Puberty - Invitations 7"

Puberty, an offspring of the band Intelligence, has recently released their debut 7". Lighthearted and super fun pop music. It's definitely awesome. See Telephone Explosion to get a copy.

Telephone Explosion, 2011
1. Invitations
2. parties

Sample the 7"

Coasting - Various

Not long ago I attended a free gig where Coasting performed as the main act. I made it through the first two acts, but by 12am there were no signs of them performing anytime soon. I bailed. Curse my early wake up calls. I imagine they would have been awesome, though. The duo consists of Fiona, ex-member of now defunct NZ punk outfit The Coolies, and Madison of Brooklyn based Dream Diary.
Their sound reminds me a lot of Vivian Girls' sophomore album, dreamy tunes with some lo-fi grit. Worth checking out.

1. Hots For Teacher
2. Kids
3. Same Old, Same Old
4. Snoozefest
5. What You Want
6. Coasting

Sample the Mix

The Clean - Mister Pop

2009 saw the first original release from The Clean in almost a decade and, during that time, it seems The Clean have had time to evolve in sound. Mister Pop, overall, is more hazy dream pop than the band's earlier work. They've shed the heavy organs, have favoured softer vocals and have adopted a cleaner sound (this pun was unavoidable). It's certainly different from Compilation or Vehicle, but the band have in no way lost any of their appeal.

Arch Hill Records/Merge, 2009
1. Loog
2. Are You Really On Drugs?
3. In The Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul
4. Asleep In The Tunnel
5. Back In The Day
6. Moonjumper
7. Factory Man
8. Simple Fix
9. Tensile
10. All Those Notes

Sample the Album

Splendora - In The Grass

Splendora are probably best known for performing the theme song of the late '90s MTV cartoon, Daria. Watching the show actually led me to the first and only release from the band. The appealing blend of heavy distortion and sweet female vocals make me wish they hadn't stopped at just one album. Fans of female fronted grunge acts, such as Hole, should like this one.

Koch Records, 1995
1. Bee Stung Lips
2. Rat Fink
3. Breeze
4. Rocker
5. Beautiful
6. Pollyanna
7. Reanimator
8. Shirt On
9. Sever
10. Rattle
11. Cover the River
12. No Place
13. It's Great
14. Busted

Sample the Album

Big Troubles - [Various]

To pick up where I left off, I'm still totally into the whole (what appears to be) revived shoegaze sound. While this is a basic sound of Big Troubles, the duo also dabble in a bit of tropical daze (a la Ducktails) and all round dream pop bliss. I think a few of these tracks might be older demos, so i'm not sure in which direction the general sound has headed, but you can pick up their debut EP over at Blackburn Recordings.

Unknown
1. Freudian Ships
2. Opposites
3. Desire For A Certain Thing To Happen
4. Drastic & Difficult
5. GreyDayz
6. Sick Days

Sample the mix

Trailer Trash Tracys - Candy Girl 7"

It's been a while since there's been anything distinctively shoegaze posted, so this fills that void. Trailer Trash Tracys sounds like they have stepped directly out of the early '90s - distorted guitar riffs, pretty vocals and an all round hazy sound. Also included is their song "Stranging Good Guys" from the No Pain In Pop Compilation.
Buy the single here.

No Pain In Pop, 2009
1. Candy Girl
2. You Wish You Were Red
+
3. Strangling Good Guys

Sample the 7"

Reading Rainbow - Songs To Sing To

'Songs To Sing To' is a dreamy little collection of noisy, sun soaked melodies. Like Wavves with more charm. Or a friendlier No Age. Each of the 60 copies of this CD have sold out, but order their latest LP, 'Mystical Participation' here.

Self-released, 2009
1. The Sun is Out
2. A Life To Find
3. In The City
4. Totem Pole
5. I Will Follow You
6. We Are Too Young
7. Great Sky Bear [Keys]
8. Be My Sunrise
9. Animals Take Control OF Me
10. Oh Deer Lord
11. Great Sky Bear [Strings]
12. Where My Body's Found
13. Feral Kids
14. New Safety
15. I Will Wait

Sample the Album
Here
or
Here

Beach Fossils - [Various]

Sure, it may seem to follow this whole tropical-lofi-pop trend that's emerged this year, but this stuff is gold. These songs radiate pure joy. Like that of Real Estate, Ducktails, etc., Beach Fossils' music is heavily string based, favours delicate vocals, and is bathed in reverberation. This should tide you over until the release of his debut on Woodsist.
Unknown
1. Vacation
2. Lazy Day
3. Daydream

Sample the mix
here
or
here

White Mystery - Powerglove 7"

Fresh from the oven over at the HoZac Hookup Klub, this single is 1 of 3 7"s from the second batch in the series. This one in particular stood out to me due to it's contrasting grittyness and poppy goodness. It can easily be likened to The Bitters, Pens, or most girl-fronted noise pop bands, really. I've got my fingers crossed for a lot more future releases from this band, very cool.
HoZac, 2009
1. Powerglove
2. Aaron
3. Ye Olde Stone

Sample the 7"

The Rantouls - The Songs Of The Frontier Villagers 7"

Yet another recent release from The Rantouls. The Band stick to their '60s influenced bubblegum/rock n' roll style that has won you over before.
Self-Released, 2009
1. Little Dune Buggy
2. Still 16

Sample the 7"

See Also: The Rantouls - Little Green Hat 7"/ The Rantouls - Chug-a-Lug 7"

The Rantouls - Little Green Hat 7"

Hot off the press, a brand new single from bubblegum rock n' rollers, The Rantouls. Worth your pocket money for sure. Buy it here.
Chocolate Covered Records, 2009
1. Little Green Hat
2. Little Bit Of This

Sample the 7"






See Also: The Rantouls - The Songs Of The Frontier Villagers 7" / The Rantouls - Chug-a-Lug 7"

Nerve City. - I Fucked Death.

