Our Primavera Sound 2016 Playlist

We are about to start another edition of Primavera Sound Festival, so we have prepared a stunning playlist with all bands we are aiming to see in the forthcoming days. We'll keep you posted, see you at the Fòrum!

Discoverer 143: new indie findings

Back with another trio of new proposals in our discoverer series. Three versions of indiepop you won't like to miss!

Oscar. Let me introduce you to Oscar Scheller and his music. Hailing from London, UK, this young musician who started to make some noise in spring of 2014 with debut 7" 'Sometimes' that June via Brown Rice, followed by 7" 'Daffodil Days' in 2015, his first release with Wichita Recordings. EP 'Beautiful Words' surfaced that summer, confirming here was an indiepop auteur to get excited about. In 2016, after 7" single 'Sometimes' he has delivered the album 'Cut and Paste', out just now. No longer a "laptop pop" maker (hate that lame definition, anyway), Oscar is a modern pop artisan, blending lo-fi gems with his baritone voice, recalling Stephen Merritt, Damon Albarn, Jens Lekman, melancholy and upbeat optimism, kind of gathering the 90s'slacker-Britpop-quirky-alternative-songsmith altogether. One to follow closely.

Desario. Hailing from Sacramento, CA, Jim Rivas and John Conley began Desario in 2004, as a side project from their other bands (Holiday Flyer, California Oranges, Rocketship), recruiting Michael Yoas and Mike Carr to form a full band, playing their first gig in September 2005. In a pretty slow-burning process, debut album 'Zero Point Zero' arrived in 2009 via Darla Records, with sophomore record 'Mixer' following in 2012 thanks to our dear friends at Test Pattern Records, achieving overall praise and even a Sammie nomination at the indie category. After drummer Jim Rivas left the band a year later, being replaced by Kirklyn Cox, Desario decided to work with recording engineer Tony Cale on their new songs with EP 'Red Returns', out just now, showing how wonderful are the results. Slightly gloomy jangle rock with a foot on the 80s indiepop classics and the other on the 90s Britpop and shoegaze. Elegant, intimate but irresistibly melodic, here's a heavy contender for EP of the year and, hopefully, an exciting promise for much more about to come...

Mercury Girls. And we end in Philadelphia, PA, to meet this mindblowing quintet featuring Sarah Schimineck (formerly of Pet Milk), Kevin Attics (Literature), Andrew Hagiwara, Chris Schackerman, and Kevin O'Halloran (Little Big League). Formed just in March of 2015, the first demos arousing at their bandcamp started making the buzz around the band's potential, collecting endorsements by fans, critics and other bands as they were sharing stage with the likes of Joanna Gruesome, Beverly, TEEN, Expert Alterations or Eternal Summers. Now they are ready to offer us first release, out now through the wise people at Slumberland Records, the 7" 'Ariana' backed with the equally gorgeous 'All that Heaven Allows'. I don't care if it sounds too bombastic, but they sound as the most incredible group ever: you'll hear Sarah Records for sure, but also the darker vibes of post-punk, with a firepowered rhythmic base along with guitars raging with urgency and a carefree intention to face some sonic experimentation. Add huge choruses and dreamy vocals and here's the instant crush. Oh my...

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 104

Strange days ahead, strange days indeed: politically, in what regards to work, in what refers to society, in what has to do with the future. It probably has something to do with late Spring, who knows. That's why we have chosen a pretty eclectic TOP TEN Jukebox for our latest playlist, with the regular new finds but also the returns (in full form) of the great Kathleen Hanna and our beloved Linda Guilala. 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

Spanish Indie 28: suggesting the best national acts

Another round of  terrific national bands for your ears only. A heavy on guitars trio to shake your skeletons a bit. Go get a listen!

Terrier. Hailing from Madrid David Iñurreta (aka Dave Petrone), María Manoli, Enrique Gutiérrez (aka Don Matías) and Lili Laduquesa have been around the capital playing in bands like Fumestones, Ángel y Cristo, Call Me Idiot... finally getting together in 2011 with their first gig and EP, self-titled and self-released in early 2012 (although later re-released by Sonido Muchacho). 'Un cadáver en el mar', their debut album, arrived in November 2013, after a self-released cassette, followed by their collaboration at La Fonoteca compilation 'Nuevos Bríos' that same year and at Discos Walden Single Club's. Now they are back with 'La Plaga', sophomore LP out since this February. Hyper-addictive and vital, blending shiny pop with their garage origins, listening to Terrier tunes is the best medication against depression. Let yourself shine...

