Davey Woodward and the Winter Orphans - Love and Optimism

Released: 27 Oct 2020
Label: A Turntable Friend
Listen and Buy Here

Davey Woodward, from Bristol UK, is a new discovery for me. He was originally in 80s jangle band The Brilliant Corners. His new album is a superb listen and less jangly, instead with hints of 90s indie rock. 

'Bad Day' opens the album and had vibes of Pavement and R.E.M. It is quite hard-hitting about lifes struggles - loneliness and money worries. The lyrics are vividly detailed and it really puts you in the place of the narrator.

'Hard' is a heartbreaking ballad about a failing relationship. The lyrics are quite bleak - 'My face is lined, from this endless road. The black rainbows where nothing flows.'

My favourite here is the gloriously melodic 'Northern Slopes'. It is a lot more simple than the majority of the songs here, and instantly memorable. It is good to have something a bit more light-hearted as many of the songs here are quite dark.

Other highlights include 'Occupy this Space' which is an honest and heartfelt love song. Again, it is wonderfully melodic and the hints of brass are so effective too. 'The Mall' has superb storytelling, reminiscent of Dylan, and is a sad song about coming to terms with loss - 'So how come I'm the one thats still alive, when you're the one who was supposed to survive?' It ends on 'Clara's Ghost' which has more folk vibes and hints of Velvet Underground. 

An essential listen, with heartfelt songs and vivid storytelling. Highly recommended.

Regional Creeps - No One Cares

Released: 27 Nov 2020
Label: Regional Records
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Regional Creeps, from South Yorkshire UK, release their second album and its full of catchy indie pop gems.

It opens with 'Hard to Choose' which is energetic and extremely anthemic. Their sound is very much C86 indie/jangle inspired. It also bought to mind recent bands like Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Spinning Coin.

'Andy's Gone' is moody sounding with twangy guitars. It creates an eerie sound and is very cool. I could imagine it being played at student indie discos e.t.c.

My favourite here is 'Do It For Yourself', which is full of great melody and hooks. It is laid back with shimmering guitars and would make perfect listening for hazy Summer days.

Other highlights include 'No Offence', which is very upbeat and full of energy. 'Maybe I Will' has some great harmonies. The sound is distorted but never overly so, which is often the case with this type of music.

'Dizzy' closes the album in style. This one was quite hypnotic and sounds a little bit shoegaze too. 

A superb album full of wonderful indie pop anthems. Definitely a band to watch out for. Highly recommended.

Trevor Beld Jimenez - I Like It Here

Released: 13 Nov 2020
Label: Curation Records
Listen and Buy Here

Trevor Beld Jimenez, from L.A, releases his debut solo album and it is a superb listen. He has played drums and co-written songs for Gospelbeach who are a favourite of mine.

The sound naturally bought to mind the laid-back Americana of Gospelbeach (Brent Rademaker provides bass and vocals on the record). Also there are of course hints of Tom Petty and Crosby Stills & Nash too.

'Moment' is a strong opener, anthemic and Summery with an instantly memorable chorus. 'Get Ready To Fly' is more upbeat, feel good guitar pop.

Other highlights here include 'Saved Me' which is a beautiful and highly emotional love song with 60s West Coast harmonies. 'Comeback Kid' demonstrates wonderful storytelling, with Bob Dylan vibes. 

'TRS (True Love)' is the standout on the album, for me. A brilliant Country Pop anthem with a chorus which really soars. 

'Saying Goodbye To A Friend' is a heartfelt tribute to Neal Casal, his friend and band mate who sadly passed away in 2019. It is beautifully melodic with heartbreaking lyrics. - 'The World just couldn't keep you. You tried to defend. Now I'm saying goodbye to a friend'. 

It ends on 'Your Love Surrounds Me' another superb and moving ballad.

A very enjoyable listen and will bring a bit of Summer to these cold Winter days. Highly recommended.

Colours Through The Air Christmas Playlist

Its that time of year again so for a bit of fun, I have put together a Spotify Playlist of my favourite underappreciated Christmas songs. These are not the ones you will hear played on the radio e.t.c. all the time. There is a mix of recent and some older ones.

The opening song could only be Hangabouts - Colors of Christmas from last year. It just brings lovely Xmas cheer, the melody and lyrics work so well.

Some of my other favourites are The Pale Fountains - Benoit's Christmas, and Attic Lights - Why Should Christmas Be So Hard?

