bandcampsnoop

[bandcampsnoop]

4/19/24.

There was a time where Ben Seretan was my go to comparison for any electric guitar virtuoso. Just look - from 2018 to 2015 he gets 7 mentions and one post of his own (his fabulous S/T album). I think Seretan got replaced by Chris Forsyth in my mind.

But now Tiny Engines (North Carolina) is releasing "Allora". "New Air" is the only song currently available, but it's 8:01 of intensity that recalls the finest work of Yo La Tengo, Neil Young, Michael Beach and the aforementioned Chris Forsyth. Yes, it is that good.

Speaking of guitar virtuosos - give a listen to William Tyler & The Impossible Truth.

#Ben Seretan #Climax #New York #Tiny Engines #North Carolina #Chris Forsyth #Yo La Tengo #Neil Young #Michael Beach #William Tyler & The Impossible Truth #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/18/24.

While Volar Records (San Diego) might not be nearly as prolific as they were 5 to 10 years ago, their back catalogue is so large that there are still gems to mine.

Cat Scan were a Los Angeles, CA based band who released "In Nature" through Volar 5 years ago. I immediately thought of Foster Body. A Bandcamp user (while proclaiming that they don't like to make comparisons) mentioned both Suburban Lawns and Human Sexual Response. I would add another 1980s LA band - 100 Flowers.

While there are still regular-release copies of this available, Volar is also have test press copies up for sale.

#Cat Scan #Los Angeles #California #Volar Records #Suburban Lawns #Human Sexual Response #Foster Body #100 Flowers #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/17/24.

I've been reigning in my tendency to buy everything I love on Bandcamp. I'm simply running out of room. But I'll be a monkey's uncle if I don't soon make a purchase from York, England based label Safe Suburban Homes.

Autocamper (Manchester, England) continue the string of solid releases from the label. The Bandcamp write-up name dropped Stephen Pastel, The Wake, McCarthy and The Close Lobsters.

Listening to Autocamper made me go back and listen to Captain Starlet and The Planes.

#Autocamper #Manchester #England #Safe Suburban Homes #Stephen Pastel #The Wake #McCarthy #The Close Lobsters #Captain Starlet #The Planes #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/16/24.

Dead Oceans just announced "Into The Blue" the new full-length album from Aaron Frazer - a solo soul artist who also serves as the drummer for Durand Jones.

"Introducing" has been worn out around my house since 2021. We just can't get enough. In fact, Aaron Frazer (Brooklyn, New York) opened the door to Holy Hive and various Big Crown Records artists.

But it has also made me open to listening to a lot of older soul. For example, last December Vampisoul reissued Marie Queenie Lyons "Soul Fever" - originally on James Brown's Deluxe label.

#Aaron Frazer #Brooklyn #New York #Dead Oceans #Holy Hive #Big Crown Records #Vampisoul #Marie Queenie Lyons #James Brown #Deluxe #Durand Jones #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/15/24.

Tax day. Let's send some money to Slumberland. They're running a three-fer bundle and after today we'll have covered all three releases: lighthearted, Lunchbox, and this - the new LP from Oakland based Neutrals.

Allan McNaughton's (originally from Scotland) music (don't forget Giant Haystacks) has tended to the trebly/quick strum sound that you can hear on the lead single here - "Wish You Were Here". The sound reminds me of earlier Wedding Present. The songs also remind one of Television Personalities. A previous release on Bandcamp also mentioned Meat Whiplash - here is a link to Optic Nerve Recordings reissue of their "Don't Slip Up" 7".

#Neutrals #Oakland #California #Allan McNaughton #Slumberland Records #The Wedding Present #Television Personalities #Meat Whiplash #lighthearted #Lunchbox #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/14/24.

I've just spent the past several hours listening to Columbus, Ohio based musician Winston Hightower (Winston Hytwr) on Bandcamp. His work in the mid 2010s can easily be described as experimental and lo-fi, but something appears to have changed starting in 2023. It looks like he got a band that helped give his songs form, direction and weight.

"Winston Hytwr" looks to be his debut LP on Perennial - a label based in Olympia, Washington who have brought us Ribbon Stage, The Smashing Times and The Real Distractions.

This has a definite post-punk sound - think of Ought. But also be sure to visit Winston Hightower's Bandcamp page - give those two most recent EPs a listen.

#Winston Hightower #Columbus #Ohio #Winston Hytwr #Perennial #Olympia #Ribbon Stage #The Smashing Times #The Real Distractions #Ought #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/13/24.

"Dance Around My Head" is the 3rd LP from Sydney, Australia based 4-piece Restless Leg. The Bandcamp page itself states influences ranging from The Clean to The Go-Betweens.

Agreed. But the vocals remind me a bit of Glenn Mercer/The Feelies and the jangle recalls some of the work from The Schramms.

