#Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten

[bandcampsnoop]

7/4/24.

Northern California is getting wrecked by a heat wave, so I've had plenty of time indoors listening to music. Last week I learned that after Allison Brice was in The Eighteenth Day of May and before she was in Lake Ruth, she was part of a project called The Silver Abduction (New York and London). This album is the result of two decades of music collaboration with Andy Dragazis (Blue States).

Lake Ruth's defining sound is Allison's voice, and from the sound of the one track currently available, The Silver Abduction will rely on her beautiful voice as well.

Lake Ruth is apparently finishing up their third album. I bought their first LP on The Great Pop Supplement. Also, they released singles with Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten (KUS) and Slumberland Records.

From the looks of it, The Silver Abduction LP is self-released.

[daggerzine]

The BVs- Taking Pictures of Taking Pictures (Shelflife/Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten)

While I enjoyed the previous LP by this German band, 2019’s Cartography, I never did a proper deep dive and really listened. On Taking Pictures… I have really listened, several times, in fact, and now I believe the hype.

The band just does so many different things and very well. Taking Pictures… is an interesting mishmash of styles, from jangle pop to Kraut rock and everything in between, and it seems like they’ve mastered them all.

The opening cut single “Clipping” is a rush of personal and impersonal right down to the very end relating to the fade-out vocals of “Sugarcane sugarcane sugarcane…” (at least that’s what I think they’re saying). “I Can’t Stand the Rain” opens with the line “God I hate the winter, I can’t stand the rain, although it gives me something to be sad about again …”); those lyrics attached to a glorious jangle and steady beat really gives this song legs.

Elsewhere, “Kleber” clips the Kraut rock tag (for a bit until heading into Field Mice territory), while “Sundays” is a rush of pure spring, and the title track takes the band to otherwise uncharted waters.

The BVs have made good on their promise (not a promise to me, but to someone), and Taking Pictures of Taking Pictures shows a band standing on the edge, throwing caution to the wind and doing whatever they damn well please to glorious results.

www.thebvs.bandcamp.com

www.shelfliferecords.bandcamp.com

[noloveforned]

it's somehow already september and while there's no formal schedule yet it's pretty safe to say that no love for ned will continue airing friday nights on wlur from 8pm until midnight for the new semester. tune in tonight to see what new sounds i'm jamming on or catch up with last week's show on mixcloud at your leisure, tracklist below!

no love for ned on wlur – august 25th, 2023 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label bettie serveert // sugar the pill // dust bunnies // matador babytooth // hey minnow // babytooth cassette // antiquated future idle ray // localism hours // we are time mixtape volume one compilation cassette // we are time comet gain // pinstriped rebel // the misfit jukebox // tapete dancer // cordonbleu // woman life freedom- music for iran, volume two compilation // free them now salad // what do you say about that? // singles bar // island red label claud // dirt // supermodels // saddest factory lofi legs // breakup sex // tragic magic sex // we were never being boring neo neos // total oka // act vii // under the gun keyring jeans // pinecone // keyring jeans ep // foghorn the cowboys // sick high heels // sultan of squat // feel it be your own pet // goodtime! // mommy // third man sonic youth // death valley '69 // live in brooklyn, 2011 // silver current zoh amba, chris corsano and bill orcutt // the morning light has flooded my eyes // the flower school // palilalia sandy ewen and jason nazary // as town // a beaded gesture cassette // notice scott clark featuring laura ann singh // the wind // dawn and dusk // out of your head henry threadgill // movement i, sections 6a-7a // the other one // pi damon locks and rob mazurek // suspense in the grip of suspense // new future city radio // international anthem brent cordero and peter kerlin featuring daniel carter and adam amram // freedom jazz dance // a sublime madness // astral spirits stimela // say say no // fire, passion, ecstacy // tidal waves prince and the new power generation // alice through the looking glass // diamonds and pearls (super deluxe edition) // rhino mckinley dixon featuring ms. jaylin brown // beloved! paradise! jazz!? // beloved! paradise! jazz!? // city slang girl ray // begging you now // prestige // moshi moshi the waeve // sleepwalking // the waeve // transgressive the bv's // warp (extended version) // warp 12" // kleine untergrund schallplatten party milk // wedding hair // your problem as a mountain // teenbeat

[fastweltweit]

Die Zärtlichkeit - France Gall (Music Video)  Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten

[50thirdand3rd]

The BV's - British/German Anorak Pop made in Cornwall!

