bear. Glacial Change Of Pace – a MAP exclusive – brings together hard-hitting psychedelia with gorgeously subdued lulls, and vice-versa, in a seamless display of sonic movements and emotions. Look out for their debut album Sinister Devices in the near future.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
4 Lola Arias & Ulises Conti – Te Voy A Vencer Por Knock-out
Lola Arias is a writer, stage director, actress and singer. Ulises Conti is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician. They started working together in 2003, making music for several theater plays. This wonderful pop-rock love song is from their debut album, El Amor Es Un Francotirador, which comprises the original music from a play with the same name that was directed by Lola and Alejo Moguillansky. The translated title of the song here is “I’m going to beat you by knockout”.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
4 Leader Cheetah – Bloodlines
Festival State four-piece Leader Cheetah are the less manic, more soulfully melodic reincarnation of now-defunct Pharaohs. Their music is layered folk-rock twang meets brooding pop – think Neil Young’s moody younger brother in stormy weather. Bloodlines reminds me of Interpol circa the jangling guitar, tonal shift glory days of Turn On The Bright Lights. The vocals of singer Dan Crannitch are mind-addlingly beautiful and dark, especially when met with the surge of harmonies in the chorus. Leader Cheetah’s debut album The Sunspot Letters is out now on Spunk Records.

BRAZIL:Meio Desligado
4 Black Drawing Chalks – Big Deal
Any fan of Turbonegro, Queens Of The Stone Age and others bands who make dirty and fast rock’n’roll will love Black Drawing Chalks. Describing their sound as “music to drink and fuck to”, they come from Goiânia Rock City and have one of the most incredible shows I’ve seen on the Brazilian underground.

CANADA:I(Heart)Music
4 Amos The Transparent – Lemons, aka (BigFishLittlePond)
Ottawa may be Canada’s capital but it hasn’t produced much in the way of great Canadian music. Amos The Transparent are the exception to this rule. Their debut, Everything I’ve Forgotten To Forget, featured contributions from members of Stars and Broken Social Scene, and sounded like those two other bands. Lemons, aka (BigFishLittlePond) is taken from their about-to-be-released follow-up EP and finds the band inhabiting similarly stunning territory.

CHILE: Super 45
4 Vapourboat – Full Trains Of Dead People
Vapourboat is the Scottish project of Chilean-born Nico Carcavilla. His songs are composed entirely in his bedroom, inspired by the genius of Otis Redding. Perhaps it is this influence which makes Carcavilla sing like a man who has lived it all, when he is actually just starting. Being only 14, his songs incorporate instruments such as ukuleles, accordions, guitars and keyboards, and the Neutral Milk Hotel-esque arrangements end up developing into sad, long walks that owe their intensity to Beirut.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
4 Kellermensch – All Time Low
Their name is inspired by Fjodor Dostojevski’s novel Notes From Underground, they’re heavily influenced by the German expressionist movement Die Brücke and the Esbjerg-based Danes are musically related to both Tom Waits and metal acts like Tool. Their eponymous debut album is stunningly original and a massive contribution to the already vibrant Danish rock and metal scenes.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
4 Blacklands – Come Sad Light Of Dawn
This month we return to folkiness, mainly because if I don’t cover Blacklands soon, main man Al Murphy will have moved to New York and his music will no longer be ‘England’ for MAP. It’s lovely sepia-tinged fireside acoustic pickings. Come Sad Light Of Dawn is a gorgeous song, conceived in Berlin, executed in a cottage on a desolate Yorkshire moor. You may be able to tell.

FRANCE: SoundNation
4 Sliimy – Trust Me
Sliimy may be best known for his cover of Britney Spears’ Womanizer but the 20-year-old is a talented artist in his own right, with his high-pitched vocals and pop sensibility reminiscent of Mika.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
4 Five! Fast!! Hits!!! – Keep My Name Out Your Mouth
Five! Fast!! Hits!!! have been an institution in Munich for years. No month without at least one gig, until now. Singer Raffi is moving to London while Amadeus, the true head of the band, will pay attention to his other projects such as Elektrik Kezy Mezy. Their melodic, hectic, eclectic and energetic shows will be missed.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
4 Ólafur Arnalds – Himininn Er Að Hrynja, En Stjörnurnar Fara þér Vel
Ólafur Arnalds is a talented 21-year-old musician, part of the new generation of classical composers. He hails from the suburban town of Mosfellsbær, just outside Reykjavík. He has toured extensively around Europe and North America with a live string quartet and last summer he supported Sigur Rós on some European shows. The song here – translated as “The sky is falling but the stars look good with your dress” – is on his Variations Of Static EP which shows off his crackling electronics and sounds.

IRELAND: Nialler9
4 David Kitt – Move It On
The opening track from Kittser’s sixth album The Nightsaver displays the same solid thread of songwriting and homemade invention he has always been able to produce regardless of the style inherent within thanks to his distinctive voice and ear for a tune. The album, which was recorded at the top of a winding staircase somewhere along Dublin’s Grand Canal, may turn out to be his best yet.

