Indietracks 2014 in brief, day 1

Back home from our first Indietracks Festival and as we regularly do with Primavera Sound, here's our quick chronicle, summarizing each day. To begin with, Friday 25th of July, the opening day!

The Good

The darlin's of pop
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Unique vibes: Everyone had "warned" us. And they were right. Relaxed, friendly, pleasant atmosphere. Unique place.
Teen Canteen: The first gig of the Festival was a great discovery. Lovely band that goes straight to our Discoverer section!
Allo Darlin': First time I saw them in Barcelona, a couple of years ago, the gig was pretty disappointing, flat and full of disrespectful, yelling people. But at Indietracks, they just nailed it. Fun, solid performance from start to finish, with band and guests (Emma Kupa from Standard Fare and two Just Joans) enjoying themselves while making the whole crowd happy. Great way to close the opening day!

The Bad

British diet: As one of the best Woody Allen's jokes says: "The food in this place is really terrible. Yes, and such small portions". He probably didn't know about the Festival's food offering, because he would have added. And so expensive!
Warm drinks: Hot sunny day and drinks are hot? No ice? Come on!

Martin Phillipps, bringing the
Dunedin Sound to Derbyshire
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Queen

The Chills: Was really looking forward to this. One of the Flying Nun most mythic bands, completely alive and kicking, as the powerful new tunes of forthcoming album 'Silver Bullets' showed. The New Zealand combo was flawless, with frontman Martin Phillipps showing his range and absolute command of the gig. And timeless classics like 'Pink Frost' (oh, these shimmering guitars lines) or 'Heavenly Pop Hit' were stunning. Long live to the Dunedin Sound (the old, the new and the always alive)!

Discoverer 93: new indie findings

Sunday means new music proposals at Bloodbuzzed, and here's a trio as diverse as exciting!

Gold-Bears. Hailing from Atlanta, GA, they formed in 2010 when Jeremy Underwood recruited a few friends to play the tunes he'd stockpiled since his former band, Plastic Mastery, called it a day, they quickly released 7" 'Tally' on Magic Marker Records. Another 7", 'Something to Think About' on Cloudberry Records followed in 2011, anticipating their addictive debut LP 'Are You Falling In Love?' on Slumberland. Now, after a split vinyl with Bracelettes on Odd Box Records in 2012 and a somewhat relaxed 2013 working on the studio, they are back with second album 'Dalliance', out this June. Noisy jangly pop with illustrious indie collaborators as Emma Kupa of Standard Fare or Black Tambourine's Pam Berry, full of stomping tunes and a sense of abrasive urgency without losing the melodic talent and catchiness. Pop anthems on the way!
Colin Clary. Known as “The Charming Smitten”, Mr. Clary comes from Burlington, Vermont, and judging by the number of bands he has played / plays with, including The Smittens and Let's Whisper, his work as producer, label and fanzine runner, we could easily say he is the perfect definition of a musicaholic. As tracing his complete discography would deserve a post on its own, I'll focus on his latest solo release, 'Twee Blues Vol.1', just out now on the adorable WeePOP! Records. One of the three final releases before the label says goodbye to all of us, Clary's LP is another immaculate example of why we are going to miss WeePOP! so much. Playful, joyful, tuneful. Beautiful pop music.

Flyying Colours. This Melbourne combo formed in 2011 and they quickly received the attention of the Australian media and audiences thanks to their explosive live shows. Then the tune 'Wavygravy' arrived in early 2013, being quite a radio hit and anticipating their self-titled debut EP, that thanks to the co-release of Club AC30 in the UK and our dear friends at Shelflife Records we can already enjoy worldwide since this March. Propulsive shoegaze and a layered, knockout psych-rock style. Five mind-blowing tunes inviting you to take a colourful, exciting ride... can't wait for their debut album. 

Discoverer 61: new indie findings

Back from one of the most intense weeks of the year with a new dose of great findings!

The Mantles. We begin in Frisco/Oakland with a band active since 2007. Shows and early singles followed until 2009, when they released their self-titled debut album on Siltbreeze. A follow-up came out next year with "Pink Information" EP on Mexican Summer. But their proper comeback will arrive this June with sophomore release "Long Enough to Leave", out on the infallible Slumberland Records. Janglepop with sweet vocals but also rumbling guitars, infectiously bright garage of immediate effect, paired with pop harmonies, echoes of the Paisley Underground mixed with joyous, classic indiepop, The Mantles offer a relentless collection of ridiculously catchy tunes.

Without Feathers. Back to the UK. Blog followers know I adore Nat Johnson. I'm sure that if she records herself just singing the entire Sheffield phonebook, I'd love it. But the former songstress of beloved Monkey Swallows the Universe, currently a Figurehead, now has another project with Emma Kupa, ex Standard Fare currently in Ely, and solo artist Rory McVicar, now in IT. The trio began their adventure this March, but recently made available (name your price) their first three demos. Three guitars creating an instantly lovable stripped down affair, three harmonious voices intertwined. A gentle music supergroup on the works, folks!

Beach Vacation. And we our week proposals end going back to the States, with a quartet from Oak Harbor, Washington, formed after playing a high school talent show. They quickly got signed to Dufflecoat Records, and debuting with "Maritime" EP, out since April (digitally and physically). Fresh and undeniably attractive, this four tunes are hard to resist. In the league of bands under the "surf pop label", think on the happiest Wild Nothing version, Craft Spells or Beach Fossils, but with a bigger scope, that also makes you recall C86 bands or the most upbeat Swedish indiepop. Definitions aside, the promise of this first batch of songs is exciting, Beach Vacation are a name to follow closely from now on.