The BV’s – British/German Anorak Pop made in Cornwall!

So as some of you know I do a little label and distro called Girlsville and i’ve put out and featured a lot of stuff from Falmouth which is a town in the county of Cornwall on England’s rugged Southwestern tip. I’m pretty sure this is where all the BBC crime procedurals with strong female leads take place as well, but i’m not 100% on that. Like I imagine these bands gig around Happy Valley and…

[shemakesmusic-uk]

This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to shemakesmusic@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Bayleigh Cheek

Dallas native Bayleigh Cheek began her love affair with music at an early age thanks to her immersive upbringing. Both parents were in the music scene, exposing her to a variety of sounds ranging from psychedelic and folk to progressive rock and new wave. Some of her personal music influences include Patti Smith, P.J. Harvey, Radiohead, and Angel Olsen. Those influences led to the creation of her EP, Immortals, that was self-released in early 2020 which brought her DOMA nominations for Best New Artist and Best EP. Her latest single is ‘Release Me’. "This song is about what it means to realize you've believed a lie, or false identity of yourself, and the process of becoming free from it and knowing the truth,” explains Bayleigh. “Growing up listening to a range of genres, from psychedelic and folk to progressive rock and new wave, ‘Release Me’ opened my eyes to the world of synths and everything electronics can provide to create a whole new universe of sound. Taking something seemingly fun and cheerful on the outside, and revealing something deeper on the inside. Before I started writing my upcoming debut album, I decided to be more vulnerable, honest and raw. I've hidden behind surrealism, which is still a big part of my art and always will be, but in light of the pandemic, I felt I needed to really let myself be open and not hide anymore. I'm becoming the person I've always wanted to become, and art will always be there as gentle reminders." Listen below.

Bayleigh Cheek · Release Me

Cozy Slippers

Cozy Slippers have released their first new music since 2019’s single ‘A Million Pieces’ b/w ‘Will You Disappear?’ (Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten) and the band’s tour of the United Kingdom. Like everyone else, the Seattle indie band had to adapt to the challenges of 2020 and beyond. ‘When Will When Come?’ is the first release to come from a year’s worth of home recordings done by the band. “We started from scratch. We didn’t have any gear and hadn’t really thought about recording ourselves before. It was so great to escape the stressful outside world for a while by recording and meeting on Zoom to put it all together,” explains vocalist and bassist Sarah Engel. While the band couldn’t be in the same room at the same time, they made use of samples from their prior recordings in order to stamp their sound and personality on the song. “We did whatever we could to get this thing recorded. Some of the vocals I recorded into my phone while sitting alone in my car or late at night when everybody else was asleep. It was a challenge to find space to be creative and alone time to make the recording happen during the past year,” remembers drummer and vocalist Barbara Barrilleaux. The track was mixed by Dylan Wall (Versing, Great Grandpa, and High Sunn).  Lyrically, ‘When Will When Come?’ is a plea from one person to another to embrace life’s messy possibilities -- to live before it is too late. Instead of participating in their own life, the subject of the song stares out a window and fantasizes about pink flamingos.  “I remember the first time I heard Sarah singing the lyrics. I thought the idea of somebody daydreaming about traveling to see flamingos was weirdly sad. Flamingos look cool, but the world has a lot of other things I’d want to see before a bunch of birds. It seemed poignant to have such a relatively small wish and still be unwilling to make it reality,” recalls guitarist Steven Skelton. Listen below.

Cozy Slippers · When Will When Come?

Everstill

New York-based alternative rock band Everstill have released ‘In Your Dreams,’ their first single off their debut album, Longing. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sara Aridi (vocals, bass, guitars, keys) weaves her melodic guitars and haunting vocal harmonies with percussionist Luca Bertaglia’s pulsating drums to evoke sounds that are at once melancholic and euphoric. The group draws from disparate influences and genres including grunge, indie rock, jazz, metal, folk and more. ‘In Your Dreams,’ recalls artists like Warpaint, Wolf Alice and Chelsea Wolfe. Aridi wrote the song — something of a seductive plea to an unknowing crush — in 2015. A year later she met Bertaglia while playing in an alt-prog band, and the pair reconnected in early 2020 to bring her songs to life. They found themselves working on their debut album during the pandemic. Listen to ‘In Your Dreams’ below.

