The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 139

The weekend is here, so it's time for more music! Our latest TOP TEN JUKEBOX arrives with some dear friends returning to action, like The King in Mirrors and When Nalda Became Punk, surefires as Diet Cig or Dream Wife, and a bunch of stunning new discoveries (granted won't be the last time for many of them at the Blog). Plenty to enjoy! And remember, all songs are available at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138 

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 94

Yesterday we didn't post our regular TOP TEN Jukebox. A pretty busy day, but compensated with the enjoyment of Invisible Harvey and The New Raemon's gigs. And to continue with the excellent, charming, poppie mood we are in, we have prepared the best soundtrack for this Eastern vacations. Starting with the great David Kilgour or our friend The King in Mirrors, this are a fantastic companion for whatever plan you have on the forthcoming days. Take care and remember all songs are listed at our Soundcloud 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   Week 50  Week 51   Week 52  Week 53   

Week 54   Week 55  Week 56   Week 57  Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 Week 61  Week 62 

Week 63  Week 64  Week 65  Week 66   Week 67   Week 68  Week 69   Week 70  Week 71  

Week 72   Week 73  Week 74   Week 75 Week 76   Week 77   Week 78  Week 79   Week 80

Week 81   Week 82   Week 83  Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89

Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  Week 93  

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 89

Despite being a shorter one (Barcelona has invented a holiday today) this week has been a really stressful and rare one, so the break comes in a very opportune moment. And so does a stunning collection of new tunes and releases, comprised for you in our TOP TEN Jukebox. Familiar names and friends of the Blog like Beverly, The King in Mirrors, Night Flowers or Britta Phillips, (mesmerizing) with new promising acts like Phosphene or Family Hahas. Lots to listen and enjoy. Remember, all these songs are available at our Soundcloud.

  

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   Week 50  Week 51   Week 52  Week 53   
Week 54   Week 55  Week 56   Week 57  Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 Week 61  Week 62 
Week 63  Week 64  Week 65  Week 66   Week 67   Week 68  Week 69   Week 70  Week 71  
Week 72   Week 73  Week 74   Week 75 Week 76   Week 77   Week 78  Week 79   Week 80
Week 81   Week 82   Week 83  Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88

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!

These Go to 11: interviewing The King in Mirrors

In this week's interview we keep the jangling pop path (gladly) with Rich May, the man behind one of our most exciting discoveries of this 2014 so far, The King in Mirrors. These Go to 11!

Rich May, The King in Mirrors

A kingdom of pop

Hailing from Swindon, UK, the gentle Rich May, previously involved in several bands, began his latest music project in 2012, debuting with a self-titled mini-album in May 2012, followed with EP "Rolling in the Sun" in the summer of 2013. His third release and last to date, came this March with superb EP "Little Voices" out on Take a Nap Records. There's a reason why we love guitar pop like the one Rich and his band offers us. It's the immediacy, the unbeatable hooks, the melodies ringing forever inside your ears, the guitar lines punching you. It's the feeling tunes were made because the artist believed in them and the listener gets there's honesty in every single second of each 3-4 minutes. Here's a king that deserves his pop crown. Here we go!

"Flash a-ah Savior of the Universe" 

Queen's superhero poetry

1. First record that you bought (be honest)

Ha ha... an embarrassing one to start off. The first single I bought was 'Flash' by Queen (because I liked the film when I was young) and the first album was ´Fantastic' by Wham!

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

The first gig was The Cure at Wembley Arena in 1989 and the last one was Echo and the Bunnymen in Oxford two weeks ago.

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

There's not too many bands or songs which I'm embarrassed to say I like but I have to admit that I like 'We Built This City On Rock 'n' Roll' by Starship. It always makes me smile and want to sing along!!

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
My 7'' of 'Lee Remick' by The Go-Betweens. I bought it at a record fair in the early 90's for £50. I'd never heard the song before but luckily, I loved it when I played it!!

Robert Forster: gifted pop mind working here

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

'We went into a club, bouncers got no brains, he said both of you are barred, I had to set him straight, I said listen Jack, don't you know, I'm a star' - Robert Forster (The Go-Betweens - Twin Layers of Lightning). Also, 'The Seabirds' by The Triffids. David McComb was an amazing lyricist / songwriter / singer.

