The Indie Anthology 61: essential songs

The next song in our anthology is another slice of glorious dreampop, but it also serves as a celebration. Seeing them live in less than a month. What a great, unexpected but long awaited surprise!

Song: Superfreaky Memories
Artist: Luna
Year: 1999

Unfortunately, I was never able to catch Luna live. I introduced myself into Dean Wareham's music through his latter incarnations, after getting hypnotised by 'L'Avventura'. Immediately looked for more. The now reactivated combo's greatest hits was like mana from heaven: 'Moon Palace', 'Chinatown', 'Lost in Space', 'Lovedust'... and 'Superfreaky Memories'. Oh what a song! Cathartic, carefully embellished with layers guitars, subtle orchestration, with Wareham's trademark nasal voice telling us glimpses of personal stories (he's a real storyteller) and then... the power surge of the chorus and the incredibly beautiful melody trespassing the blur after the 3.10 minute mark.
But if you allow me, I'm going personal this time (nothing related with drugs, luckily). Luna has always had a cinematic quality. Their tunes have some sort of coolness, a groove, an inner narrative, and incredible power to be associated with snapshots of life. Times, places, faces...memories. My 'Superfreaky' ones are related with two different times. Kind of a sad memory now, it was my most recurrent soundtrack after returning from Seville, a place I used to visit quite frequently during two years some time ago. But at the same time, a very happy one, it's also one of the songs I associate with Idaho and my dear friend & music genius Jeremy Jensen driving us to McCall. I really like the idea of that duality, of how a song shares a lifetime, including bad & good times, with you. Memories you know... Now will have another chapter this April, after (hopefully) hearing the tune live...

Indietracks 2014 in brief, day 2

Quickly following the first Indietracks Festival briefing with the summary of what happened in our particular Saturday 26th of July!

The Good

Dean Wareham, indie rock teacher
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Very good bands: Thee AHs are a pretty special group, with quite a unique singer and songs that mute from the 90s to twee to abrasion. Keep an eye on them. Spanish combo Linda Guilala was already recommended in this Blog, and with a reason. Stormy and dreamy music.
Dean Wareham: The clashing drama was resolved by chance. After seeing The Blue Minkies (didn't get them), we couldn't make it to the church, so unfortunately missed Nat Johnson. Then went for The Popguns, but something was missing. So we ended seeing Dean Wareham. And what a great choice it was. There were some sound issues (not the best stage in that sense) and a hot-as-hell indoor stage, but Mr. Wareham and Co. built an in crescendo gig that turned into something gorgeous, heavy on his latest album as well as Galaxie 500 rescues. 'Tugboat' and closing 'Fourth of July' were just mind-blowing.

The Bad

Gruff Rhys singing the story of
John Evans. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Headliner downer: Don't get me wrong. Absolutely nothing against Gruff Rhys. Liked Super Furry Animals and, although haven't followed his solo career, 'American Interior' sounds like a quite attractive, intriguing concept record. But headliner? His performance was more suitable for an intimate venue and not the last gig of the night...
Dusty soccer: Yes, the image of kids playing next to the main outdoor stage under the sunny skies is quite bucolic and says a lot about the relaxed vibe of the Festival. But is quite unhealthy for the ones trying to watch the gigs at the front rows or looking to take some nice pictures of the concerts...

The Queen

Be a Spook! Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Spook School: They aren't reinventing the wheel, but what a hell of a show they delivered on Saturday. Indiepop with a twist, an edge, an attitude. Wildly fun (Niall, the drummer is hilarious and surreal, didn't know you can put a comic show between tunes with a collection of jokes based on sweating, dust... and tofu), engaging, bursting on urgency. Music has to grab you, move you, and The Spook School already know one or two things about that. A driving force on stage.

Discoverer 66: new indie findings

Today's round of group proposals is somewhat special, as it also serves me to pay a humble tribute to one of my favourite indie labels: Shelflife Records. The three bands below are all part of their amazing, never ending catalogue. This label can't do no wrong, so I'm sure you're going to like them!

Majestic. First, a rescued gem that also has introduced me to the music of not one but two bands. Let me explain. The Majestic 12 formed in Brea, California, in 1994, one of the first acts Shelflife signed. The then quintet released three 7" singles until 1997, when singer Jana Wittren left the band (joining The Arrogants). The remaining four members regrouped as Majestic, releasing two records on Shelflife (loving them too, more poppier and joyful), before going on indefinite hiatus since 2001 (Scott Schultz focused on his children's TV show, Yo Gabba Gabba). Now Shelflife presents the compilation "The Majestic 12 Years (1994-1998)" featuring everything the band's first incarnation recorded. 13 tunes that are pure perfection. Think on Galaxie 500 or Mazzy Star meeting Sarah Records, think on chiming guitars lightning dreampop atmospheres. Think on a forgotten classic you can't miss.