Pacífico. Sort of a "supergroup" born in Barcelona in 2014, when Miguel Rojas (former member of Los Claveles) starts penning new tunes and gathers with Pablo Garrido, Antoni Amaya, Guillem Peeters and, a bit later, Oscar Huerta, from bands like Jessica and the Fletchers, Kana Kapila, Papa Topo and Sonny and the Sunsets. The quintet recorded their first demos, releasing s/t debut 7" that same December via Terranova. With Peeters abandoning the group, being replaced by Jordi Irizar, gigs and new songs begin to blossom, as well as their signature with El Genio Equivocado. While Sonia Montoya replaces Pablo Garrido, their first album 'Muévete' sees the light of day this April. An immediate, urgent collection of indiepop tunes, full of nervous and dreamy guitars and bombastic choruses, announcing bright light days ahead and a thousand smiles.

Heather. Technically, they shouldn't be in this section yet, as they only have two tunes officially released. But I've seen them a couple of times live and, aside having a much bigger collection of tunes (new release is about to arrive), they just deserve it. Based in Barcelona and formed by local and seasoned musicians plus the magnetic vocals and stage presence of the Scottish frontwoman Heather Cameron, this five-piece act based in Barcelona became a reality around the Fall of 2014. Demos spread and so did the signature with Famèlic, who released their debut single 'Inside / Run', followed with slots at Apolo, BIS Festival and Primavera Club. Speedy noise-pop and intense shoegaze with a melodic knack, here's one of our most impressive and promising local acts.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 103

Struggling times keep coming... fortunately, so does the music. Here's our last TOP TEN Jukebox, with wonders courtesy of some of our 'usual suspects', like our beloved Fear of Men (sophomore album is about to arrive), Beverly , Pale Lights or the mighty Close Lobsters, as well as our regular dose of new finds, pretty stylistically diverse this time. A lot to listen and enjoy. 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

These Go to 11: interviewing Pretty Olivia Records

Keeping the nice pace of interviews this Spring at the Blog, today we have the pleasure to count with Javier Abad answering our questionnaire. He's the man behind Pretty Olivia Records, a fantastic label from Alicante, devoted to eternal guitar-driven indiepop. Another brave music enthusiast (what a great music taste) fighting among giants. These Go to 11!

Pretty Olivia Records' expanded family. Pretty fun!

Javier Abad, Pretty Olivia Records
Hailing from Alcoy, Alicante, Javier started Pretty Olivia in January 2014, after deciding it was time to jump from the quintessential guitar-driven indiepop fanatic to a cultural agent decided to gather an impeccable record catalogue (in vinyl), rescuing artists that mainstream and tailored indie was going to keep way under the radar forever and ever. His first release was debut album of local musician Vicente Prats, recorded some years before, and luckily becoming a quick sold out. The adventure had begun. Since then, Pretty Olivia has released records by The Jangle Band, The Feedbacks, Loor a los Héroes, the Scottish band The Wellgreen, The Rainyard (Australia!), Wild Poppies (New Zealand!!) and the great Star Trip (Vicente again), and more wonders to come (check El Palacio de Linares immediately!). Looking for that sun, that essence, that larger-than-life spirit you can find on the songs of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub or The Go-Betweens, Javier is building the soundtrack of a lifetime. Here we go!

How old are you? Robin Gibb gettting personal... 

1.First record that you bought (be honest)

Wow, not an easy one… maybe a Robin Gibb cassette, that with the amazing 'Juliet' (love that song!)

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
First one: Siniestro Total in Denia.
Last one: Madrid PopFest 2016, last March

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

Do you know Kajagoogoo the first band of Limahl? (the guy of 'Neverending story') I really like their hit 'Too shy'. Watch the video and insult me! hahaha (Blogger's note: would never insult you, but wow, wow, wow, watch the video and judge yourselves...). 

