First Sunday of August and
many bands to introduce you to! Three special proposals you shouldn't miss!
Luluc. Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett's story is a slow-burnt one. Hailing from Melbourne but Brooklyn-based, they first met in Scotland. The music chemistry was undeniable but not the timing. Life got in their way. Back to Australia, got jobs & studies to follow and separately played in other bands. But the death of Randell's father impelled her to focus on music and, eventually, she reunited with Hassett, recording '
Dear Hamlyn' in 2008. Opening slots for Lucinda Williams,
Fleet Foxes, and José Gonzàlez followed, as well as praise from
Nick Drake's legendary producer Joe Boyd and No Depression co-founder Peter Blackstock. The latest put
Luluc in contact with Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman, who signed them. After a 2010 failed attempt to make second record in Australia, they met
The National's Aaron Dessner, who became not just the LP producer in his Brooklyn studio, but a
de facto third, unofficial band member. The result of their collaboration is '
Passerby', out since July. A
gorgeous, delicate, subtly arranged affair. Dreamy and melancholic indie-folk. Haunting.
Space Daze. This is the new, flamboyant and ethereal indiepop solo project of Danny Rowland, the lead guitarist & songwriter of our beloved Seattle band
Seapony. Few months ago, in March 2014, he challenged himself to a songwriting experiment: to write & record a new song every day for an entire month. The process only lasted twelve days, enough to came out with a complete album, entitled '
Follow My Light Back Home' and released in June on always reliable label Beautiful Strange Records as a
limited cassette edition. Quite immediate but genuinely warm, full of twangy guitars & spacious instrumentals, its jangle-pop meeting surf-rock. 'You're in love with the sun', sings our dear
Jeremy Jensen's in one of his perfect tunes. That's the exact feeling Space Daze music evokes into the listener.
A delicious, sunny pop collection of songs.
Teen Canteen.
Indietracks' live discovery, where they opened the Festival and won me over. Split between Glasgow and Edinburgh, Carla Easton, Sita Pieracinni, Amanda Williams and Deborah Smith formed in 2012 and released their debut single 'Honey', mixed by
Bill Ryder-Jones, via Edinburgh Arts Collective Neu! Reekie! at the end of 2013. The buzz began, fostered with their engaging shows at festivals and supporting established names like The Pastels, Evan Dando &
Juliana Hatfield and
Stealing Sheep. Now, after the June release of their irresistible second 7" single 'You're Still Mine / Vagabond' it's about time you'll add
Teen Canteen to your "
bands to fall in love with" list.
Glimmering, bright indiepop tunes, high on sugar but not short of sharpness, and with huge breathtaking harmonies to stop the Planet's rotation for a while.
