Released: 31 Jul 2020
Label: Subjangle
Listen and Buy Here
Chicago's Alpine Subs return with their second album after last year's self titled debut. The first had hints of 60s lo-fi jangle and this is a step forward. On the whole, the production is bigger with more 70s country rock vibes.
Their overall sound here is similar to Crosby, Stills & Nash and also the more recent band - Woods. It opens with 'The Freeze' which is quite epic and atmospheric, singing of mountain climbing. There are some superb guitar riffs and it is easily my favourite on the album.
Other highlights include 'Your Someone', a big love song which is reminiscent of The Band's 'The Weight' in places. 'Live Forever' is highly melodic and sounded vaguely like Elvis - 'Suspicious Minds'.
'Keeping You' is one of the strongest songs here, with an anthemic chorus. It ends on the beautifully delicate love song 'Remain' which has wistful and melancholic lyrics.
A strong follow up album and their new 70s rock edge really works well. Highly recommended.
Released: 26 June 2020
Label: Subjangle
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The Crystal Furs, of Portland Oregon, are a recent discovery for me. Their new album is full of C-86 style jangle pop gems.
It opens with 'Comeback Girls', which is quite anthemic. Steph Buchanan's charming, almost twee vocals suit the song well. Admittedly, this style of music does sometimes wash over me but not in this case and there was more than enough here to keep my attention.
'Pretty Mind' is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit in. Lyrically it is very honest and really expresses the frustration well. - 'Records spinning round and round and so is my rage. Since no one understands I'll write it down on a page.'
'Too Kind to be Cruel' is my favourite song here - melodic guitar pop at its catchiest. I could also imagine this getting repeated radio airplay.
Other highlights include 'Burn Us Down' which is angry with more Punk vibes. It is a bold stand against those who try to deny LGBT rights. - 'You wanna cure me, you wanna fix me. I wanna kick you to the curb.'
'Hey Maxine' is more superb jangle pop goodness. 'The Robber Barons of Lombard Street' is an epic tale about the greedy Capitalist society.
A really enjoyable listen and also covers some important issues. Highly recommended.
Released: 29 May 2020
Label: Subjangle
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Night Heron is the work of Michael Telles, a Teacher of Massachusetts. This is a wonderful compilation comprising of the best songs from his large back catalogue on Bandcamp.
His sound is beautifully subtle and ambient, with hints of Elliott Smith and The Byrds. It does have a lot of elements of Dream Pop, which is not a preferred genre of mine, but this was surprisingly enjoyable.
Opening song 'Only in the Summer' is really laid back and chilled. The layered vocal harmonies are very effective and the production is quite raw and DIY.
My favourite song here is '3 A.M. Again' which has an ethereal quality to it and just takes you to another place.
Other highlights include 'No Such Thing' which is more guitar pop and reminiscent of early Teenage Fanclub. 'I'll Get Back To Crying' has vague Americana vibes and has some lovely melodies and wistful lyrics.
'Committed' is probably the catchiest song here and the likeliest 'radio hit'. 'So Unlike Me' is another favourite here and more Folk in sound, bringing to mind Nick Drake.
A fine collection of Ambient sounding jangle, perfect for Summer. Highly recommended.
Released: 27 March 2020
Label: Subjangle
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UK songwriter - Super 8 (also known as Paul Ryan), is a superb and relatively unheard talent in the guitar pop genre. His new album is wonderfully melodic and rich in memorable hooks and harmonies.
'Dragonfly' is a great opener, with the 60s psych vibes of The Beatles and The Hollies. Lyrically it is quite playful in tone. 'Bones' is also fun with a sound reminiscent of Graceland era Paul Simon. It builds up to an impressive ending with a range of different sounds. The arrangement and orchestration of the songs is always done well and with high attention to detail.
'Love Like Ours' is the highlight of the album. A great pop song, anthemic in quality, with a superb chorus. It is a song I could imagine reaching a far wider audience and it will definitely have you singing along. 'Across The Universe' is another highlight - a very moving rendition of The Beatles classic.
'Bebopalula' is incredibly catchy and still has that cool 60s psych quality and swagger. 'In My Room' is the only other cover, and pays homage to The Beach Boys, obviously also a big influence here. It is a stunning version and a more modern take on the song. It is done in his own style, rather than being a near exact copy, which can often be the case with covers.
A hugely enjoyable album, with well-written songs throughout. Highly recommended.
Released: 3 Apr 2020
Label: Subjangle/Spinout Nuggets/Gazer Tapes
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After a series of EPs, this is the much anticipated debut album from London indie pop band - The Hannah Barberas. Admittedly, I usually find this kind of music a bit too twee but this is a really enjoyable album which goes to prove they are one of the best purveyors of this genre.
The album opens with the brilliant 'Breakout!' which is so energetic and catchy, with some superb harmonies. They have a raw DIY sound, reminiscent of C-86 indie.
'Our Girl is Gone' is an older song from a previous EP, which has fast guitars, and almost sounds a bit Punk. Again the vocal harmonies are prevalent in the chorus.
The standout song here, for me is 'What Are You Celebrating?' an angry protest song about Britain's obsession with the Monarchy. Lyrically it is superb - 'The Country's in a mess, but did you see her dress?' Lucy's almost deadpan vocals are perfect for it.
'Foreign Ways' tackles themes of immigration, and people being made to feel like they don't belong in a country they have lived and worked in for many years. It is quite sad, a reflection of the current state of the country with Brexit.
Other standout tracks include 'I Can't Go Outside' a brilliant pop song about anxiety. 'No Mystery' is another old one - a great love song with 60s vibes. 'Ted Wedding' is fun, with hints of 50s rock and roll.
This is a superb album, full of memorable melodies and quirky, clever lyrics. Highly recommended to all fans of the guitar pop genre.
Released: 6 Sept 2019
Label: Subjangle
Listen on Bandcamp
Lost Ships are a fairly new band hailing from Portsmouth UK. They are back with their second EP after last year's amazing 'Best Laid Plans', which I'd also highly recommend.
It opens with the splendid guitar riff of title track 'All of the Pieces'. Their sound is reminiscent of Bandwagonesque era Teenage Fanclub. The whole EP has heavy 90's jangle vibes.
'Drug Store' is super melodic and demonstrates some great guitar solos and thoughtful lyrics. By far, my favourite on here is 'How Can I face The World' which is so catchy and brought to mind The Dream Syndicate - 'That's What You Always Say'. It also has an energetic punk edge to it.
Piano led ballad 'Sheila believe Me', is the perfect closer and expresses feelings of loss and emptiness. It just proves this band has a lot more depth to them than many other purveyors of this genre.
On the whole this is a highly enjoyable EP and I am looking forward to hearing a full album from them at some point in the future.
Released: June 2019
Label: Subjangle
Listen on Bandcamp
Alpine Subs are a relatively new band, hailing from Chicago. This is their debut album and it has a 60's Psychedelic feel to it.
Their overall sound is strongly reminiscent of The Zombies, The Turtles and The Kinks with lo-fi production. They also remind me of more recent American indie pop bands, such as Rogue Wave, in places.
The songs are well-written and there are some really catchy melodies here. The standout track is 'Maybe Tonight', which is a great power pop song and enjoyable to listen to on repeat. Other highlights include 'More Than Love' which echoes the old jazz standard, 'Blue Moon'. 'What Else' shows they can capture the whole psychedelic sound really well.
On the whole, this is a really promising debut. I'd like to see them develop their own unique sound more in future. It will be interesting to see what they do next.