I hope you all enjoy. Merry Christmas to all, thanks to everyone who has supported me with this music blog.

You can listen to the Spotify playlist, including more songs here

Teenage Waitress - Love and Chemicals

Released: 13 Nov 2020
Label: Colorama Records
Buy Here

Teenage Waitress is the work of Southampton based Singer-Songwriter - Daniel J Ash. This is his debut and it is full of catchy, melodic indie pop gems. Daniel was previously in the band - The Lost Boys and their song 'Addicted' is well worth checking out too. 

Highlights of the album include 'The Mess You Made Me Make' which is wonderfully anthemic and upbeat. There are hints of 80s electronic, but not overwhelmingly so and it still sounds modern. The hooks recall all the finest Power Pop of the 70s. 

'I'm Leaving Berlin' is superbly catchy with an infectious chorus you can sing along to. There is also a hint of melancholy in the lyrics. 

My favourite here is 'You Ain't Got It Bad' which is instantly memorable and highly melodic indie pop. I could imagine this being a huge hit at the Festivals in the Summer. 'First Draft Love Song' has more chilled, ambient vibes and reminisces about a past love. The layered vocal harmonies in the production really add to the emotion.

'Maniac' is upbeat and poppy but quite dark in theme, singing of a disastrous date. 'You'll Lose My Love' is another favourite here, a simple love song with early Beatles vibes. Epic ballad - 'Sweetie' brings the album to an impressive close.

A hugely enjoyable listen, full of memorable, anthemic pop goodness. Highly recommended.

Allyson Seconds - Bag of Kittens

Released: 14 Nov 2020
Label: Big Stir
Listen and Buy Here

Allyson Seconds is a new discovery for me. This is a reissue of her debut album from 2009. I don't normally review too many reissues but this didn't get the attention it deserved, first time round.

It was written and produced by Anton Barbeau, one of Psych/Power Pop's best 'lost' songwriters. He has had a busy year, having already released two albums, including the epic double album Manbird.

'I Used To Say Your Name' is one of my favourite songs here. A very moving ballad. Allyson's subtle vocals suit the music perfectly and it has a lot of warmth.  'Boat Called Home' has country vibes and reminded me of some of Paul McCartney's solo music. 

Other highlights here include 'If I Could Bring You Trouble' which is a lovely duet with Anton. It is highly melodic and memorable with 60s vibes and a hint of Psych. 'Dig My Pig' has a lot of Byrdsian charm and the high vocals really add to the emotion. 

Title track 'Bag of Kittens' is wonderfully quirky. It has a childlike sense of fun. Also on the release are four unreleased bonus tracks. The best of these is 'Octagon' which is uplifting, summery guitar pop at its finest.

A really enjoyable listen, full of well-written melodic songs which will stay with you. Highly recommended.

The Pierce Kingans - Pierce and Love to All The World

Released: 13 Nov 2020
Label: Subjangle
Listen and Buy Here

The Pierce Kingans, from Vancouver, have been one of my favourite new discoveries of this year (found through the brilliant Janglepophub music blog). This is a new compilation featuring the sublime Rona Sessions EP of this year, and a selection of songs from their previous EPs. 

Pierce Kingan has played in other Canadian bands - The Prettys and Psych band The Orange Kyte. His solo material is wonderfully lo-fi, with glorious melodies and unique lyrics.

It opens with 'How Could I Forget' which is a gorgeous and simple love song. Only having one line, its power is in the melody, and it is very moving. The sound is reminiscent of The Everly Brothers and The Beatles.

'So Close' is a beautiful, stripped back ballad. The fragility and intense emotion in the vocals, is remarkable. 'Only Wanted To Be' is another standout here and the layered vocal harmonies are superb. 

Some of the songs here do have a slightly heavier sound too, although still filled with melody. 'It's Bleed Too Long' is upbeat and anthemic, recalling Pixies and early Radiohead. 'Spontaneous Human Busting' reminded me of the most thrash punk side of Nirvana. 'Pray' is eerie, hypnotic and brilliantly weird. 

'Opportunity Opus' is more charming Beatles-inspired guitar pop. Despite having old influences, the music still feels modern and relevant. It stands out against many other artists in the genre.

A wonderful variety of songs, with melodies which will stay with you from first listen. A superbly talented artist, well worth investigating.