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

I would have to say Robert Forster, although I have met him before (briefly) at the Cobden Club in London when he and Grant McLennan were playing an acoustic album launch in 2002. Unfortunately, I lost my cool and told him he was my hero. He was very polite and said 'It's always nice to bump into your heroes on the stairs'. We had a short discussion about upcoming tour dates before I fled, embarrassed! I'd also like to meet Edwyn Collins or Andy Partridge.

West Australia on the sleeve,
majestic pop on the inside

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)

The Triffids - 'Born Sandy Devotional' (great album and great sleeve artwork). The sleeve is an aerial view of West Australian town Mandurah and goes perfectly with the sound of the songs on the album.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both)
I'm not a big movie watcher and as much as I love reading I always seem to just read about music (far too music obsessed for my own good).

9. Song (of yours) you are most proud of:

I'm proud of quite a few of the songs that I have written for The King in Mirrors and with my previous band Baby Train. It's hard to single out a song that I'm most proud of but I'll go with 'Little Voices' from our recent EP.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)

Good question! For me, indie means a band or label that's making/releasing songs themselves because they love and believe in what they're doing, regardless of whether it will sell. Too many bands who play middle of the road guitar rock (often on major labels) are labelled as indie and I don't understand why.

Mr. McAloon (not Gandalf going pop)

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years time, I'll be just into my 50's (gulp). I'd love to be like Paddy McAloon and have long white hair and beard and release the occasional great album. That's the plan, although my wife might not be so keen on the long white hair and beard!! :-)

Zillion thanks Rich & The King in Mirrors!

Discoverer 91: new indie findings

Excellent trio of music proposals prepared for you today, check them out!

Le Man Avec Les Lunettes. This Italian quartet was born in 2004, when Alessandro Paderno met Fabio Benni during a boring engineering lesson at university, quickly realising their similar music tastes. They started to write songs together and playing live locally, until they sent a demo to the Swedish Emmaboda Festivalen, who invited them to perform in 2005. Since then, Le Man have toured Europe extensively, changed their line-up, released two albums, a couple of EPs, 7″, 12″ vinyls, a documentary about an Italian DIY group touring Bosnia & Serbia, twenty years after the beginning of the war, and are an intrinsic part of the foundation of one of our favourite labels, We Were Never Being Boring collective. After three years without new releases, they are back with "Make It Happen", out since March. Like Belle & Sebastian meeting the Polyphonic Spree, or Grizzly Bear with sense of humour, here's enduring indiepop, full of layers, melodies and warmth. Quite hard to resist.

The King in Mirrors. Behind the intriguing monarchic name lies Swindon musician Rich May, who began his assault to the guitar pop throne in 2012. The British artist debuted with self-titled mini-album in May 2012, followed with EP "Rolling in the Sun" in the summer of 2013. Now he's back with a new EP, "Little Voices" out since March on Take a Nap Records, which you should be listening now. Why? Because, echoing many of the 80s band we all love, king May has an unbeatable army of pop hooks, melodic weapons, killer guitar lines and the urgency of conquering the listener in 4 minutes. So, you should surrender... and hail the king!

Honeyblood. We end in Glasgow to meet Shona McVicar and Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale. Formed in early 2012, they started putting on a show themselves at The Old Hairdressers to release debut cassette "Thrift Shop" on CATH Records. That gig got the attention of FatCat Records, quickly signing them. Slots supporting Sleigh Bells, Crocodiles, Palma Violets and several festivals followed for the duo, who released single "Bud / Kissing on You" past October. Now a full length is scheduled this 2014, and we couldn't be more excited. Bittersweet pop, riffs, noise & pounding drums intertwine with sweet vocals & effortless charm. Breezy, urgent and addictive as hell. Dying to hear more!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox 3

Third round of our newest blog section, the Friday's TOP TEN playlist with the tunes I have been enjoying the most this week. Lots of wonders in this playlist, several coming from recent of very recent discoveries, plus some favourites and a classic band returning to form. As the previous sets, this is available at the blog's soundcloud. Hope you like it!

Direct links to the previous Jukebox weeks
Week 1
Week 2

Welcome to the Jukebox!