Holiday Ghosts Share Favourite Freak Single

As a fan of good old fashioned indiepop, I will admit that every time I get a new single from Holiday Ghosts, I get a a little overexcited. Listening here, you can hear exactly why as they’re executing the tried-and-true pop sound; the guitars jangle in the right spots, though with this circular rotation that matches up with the thumping drums. But, you couldn’t have a great pop song if the melodies and vocal harmonies didn’t intertwine as they do in this single below here; it sort of just gets stuck inside your head and begs you to, begging for you to throw down a few dollars and pick up the band’s new album Absolute Reality, out on April 21st via FatCat Records.

Heavenly Announce Le Jardin de Heavenly Reissue

If ever there was a band that deserved the full reissue treatment, it’s Heavenly. Luckily, the band have opted to handle these reissues on their own Skep Wax label, with indiepop classic Le Jardin de Heavenly the next up on the list of releases. This record is the one most adored, and admittedly, it does have my absolute favorite song from the band “So Little Deserve” in the tracklist (I’m still partial to Heavenly vs Satan though!). The original LP was co-released by K Records and Sarah Records, so you can clearly hear the impact of early DIY pop in these songs. This is one that can’t be missed, so be sure to order your copy from Skep Wax; it should arrive to you around May 12th!

 

Dropkick Announce The Wireless Revolution

So glad to have a new Dropkick tune to warm us up a little bit today. The group, led by Andrew Taylor (also of Boys with Perpetual…) are masters of crisp pop songwriting, hanging out somewhere in the realm between jangle rock and power pop. Just like his other project, there’s nothing that blankets you in joy like the sound of Taylor’s voice; it’s got that fireside familiarity, allowing you to revel in the crisp riffs that ring out. Good old guitar pop doesn’t get any better than what this lot push out there; their new album the Wireless Revolution will be out this April.

Roller Derby Share Always On My Mind Video

If you recall last year’s SXSW recap, you might remember me harping on the work of Roller Derby. The young German outfit are in the midst of finishing up their debut LP, and with that, they’re teasing us with this incredible single. This tune is precisely why I love the act; they bring in this knack for huge choruses and boast powerful vocal work from Philine. Plus, you won’t ever hear me arguing with the jangling guitar work throughout; it’s the sort that gets you jumping about joyously, like the folks you’ll see in this video! Still, it would be easy for the band to circle back through verse/chorus/verse/chorus, but they don’t!. There’s this beautiful breakdown just after the two minute mark before the group dance right back into the hooks! Can’t wait to hear this band’s LP!

The Hepburns Drop Who Cares

2023 is underway, and we’re already back on our indiepop kick, with this fresh new tune from Welsh outfit, the Hepburns. Jumping off immediately with this jangle adjacent springy bounce, the song moves quickly into delivering melody via the vocals from Matt Jones; I love the way he tends to drag out the last syllable with an extra blanket of cool. Plus, we get Estella Rosa of Nah (among other projects) doing some backing vocal work here, only thickening that sweet pot of pop. The tune hits out on trying to find a little meaning in the songwriting when everyone’s fighting for the crumbs on the indie rock table. Enjoy.

Fine Release Love Death Dreams and the Sleep Between

Did you know there was a Boston in the UK? I reckon that makes sense since we stole most of the colonial establishments. But, it also happens to be the home of pop songwriting duo Fine, who’ve just dropped another 19 tracks of brilliant tunes, courtesy of the super fine folks over at Subjangle. There’s not a single track over 4 minutes so its easily consumed, so don’t be afraid of the daunting number of tunes; I kept going back to “Sleep,” as it has that gentle jangle and a rolling beat that kind of pushes the song’s pace a bit. It’s hard to really pigeonhole their sound, but I like to think of it as aged Death Cab/Belle and Sebastian fans opening up their Sarah Records collection for inspiration. Anyways, stream it below!

The Slow Summits Share Budge

Too Good to Be True Records has some solid singles ready to go throughout next year, and our first peak is with the beloved Swedish outfit, the Slow Summits. They offer up a classic indiepop sound, albeit one with their own bits of nuance and flare. You’ve got deep vocal tones, similar to those releases by Cats on Fire that charmed your pants off. Sure, there’s some jangling here, but it’s calmed, not rushing, letting little bits of horns and backing vocals creep in from the background to add the perfect bit of texture to this tune. They always craft these tunes that fit any time of day or year, so right now seems the perfect time for this new single!

The Photocopies Prep Wrong Century Compilation

Deep in the heart of Michigan lives a great well of indiepop sounds going by the name of the Photocopies; the project has been pretty busy with lots of little singles here and there throughout the last few years, and now those songs are all being strung together to make up the Wrong Century compilation. Just press play below and you’ll immediately get swept away in the galloping pop sounds; there’s little fuzzy riffs and a bouncing bit of percussion to push you forward. From there, the vocals come in coolly, melodic and a little bit shy, which makes them all the more endearing. If you’re into it, you get 8 bonus tracks by grabbing a CD version from Discos de Kirlian.

Cozy Slippers Share Haunting Her Single

Think you need a pick-me-up, then I’ve got the right track to set you straight. This new Cozy Slippers single is just the perfect pop dream, and honestly, I didn’t expect such a magical tune to fall right into my lap. The crisp jangles of course fit perfect into my listening rotation, but I love the ending little solo with its classic rock flare. That said, if you’re not swooning from the vocal performance then you might want to get your speakers checked; the perfect notes getting hit remind of Neko on those early New Pornographers LPs, albeit one spun with a bit of indiepop in mind. The band release their self-titled LP via Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten/Subjangle on October 14th.

Strawberry Generation Share Miss Me

Strawberry Generation‘s latest single is a track that definitely has this nice wash of indiepop, spun with a bit of wistful daydreaming. That comes through in the lyrics and song title, but you can feel it in the song too. Jangling guitars are present, but they seem pleasantly dulled, like they don’t want to wake the ghosts of the past, allowing for the rest of the track to kind of operate like this warm cloak that hides the dreaminess in favor of this pop obviousness. It’s charming and warm, and makes me think of stepping into the warmth of your house on a crisp Winter day. Not sure on release plans, but let’s hope the duo have more up their sleeve.

1 2 3 42