Everstill · In Your Dreams

No Lore

No Lore is unlike any other indie alt-pop duo. It all started when Manila-based visual artist Tita Halaman decided to make music out of her paintings and poetry with her brother Jerald. As an artist, she wants to elevate her audience’s experience by expounding the message of her paintings through the art of words and sound. No Lore’s goal is to continuously release a new song with a painting every month and to publish a book out of it. The band name No Lore comes from the concept of having no formal studies in visual art, music, and poetry. Both Tita Halaman and Jerald are self-taught and everything is D.I.Y. from ideation to audio and video production. New single ‘With Little Light’ is “a song about courage,” explains Tita. “I believe there is no such thing as complete darkness to a soul that thrives to seek for “light” everywhere. With all that’s happening these days, I hope that we can still see hope no matter how little it may seem. Hope prevails if we believe. I’m a visual artist here in the Philippines and my signature style is writing poems at the back of my paintings,” she continues of her creative process. “On top of that, me and my brother Jerald are also into music - we’ve been playing together and learning different instruments since we were kids. No Lore is our attempt to create a layered expression of our emotions. I’d say our songs are my art and poetry, but in sonic form. Every song is inspired by a specific painting of mine and the latter serves as the former’s cover art.” Listen to ‘With Little Light’ below.

Another Nguyen

Ngoc-Anh is a Vietnamese German independent artist from Berlin performing under the name Another Nguyen. She has just released her new single ‘My Friend’ which was entirely written, produced, mixed and mastered by women. She says of the song: “I wrote this song after a friend of mine opened up to me that her long-term partner was physically abusive towards her. Hearing her story was shocking because I had always perceived them as a very happy couple. With this song I want to tell my friend and anyone who has experienced intimate partner violence that "I see you" and "You are not alone". Listen below.

ANOTHER NGUYEN · My Friend

Noni A.

‘20s’ is the new single from the Berlin-based artist Noni A. Written in her bedroom and turned into a chill pop production by her brother, ‘20s’ talks about the aspects in your twenties that happen in the background but are not often addressed. 21-year-old singer-songwriter Noni A was born and raised in Prague in a German-Greek household. In 2020 Noni A. released her debut single ‘Losing Game’, an acoustic pop ballad. Currently based in Berlin, Noni dives into a different sonic direction in her new music. Inspired by the sound of Jeremy Zucker, Audrey Mika and Quinn XCII, Noni A. blends emotionally honest and unreserved lyrics with a clean and minimalist chill pop production. With her new single ‘20s’, Noni A. takes a new sonic direction. '20s' dives into the chill pop scene, including lo-fi elements, more samples, underlined by a strong beat. "I walked into my kitchen one evening and had absolutely no motivation to clean it,” says Noni A. “Apparently when you’re 20 that becomes a regular activity (cheers to my mom for letting me live blissfully unaware of this and cleaning up my stuff too). This realisation of my day-to-day life as a 20-something-year-old turned into the inspiration of '20s'. This song talks about all those things that everyone experiences in their twenties that happen in the background of our lives: moving out of your hometown, adjusting to life on your own, procrastinating (if you say you don't procrastinate, stop lying) and learning how to use your washing machine (in my opinion a straight-up mystery)." Listen below.

Noni A. · NONI A - 20s

Chrissie Huntley

One of Bristol’s most promising new artists, Chrissie Huntley has released her brand new single, ‘Supposed to Be’. Huntley decided to use the time granted by national lockdowns to her advantage. Collaborating with musicians across the globe and transforming her closet into a home studio, Chrissie has spent the past year equipping herself with a brand new body of work to return to the stage with later in 2021. ‘Supposed to Be’ is the first of a series of single releases set for release this year, and is one that the Brit School graduate holds close to her heart: “‘Supposed to Be’ is one of the first songs I ever wrote when I was a teenager and I just got dumped by the guy who I thought was supposed to be “the one”. I think we’ve all been in that position where you know that it’s over, but you just want to hold on and pretend just a little while longer…” Recorded in Bristol with upcoming songwriter and producer Laurence Fazakerley Buglass, the track demonstrates why Chrissie’s effortless vocals have had such an effect on her audience to date. Working with rising producers Jon Will, Gabriel Gifford (Harvey Causon, Maya Law, Lucy Lu) and Peter Beckmann (Gregory Porter, Laura Mvula, Marie Dahlstrom) to bring the song to life; ‘Supposed to Be’ is the perfect balance of collective ingenuity, creativity and talent...  mixed with the exposed, emotional honesty that comes with having your heart broken. “... It’s a very vulnerable track I suppose. It was very raw at the time of writing and I never had any intention of releasing it- it was more like a therapy to me than anything else. But, seven years later and here we are! Releasing this as an introduction to my new sound seemed like the perfect fit, as it holds the part of me that first turned to music at a time where I was struggling, which went on to become the entire premise of my musical journey..." Listen below.