Perth based label Love As Fiction is set to release this in June. Since there's only one song "Sow A Little Seed", I've been listening to their back catalogue - "Dream Buffet" is a winner.

#Restless Leg #Sydney #Australia #Love As Fiction #Perth #The Clean #The Go-Betweens #Glenn Mercer #The Feelies #The Schramms #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/12/24.

We first covered Sarah Overton's Added Dimensions (Richmond, Virginia) back in late 2022. I was blown away, bought the tape and listened over and over again. That cassette release garnered Look Blue Go Purple, Grass Widow and Susan comparisons.

"Time Suck/Hellbent EP" still have those sounds, but this is much grittier.

This is a vinyl release from Domestic Departure. The Bandcamp page write up mentions, "Wire rubbing elbows with the Shop Assistants as a C86 band? A Kim Deal-fronted Urinals?" Outstanding.

#Added Dimensions #Sarah Overton #Richmond #Virginia #Domestic Departure #Look Blue Go Purple #Grass Widow #Susan #Wire #Shop Assistants #C86 #Kim Deal #Urinals #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/11/24.

New label alert. Inscrutable Records is a St. Louis, Missouri based label run by Martin Meyer (Soup Activists). Pleasant Mob (Chicago, Illinois) is one of four new releases on the label. Lead song "#3 Dream" reminds me of The Clean, and "Mob" has a Bats feel. And while the other songs do have a Flying Nun feel, the other songs on this release fit the indie pop genre, but bounce between styles throughout.

Pleasant Mob's frontman, Raidy Hodges (of Spread Joy) has a new surrounding band for this release. Mikey Young mastered this.

Inscrutable Records first four line-up is solid - Pleasant Mob, Famous Mammals, Soup Activists and Tia Rosa. Their bigcartel website also looks like the dabble in distribution too.

#Pleasant Mob #Chicago #Illinois #Spread Joy #Raidy Hodges #Inscrutable Records #Martin Meyer #Soup Activists #The Clean #Flying Nun #The Bats #Famous Mammals #Tia Rosa #Mikey Young #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/10/24.

Jamie at Audio Antihero alerted me to this new release from Oxford, England (now living in New York) based musician Max Blansjaar. "Anna Madonna" is pure pop perfection that make Ray Davies proud. I keep thinking of the music of Eugene McGuinness and The Magnetic Fields when I hear this song.

Blansjaar is only 21 years old and his command of pop also reminds me of Sondre Lerche. "False Comforts" was recorded with Katie Von Schlieicher.

The full album will come out in June via Oxford, England label Beanie Tapes.

#Max Blansjaar #Oxford #England #Beanie Tapes #New York #Katie Von Schieicher #Ray Davis #Eugene McGuinness #Sondre Lerche #The Magnetic Fields #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/9/24.

When I saw an annoucement from Spanish label Tenorio Cotobade announcing a Zebra Hunt (Seattle, Washington) LP, I assumed it was a new LP.

Nope, this must just be a new Bandcamp listing. But it did give me an opportunity to revisit this strong release that never had it's own posting. Echoes of The Feelies, The Verlaines, Woollen Kits, The Spires and Michael Beach permeate this release. Frankly, this band's output has grown on me over the years. The songs are solid and the overall jangle is impressive. Rounding this release out is a nice cover of a The Fresh & Onlys song.

You can buy this through Jigsaw Records if you want a domestic shipping fare. By the way, I was just looking in my stacks to see if I own this. The answer is no, but I do own their earlier release "In Phrases". The album next to it in my stacks is Zoogz Rift. I didn't even know I had that.

#Zebra Hunt #Seattle #Washington #Tenorio Cotobade #Spain #The Feelies #The Verlaines #The Spires #Michael Beach #Zoogz Rift #Woollen Kits #The Fresh & Onlys #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/8/24.

It's been 7 years since we posted anything from French label SDZ Records (Paris, France). In the past the label was mentioned when posting about Le Villejuif Underground.

It looks like the founder of the label was perusing music on YouTube when they ran across the music of Silicone Values (Bristol, UK). To me, the band sounds like they are from the late 1970s - a mash-up of Television Personalities, Cleaners From Venus or Swell Maps (their catchy songs). I also thought of Hygiene's great "15 Minutes City".

If you're looking to hear more, here is the Silicone Values Bandcamp page. Reading some of the information on their releases it looks like members of several older bands drop by to record now and then, including The Moles.

#Silicone Values #Bristol #UK #SDZ Records #Paris #France #Le Villejuif Underground #Television Personalities #Cleaners From Venus #Swell Maps #Hygiene #The Moles

[bandcampsnoop]

4/7/24.

