Discoverer 169: new indie findings

A veteran with a flamboyant comeback and two most promising newcomers are our latest proposals in our discoverer series, all coming from the States, where there's still a lot to love despite the dark times they are (we are) facing. As a wise man used to sing, "music will provide the light you cannot resist"... Enjoy!

Papercuts. We begin our music trip in Los Angeles to meet Jason Quever and his long-standing project. Based in San Francisco until very recently, Papercuts began as a solo endeavour, debuting with album 'Rejoicing Songs', followed by 'Mockingbird' in 2004. But it was their next stride of releases, 'Can't Go Back' in 2007, 'You Can Have What You Want' in 2009, both via Gnomonsong Records, and 'Fading Parade' in 2011, out via the mighty Sub Pop, who certified Quever's talent as a songwriter... as well as a producer, something his ever-growing resumé, including names such as Luna-Dean Wareham, Cass McCombs, The Mantles or Beach House, proves. That studio work became has been his major focus during this decade, with just another Papercuts album, 'Life Among the Savages', out in 2014, breaking that sort of hiatus. Luckily, that standstill is over, as since this October we can enjoy 'Parallel Universe Blues', out via Slumberland Records. A striking combination of melodies and atmospherics, Quever's tunes are the perfect marriage of shoegaze's distant spaces and feedback, the dreamier, moodier side of folk, and an irresistible "Velvetian scent". A soundtrack for the Fall, and a record fated to top the best-of-the lists year.    

Blades of Joy. And without leaving California, we remain in the Bay to meet this exciting new combo, formed around 2015 by members of local bands Swanox and Dissolve. There's not a lot of info about the quartet, so we'll happily stick with the music, as their debut, self-titled mini-album out now now via Melters speaks for itself. Seven killer tunes naturally pairing the electricity with the dusk, the jangle with the haze, the spectral with the rockier. Like the Rain Parade under the Kevin Shields "treatment", there hasn't been a more apt name to define a sound in recent times than Blades of Joy. Not to be missed!

Carbon Poppies. And we end in Lafayette, Louisiana (finally this Blog travels to the Deep South musically), in order to introduce you to this trio responsible of what it looks, smells and, most importantly, sounds like one of the EPs of 2018. Members of other music acts such as Brass Bed, Lost Bayou Ramblers or Kind Cousin, Allison Bohl DeHart, Jonny Campos and Peter DeHart formed Carbon Poppies around 2011, debuting with self-released  6-song, 12” vinyl EP 'And Don’t the Kids Just Love It' in 2012. Since then, not much info available... until now, as the always worth checking Elefant Records has just released their selt-titled sophomore EP under its 'New Adventures in Pop' collection. Four slices of top-notch, hyper-addictive indiepop, with an arresting version of 'Rain On My Face' by the 60s lost band Shape & Sizes, nods to our dear The School as well as to power-pop humming choruses or the slightly psychdelic pop vibes from the golden era of the West Coast pop. A knockout pop gem.   

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 184

A busy and turning point of a week, folks. Winds of change can (hopefully) be seen on the horizon at  (something about a door closing and a window opening..., right?) and with the desire and enthusiasm to begin new adventures soon, here we are, ready to bring you another round of our TOP TEN Jukebox, full of new discoveries and some beloved bands like Linda Guilala. Because being honest, we don't know what the future holds yet, but were are sure is going to be better if it arrives with great music. Have a wonderful weekend and remember, all tunes are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!)

Direct links to 2018 Jukebox playlists

Week 171  Week 172  Week 173  Week 174  Week 175 Week 176  Week 177  Week 178 
Week 179  Week 180  Week 181  Week 182  Week 183

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 178

Last week of February and the amount of exciting tunes keeps going steady into our radar (a.k.a known as inbox & ears), as you have the chance to see for yourselves in our latest TOP TEN Jukebox. We have killer pieces from heavily anticipated albums "dropping" just now, like the ones by The Orielles (get funky!), Screaming Females and Ought, plus the stunning new single by our dear Linda Guilala, alongside the usual dose of promising newcomers. All ready to join you in your weekend "adventures". And remember, all tunes are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!)

Direct links to 2018 Jukebox playlists

Week 171  Week 172  Week 173  Week 174  Week 175 Week 176  Week 177

Spanish Indie 29: suggesting the best national acts

Pop, pop and more pop in our latest trio of national bands. Brace yourselves, gorgeous music is coming!