Karen Harding

Weaving enchanting melodies straight from the heart, Karen Harding crafts, intimate heartfelt tracks that help us become ones with ourselves. The kind of one-to-one soul conversations that dig deep into our hearts and wake emotions once thought long gone. She specializes in helping people shed away their insecurities and finally feel again in a special moment of true authenticity. Drawing from a lifetime of experience, the Melbourne-based singer crafts bittersweet melodies that move and inspire. She gorgeously crafts an entire experience with every timeless track she creates. The emerging singer has just  released her debut track ‘I Didn’t Realise’. The heartbreak ballad talks on the struggle of an earth shatteringly painful breakup in a way so intimate it feels like we’re right there with her. It’s a reflective song that navigates us through every raw emotion during the healing process; from processing the pain to finally coming to terms with what’s happened. Truly a breath-taking journey that will leave you with a deep sense of wonder. The song was passionately penned in the peak of Covid-19 on a piano she played growing up. Like much of her music it came to her very organically. She had the chords already laid out and the words just flowed out of her soul naturally. It wasn’t created with the intention of being turned into a record. Rather it was a simple moment of self-expression based on the way she currently felt. The result is something deeply authentic that’s oozing in originality. She worked with acclaimed producer Josh Hennessy of Pivotal Music to bring the project to life. He helped add the magic to this simplistic yet innovative piano and vocal track. Listen below.

KarenHarding · I Didn't Realise

[theeboyracer]

2021, a year in records - June 10th

[the-keeper-of-the-gaze]

Came just this morning...just had to play it...the debut, eponymous album from Jetstream Pony...released via Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten for Europe and Shelflife Records in the US. On lovely blue spatter clear vinyl...this really is one exceptional album...brought to us by Shaun Charman (guitar, drums, backing vocals, bass*, keyboards), Beth Arzy (vocals, tambourine, keyboards) and Kerry Boettcher (bass, vocals*, backing vocals) with Hannes Mueller *on the track Half An Idea #JetstreamPony #eponymousalbum #debutalbum #KleineUntergrundSchallplattenRecords #ShelflifeRecords #BethArzy #ShaunCharman #KerryBoettcher #HannesMueller #bluespattervinyl #clearvinyl #indiepop (at Kings Norton, Birmingham, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_RbDOn6n5/?igshid=14726npy8vy35

[redsoapbox]

28 BANDS / WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TIPS FOR THE TOP?

 18 months ago, in an attempt to nudge the redsoapbox blog outside of its comfort zone, I spent many a long hour trawling the internet in search of up and coming artists with the potential to make an impact on pop culture. 28 bands (click the archive link to find the original article) featured acts from the blog’s base here in Wales, from many other parts of the U.K. as well as musicians from America, Canada, France, Sweden, New Zealand and Finland. All manner of genres were included - from country, soul and easy listening to indie-noir, psych-funk and art-punk. Some artists were easier to identify than others - Liz Brasher, for example, seemed an obvious star in the making, while others, such as Turku’s Those Forgotten Tapes, had yet to play even a single gig!  

So, how have they all fared? Well, as might be expected, it’s something of a mixed bag. There have been successes - one artist appeared in an Academy Award-winning musical, another in a long-running BBC soap, national album prizes have been won and summer support slots with Dylan and Neil Young secured. There have been dispiriting failures too  - one or two bands have barely gigged, some have remained unsigned (though in many cases they continue to self-release sublime music) and one group folded straight after an excellent debut album.

Taking the artists in the original order in which they were featured, here’s an update on progress made -

Hand Habits

Meg Duffy released sophomore album Placeholder in January 2019 to widespread critical acclaim. Pitchfork said it best, describing the album as a ‘bucolic mix of pleasing melody, soft guitars and gentle vocals’.