The Lucksmiths, sunlight pop

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

I’ve just watched discogs and I have some very expensive singles (Riptides, Ripe, Apple Boutique, Treebound Story,…) but I think my most precious item (although not the most expensive) is an original mono copy of Nina Simone’s 'High priestess of soul'.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
Many of them, for example when The Lucksmiths sing 'cause try to sum you up in songs is like catching sunlight in a jar…'

'The Quiet Man', Irish heartbeat

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Easy one, Grant Mclennan. His songs are part of what I am, my gratitude for him is eternal (Blogger's note: right here, straight to the heart).

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
Mark Mulcahy: 'Fathering'. Amazing cover.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
I prefer movies. My all-time favorite is 'The quiet man'. Maureen O’hara forever!

A soundtrack for a thousand days

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
I’m really proud of nearly every record I have released, but 'The Rainyard' compilation is one of my favorite records ever!! Can’t believe I released it. But really, this question is like choosing between your mother and father.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Good question. I’ve always thought that indie means freedom, doing what you want without the pressure of selling or being profitable for a record company. Make the music your heart really feels no matter how many people are going to hear it.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
Not sure, hopefully having a laugh with my wife and daughter at Indietracks, or falling in love with a new band at home and writing them to release a new record,... Keeping the faith!

 Zillion thanks Javier!

Primavera Sound 2016: my draft schedule

Time to honour another Blog tradition! The timeables of Primavera Sound Festival 2016 have been revealed, so let's (try) to make our schedule (first attempt). Despite general opinions, this edition is quite far from being a favourite, and the recurring, inevitable, painful overlaps, are going to make it worse (that's why here we have listed only the gigs we believe will see fully). But no complaints, let's "play" and complete the puzzle! This is what our PS 2016 looks like (initial impressions):  

Wednesday, June 1st, Parc del Fòrum

17:00 Doble Pletina (Primavera)
18:00 El Último Vecino (Primavera)
19:00 Sr. Chinarro (Primavera)
20:30 Goat (Primavera)
22:00 Suede (Primavera)

Day without issues... except the bands we really want to watch are just Doble Pletina and Suede, first and last on the schedule

Thursday, June 2nd, Parc del Fòrum
18:00 Algiers (Heineken)
20:00 Daughter (Heineken)
21:30 A.R. Kane (Adidas Originals)
23:45 Protomartyr (Pitchfork)
Troubles begin: Algiers versus Lee Ranaldo. incomplete Julien Baker, Suede clashing with Daughter, clashing with Destroyer, empty until Protomartyr. Pretty disastrous day overall.

Friday, June 3rd, Parc del Fòrum
12:30 Big Summer (CCCB)
13:00 Cala Vento (CCCB)
14:00 Julien Baker (CCCB)
14:30 Cass McCombs (CCCB)
17:30 Aliment (Pitchfork)
18:30 Ben Watt Band (Ray-Ban)
19:05 Titus Andronicus (H&M)
20:00 Savages (Heineken)
21:00 Beirut (H&M)
22:15 Dinosaur Jr. (Ray-Ban) 
23:35 Royal Headache (Pitchfork)
00:25 The Last Shadow Puppets (Heineken)
Could we make it? The challenge is titanic (12 bands, plus Beach House as an additional option after the Puppets) and yet I'm furious there are some tough choices to be made. No Radiohead? Savages of Robert Forster? Lush at the Hidden Stage? Move some of them to Thursday! That's criminal!

Saturday, June 4th, Parc del Fòrum
15:00 Robert Forster (CCCB)
17:00 Bob Mould (Hidden Stage) 
18:40 The Chills (Ray-Ban)
20:00 Brian Wilson (Heineken)
22:35 PJ Harvey (Heineken)
00.50 Julia Holter (Ray-Ban)
And after a terrifying day full of choices, a Saturday quite so-so, with the main clash between Brian Wilson and Richard Hawley. Aside from that, pretty clear...

Sunday, June 5th, Apolo/Sala BARTS
19:30 Mudhoney (CCCB) 
21:00 Black Lips (CCCB) 
Huge questions marks for the closing day, very doubtful we'll make it, we'll see!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 102

A much needed long weekend ahead of us (well, not quite, but we will lie to ourselves and think we don't have to work, at least it will be surrounded by books and some familiar faces, so it could be much much worse). And after that... more decisions to be made! Needless to say a break is needed, and the best pauses always an exciting soundtrack... like you our last TOP TEN Jukebox, we are eager to share with you. Many bands to discover 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

These Go to 11: interviewing Pale Spectres

More interviews! After closing April with The Treasures of Mexico, today we have the pleasure to fuel the section with more pluperfect janglepop, thanks to Thomas Guilcher from Pale Spectres (among other projects) answering our questionnaire. Enlightening pop from the 'City of Light'. Lots of familiar names on his answers. These Go to 11!