This is the latest from lo-fi bedroom pop act, Nerve City. It's a great release, full of all the melodic gloom from previous releases, but I think the Catholic School cassette remains a personal favourite. You can still pick up a copy of the very limited (500 only) 10" from Kill Shaman.
Kill Shaman, 2009
1. Patience As a Virtue
2. Colorblind
3. CCrawLL
4. Saved
5. Missing Persons
6. Keep Me Around

Sample the 10"

See Also: Nerve City - Catholic School cs

The Summer Hits - Beaches and Canyons 1992-96

The Summer Hits appeared and then disappeared from the Californian music scene before they really had a chance to make an impact. The album consists of sun-soaked shoegazy pop with a sound reminiscent of The Clean's DIY sound.
Christmas Records, 1996
1. Stony Creation
2. Honey Machine
3. Preference
4. Groovier Drugs
5. California Summer
6. Maximum Bum Ride
7. Away From The City
8. Modern Cinema
9. Beaches And Canyons
10. Sandy Hair
12. Thin
13. Laetitia
14. Lift Off
15. Spanish Films
16. Moto-Guzzi
17. Carmel Feelin'

Sample the Album

Black Vatican - Zed Omega

A great little pop record. Featuring an assortment of cheery pop songs buried under fuzz and hollow drumbeats.
Night people Records, 2007
1. Born to Live Life
2. Hey Do It
3. Dream Jogger
4. Tetedemort Stations
5. Now you've Been Told
6. Sinsinawahwah
7. I Don't Wanna Fight
8. Carlos Carlos and Carlos
9. Touch Teacher
10. Song of Mice Elf
11. magic Is...
12. Beautiful Reformer

Sample the Cassette

Intelligence - Fake Surfers

This album looks to be a promising contender for one of 2009's best. The LP keeps interest with a variety of sounds and genres explored. It starts with an almost droney psychedelic sound - twangy guitars with vocals bobbing beneath the surface. It then moves through a mix of super catchy distorted pop, retro surf pop and lo-fi garage punk. Not boring or repetitive in the slightest. 100% recommended. Look out for this on In The Red later this month.
In The Red, 2009
1. Fake Surfers
2. Moody Tower
3. Debt & ESP
4. St. Bartholemew
5. I Hear Depression
6. Warm Transfers
7. Fuck Eat Skull
8. Universal Babysitter
9. Thank You God For Fixing The Tape
10. Pony People
11. Singles Barg
12. The Unessential Cosmic Perspectiv

Sample the LP

See Also: The World's Lousy With Ideas Vol. 8

The World's Lousy With Ideas Vol. 8

The 8th installment of The World's Lousy presents itself as a 12", and it contains all of your favourite artists! Seriously, this volume is like a who's who of the scene's best talent. Vivian Girls, Times New Viking, Thee Oh Sees + more each lend an original, unreleased track. Grab this one while it's still sitting on the shelves, you'll be kicking yourself if you don't.
Almost Ready Records, 2009
1. Vivian Girls - Lake House
2. Blank Dogs - Ages Ago
3. Times New Viking - A Lot Of Pai
4. Intelligence - The Beetles
5. Guinea Worms - Soiled Sender
6. Sic Alps - Strepix
7. Thee Oh Sees - Shwag Rifles
8. Tyvek - Flowers
9. Pink Reason - Going Home

-Link removed at label's request-

See Also: Intelligence - Fake Surfers/Vivian Girls - S/T/Thee Oh Sees - Peanut Butter Oven/The OhSees - CDOIR

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin - Pop Song 7"

Goodbye Boozy's latest release - a collaboration between Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin (of Charlie & The Moonhearts). Individually, the artists tend to have a harsh garage rock style, both incorporating some rock 'n roll and surf elements. This is basically what you can expect to hear on this brief record. Oh, and this isn't just a split record, the two have actually collaborated to create 3 original tunes.
Goodbye Boozy, 2009
1. Pop Song
2. So, I Went To Beach, Melody
3. Kit Carson

Sample the 7"

The Bitters - Wooden Glove EP

Captured tracks is, without a doubt, the record label to watch in '09. With a string of solid releases in it's wake (+ plenty of promising ones in the future), one of the label's latest is from Canadian popsters, The Bitters. Plenty of guitar fuzz and fun melodies to bop to. Buy Wooden Glove, (and other CT releases) here.
Captured Tracks, 2009
1. Warrior
2. Can You Keep A Secret
3. Princess
4. Caves

Sample the EP

Real Estate - Atlantic City Expressway [Tour CDR]

Real Estate is a great tropical pop/psychedelic group involving Matt Mondanile of the very similar sounding project, Ducktails. Really great chilled out tropical pop tunes. Real Estate currently have a single out on Underwater Peoples. Look out for upcoming releases on Woodsist, Mexican Summer and Half Machine Records.
Self-Released, 2009
1. Atlantic City
2. Beach Comber
3. Pool Swimmers
4. Suburban Dogs
5. Saturday Morning

Sample the CDR

See Also: Ducktails - Beach Point Pleasant 7"

The Suncharms - Tranquil Day EP

Tranquil Day is the second EP released from Sheffield shoegazers, The Suncharms. They seemed to just disappear after this second and final official release of theirs, but their music still ranks highly amoungst shoegaze fans. The Ep, once again, consists of fuzzy pop melodies wrapped in sugar-coated melancholy.
Wilde Club, 1991
1. Tranquil Day
2. Wash Away
3. She Feels
4. Space Ship

Sample the EP

See also: The Suncharms - Suncharms EP