ITALY: Polaroid
4 Death In Donut Plains – Over And Above
Death In Donut Plains is the solo project of Enrico Boccioletti from Pesaro. He plays evocative electronic music with a wide range of inspirations such as Aphex Twin, Fuck Buttons, M83 and The Radio Dept. He has created some lovely covers of Liars, dEUS and Good Shoes but his latest EP has a lighter and more pop touch, in a sort of Postal Service mood.

MEXICO: Club Fonograma
4 Juan Son – Mermaid Sashimi
Mermaid Sashimi is the first solo album by Mexico’s most prolific contemporary vocalist, Juan Son. After the breakup of his highly celebrated band Porter, he expands his already singular vision with much confidence and complete freedom, delivering what’s arguably Mexico’s best production in a while. He has the sensibility of a story-teller and the thirst of a scientist.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
4 The Verlaines – Yangtze Cod And Chips
The Verlaines were one of the bands to define the Dunedin Sound, releasing a number of classic recordings on the iconic Flying Nun Records label between 1981 and 1996. They returned in 2007 with a well-regarded album Pot Boiler and are about to release a new politically-inspired record called Corporate Moronic. Songwriter Graeme Downes has fire in his belly as you can hear on this song about the unlikely subject of a free trade agreement between NZ and China.

NORWAY: Eardrums
4 The Electones – Right Foot From Left
The Electones make beautiful experimental pop almost without creative boundaries and its foundation rests heavily on 60s-inspired folk and jazz. They are musical cousins to artists such as Múm, Psapp Sigur Rós and The Accidental. The Electones’ debut album If You’ll Be Null, I’ll Be Void will be released on Beatservice Records on March 23 and the band will also be a part of Birdsongs, Beesongs – the upcoming, free Eardrums compilation.

PERU: SoTB
4 Resplandor – Solar
Resplandor are probably better known abroad than in Peru. Formed a decade ago by Antonio Zelada and Luis Rodriguez, the band’s shoegaze dream pop sound has seen them play with The House Of Love and The Radio Dept. Their most recent album Pleamar was produced by Robin Guthrie and opener Solar is the best song on it.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
4 Corsage – Dried Up, River Blues
Corsage are an indie band from Lisbon who brought out their first EP in 2004. The following year they recorded a cover of a Scott Walker song, Angel Of Ashes, for a tribute release to the British musician by Portuguese bands. In 2007, they were featured in the compilation Novo Rock Português (“New Portuguese Rock”) and one of their songs was selected for the soundtrack of a Portuguese soap. Last month they released their new album Finito L’Amore, where you can find this month’s track, Dried Up, River Blues.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
4 Grimus – Backseat Driver
Grimus are an indie/alternative band from Cluj. They formed about four years ago and their debut record Panikon was declared Romania’s best album of 2008 by several musical/cultural communities. Although influenced by the likes of Placebo, Muse and Interpol, they manage to create a unique style and sound. On top of that, these guys are great live on stage – you not only get a performance, you’re in for a show.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
4 We Were Promised Jetpacks – Ships With Holes Will Sink
We Were Promised Jetpacks ought to be one of the biggest stars of this year’s SXSW. They mix sweeping, sonic brilliance with a melodic accessibility that has made them Glasgow’s most talked-about band since Frightened Rabbit. Indeed, they have followed in the footsteps of their city chums by signing to FatCat, who will release their debut album These Four Walls in June. Until then, here’s a teaser from it to whet the appetite.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
4 A Vacant Affair – Connecting The Dots
A clean, clinical and almost methodical country like Singapore can only boast the undercurrent of a disenfranchised youth who find different ways of breaking the status quo. A Vacant Affair almost does that, not by being cynically political about the culture here, but by embracing the emotions that come along with it. A post-hardcore band that shares influences with the likes of Underoath and Deftones, they bring it all out in the fantastic debut album closer, Connecting The Dots. AVA steer the listener into a swimming plethora of swirling vocals and guitars as they finally explode into an extended outro that acts as a buffer between you and this crazy, mixed-up world.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
4 Pavlov – The Lioness
If you’re looking for some rock’n’roll you should definitely listen to Pavlov. If you’re not, you probably should anyway. Not a big fan of the genre myself, I gave Pavlov a chance after being told to think of them as AC/DC and The Hives with a frontman who looks like Jarvis Cocker with Tourette’s – and it was not something to regret. Everything they’ve recorded has something special to keep you listening and when the last song has finished it’s hard not to play everything all over again.

SPAIN: El Blog De La Nadadora
4 Bedroom – Japanese Girl
Even in Spain there are still lots of people who don’t know the powerful secret that Bedroom hides. Folk, torch-songs and traditional music join together around the presence of Bert, the engine behind Bedroom. His debut album LaCasaDinsLaCasa surprised us last year – now it’s your turn to listen to Japanese Girl and discover why.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
4 Two White Horses – Good Times Are Gone Forever
Good Times Are Gone Forever by the brother/sister duo Two White Horses may be about growing up and realizing childhood is over, but it’s hard not to think about the song more in the context of our present global meltdown. I love Lovissa’s voice on this track as well as the fuzzy chug-chug guitar.