El Palacio de Linares. Drummer Gonzalo Marcos founded the band in 2011, initially with Mariví Hernández Lara, Ángel Román and Elena Cascón, debuting in 2012 with 7"'Himalaya' out on Elefant Records. Changes in the line-up began while the group released EP ‘La Casa Es Negra’ on Discos de Paseo in 2013, as well as singles with Discos de Kirlian, Discos Walden, plus the Mini-LP ‘La Espalda de un perro’ via Sweet Grooves Records a year later, which looked like the final release of the band. But Gonzalo didn't want to quit, so instead he relaunched the band in San Sebastián with the help of Alex & Raúl from Nuevos Hobbies and the support of Yon Vidaur from Ama. The new and reinvigorated ensemble now has come out with first LP ‘Ataque de amor’ via the great Pretty Olivia Records. A collection of pluperfect tunes echoing some of the greatest pop artisans, in between The Feelies and Belle and Sebastian, but with a trademark sense of humour and costumbrist grace. Smashing pop attack!

Evripidis and His Tragedies. Evripidis Evripidis Sabatis is a classically trained musician, visual artist and writer born in Athens, Greece, but adopted by Barcelona a decade ago. Here, with the support of likely minded musicians and artists, he gave form to his own particular musical and aesthetical universe, a solo project that expands into a collecive process. Since 2006, Evripidis has released several EPs, music for short movies and art projects and three LPs, the self-titled debut in 2007, 'A Healthy Dose of Pain' in 2011 and, since this March, we can enjoy 'Futile Games in Space and Time' in a joint release by Snap! Clap!, Canada Editorial, Jigsaw and Inner Ear. Piano-based, his soft pop is kaleidoscopic: sometimes vintage, devoted to 50s & 60s, others baroque, or flirting with Motown as well as with Belle and Sebastian, but always lush, hopelessly romantic and adventurous. Oh! This charming man...

Islandia Nunca Quema. Although they hail from Reus and Tarragona, this quartet formed in 2010 has their music DNA in distant places like Brisbane, Glasgow or Dunedin... also known as the "kingdoms of indiepop". Debut release arrived in December of 2012 with 7" 'The Wrong Parade / Pile of Junk', out via Philatelia Records, followed by another 7", only digital, entitled 'Behold the Evil Mind/ Dotted Lines' in January 2014. 'Applause', first album to date was next, again via Philatelia, with a 'Covers' record made public early 2015, including versions of The Kinks, Lloyd Cole, The Velvet Underground and Young Marble Giants, among others. So, while we wait for the new chapter of these "Islanders of pop", we can enjoy all their good deeds: their knack for penning classic, lasting melodies, their chiming guitars lines, their flirt with psychedelia... Contagious tunes.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 108

Hi there! Here comes the first TOP TEN Jukebox of July, pretty diverse and full of new bands, but with a non-surprising (not if you follow this Blog, thank you for that) soft spot for the music coming from our Antipodes. And with a big, unmissable highlight this time, thanks to the reissue of The Chills' majestic 'Kaleidoscope World'. And remember, all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2016 Jukebox playlists

Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89 Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  
Week 93  Week 94  Week 95  Week 96   Week 97  Week 98  Week 99   Week 100  Week 101 
Week 102   Week 103  Week 104  Week 105   Week 106  Week 107

Spanish Indie 25: suggesting the best national acts

This section has been hibernating for too long. Not anymore. Many exciting national discoveries are ready to blow your mind. Here are the first three!

Hazte Lapón. Born in Madrid en 2009, the band leaded by Manuel González Molinier and Saray Botella (that expands to a quintet-sextet live) started rolling a year later with first gigs and the recording of self-released debut EP 'Las fatigas del querer'. Single 'Romance en la oficina' and the song 'Bucles' appears in 2011, showing the initial noise sound was evolving into a much poppier sound, with another single, 'El baile de la medusa' and second EP 'Gentil colapso (broma privada)' arriving in 2012 anticipating their first album. 'Bromas privadas en lugares públicos' surfaced in late 2013, out via Discos del rollo, making a cult band of the combo, but the best was yet to come, with the magnificent EP 'El traje del emperador' released by our friends Discos de Kirlian a year later and, finally, with sophomore LP 'No son tu marido' via our beloved label El Genio Equivocado. The best national record of 2015 by far, they deliver pluperfect indiepop (noise, traditional Spanish music, electropop, post-punk, jangle), very diverse and with, arguably, the best lyrics out here in Spain, a mix between intimate confession, sardonic humour and witty social comment. Think Luke Haines meeting Manos de Topo, Raymond Carver partying with The Magnetic Fields, or Talking Heads discovering El Niño Gusano... Thinking on changing your nationality (we all know Trump, Cameron, Rajoy, long etc. embarrasses you to death)? Welcome to Laponia, the land of pop!   

