99% of indie pop is good- you just havent heard most of it yet

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The recent indiepop love over at Pitchfork (1st a glowing review of the Boyracer album and now the Aisler's Set - what happened to the days when Brent D took every available opportunity to bash Wolfie?) made me want to start a new thread, but then I decided that I'd attempt to revive an old one instead?

Are there any other recent indiepop albums to get excited about? I love both the Aisler's Set and Boyracer records (the Boyracer would have made my year end list if it wasn't for the fact that I was convinced at the time that a record with that many covers on it couldn't be great - I was in denial). That said, I have no clue what else, if anything (as suggested in the 'racer review) is worth seeking out.

Also, since the indiest of indies has said it's OK to like indiepop, I think it's time for everyone to step up and profess their love.

Those who do not respond hate fun.

Miranda, Friday, 21 February 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

Methinks there are some questions in that post that aren't questions and some statements that are. Oh well.

Miranda, Friday, 21 February 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

I meant everything I said in that review about indiepop as a concept having gone sort of unfortunately up its own ass, though I know there are others here -- Mr. Grayson Lane, Marianna Maclean -- who are still paying close attention and finding things they like. Boyracer are still banging around a different era and concept of how this stuff works, a model that maybe has more to do with early Wedding Present than the ultra-slick ultra-rudimentary Spanish pop we're getting now. That Moshi Moshi comp had some wonderful things on it but the end message I took was "you no longer need to pay much attention to this stuff."

It's mostly standouts and things around the fringes that get me now, non-indiepop bands in the indiepop world: the Chicago expatriate axis, which I keep trying to track down (Toulouse, I think, are particularly fantastic), some of the indie-synth-pop stuff (My Favorite, Figurine, etc.).

I loved Wolfie like I love my own mother.

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

hey, I've ALWAYS been an avowed indiepop fan, regardless of whether it's currently trendy or not. Right, Marianna? ;)

mike a (mike a), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

Juniper Moon - El Resto De Mi Vida
Sinking Ships - Out of Key Harmony

jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

Ha, actually I think Marianna influenced that review quite strongly, having been the first devoted indiepop fan I've encountered who was willing to agree to the obvious: that indiepop kids are tight-knit and self-congratulatory and not very critical. This is a great thing compared to crossed-arm hipster sneering but not always good for the music.

(Re: Pitchfork -- I've been thinking over there that when indie rock enters a strongly "rock" phase, as it is now with post-punk grottiness, indiepop becomes more important. This is one reason I was very happy to big up Boyracer, who in my opinion have just made one of their first full recordings that people outside of the genre can prima facia love. Also the Marine Girls cover is ridiculously good.)

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

casiotone for the painfully alone!!!!

THEY CARRY IT AT FORCED EXPOSURE!!!!

(also: rocketship, rocketship, rocketship)

gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh and I like the one Black Tambourine song I downloaded, but they are from ages ago I think.

jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

(A Certain Smile... is surely one of the genre's top ten. Is Dustin still doing anything, though? The Garden of Delights thing was a bit of a throw-away, and while I don't really check Indiepop Network News each morning I haven't heard about anything in progress.)

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yeah, yeah. All the people I know love indiepop are posting, but I want to see some love from those who haven't yet professed it. And does anybody else think that most bands within "the scene" kind of lost the thread. I lost interest when all of the Belle and Sebastian worship started (much as I love B&S). Seemed like a lot of the heart went out of it because everyone decided they needed to sound fey and pretty, but maybe I'm just not paying attention. I want to start paying attention again.

I'm playing Wolfie now. Makes me want to jump up and down on my bed. (damn you, low celings!)

Finally, I'm going to check out the jel recommendations. The Poison love baffles me and intrigues me and makes me want to hear everything else suggested.

Too many people posted before my finally. The world needs another Rocketship record!

