A return, of sorts

As some of you noticed I disappeared 6 months or so ago. This is mostly due to me not owning a computer anymore. I am somewhat surprised that this place is still getting visitors after all this time! From now on I shall try to post once a week, if I can.

Anyway, for now - here's something to keep you going on with.

First up is Aussie band Powderfinger. I have no idea how well known this band is, but they should rule the world. This song, These Days is my favourite.

The next two are by a bands who deserve a little more attention than they get, in my opinion.

The first is It Just Is by Rilo Kiley.

The second is The Day We Left The World Behind by Healing Fields - more about the band can be found here

This next one is a step back in time. Remember Alex Chilton? Big Star? Yes? Here's Thirteen.


The last two have a distinctly 'religious' feel.

The first is a song by a band called The Bible. Don't let the name put you off (if you're not religious, that is) the song is a good slice of 80's indie pop from their 1988 album 'Eureka' - Honey, Be Good

The second, judging by the band's website is a religous/christian band - again don't let that put you off. This song, Frail is just as it's title suggests, a sad, frail lament.

That will do for now - hope you have enjoyed and it was worth the wait!

If you want more, you know the drill - leave comments! and I shall return with some more next week.

random stuff for your enjoyment!

We'll be starting off the musical randomness today with The Long Winters, a band who should be far more widely known than they are right now, so I thought I'd spread the word a little. The 2 albums they've recorded The Worst You Can Do Is Harm and When I Pretend To Fall show the band have a quirky brand of music and lyrics, with a melody that will have you singing along in seconds...

The Long Winters - The New Girl

They also have full-length mp3s available for download here - check 'em out!

Damien Rice, that guy who was on nearly everyone's music lists in 2003, remember him? yes? good! well, he used to be in a band called Juniper, but he left them to go solo - did the rest of the band sit around crying? no! they recorded 2 albums with the new band Bell x1, Neither Am I and Music In Mouth - both of which have moments of brilliance which you can sample here (Beautiful Madness) and here (Eve The Apple of my Eye)

And now we move on to a full menu at the Twee Corner.

The Love Letter Band - Blind
Snow Fairies - Lovers In The Countryside
Laura Watling - Wonderful Disappointment
Tiny Microphone - Answering Machine Girlfriend
Empress - Vodka and the Verlaines

The Go-Betweens

Australian band the Go-Betweens returned in 2002 with their eighth album Bright Yellow, Bright Orange, the follow-up to The Friends of Rachel Worth, which was the first album for the band after an hiatus of 12 years since the previous album 16 Lovers Lane which was originally released in 1988. Nothing much has changed though. The archtypal jangly guitar sound associated with the band is there, the band's sense of melody is still there, the lyrics still find their foundations in every day life. So here's a few songs for you all...

From Bright Yellow, Bright Orange:

Too Much of One Thing
Something For Myself

From The Friends of Rachel Worth:

When She Sang About Angels

From Tallulah:

Right Here
The House That Jack Kerouac Built

From 16 Lovers Lane:

Streets of your Town

Aubrey Straw

As a bonus for anyone reading - 2 lots of music for you today!

this time it's a mostly unknown band from Port Talbot, south Wales. I saw them live back in 1999/2000 a few times around south Wales in places like TJs in Newport and Tom Peppers in Llanelli - fun times! I think they had a little bit of success (played as Glastonbury one year, I think) and had a few reviews in NME hailing them as 'the next big thing to come out of Wales' - but that never happened.

so whilst digging through my cds just now I found their eponymous EP and thought I'd put some of it on here for anyone who's interested.

he came too quickly
a soldier coming round
loops & holes

(if anyone wants the rest of the EP let me know and I'll upload the rest of it)

The Clientele

The Clientele are a 3-piece formed in Hampshire in 1997. The sound of the band is that of a lonely, rainy night.

The first album 'Surbarban Light' was released in 2000 following a string of EPs.

An Hour Before The Light
Saturday

The follow-up, 'The Violet Hour' was released in 2003, further cementing the sound of the band.

Haunted Melody
Jamaican Rum Rhumba

Emptily Through Holloway from the 'Lost Weekend' EP.

Yeah Yeah Noh

Apologies for the wait for this post but I've had things to do. so let's get down to business.

today it's 4 songs from the Leicester Square, the best of Yeah Yeah Noh.

bias binding

pink green

temple of convenience

the superimposed man

old stuff

Because I use yousendit.com to upload music for you to download, the way it works is the songs expire after 7 days.

If there's a song that I've put up in the past that you would like drop me a comment or an email and I'll upload it again for you.

The Jasmine Minks

Today's choices come from the Jasmine Minks.