Los Bonsáis. Hailing from Asturias (Gijón and Llanes) Helena Toraño and Nel González joined forces, at first a very casual affair, on April of 2010, recording homemade demo 'La Mecedora', in just a matter of months that circulated among friends. A year later they doubled the bet with the demos EP ' Ultramar' and single 'Es Mejor/ Un instante', recorded with our friends Linda Guilala and impressing the wise people at Elefant Records who quickly signed them and released the proper debut EP 'Ultramarinos' in January 2012, collecting four of their best initial tunes and following in at the start of 2013 first LP 'Martin Pescador'. A delightful punk-pop reality, the lovely duo appeared in Family and Los Planetas' tribute records during 2014, warming-up for 2015, on which they came out wit sophomore album 'Nordeste' in February and '¡Fanzine! EP in November, on which they cover The Pastels, Black Tambourine, Television Personalities and The Vaselines. Echoing the aforementioned bands as well as Marine Girls, Talulah Gosh or Shop Assistants, Los Bonsáis are one of our best kept secrets... revealed. Instant, shaky, irresistible love.

Selvática. Manu y Paula (formerly of the band Indómitos) migrated from Galizia to Río de Janeiro, Brasil, in 2012, coming out with the idea of a new music project a couple of years later. They quickly recorded the demos of what was going to be their debut album, channelling the vibes and energy of their new home with their music indierock tastes. They returned to Spain on early 2015 to assemble a proper band (they are a cohesive quintet live) and record LP 'Un Mundo Extraño', out since November through Discos de Kirlian and Mama Vynila. A stunning collection of fuzzy indiepop tunes, with post-punk, garage rock, surf and psych-pop vibes melting with vital tribal rhythms. Welcome to their rocking jungle!

Discoverer 117: new indie findings

A trio of pretty intimate affairs today in our discoveries' series. Slow wonders ahead!

The Catenary Wires. Tricky one I know. Does Amelia Fletcher needs any presentation? Of course not. She's one of the genuine indiepop heroines. Alongside Rob Pursey they have written some of the most unforgettable indiepop history of the past 30 years: Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research, Tender Trap... Now they have a new project together, born after the two left London to live in the countryside, with Tender Trap disbanded. Not a lot to do except start penning songs on acoustic guitar for their own entertainment until they were invited to play at the Arnolfini Art Gallery in Bristol, at an event celebrating another myth, Sarah Records. The set mixed Heavenly tunes with some new material, with such promising results the duo has transformed the homemade songs into a mini album, “Red Red Skies”, out since June on Elefant Records. Eight back-to-basics magic songs. A moment of serene, stark, pensive and melancholic beauty, where melodies, intertwined vocals and words weight a ton. So good to have Amelia & Rob back in our lives!

Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles. Let me introduce you Shana Cleveland, a multi-talented (musician, writer, painted, graphic designer) artist living in Seattle. Our hyperactive woman leads two bands, the garage combo La Luz and this folky-tinged affair on which she's been performing with a rotating cast of musicians tagged as The Sandcastles. Although this music project started six years ago, the bulk of 'Oh Man, Cover The Ground', her debut album, out right now on Suicide Squeeze Records, was recorded in 2011 in Shana’s basement. Breezy and heavily melodic, Shana and Co are able to summon the spirits of fingerpicking masters like John Fahey or Robbie Basho and channel them into pop casual, laid-back, gorgeous pills. The most beautiful soundtrack of the summer ahead.

Morels. And we end in Baltimore, Maryland, to meet this new dreampop/shoegaze quintet, active since early 2014 comprising current and former members of The Warlocks, Bad Liquor Pond and The Flying Eyes. After the exciting 'Raygun', first single appearing past February, now they present "Lemonseeds EP", available digitally, anticipating forthcoming debut album. Waves crashing into the rocks, icy, ethereal landscapes, instants captured into blissful noises. Sepia prints invoking moments now long gone. Slowdive meeting Real Estate. Add Morels to your "bands to follow list". They are fated to take you on an unforgettable music trip.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 50

If March was the month of music... April will not be far behind! In a few days we are going to see The Twilight Sad and at the end of the month will be time for Luna's gig! But first goes first and one week more we have a new round of our TOP TEN playlist with some familiar faces like Flyying Colours and Tennis in addition to new discoveries like Speedy Ortiz or The Landing. As always, this is also available at our Soundcloud blog page. Join us!


Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists
Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40 

Week 41  Week 42  Week 43  Week 44   Week 45
Week 46  Week 47   Week 48  Week 49 

Spanish Indie 22: suggesting the best national acts

It's about time to bring you more national discoveries. Today, pop, pop, and more wonderful pop! 

Fred i Son. Been meaning to write about them for ages! Hailing from Barcelona, Elisenda Daura, drummer at Las Dolores, and Xavi Rosés, the man behind Coach Station Reunion (author of one of our favourite records of 2013), guitarist at Epic Kind and occasional bassist at Veracruz, met in 2005, finding love and a shared passion for the best jangle-pop. Around 2007, the homemade music affair is transformed into a proper duo when a friend of Eli proposes the couple to participate at Minimúsica (a little indie Festival devoted for kids). In 2009, the couple gets married, and friend Xesc Cabot enters the band as bassist and lyricist. The trio keeps writing songs and making some buzz with gigs, contests and first demos collection 'En Pijama (Early Takes)', followed by their first album 'Diu que no sap què vol' released by Sones in September of 2010. 'Un altre temps' their second album to date arrived two years later via Sones-Warner, with the band now expanded to a quartet with the addition of their record producer, Cristian Pallejà. Their latest release to date, on December 2014, has been the lovely EP 'El Carter' out through our friends Discos de Kirlian. Intimate, disarming, delicate and joyous jangle-pop, honouring all the greatest: Go-Betweens, Aztec Camera, Pale Fountains, Lucksmiths, Ben Watt, Pastels, Marine Girls, Aventuras de Kirlian. Our best kept secret in pop now revealed to you. Go fall in love with them!

Montserrat. Hailing from Madrid, this quartet formed with musicians from bands like El Hijo, Litoral, Julio de la Rosa or Abraham Boba, initially was the solo project of Javier Montserrat in 2007, not becoming the band they are now until early 2011. On September of 2012 they self-released their first EP. At the end of 2013 they achieve the needed economic resources in order to release their self-titled debut album through a crowdfunding campaign, which was published past April of 2014. Gentle, humming pop-folk with a sixties vibe and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Songs to intimately sing-along. Don't miss them!
Neleonard. I thought I already wrote about them (I reviewed their debut EP at Indienauta) because they were one of my biggest crushes from 2014. Formed around the Barcelona artistic collective HiJauhUSB?, this sextet leaded by Manuel Navío (Nele) was born in 2012 as his personal project, but he quickly started to recruit people in order to create the best POP tunes. The first 6 gems arrived past October with debut EP 'Agosto', out through our dear Elefant Records. One of the best EPs from 2014, this is indeed music in capital letters, magnetic, powerful, emotional, sometimes lightweight, others melodramatic, always honest and heartfelt. Pluperfect POP.

New Year's Eve Playlist 2015

Overall, it has been a pretty shitty year... We've seen the worst side from many people we once called friends, several tough decisions have been made, and the factual powers ruling this country are proving how vile and miserable they are every single day...

But we have survived, learnt a couple of lessons and met many new great people along the way. Love and music (hope it doesn't sound too corny for you) beat all struggles. And, in that sense, what a great year 2014 has been. Thanks to all the bands, artists, music-related friends we have met and supported us.

So, in order to celebrate the good things of 2014, we didn't want to close the year without a little music tribute. Another playlist (6 hours of songs) with our 100 Best Songs of the Year (*those that are not included in Spotify option have been included in Bandcamp)! A great choice for a superb New Year's celebration! Have fun, enjoy and Happy 2015!

These Go to 11: interviewing Wild Balbina

Keeping Galizian indie power! Second time in a row interviewing a great band from that region (coincidence or signal there's something going on there?). This week we have the pleasure to count with the answers, riot grrrl style, of Marta González from our dear Wild Balbina. These Go to 11! 

Marta González, Wild Balbina

Wild-teen-riot-surf

If you are a regular follower of this blog you already know that we are fans of Elefant Records. So, last year, in one of our regular checks of their always exciting roster we had the pleasure to discover Wild Balbina. Coming from Vigo, they formed in 2010 when Antía Figueiras and Marta González moved on from their initial covers combo to a real band after recruiting V. Zapata. Local buzz followed until 2012, when they released the EP 'Eat Tacos' and became a most promising act to follow. In 2013 the group became a quartet with Miguel Binachi and now, with this year's release of the excellent mini-LP 'Sisters Before Misters' they are a complete reality, something also showed live, as we recently saw them supporting the fundamental Comet Gain. Youthfulness, energy, electricity, freshness and an addictive mix of garage, riot grrrl (they also run the feminist-cultural fanzine Typical Girls), surf, C86 and noise-pop sounds. Here we go!