Miranda, Friday, 21 February 2003 22:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Figurine and Freezepop, I like them.

jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Indiepop is either great or awful with me. Love Poundsign, hate Masters of the Hemisphere; Love the Softies, hate Trembling Blue Stars; love Red Sleeping Beauty (favorite indiepop group ever), hate Orange Cake Mix.

Aaron A., Friday, 21 February 2003 22:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

and finally, from last year I liked "spring came, rain fell" by Club 8.

ESOJ, have you heard of Sarah Sarah? Are they any good?

jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, Miranda, I think some of the organization of the scene creates this big fence between the people on the inside ("kittens!") and the people on the outside ("kittens??"), when there's really no division at all: most people who didn't already have some preconceived idea of what "indiepop" was all about would listen to Boyracer or the Aislers set and just hear particularly hook-oriented rock records. Which side of the fence you get put on seems to have more to do with your approach to the industry and the company you keep than anything about the music itself (cf, umm, indie).

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 22:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

Possibly obtuse questions: So do you think anyone is going to email Stewart and pick up the Boyracer record based on your review? Does the fact that you pretty much have to email Stewart or go to one of the mailorders that specializes in the stuff to get the record make the scene mostly impenetrable?

Also, I like the idea of "kittens!" but I don't like kittens in reality. Does this have anything to do with my relationship with indiepop?

Miranda (Miranda), Friday, 21 February 2003 23:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

The mail-order thing and dearth of store-stocking is definitely an issue for the scene: accessing it requires conversion to this whole new model of relating to the artists. This is part of what I meant in the review about its being a great experiment in "indie" models of artist/listener relationships -- just as young top 40 fans have to discover all these new routes to being involved in indie music, even today's indie fans would need to dig in and shift gears to get to this stuff. (And just like regular old indie when a lot of that stuff had to be mail ordered, the division winds up affecting the content and the nature of the music itself.)

That's not really an answer, I guess. I was trying to write to people who don't care about indiepop, in order to offer them some interesting new things to look into. A lot of people read Pitchfork, so I imagine a few of them will figure out how to order it. Plenty of them will find at least one copy in their local stores; maybe enough others will ask about it to get more store buyers to try and order copies. But yeah, a lot of them will just go through the next few years thinking "Boyracer ... I think I read a positive review once, but I've never seen their records anywhere."

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 23:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

(This will all change when I start my worldwide chain of electro / twee / OuLiPo literature / sneakers / Ethiopian food outlets and boutiques.)

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 23:32 (twenty-one years ago) link


555 records are easily obtainable. sure, i can't buy one at a 7-11 or wal-mart, but...

spam to thread!

http://www.pataphysics-lab.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?item_id=512&action=showitem

m.

msp, Saturday, 22 February 2003 00:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

555 records are easily obtainable...so buy them all (even that Cex ep).

Miranda (Miranda), Saturday, 22 February 2003 00:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

The 555 compilations are superb (excepting maybe that one w/ all the remixes, and even that's pretty damn good), and paints as open-minded a picture of what indiepop is & could be as those oh-so-seminal collections from Sarah Records did back in zee day. I'm supergeeked about the newest comp, because it contains FIFTY FIVE songs (not counting the bonus disc w/ about 20 extra tracks).

David R. (popshots75`), Saturday, 22 February 2003 00:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

(nabiso: w/r/t rocketship: they were reuniting every year for the annual popfest festival that happens in SF but i haven't gone in a few years.)

gygax!, Saturday, 22 February 2003 01:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

drive-in claims they will be releasing several projects by rocketship this year. there is also a rocketship/trace split cd that omnibus records claims to be releasing soon.

the boyracer album is just wonderful, something about the speed at which stewart strums his guitar is thrilling to no end. and the aislers set album is just incredible, amy linton is the smartest pop chick(oh no i said pop) on the block.

keith (keithmcl), Saturday, 22 February 2003 02:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

"I have heard some positive things about Florian and a few other Swedish bands"

Well i like FLorian a lot have done it for a few years now...