Dub Noir. And another rescue, now a band born in Columbus, Ohio, in 2003, by Joe Howell and Casey Immel-Brown. It's hard to find more information aside the remaining members of the band came and left, and 2010 the combo went on long-term hiatus. Now Shelflife just released what becomes their debut album, "Pick Your Century", collecting 11 tunes recorded between 2003-2006 on a very limited physical edition, just to make us run desperately to grab a copy. Indeed you should hurry, because the songs are infectious jangly wonders, recalling names like The Chills or The Go-Betweens, with scintillating guitars all over. Run!    

The Proctors. Formed by Gavin Priest in 1993, the original line-up's quartet debuted, after a demo, with "The Baby Blue EP" on Sunday Records that year, being followed by 1994' "Moon Song" 7" (as a trio after Stephen Davies left the group) until in 1996 their debut album "Pinstripes and Englishmen" was released. But in 1997, Gavin's involvement with other musical projects forced the British band to take a break. Luckily, the hiatus ended in 2009 with a new line-up (again a quartet) and an EP, on Cloudberry Records, of unreleased songs, followed by Shelflife singles "All The Books" and "I Need to Tell You" in 2011 and 2012. Delicious and delicate tunes, full of unforgettable melodies, sun-soaked choruses, that precede the forthcoming "Everlasting Light", new album due to September 24. Save the date on your calendars 'cause all signs point out we could be in front an indiepop masterpiece!

The Indie Anthology 28: essential songs

I'm really enjoying my latest music-related reads. Kristin Hersh's "Rat Girl", "I Was Keith Richard's Drug Dealer" and Dean Wareham's "Black Postcards", which is making me listen again to some forgotten bands. So the next chapter of our Anthology is devoted to them.

Song: Night Nurse
Artist: Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips
Year: 2003

I jumped very late into Dean Wareham's bandwagon. To be honest, wasn't very impressed the first time I listened to Luna and not immediately engaged when a friend told me about Galaxie 500. But it was this dreamy gem taken from the side affair "L'Avventura", a romantic whisper between the then lovers Britta Phillips and Wareham, a modern impersonation of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, but playing soft and warm space rock that made realise what I was missing. Then I turned back to Luna and to found out a very special band, floating music where almost every note sounds true. Looking forward to do the same with Galaxie 500.

Discoverer 42: new indie findings

New recommended bands for your listening pleasure, enjoy!

Fear of Men. Most immediate, biggest "crush" of the last months. This very young quartet, split between London and Brighton, released a couple of demo tapes, "Hanna Schygulla" in March 2011 and "Alice Munro" in November, and the debut 7" "Ritual Confession", in August 2011. Their dreamy and cinematic indiepop, with the killer voice of Jessica Weiss on top, placing them alongside our much beloved Let's Buy Happiness, has achieved a new realm of greatness this 2012 with their second 7", "Green Sea", and the forthcoming "Mosaic / Your Side". Can't wait for more! Check them out!

Cape Canaveral. Rejoice fans of charming indiepop! EardrumsPop is here again to save our longing ears!. Their new free EP introduces us to this Danish band, formed in the summer of 2010, and with a ridiculous talent to nail the perfect melody, as gorgeous "Crazy Love" and "Moles" prove. Folk-pop gems with an upbeat and joyful vibe, plus a WONDERFUL (big capital letters) cover of Galaxie 500's "Oblivious". Satisfaction granted. Let's begin the campaign to make EardrumsPop win a Nobel Prize for their contribution to the well-being of (good-tasted) mankind!
Single - Crazy Love, Moles, Oblivious
South of France. Back to Los Angeles with the project of Jeff Cormack (initially it was his solo idea, then a duo, a trio and finally the pair again) and Kelly Lueke. Active since 2010, their first release came in late 2011 with the EP "Kings", garnering buzz and nice reviews from the blogosphere. And now the time has arrived for "Another Boring Sunrise", their debut album, out now, in which their trademark retro guitar pop, in the vein of bands like Cults, Dominant Legs or Tennis, is  catchy and warm enough to keep you singing and smiling for weeks.