Slumberland

was very tempted by Weekend stuff but...

Yeah, they opened for Medicine and sounded pretty good! It was a good price and "Jinx" wasn't as intriguing so I was happy to pick up "Sports".

Otherwise I was very excited by the sale since it's great they still so many old titles in stock for so cheap regardless of the sale. Awhile ago I got Ropers - All The Time direct from them for instance.

I wasn't too familiar with the newer titles but thought Veronica Falls sounded pretty good. I needed more time to research those so I held off.

However I should have picked up that Softies EP too...

last year's Veronica Falls album was AMAZING. top 5 of the year for me. but i love love love indie-pop...

i probably would've spent more time looking into some older stuff but worried i was gonna lose the sale prices.

wish i'd made an order with Relapse Records during their half-off sale on Halloween...oh well.

Yeah I love both Veronica Falls albums. I already have those, but I did pick up the Proper Ornaments LP, side project from the male VF singer/guitarist. It didn't do much for me when it first came out but it's been growing on me a lot the last couple of weeks. He also has a great other side project, Ultimate Painting, with a new album not on Slumberland, check it out). Also got:

Aislers Set - Terrible Things Happen (not sure why I don't have this already; I loved the other two albums back then)
Girls Names - both LPs (really like the first one, LOVE the second one -- it's like an indie pop Seventeen Seconds)
Crystal Stilts - In Love With Oblivion
Frankie Rose - both LPs
Parasites - Something to Hold Onto single

Kinda regret not getting either of the Weekend LPs.

the proper ornaments is probably my favourite Slumberland thing they've done for a while. the tony molina is awesome but it's a reissue and also should have twice as many songs on it

the literature album is nice enough but it's like they have shaved off all their interesting edges to "slumberlandize" their sound which is disappointing.

did not know that about the ultimate painting album, interesting! trouble in mind (who put it out) is an excellent label

thanks for the heads up! I snagged the Lichtenstein album, the second Crystal Stilts, and some 45s... very good prices!

xpost, was gonna say, if Trouble In Mind were to have a similar sale, i'll be handing over my next paycheck. another one of the best labels going...

ilxors be raving over that ultimate painting album:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/23/ultimate-painting-ultimate-painting-review

Just listened to that Veronica Falls album from last year in its entirety... now I'm really bummed I didn't pick that up! It's great! Thanks alpine.

Teenage is one of my favorite songs of the past few years, and the rest isn't far behind. "Driving late at night, I let you listen to the music you like. Then I'll drop you home." <3<3

I listened to that Ultimate Painting album three or four times and found it pleasant, but I wasn't wowed. Certainly not in the same league as the past couple VF and Mazes albums. I will revisit, though.

I'm excited to dive into that "just a Taste" comp once it delivers.

http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/catalog/show/3?page=8&ret=catalog

wow, yeah, that looks like a treasure trove of twee

That's the soundtrack to my first year of university

Ultimate Painting US tour. DC gig 3-15 with the Twerps (Aussie band on Merge I think?) and Baltimore's Expert Alterations

That Twerps record seems like a great way to welcome spring.

A friend also praised that, so I need to go hear it. He likes it better than Ultimate P.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?ref=music

NY Times listening thing for another Slumberland band:

It’s hard to get a bead on Evans the Death after just one song. The young British rock group veers from folksy strumming to harmony-driven pop to screaming punk rock. They are, however, Londoners through and through.

Whatever that last sentence means

It means "Either way, it ultimately just sounds like Coldplay."

It doesn't though. It skews a lot earlier, to Britpop, Madchester, hints of No Depression even. First song is called "Intrinsic Grey," second one "Terrified," and so on, and the whole thing is unmistakably poverty stricken in a way I haven't encountered in a while. And because Slumberland often releases albums in nifty pairs, the new one by Young Guv, which is Ben Cook from Fucked Up doing an Exploding Hearts type thing, is good too.

ugh is nowhere safe from twerps discussion

Evans The Death are decent. The singer has an amazing voice. I keep hearing the new album is a step up, will need to check that out soonly.

ugh is nowhere safe from twerps discussion

― don't ask me why i posted this (electricsound), Friday, March 6, 2015 6:03 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

What's the issue here? Looks like two singular comments about them to me.

any mention of that awful, awful group is enough for me

haha I'm not seeing what could be so hatable about them.