Boy Azooga

It’s been a massive year for the Cardiff combo. Storming singles “Face Behind Her Cigarette” and “Loner Boogie” secured the band a spot on the cult show Later... With Jools Holland and a record deal with Heavenly followed. The band’s debut album (One) (Two) (Kung Fu) won the 2018 Welsh Music Prize (for which I was a juror) and the group has recently been confirmed as support for Bob Dylan and Neil Young gigs later in the summer. I interviewed frontman Davie Newington for New Sound Wales last year  http://www.newsoundwales.com/interviews/boy-azooga-interview-by-kevin-mcgrath/

Liz Brasher

As mentioned in the intro, North Carolina’s Liz Brasher seemed an obvious choice in the ‘next big thing’ stakes. In 28 bands, I predicted a ‘tidal wave of hype’ would greet the release of her debut album. I wasn’t kidding, either, with  PopMatters declaring Painted Image to be evidence that Brasher is ‘one of the next thundering and commanding voices of soul music’.

Liz Brasher live

Family Jools

A run of exceptional tunes through 2016 - 2018 including “Get Off”, “Fallacy” and “Don’t Know” was supposed to lead to a debut album by the end of last year. The departure of Jack Hawkins (guitar) was the first outward sign that the project was in danger of veering off the rails and there is no sign at present of that elusive album. Another fine single “She’s a Mother” surfaced a few months back and exactly five hours ago they band have announced a forthcoming single by the name of “California Sun”. I’m still a true believer, though. You can find my interview with the band via the archive link. 

There is a Family Jools gig available here https://bndrmusic.io/

Sarah Munro

Sarah released a fine sophomore album Angel Road in June last year and, somewhat bizarrely, turned up busking outside a hospital in the long-running BBC soap Holby City which aired in February.  

Armstrong

The fact that I became somewhat smitten with Armstrong last year will be no secret to readers of this blog. That this fellow Welshman’s incredible music had hitherto escaped me boggled the mind somewhat. Discovering timeless albums like “Under Blue Skies” and “Songs About The Weather” gave me one hell of a kick. In an interview I conducted with Julian Pitt (the sole member of Armstrong) for Wales Arts Review in April last year, the singer/songwriter was excited about a planned re-release of Under Blue Skies (with a whopping 8 extra tracks!) and his continuing work on a brand new album Happy Graffiti. Anyone who read the interview closely, though, might have been a little worried about how long those projects might take to come to fruition. Happily, I can confirm that the sterling efforts of The Beautiful Music and Country Mile Records have borne fruit, with Under Blue Skies available to order from the following links

http://thebeautifulmusic.com/

http://www.countrymile.org/Releases/Armstrong/armstrong.html

You can read the interview here -

https://www.walesartsreview.org/interview-armstrong/

Keeva

While the much-hoped-for album has yet to materialise, there was a richly tender EP Four Sad Songs and a Ballad to cling on to in the meantime. Keeping my fingers firmly crossed that an album is just around the corner.

The Salient Braves

Aside from a single track,“Slob,” released last July, all seems deathly quite. I assume the Braves continue ‘pissing into the indie wind’ as their twitter profile proudly boasts!  Until we hear anything new then, we’ll just have to resort to re-playing the majestic Delusions of Grandeur over and over again. Believe me, that’s no hardship!

https://thesalientbraves.bandcamp.com/

Estrons

Local favourites with a fantastic live reputation, Estrons released a corking debut album You Say I’m Too Much, I say You’re Not Enough to huge approval and then promptly split. They made their mark though, 2015 single “Make a Man” should be on anyone’s shortlist for best song of the twenty-tens.

Thou Swell

Absolutely fell in love with the demo version of “What’s Your Name” that appeared on Soundcloud in December 17. There was a smattering of London gigs in the first half of 2018 and the promise of a live EP, but everything has gone worryingly quiet since.

https://soundcloud.com/user-911275129

The Regrets

Seattle’s pristine purveyors of jangle pop released a new EP, Endless Desire, which featured five frothy tracks including the rather marvellous “Under a Sideways Moon”. 

 https://wearetheregrets.bandcamp.com/album/endless-desire

Head Noise

Mitch Tennant’s electro art-punks continue to battle Welsh music establishment indifference. A sequence of intriguing EP’s has been met with stunned silence. Hopefully, a debut album, due before the year's end, will finally break down some of these artificial barriers. As Mitch himself often says, ‘D.I.Y or Die, Baby!’. 

Head Noise

You can read my interview with Mitch here

 https://www.walesartsreview.org/interview-head-noise/

Jade Jackson

Jackson’s sophomore album Wilderness earned across-the-board critical acclaim on its release last month with American Songwriter complimenting the singers ‘tenacious honey-and-grits voice’. Opinion former’s No Depression called it the same way, highlighting Jackson’s ‘warm, confident vocal delivery’.