To download all 24 songs in one file click here.

Last year, I gave you loads of christmas songs every day from 1-24, but since I need to spend my time and energy a little bit different this year, I’ll give you some new ones when they arrive, and not every day. Here are some nice christmas records coming up:

To get you into the mood, I’ll start by presenting a new christmas song that the Norwegian band The Margarets are giving away for free on their website. It’s a wonderful song. Those of you who read Eardrums regularly may have heard of another band called the Margarets, from Sweden, who are far more jangly and noisy than these guys. This is the Norwegian version, and they have been around much longer than the Swedes! The Norwegian The Margarets have released not less than 2 albums this year. Get them on itunes or emusic or somewhere else. The other M’s are really good too…

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The Boy Least Likely To will have their holiday single released on December 15, “The first snowflake”, and they have also announced the release of their second album “The Law of the Playground” on March 3rd. Here is the video for “The First Snowflake”, and there are more Christmas music below:

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Moving on: In the good spirit of Christmas, there is a really nice christmas album that will be released in benefit of Amnesty International today, on December 2. It’s called “I’ll Stay ‘Til After Christmas”, and features songs from Au Revoir Simone, Le Loup, Figurine, Sally Shapiro, Arthur & Yu, My Brightest Diamond, Parenthetical Girls, No Kids, Radar Bros., Au + several others. 15 songs, compiled with a wish to avoid an overly cheery tone, and instead provide a more realistic, somewhat somber feel. According to the press release,” “I’ll Stay ‘Til After Christmas” compiler Daniel Gill chose artists for this album who would paint an audio portrait not of present day Christmas celebrations, but rather hazy memories of childhood Christmas experiences and the often bittersweet emotions that accompany them”.
The result has become a wonderful compilation album with some of my favourite artists, and it’s an album that it’s possible to listen to all year. Here’s Le Loup’s song:

Le Loup – Shenandoah

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Our heroes in The Wedding Present have a christmas single out, called “Holly Jolly Hollywood”. 3 tracks, – the original version, an acoustic version and “White Christmas”. Sounds good!

the wedding present – holly jolly hollywood (acoustic version)

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Cherryade records have provided us with some really good records from bands like The Kabeedies, Ste McCabe and The Lovely Eggs, to name a few, and they have also released some great christmas compilations, all named “A Very Cherry Christmas”. Now “A Very Cherry Christmas Vol 4″ has been released, and the label has a special offer right now where you can get all 4 compilations for 15£. The fourth compilation fetures bands like The Lovely Eggs, The Bobby McGee’s, The Gresham Flyers, Little My, Hotpants Romance, The Seven Inches, Ste Mccabe, Fever Fever and many more. Get it from the Cherryade-site.

Here’s a song from last year’s compilation, from a band I always find enjoyable to listen to, The Lovely Eggs:

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Swedish musician Sofia Talvik has a tradition for Christmas singles, and this year is no exception. 2008’s single is called “A Carol for the Lonely”.
This is her message to the people who downloads her free single:

“This year’s FREE Christmas single is dedicated to all those people who need a helping hand, whether it is the lonely teenager or the homeless man on the street. This single is a free download, but I urge you to use the money you would have spent on it on iTunes to help someone less fortunate. My donation is to Stadsmissionen who helps homeless people in Sweden.”

You can get the song here, and you’ll know what to do!

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I’ll probably give you more posts like this during December, but I’ll end for now with a band called Factory Kids. The duo will release their debut album in 2009, as well as a song on a new compilation from Series two records. Factory Kids have made a calm and slightly psychedelic Christmas song called “Father Christmas Still”.

Factory Kids – Father Christmas Still

I hope you enjoyed these!

Have a calm and peaceful December!

Imagine a website where you can find interesting facts about your favourite indiepop bands, find out what happened to that obscure twee pop-band you loved so much when you were 16, watch videos, listen to music… A website like wikipedia, but just for indiepop, and without all of wikipedias rules about references and so-called “importance”.
Let me introduce the website I’m talking about:
Indiepopedia – International Pop Underground Reference!

Here is what the site itself says:

“Indiepop information on the web is scarce. Most of it is just plain discographies and dull three sentences long biographies. Why not rewrite the history ourselves, as it is? Show that we are a true force without needing to prove to Wikipedia that we exist. Our fanzines are as important as any book out there. We don’t need to be in the Indie Charts to know one of our songs was life defining. This is our culture and we don’t need those ‘popularity’ parameters. We are proud to be unpopular. We are proud of our music and scene. We are proud to give it all away.
Let’s all work together, Popkids of the World Unite!, and let’s make this our reference point for years to come. We can make it happen. This is for all of us. This is our time.
DON’T STOP INDIEPOP”

Like wikipedia, this website is also created by the readers. If you can’t find a story about your favourite indiepop band, then create it! At the moment, the site is in its early beginning, and there’s not much content there now, but you know what to do: start writing! This can be a wonderful resource for lovers of indiepop.

The great initiative for the start of the indiepopedia came from Rogue from Cloudberry records. Great work!