Indiepop Shop Talk Vol. 1: making a difference

A special feature today instead of our regular Sunday Discoverer Series, in the form of an incredible compilation of songs from members of the Indiepop Shop Talk Facebook group. Solidarity and great indiepop in a wonderful initiative.

Indiepop Shop Talk is a Facebook group for indiepop/shoegaze/retro pop/dream pop musicians/labels/bloggers, etc. where we discuss about music (playing, recording) and its promotion. It's a very nice community (for a humble blogger like me a very nice way to chat with amazing musicians you admire). But this time Indiepop Shop Talk has gone much further. Coordinated by Michaël Korchia from our beloved Watoo Watoo and with the bandcamp tasks carried out by our friend Jeremy Jensen from The Very Most, here's a stunning, never-ending collection of 50 indiepop tunes in all its diversity. A sonic document of what's Indiepop Shop Talk but also a generous way to contribute to a good cause, as all the compilation proceeds will be donated to UNICEF.

Now you know. For a tiny, ridiculous amount of money you can get 50 tunes from amazing bands like The Hi-Life Companion, Bubblegum Lemonade, Aberdeen, The King in Mirrors, Franny & Zooey, Postal Blue, Souvenir Stand, Star Tropics, etc, etc, etc, while you help kids around the world. Indiepop goes strong when it goes together. Go have a listen and buy it HERE!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox 27

After two weeks without our TOP TEN playlist, we come back with a pretty diverse selection of bands. From the pop-punk style of The Pretty Greens and the agressive new material of September Girls, from the folk pop music of Lily & Madeleine to the retro-pop of Souvenir Stand, from Wild Balbina, the Spanish indie band proposal of the week, to the cover of 'Tire Swing' from Kimya Dawson by Kingsley Be Brave. As always, it's all at our Blog's soundcloud, so please Join Us!

Direct links to the previous Jukebox weeks
Week 1      Week 8        Week 15     Week 22  
Week 2      Week 9        Week 16     Week 23 
Week 3      Week 10      Week 17     Week 24
Week 4      Week 11      Week 18     Week 25
Week 5      Week 12      Week 19     Week 26 
Week 6      Week 13      Week 20
Week 7      Week 14       Week 21

Welcome to the Jukebox!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox 22

Friday again, and as usual, here's our TOP TEN playlist with the songs we have been enjoying the most lately. It's a moody collection of tunes this time, probably a symptom we need to slow down for a second, try to relax and get away of this stressful beginning of September. There's no better way than do it so with music, therefore, take it easy! Of course, it's also available at the Blog's soundcloud, so please Join Us!


Direct links to the previous Jukebox weeks
Week 1      Week 8        Week 15 
Week 2      Week 9        Week 16
Week 3      Week 10      Week 17 
Week 4      Week 11      Week 18  
Week 5      Week 12      Week 19 
Week 6      Week 13      Week 20
Week 7      Week 14      Week 21

Welcome to the Jukebox!

Best EPs of the Year 2013

After the books and concerts, is time to review 2013 in what regards to music releases. And we begin with the EPs  (no singles, 3 to 6 songs), a format that is giving me so many joyful moments it deserves a list of their own. Needless to say, this is very personal (comments on each band clicking on their links). Hope you enjoy it!

15. Eurostar, the Musical- The French Pop Dream
14. Songs My Mother Never Sang to Me- Seven Tin Stars
13. The Memory of a Smile- Skittle Alley
12. Days I’ve Spent with You- Souvenir Stand
11. I Choo-choo-choose You- The Choo Choo Trains

10. Helen of Troy- Pale Spectres

9. Bananafish- Franny & Zoey

8. Just a Pup- The Very Most

7. Somos Puzzles y Dragones- Puzzles y Dragones

6. My Middle Names- Northern Spies

5. Parade- Chalk and Numbers

4. Bone & Arrow- Big Summer

3. Future Vanishes- Rose Elinor Dougall

2. Small Sound- Tennis

1. Heart Slice- Go Violets

Want to check the best EPs of 2012? Click here

The "Records List" coming shortly!

Best Records and EPs of the year 2013... so far

It's June, and like we did on previous years, it's time to take a look to what the year has offered so far in terms of music. Traditionally, I just make a list of the best songs. That will be ready within the next days, but for 2013 I have thought to "make it bigger" and also include a small list* with my favourite records and EPs of the year so far (all 2013' releases already available). Listed in alphabetical order (the proper best-of list will come at the end of the year). Just trying to recognize a bunch of great works!