QTY

The band seem to have disappeared from all thing social media!  Still, we’ll always have the eponymous debut album!

HOTEL LUX

Hotel Lux’s latest single, the stunning “English Disease”, had more than a dab of Robert Lloyd about it. If Hotel Lux can measure up to theNightingales, then you won’t hear me complaining. Set to play Cardiff’s Swn Festival in October, where I can get a closer look at them. 

Hotel Lux  

Cozy Slippers

Seattle’s three-piece Cozy Slippers released a cracking EP Postcards last April and are set to follow up with a new single “A Million Pieces” for German independent label Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten on the ninth of August. The band has also confirmed that plans for a U.K. tour are in the pipeline.

https://cozyslippers.bandcamp.com/album/postcards

Common Holly

The band is about to launch it's Back From the Dead’ tour later this month, taking in Toronto and Winnipeg along the way before hopping across the border to support Mauno on their short American sojourn.

BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD

An enforced name change saw Cardiff outfit Buzzard triple their moniker in an unfortunate start to Tom Rees’ campaign for superstardom. Rees aims pretty high, recently telling N.M.E. that the combo’s single “Late Night City” made him cry in a way that only “Wichita Lineman” ever had before. Fresh from playing the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury, the band are set to release a new single “Love Forever” later this month. Mark them down as potential world-beaters!

Nervous Dater

The band is currently opening for Los Campesinos! on their ‘Save America Tour’. If you haven’t invested in their spiky Don’t be a Stranger album, then why the hell not? 

The Greek Theatre

As recounted in the original 28 bands blog, Swedish duo Sven Froberg and Fredrik Perrson wrote an entire series of albums and then decided on a date for their break up all within weeks of their formation in 2009. So far, the Greek Theatre masterplan has yielded two sublime albums Lost at Sea (2013) and Broken Circle (2017). I have struggled in vain to discover when the next record is slated for release, all to no avail. We can only assume that their surreal plan is still in force and that a third album is on the way! 

oblong  

Andrew Clement, Hwys Grav and Rob Daniel should apply to join the magic circle forthwith. The Llanelli post-punk band’s trick of conjuring up two feisty, furious and humorous albums Brilliant...Gwd (2017) and  Hollulluog (2019) in double-quick time deserve the respect of their musical peers.

https://oblong1.bandcamp.com/

The Glad Machine

Nothing to report here, save for the release of a Christmas single “Days Gone By” and, wait a mo, a brand new single released this very day (5th of July). Just going to take a listen.......be back soon!  Okay, the song is called “Virginia” and sits pretty neatly alongside the material from their debut album - file under thumping, melodic American rock.

Illuminati Hotties

The Hotties’ terrific debut album Kiss Yr Frenemies, the sound of which is described as “tenderpunk” by the group’s sole permanent member Sarah Tudzin, was rapturously received by the music press. Pitchfork, in particular, was persuaded, claiming that “every emotional abrasion and pang of longing on Kiss Yr Frenemies is conveyed with just the right mix of sadness and acerbity”.

Somehow

Erwan Pepiot’s tantalising description of the Somehow sound - ‘halfway between Joy Division and Belle and Sebastian’ should grab the attention of even the most jaded pop music consumer. The duo’s brand new single “Shut Your Eyes and See” certainly lives up to the billing. A new album, Low Tide, will be released on October the 25th.

Somehow

Crystal Furs

Having released a new album, Pseudosweet, in January, the band seems to have successfully overcome the departure of lead vocalist Amanda Hand (now fronting electro-pop combo Big Heaven). 

Jetstream Pony

A rip-roaring EP, Self-Destruct Reality, captured the group on top form. A new song “Mitte” has just been demoed and is a forerunner for an album release later on in the year. 

Sandra’s Wedding

The band’s debut album, Northern Powerhouse, is a certifiable classic of indie-pop. An album for the ages! How to follow that? - with a corking EP Good Morning, Bad Blood which builds the anticipation for a much-anticipated sophomore album.

Marlon Williams

William’s sophomore album Make Way for Love racked up three New Zealand music awards, but perhaps the most surprising development among the 28 bands featured here was Marlon’s role in Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-winning remake of A Star is Born.