Pale Spectres, delicatessen at pop's supermarket

Thomas Guilcher, Pale Spectres
Hailing from Paris, they are Jean-François, Rafael, Stéphane and Thomas. and we met them in 2012, thanks to the song 'Better than Love', included on a compilation record from Cloudberry Records. One year later, they released debut EP 'Helen of Troy', four slices of hipnotic janglepop, via our beloved label Little Treasure Records. Now, after three years of waiting, during which Thomas got involved in several projects, like his one-man-band Tomiji, or collaborating with Blog dear friends Jeremy 'The Very Most' Jensen and Adriano 'Postal Blue' Ribeiro (wishing Les Coquelicots keep writing music together), our favourite ghosts are back with their "magic touch" intact, judging from the double A side amazing single 'Your Boyfriend's Girlfriend / Time to move on', out just now. Unmissable. Here we go! 

1.First record that you bought (be honest)
The very first record I bought might be 'Missing' by Everything But The Girl. I was probably 10 and it was a CD single. I remember cutting the cardboad cover to turn it into a sleeve for a jewel case. That was stupid, wasn't it ?

Brother in Law: La Famiglia shoegaze 

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
The first concert I attended was actually a big festival nearby my parents' called Les Terres Neuvas. It doesn't exist anymore. I mostly remember seeing a French rap band called Saian Supa Crew. The last one was Brothers In Law a few days ago in Paris. It really was a great show. They're from Italy and their music could be described as 'shoegazy pop'.

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

My latest guilty pleasure was probably Lana Del Rey. I even created my own best of compilation of her songs to listen to in the metro on my way to and back from work. I just love her music and I can't really explain why.

Gainsbourg meets Verlaine: a poets affaire

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

It probably is my Sarah Records vinyl collection. I own around 50 releases of the label and they're all very precious to me.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

To be honest, I don't pay that much -or enough- attention to lyrics. I'm more sensitive to people's vocals and the way they use them. It's music after all. However, Serge Gainsbourg's lyrics for 'Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'En Vais', for example, are excellent. They're a fantastic tribute to one of Paul Verlaine's most famous poems.

Adriano Ribeiro: glorious indiepop goes transnational

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
I would certainly love to meet Adriano from Postal Blue; not only because he's a wonderful musician but also because he's become a great friend. As he lives in Brasilia and me in Paris, we both know it would be complicated but you never know...

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
It may sound obvious but I'd say it's hard to top artworks such as Andy Warhol's banana for The Velvet Underground & Nico's self titled album or Peter Saville's waves for Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures'... They're both so beautiful and iconic.

A Belgian film! Recommendation taken

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
One of my many problems is I don't read enough. I would therefore have to say movies. If I had to recommend you one, I'd choose 'C'est Arrivé Près de Chez Vous'. The film is a Belgian masterpiece of extremely dark humor.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
This is a trick question and proud is a big word. As far as I'm concerned, I noticed that the latest things you've created tend to be the ones you usually like the most. At the moment, my answer would then be a brand new song called 'The End' that we composed altogether from total scratch during a band practice. I really like collaborative compositions and I hope there will be more of them in Pale Spectres' future.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
I feel like indie has just become a random word for a broad kind of pop or even music. I would sadly tend to think it no longer has anything to do with independance. It now relies more on a type of aesthetics.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
I have absolutely no idea... I certainly have dreams but I'm mostly focusing on enjoying life day by day. To be honest, as I'm an optimistic person, I don't really care or think about that.    

 Zillion thanks Thomas!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 101

Probably the most exhausting and stressful week of the year to date, mixing lots of work & great experiences, meeting new & old friends plus, but also some bad news... making pretty hard keeping with the updates at the Blog. But here we are today, bringing you our last TOP TEN Jukebox full of discoveries, like the exciting new tune of dear Prophet Hens from our beloved Fishrider Records, the catchy Soda Fountain Rag from the WWNBB collective or the unbeatable track of Mercury Girls. Plenty to listen! 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