Outer Battery (New York) is a label probably most known for releasing work from J Mascis' side project Heavy Blanket. Now, they're releasing the first in what is supposed to be several 7"s from The Foreign Correspondents. I'm pretty excited about this release

I'll turn it over to the release page from Outer Battery:

Sometimes the best music happens when a group of friends get together and discover that they’re mutual fans of the same artist. When that group of friends is Ted Leo on vocals and guitar, Brendan Canty from Fugazi on drums, Michael Hampton from Faith/Fake Names on guitar, and Sohrab Habibion from The Obits on bass then you know that the recording is going to be special, and when the inspiration is the early 70’s work of French-Canadian legend Michel Pagliaro then you can be certain that it’s going to be magical...Lovin’ You Ain’t Easy is the first 7” in a series of nuggets from the Foreign Correspondents, join them as they travel the world searching for lost classics!

#The Foreign Correspondents #Outer Battery #New York #J Mascis #Heavy Blanket #Ted Leo #Brendan Canty #Fugazi #Michael Hampton #Fake Names #Sohrab Habibion #The Obits #Michel Pagliaro #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/6/24.

One of my favorite songs over the past few years is "Time" from Beachwood Sparks' "Sandbox Sessions". The best songs are the ones that literally make you stop what you're doing so you can fully listen. There are several bands/songs that do this to me (way too many to name, but yesterday I realized that Weyes Blood's "The Worst Is Done" is another example), but I think Beachwood Sparks have more than their fair share.

So here we are - the first new Beachwood Sparks (Los Angeles, California) LP in 12 years. I've always simplified their sound to a cross between The Byrds and The Dream Syndicate. Throw in a little Michael Nesmith cosmic country for good measure.

"Across The River Of Stars" will be released in late June on Brent Rademaker's wonderful Curation Records.

#Beachwood Sparks #Los Angeles #California #Weyes Blood #The Byrds #The Dream Syndicate #Michael Nesmith #Curation Records #Brent Rademaker #Bandcamp

[bandcampsnoop]

4/5/24.

Mayo Thompson is one of those names that you know you know. Sure, I've heard of Mayo Thompson, and it seems like I've heard his work, but I certainly never heard "Corky's Debt To His Father".

Thompson is known for his work in The Red Krayola his work experienced a bit of a renaissance in the 1990s when several musicians in the Chicago music scene - Dan Koretzky, John McEntire, David Grubbs, George Hurley and Jim O'Rourke among many others. Drag City put out new releases from The Red Krayloa and also reissued this amazing LP from 1969.

Many people mention Bob Dylan when discussing "Corky's Debt To His Father". I find that it reminds me more of Ed Askew and Gram Parsons. Sometimes, I get a Ray Davies vibe too.

Thompson has worked with many bands over his career - Pere Ubu, The Chills and Felt are but three. But this album really does have a late 60s psych folk vibe. Thompson currently lives in California.

#Mayo Thompson #The Red Krayola #Drag City #Bob Dylan #Ed Askew #Gram Parsons #The Chills #Felt #Pere Ubu #Ray Davies

[bandcampsnoop]

4/4/24.

Capsuna are a band from Brussels, Belgium (only two of the five members are Belgian. There are two Americans and one Brit). I'm not used to indie pop from Belgium. Some of these songs have a guitar crunch reminiscent of early 90s Yo La Tengo.

But later songs have more of a jangle pop sound that I associate with the Subjangle label. Sometimes this sounds like Shopfires, Sorry Monks or The Happy Somethings (one of my all-time favorite Subjangle releases).

This cassette is self-released. The band promise a bonus for any international orders due to high shipping costs.

#Capsuna #Brussels #Belgium #Yo La Tengo #Shopfires #Sorry Monks #The Happy Somethings

[bandcampsnoop]

4/3/24.

Someone of Matthew Edwards musical pedigree was bound to come across my radar at some point - I just thought it would have been long before now.

Edwards is English, but currently lives in San Francisco. But I don't think he's part of the current SF/Oakland scene. His music is a bit more produced and literate. It's satisfying my need for music like that of Maxwell Farrington/Le SuperHomard, The Divine Comedy, David Bowie, and David E. Williams.

The Futurists are Edwards' San Francisco based band. He did record a "recent" LP in his hometown of Birmingham, England with a group he called The Unfortunates. He also was in The Music Lovers who put out music on Le Grand Magistery (known to me because of Momus and Louis Philippe). He has collaborated with Fred Frith, and members from Ladybug Transistor and The Essex Green.

This two-song 7" appears to be self-released.

#Matthew Edwards & The Futurists #The Unfortunates #England #Birmingham #San Francisco #Maxwell Farrington #Le SuperHomard #The Divine Comedy #David E. Williams #The Music Lovers #Le Grand Magistery #Momus #Louis Philippe #Fred Frith #Ladybug Transistor #The Essex Green #Bandcamp