Those Forgotten Tapes

I’ve left the most disappointing news until last. Sadly, Those Forgotten Tapes have put their rock ‘n’ roll project on indefinite hold. When I interviewed the Finish combo shortly after blogging 28 Bands, the group was in the midst of recording a debut album and there was a real air of optimism around. Following the interview, I kept in touch with Jari Oisalo, the driving force behind TFT, but as time went by without any word of an album it became clear that something had gone awry. Without breaking any confidences, there have been health issues which contributed in large part to the dissolution of the group. Jari intends to remix the four recorded TFT tracks (which you can hear below) and has hopes that a TFT album will see the light of day at some point.

In the meantime, Jari has recorded an album Tahtijuttuja as Salainen avaruusohjelma (Secret Space Program), there is a link below to their track “Buffalo” as well as resuming work on a shoegaze album under the moniker Tyynyt. You can listen to their track Pusuudelleen, reviewed positively in the N.M.E back in the day, below.

https://soundcloud.com/thoseforgottentapes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd91VstQyWk

https://soundcloud.com/solinarecords/tyynyt-pusuudelleen

A number of the acts featured here are reviewed/interviewed in Pop Hack, my debut collection available now via Amazon Kindle and are included in my Spotify Pop Hack playlist (see the archive link for details) while I have also created a brand new 28 bands’ Spotify playlist which can be can be accessed here -

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5tKzsqVHGTQZzZVUDkxlGd?si=F1G7ZFTRTI2SXJ1uBOo_gg)

[dreimalfuermich]

Montag, 7. August 2017

Berlin, 9:03h

Today’s Light Sheriff Calls

Kaum geschlafen in der Nacht zu Sonntag, heute dann wieder pünktlich um 7:22h wach geworden, da lief auch schon die Kreissäge im Nebenhaus hochtourig an. Um 7:33h zog der Wecker nach, und ich trotzdem: jetzt schon? Ah, Montag. Hallo. Sieht so aus, als ginge das bis Ende September so mit der Säge. Dr. von Bismarck, die strenge Ärztin, gibt an, sie habe “45 Schallplatten”. Flirtet sie mit mir? Das darf sie nicht. Wohl gerade DESWEGEN

Zur Kaffeezeit gestern draußen, dort war es mal warm mal kalt. Am Nebentisch eine Frau und ein Mann, sie eine sehr gut gekleidete Greisin, er ein charismatischer, gebräunter Amerikaner mit schwerem New Yorker Akzent. SHOWTIME. Während ich vom Abendessen der Eheleute Plessner bei Gretel und Teddy Adorno lese, bei dem Gershom Scholem die ganze Zeit Traubensaftschorle trank und ordentlich Schwarzwälder Kirsch-Torte aß, kommen von links keywords wie Los Angeles, New York und money herüber geweht. Ein kleiner Rauhaardackel mit grauem Star rennt einem brandneuen Moment entgegen. 

Die Bedienung ist eine kleine Araberin (?) mit frisch gebräunter Haut und dichten Augenbrauen, sehr sexy, Entschuldigung. Ich muss sie immer wieder anschauen. Später fragt noch ein sehr hübsches Zigeuner-Girl in einem schlimmen Chanel-Stretchkleid und mit Ungeduld im Ausdruck nach konkret “50 Cent”. 

In der SZ über Thomas Mann’s Sommerhaus auf der Kuhrischen Nehrung in heuer Litauen. Drei Sommer war er da, ein Riesenzirkus. Außerdem in der SZ von Yavus Baydar über die Türkei: “Kurz nach der Gründung der Republik, also nach der Abschaffung des Kalifats, mussten sich die meisten religiösen Gruppen in den Untergrund zurückziehen. Für ihre Enkel symbolisiert das Wirken der Regierungspartei AKP unter Erdoğan einen kollektiven Racheakt.” Am Giebel des Mann-Hauses: die heidnischen gekreuzten Pferdeköpfe in Niddener Blau.

[desertislandcloud]

Pale Lights - Mother Cries by Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten|KUS Pale Lights are fronted by Phil Sutton on vocals & guitar(ex-Comet Gain/Velocette/Kicker)with Andy Adler on lead guitar(Crystal Stilts),Lisa Goldstein on drums(Knight School),Maria Pace on bass guitar & Suzanne Nienaber on vocals(Great Lakes).Recorded with Gary Olson at his Marlborough Farms studio. Organ on this song by Kyle Forester(The Ladybug Transistor/Crystal Stilts)and tambourine by Hamish Kilgour(The Clean/The Mad Scene). Taken from their 2nd LP "The Stars Seemed Brighter" (KUS 011)will be released on December 15th. Available at our shop on Discogs: http://ift.tt/2fsKkVm or write a mail to: kus-mail@gmx.de

[bandcampsnoop]

11/29/22.