Records and EPs of the year so far
A Farewell to Youth- When Nalda Became Punk
Bone & Arrow- Big Summer
Calendar Days- Dick Diver
Days I’ve Spent with You- Souvenir Stand
Early Fragments- Fear of Men
El Mundo Se Va a Acabar- Pauline en la Playa
For Those Who Wish to See the Glass Half Full- Slowness
Hard Times for Dreamers- Brothers in Law
Helen of Troy- Pale Spectres
Hummingbird- Local Natives
I Choo-choo-choose You- The Choo Choo Trains
If You Leave- Daughter
In Guards We Trust- Guards
La Guerra Mundial- Wiggum
My Middle Names- Northern Spies
Pretty Decent Swimmers- Northern Portrait
Ride Your Heart- Bleached
She Beats- Beaches
Silence Yourself- Savages
Silmi Island- Pia Fraus
Torres- Torres
Trouble Will Find Me- The National
True Hallucinations- Ex Cops
Waiting for Something to Happen- Veronica Falls
When You and I Were Very Young- Silver Screen

* Note: Still not listed properly Camera Obscura's "Desire Lines", The Pastels' "Slow Summits", Just Handshakes' "Say It", and The Very Most's "Just a Pup", unveiled yesterday.

Discoverer 54: new indie findings

This Sunday we have a special edition on our "Discoverer series", as it has been "curated" by Jeremy Jensen from The Very Most. Two of the three proposals are wonderful bands that he highlighted on the amazing video interview posted on the blog earlier this week, plus a third band he recommended me by e-mail. What an impressive music taste he has. Hope you enjoy!

Silver Screen. Very hard to find info on this band, no much more aside this is the long-time project of Cris Miller, a one-man band from L.A. that has been around for virtually a decade. With just one album released in 2006, "The Greatest Story Never Told" references on him vanish until... now, with the announcement of a new record "When You and I Were Very Young" out in April on Plastilina Records. Please listen the bandcamp link and you will find a mind-blowing jangle-pop, an immediate timeless classic album. Where have you been hiding Mr.Miller? So glad you are back!

Souvenir Stand. When I asked Jeremy about a new band he had recently discovered she suggested the songs of Souvenir Stand. What a lovely choice. Let me introduce you to the music of Stephanie Cupo, this young singer songwriter from New Jersey, NJ, with just a small collection of demos and an EP, "Days I've Spent With You", released past summer. Quoting Jeremy "this is a great girl-group Beach Boys style-influenced, with really great songs, really great singing". Indeed great. Near perfection vintage tunes, 60s inspired retro pop with Ms. Cupo's voice flouring all over. We want more!

Adam and Darcie. "One of the most beautiful records ever made. Gorgeous from front to back. Beautiful folk, harmonies, just so good, I can't even tell you". If a gifted musician like Jeremy Jensen says this when asked about an underrated record he considers a classic, you instantly go through the Internet to search for it. He is referring to 2009' "California Trail", second album of this husband and wife duo from Provo, Utah. They debuted in 2007 with "The Valley Where I'm From", and their latest release (collaborations, contributions to coral LPs and Christmas EP aside) dates from 2011, with EP "Early in the Morning", both available on the infallible Indiecater Records. You don't need many songs to understand why the praise. This is highly emotional music, done with a care and honesty that sounds like pure magic, like if this lush, delicate and embellished folk-pop was created just for you. Warm and soaring intimate songs. 100% agreed Jeremy, "they deserve to be very well known".

Of course, thanks a million dear Jeremy!

Bloodbuzzed interviews The Very Most!

Today's post is a very special one. The (very) most special of this adventure named "Bloodbuzzed". When I started this blog, interviewing musicians was just a dream, a possibility that looked as exciting as impossible. I didn't know that a musician I admire, Jeremy Jensen from The Very Most (also Baffin Island) was going to approach this humble blogger and music lover and become what I'm proud to call a virtual (hope to solve that sooner or later) friend.

So, at the beginning of the year we planned this interview. When thinking on the questions to make him, I wanted to cover as many sides as possible: the musician of course, but also the citizen and the person. Little I knew his replies were going to be so interesting and open, and that he was going to do such an effort and answer my questions with this wonderful video.

You can listen to the gorgeous "When Summer Finally Dies", TVM's song Jeremy chose below. I hope you like the interview as much as I do! Thanks Jeremy, thanks The Very Most!