The first is 'Where The Traffic Goes' comes from their 1984 mini-album '1-2-3-4-5-6-7 All Good Preachers Go To Heaven'

Where The Traffic Goes

The second comes from their eponymous full debut album from 1985.

Cold Heart

And the last one comes from the 2001 album 'Popartglory'

Keepin' Hold of You

The official website has more info about the band and the odd download available.

Sal and Misnomer

Sal are a band from south Wales, fronted by a girl with a great voice, highly emotional pop, indie rock.

Songs available for download here

Misnomer are a band who say their music is "a sound lying between New Order's melodic rhythms and Radiohead's angst and power" and who am I to argue with that? the fact is they sound great!

There are songs to download or listen to at the band's official site - a quick sign up is required on soundclick.com but it's more than worth it for the song 'Genius' - which is brilliant.

to quote Gwen Stefani: what are you waiting for?!

Trembling Blue Stars/Field Mice

Another Trembling Blue Stars album, another lovelorn, moody, introspective album. Would you expect any more, or less from Bob Wratten?

Seven Autumn Flowers, the fifth album of a project that follows Bob Wratten's previous bands The Field Mice and Northern Picture Library - carries on in the same brooding vein as Her Handwriting, Broken By Whispers, Alive To Every Smile and Lips That Taste of Fear.

The Sea Is So Quiet

The album was preceded by an EP Southern Skies Appear Brighter, with the leading single Helen Reddy, a bright pop song with good lyrics, it's easy to see why it was the first single off the album and can be downloaded from the band's label, the excellent Elefant Records.

The EP also includes four non-album tracks A Beginning of a Kind, Open Skies, One Wish Granted and Hurry Home Through The Crowds

Also here for download are:

Never Loved You More from Lips That Taste of Tears.

Sensitive from the Field Mice album Coastal.

Last September's Farewell Kiss from the Northern Picture Library album Alaska.

Exile Inside/My Life Story

Jake Shillingford's Exile Inside will soon be back with a second album that's been in the pipeline for a couple of months should be out some time first quarter of 2005 according to the website. The Exile Inside project, which is an unusual one in the music industry is fully funded by fans. 'Investor Angels' are called on to donate money to the band and there's a whole host of goodies available for those that do, apparently.

And it looks like it's working, with a goal of 5 albums in 5 years - this being the second, it looks like the scheme is working.

The music and lyrical content is a much darker species than Jake's previous band My Life Story's orchestral pop sound. The first single, 'Xerox,' from the album EI060, follow up to debut EI034 can be downloaded (after registering) here

And more about the band and its fight against the Industry can be found here

My Life Story split in 2001, after recording 3 albums:

Mornington Crescent (1995)
Golden Mile (1997)
Joined Up Talking (2000)

my life story - sparkle

my life story - strumpet

my life story - neverland

Idlewild

This one's from the new album from Idlewild, Warnings/Promises. The eagerly awaited (by me at least, anyone else looking forward to it?!) follow-up album of 2002's The Remote part is due out on 7th March.

Idlewild - Love Steals Us From Loneliness (you missed it!)

the band are setting out on a pre-album acoustic tour of 4 dates in late January/early February before setting off on a full electric tour to promote the album - more information can be found on the band's official website

also if you would like your blog/website linked to from mine drop me a line and I will add it :)

The Arcade Fire and The Verlaines

The Arcade Fire's debut album 'Funeral' released in America in September 2004 on Merge Record, is set for a UK release on Rough Trade on 28th February.

And what an album it is, the 'Neighbourhood' suite of songs are glorious slices of indie which reference New Zealand bands such as The Verlaines and The Chills.

But it's the song Wake Up that's featured here:

The Arcade Fire - Wake Up

more information about the band can be found on the Merge Records website.

Speaking of The Verlaines, here are a couple of pieces of genius from them. First up This Valentine from their 1993 album Way Out Where

This Valentine

and secondly Hanging By Strands from the 1996 album Over The Moon

Hanging By Strands

The excellent unofficial website has more information about the band.

a first post...

so, this is new, though the songs on offer aren't! the first selection has a distinctly Scottish feel, which is how I like it!

to start the ball rolling there's a nod to The Pastels (again) from their album Illumination.

The Pastels - Leaving This Island

next is another 'godfather of indie' band with Orange Juice's Rip It Up - a song dating back to 1983 which clearly had an influence on all the good indie bands that walked into the path they blazed.

Orange Juice - Rip It Up

Last but not least it's a more recent band, this one coming off their 2001 album Surely Tomorrow You'll Feel Blue which is an absolute scorcher of an album. Their new album should be out in the first quarter of 2005 according to their website

The Starlets - Arcadia Square

(these links will self-destruct in 7 days!)