Happy birthday to Claire. Here's some music you'll probably never listen to. Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten (Germany) has a new sampler/compilation LP - "Lessinghof" - and The New Lines appear on it. I'd never heard this New York City based band even though they were active from 2010-2016. In fact, one LP was released by The Great Pop Supplement (responsible for Snails and Lake Ruth).

To me, The New Lines sound like a perfect combination of The Clientele and Dylan Shearer.

If you want to buy the KUS compilation, you can find it on Discogs. You can also find The New Lines discography on Discogs.

[daggerzine]

Jetstream Pony- “I Close My Eyes” b/w “It’ll Take More Than a Friday”  7” (Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten )

UK bunch featuring Beth Arzy on vocals (do I really need to list all of the fabulous bands she’s been in ?!)  and Shaun Charman (Wedding Present , Popguns, etc.) along with Kerry Boettcher and Hannes Mueller who crank out two gems here. The a-side dives right in with a warm jangle atop some pounding drums and of course those Arzy vocals! This song could go on for, I dunno, maybe 20 more minutes but ends at the 2:34 point. The flip side is nearly as good. A little more driving and a little more bite to it,  like maybe the best song Strawberry Story never wrote. The band has released two other singles on this same label and apparently have a full-length coming out in the new year (hallelujah!). Instead of saying your usual 10 Hail Marys on Christmas Day just play this single, each song 5 times and all will be forgiven. Bless you thee with good taste in music, now move along (side note: their previous single from a few months ago was a cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper”....huzzah!).      www.jetstreampony.bandcamp.com     www.facebook.com/kus2015

[noloveforned]

no love for ned on wlur – august 20th, 2021 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label ciento siete faunos // se siente así // el ataque suave // (self-released) janna // fool for you // back to the wilderness // (self-released) cende // don't want to // #1 hit single // double double whammy rik and the pigs // blue jean queen // blue jean queen 7" // feel it milky wimpshake // '77 punk boy // bus route to your heart // slampt dressy bessy // i'm still here // i'm still here digital single // (self-released) so cow // barry two // bisignis // dandy boy the midnight steppers // no time // isolation drives // radical documents the oogars // waiting all day // waiting all day - ep // third eye stimuli natalie bergman // paint the rain (beck remix) // paint the rain (beck remix) digital single // third man quivers // videostores // golden doubt // ba da bing! damon and naomi // the gift // a sky record // 20/20/20 ostraaly // salty dog tears // misery guests // tenth court jodi // softy // blue heron // sooper * susanna and david wallumrød // wrecking ball // live // susannasonata roomful of teeth // the magic constellation- winter (based on a theme by la monte young) // michael harrison- just constellations // new amsterdam czn // macondos prospects // luxury variations ep // the trilogy tapes dustin laurenzi's natural language // blocks // a time and a place // woolgathering lee morgan featuring jack dejohnette // speedball // the complete live at the lighthouse // blue note theatre west // searching for ourselves // bow to the people // strut brian jackson, ali shaheed muhammad and adrian younge // baba ibeji // brian jackson jid008 // jazz is dead * boldy james and the alchemist featuring featuring earl sweatshirt and roc marciano // photographic memories // bo jackson // (self-released) lizzo featuring cardi b // rumors // rumors flexi 7" // nice life durand jones and the indications // witchoo // private space // dead oceans * new edition // mr. telephone man // new edition // Geffen royal canoe // remmin' // sidelining // paper bag * pynkie // movies // movies - single // blanket fort the telephone numbers // oh, pretender // the ballad of doug // meritorio best exes // autumn in la // (bandcamp mp3) // (unreleased) bart and friends // wait in tune // tolmie wild thymes // kleine untergrund schallplatten the tubs // illusion // names 7" ep // trouble in mind girl friday // you're getting a dog // i'm impossible digital single // hardly art *

* denotes music on wlur’s playlist

[50thirdand3rd]

The BV's - European DIY pop band release new video and EP - Video of the Day

The BV’s – European DIY pop band release new video and EP – Video of the Day

Since the formation of the band in 2016, The BV’s have quickly become one of Europe’s premiere indie bands (“Indie” in the anorak jangle & noise tradition). They formed when Endlich Blüte guitarist Fred Jehle moved from Germany to Falmouth, Cornwall and found himself living in a shared house with Josh Turner (Planet Jazz), where the two recorded their first LP, Speaking from a Distance (Kleine…