Wait a minute I saw you saying positive things about them on multiple threads what did they do to you recently?

ha since then they put out an ok album, a really really bad ep and a not very good album all complete with lazier and lazier lyrics

I have nothing against Twerps but they do make me wish I was listening to The Stevens. Since we're already off topic can I ask if anyone's heard "A History of Hygiene"? Might be premature to call it a classic but that's really the only word, like "Daddy's Highway" crossed with "Bee Thousand."

Facebook:
The Stevens shared a link to Twerps's timeline.
January 13, 2014 · Melbourne, Australia ·

like "Daddy's Highway" crossed with "Bee Thousand."

...excuse me this sounds amazing.

haha. stevens are great when they're good, though 'hygiene' could probably lose 3-4 songs..

Liked the EP more than the album, but yeah The Stevens are pretty great

Three new Slumberland releases since this thread lapsed:

Joanna Gruesome - Peanut Butter
Expert Alterations - EP
Linden - Rest & Be Thankful

I've heard and enjoyed them all. Anyone else keeping up?

Trying to keep up. They're having another big sale, ends today. Most LPs under $10 and CDs under $5.

I urge everyone to add Young Guv's "Kelly I'm Not a Creep" to their year-end playlists. And something by Evans the Death. Title track probably.

Only a few full-lengths from Slumberland this year but the Pete Astor one is really good. He could pass for either half of the Go-Betweens.

Love this tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG9u13Oxc0U

Also they're putting out the new Real Numbers album! http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/catalog/show/307

Never dreamed I'd see a Minneapolis band in their catalog (unless I'm forgetting one?) but this is a perfect fit.

Was reading about the upcoming 30th anniversary Chickfactor zine shows in London and NY and saw a reference to a band called the Jeanines who are gonna be at the NY show. Seeing some folks rave about their guitar pop. It's ok on first listen.

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/chickfactor-throwing-30th-anniversary-concerts-in-nyc-london/

NYC gets two shows: October 6 aboard The Frying Pan with The Aluminum Group, Jim Ruiz Set, and Beatrix Madell, DJs Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields) and Gaylord Fields, plus "vegan options in the restaurant, nautical photo ops and portraits and other fun stuff!" (tickets TBA); and October 8 at Union Pool with San Francisco bands Seablite and Artsick (mems Boyracer, Kids on a Crime Spree, Lunchbox), Jeanines and special guests TBA (tickets).

The London shows are at The Lexington on October 28 & 29 with Sacred Paws, Artsick and Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture) on night 1 and The Umbrellas, Birdie (Dolly Mixture, Saint Etienne) and Seablite on night 2. There's also a Hangover Lounge at the Betsey Trotwood on 10/30 with The Catenary Wires and more TBA.

https://www.chickfactor.com/

Posted here as Slumberland and Chickfactor share common interests

Kind of a brief Hangover Lounge on the Sunday I expect but it should be nice.

I attended a Chickfactor DC area anniversary gig once, but never NY or London.

Have mostly lost touch with this scene but am curious to check back in.

They co-hosted a funny little halloween outdoor showcase last night in SF:

Cheap Tissue (from LA) as CRIME... who absolutely killed it

and then!

The Umbrellas as My Bootleg Valentine. No Loveless songs, just pure jangle noise pop from the 80s. Amazingly recreated. There were about 50 people there, some real olds (older than me!) and then a ton of youth which was great to see.

The Umbrellas just released a new record and single (not-MBV related) so I grabbed a copy.

That sounds like it was fun. Old guy me remembers Slumberland label head from when he lived near me in Washington DC area

sounds great, would love to see a Crime tribute band, pre-shoegaze MBV sounds fun too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dywxtxVBnM

even not knowing what they looked like i knew that was going to be the umbrellas. their latest album is "how many 80s twee pop references can we stuff into every song". i can't hate on it tbh, it's a level of music nerdery i can respect

Umbrellas, Linda Smith playing near me close to Washington DC on June 12 @ Quarry House

Swansea Sound who contain members of Heavenly are doing some us gigs in June too

I need to catch up with Slumberland, I haven't paid attention for several years now

ha just read the thread to see electricsound slagging off the Twerps, I actually really liked that 2015 album lol

I saw Swansea Sound a few months ago, great gig. although not as good as seeing Heavenly last year (never saw them in the 90s because I only got into them just after they broke up after Mathew died)