When riot grrrl went danceable

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
Talking in general maybe a Laura Pausini’s cassette, I don’t know! Talking about vinyls the first one was 'Feminist Sweepstakes' by Le Tigre.

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
The first one was when I was a child because my family and I used to go to some free shows that in summer are still celebrated in our town, Vigo, at a spectacular natural-concert hall, Castrelos. There we could see Depeche Mode, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, Emir Kusturica, etc, and yes! some glories of the spanish’s pop as Sabina, that maybe was the first one. The last one was in London in October, Acrobat + Brain Washington + The Mvp’s at Buffalo Bar which we have read that maybe will be closed :(. Sorry for the length of the answer!

Blonde ambition, take 47...

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
'What you waiting for?', Gwen Stefani, a diva.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
The Spanish edition of 'If You Knew Suzi' by Suzi Quatro (1978).

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
So many but I may choose only one, 'Disarm' by Smashing Pumpkins.

Kat & Kurt, smelling like teen spirits...

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Kathleen Hanna and Kurt Cobain.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
'I love Delaware' by Drop Nineteens.

The Riot Grrrl's  "Bible"

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 

Both! A book: 'Riot Grrrl Collection' by Lisa Darms, a good brief of the contents of the fanzines belonging to the movement. The film: 'Hausu' by Nobuhiko Obayashi.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
'Spit your love'.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Indie is something pure that come up of somebody without the influence of a third person (that obviously can offer money in return of); and that’s done for not only satisfying other people as well. Any music style can be indie.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I’m not sure of the answer of this one, I don’t usually think about that kind of stuff!

Zillion thanks Wild Balbina!

These Go to 11: interviewing Linda Guilala

Keeping the love for Galizian bands! Discovered this year, and loved them at Indietracks. So we are extremely happy to count with Linda Guilala answering our questionnaire. These Go to 11! 

Ivan Juniper, Linda Guilala 

Linda Guilala, pop in the middle
 of the storm

Hailing from Vigo and born from the ashes of Juniper Moon in 2005, Iván and Eva began their new project propelled by their love for electricity and old, bizarre Japanese sci-fi movies. A year after, the duo came out with their first self-produced demos, grabbing the attention of Spanish radios. In 2009 their debut album 'Bucles Infinitos' arrived on Elefant Records, followed in 2011 with 'Paranormal' EP. This year, and transformed into a trio, the group has released another EP, 'Xeristar', out since March. A tremendous example of noise, electric shocks, very few boundaries, shoegazing blasts, and a fond love for iconic bands like My Bloody Valentine, Black Tambourine, Pale Saints or The Jesus and Mary Chain. Storms and dreams shaped into fantastic songs. Here we go!

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
'In Utero' by Nirvana.

A-HA, couldn't be more 80s than them

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
Although I'm not sure 100%, I think it was Manta Ray in the 90's, at Cafe Edesa Theatre in Ponferrada. What I do remember is that it cost me 300 pesetas, a drink included. The last one is Musculo, the band that played with us in our last concert. Lately, we play a lot in Linda Guilala, so the concerts that we see are the bands playing with us.

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
My guilty pleasure is A-HA.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
This is very complicated, I value a lot my first "pressings" of The Vaselines. 

Antonio Galvañ,
love makes noise 

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
My favourite lyrics are the ones from the album of Family and Antonio Galvañ from Parade. Usually, I don't like much the typical love songs and that sort of stuff, I think they are pretty rubbish, drivel. Although I have to admit that I have some songs like these in my own repertoire.

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Alive, David Keegan. And dead, Ian Curtis.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
That's indeed complicated to answer. I like a lot almost all The Stone Roses 7'', but you know, that's today and tomorrow could be another, completely different thing.

Cinemascope's sci-fi

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 

'Forbidden Planet' is my all-time favourite film, and in a more experimental context, 'Pink Narcissus' from James Bidgoog.  

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
None, I never hear Linda Guilala nor any of my other groups, Because I suffer a lot hearing them, and I always find all sort of defects.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Sure it's serious for me, very serious. I'm indie, and I'm proud of it. I have no problem of saying it openly and confront whoever prostitutes the term. It's a way of doing things and a way of life. I try to get involved in as many "indie" things as possible: I schedule concerts, record and collaborate with groups and I always do it with the same spirit of independence and self-sufficiency. Above all it's about being faithful to the things I believe.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Well, I see myself doing exactly the same. Playing in some band, looking for second hand albums, strange films and B-movies, collecting Tin Toys and, above all, listening a lot of music and being happy about it.

Zillion thanks Linda Guilala!