Jens (brighter), Saturday, 22 February 2003 10:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

(Special note to all those who saw the "comment on this band biography" thread where I said that indiepop is inextricably linked with the word "brighter": show all details on last post!)

nabisco (nabisco), Saturday, 22 February 2003 20:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

I am currently satiating my indiepop needs with Birdie and the Go-Betweens new ones (and My Favorite "Burning Hearts")

The number one band in the indiepop list poll this year was the Funday Mornings, so me and a few others i know scrabled around to find their records. As Pete H. says on twee.net it's straightforward Fat Tulips esqe fun pop, and it's OK, but it's not mind boggling good. So I'm still waiting for a best new band to come along. And I've been signing on to the tape-swaps just waiting for them to jump out at me.


marianna, Saturday, 22 February 2003 20:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

Also Nitsuh, as your boyracer review was posted to the i-pop list, the ilxor.com board was mentioned, so maybe that'll get some good indiepop love flowing.

Marianna, Saturday, 22 February 2003 20:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

erm...no (this to the orig q).

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 22 February 2003 21:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

Julio, unless you want throngs of angry indiepopers besmirching your freejazz threads w/ claims of "OH GOD THIS SUCKS FUCKING ASS", I recommend not poking a sleeping bear, no matter how cute & cuddly it seems.

David R. (popshots75`), Saturday, 22 February 2003 21:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

jel, how did you hear about Sarah Sarah? um, i haven't heard them yet and i can't say i'm all that keen to..

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 23 February 2003 04:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

(and My Favorite "Burning Hearts")

*drools* what an amazing song that is

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 23 February 2003 04:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

julio is right, because no matter what sort of music it is, it is impossible that 99% of it could be good -- it dont matter if its free jazz, indie pop or whatever.

jack cole (jackcole), Sunday, 23 February 2003 04:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

I just started listening to Blueboy, and am so very very happy for it.

derrick (derrick), Sunday, 23 February 2003 07:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

jim, they were in an online catalog, and I just saw that they were from Melbourne. And they have songs called Dawsons Creek and Together Forever (which I'm supposing is a cover of the Kylie and Jason song).

jel -- (jel), Sunday, 23 February 2003 10:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

''Julio, unless you want throngs of angry indiepopers besmirching your freejazz threads w/ claims of "OH GOD THIS SUCKS FUCKING ASS", I recommend not poking a sleeping bear, no matter how cute & cuddly it seems.''

I do not care if braindead indiepop fans do that david (free jazz threads only ever get 5-20 replies anyway). I have heard indiepop and most of it has nothing going for it.

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

I do think that indiepop kids are very uncritical and everybody goes around saying everything is good. I don't want to waste my time or money on anything that's less than good, so I want to know what's GREAT.

Doesn't that approach kind of miss the point? I should really stay out of this.

-fh

fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

"The number one band in the indiepop list poll this year was the Funday Mornings" >

I arranged their first live show, they are really nice 15 year olds
you can get their 7" from www.benno.com or maybe www.normanrecords.com
or maybe www.roughtrade.com

You´ll like it if you like the likes of Fat tulips, Talulah gosh, Twa toots...

Jens (brighter), Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

jel, my understanding of S/S is that they have stupid lyrics and want to be The Salteens. but as i said i haven't heard them and could be wrong.

(Plus i know one of their members so I'm loath to do my usual sight-unseen slagging)

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 23 February 2003 22:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...
Camera Obscura's "Underachievers Please Try Harder" stands up well to repeated listens.

I am curious about the Baskervilles.

It has been a quiet start of 2004 for indiepop.

marianna, Wednesday, 24 March 2004 14:45 (twenty years ago) link

Mascott's "Dreamer's Book" is pretty great.

LondonLee (LondonLee), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 15:14 (twenty years ago) link

i know it was march 2003, but Saturday Looks Good to Me "All Your Summer Songs" I think maybe was one of my favorite albums of the year.

The Architecture in Helsinki album is coming out in Europe and USA in April. It's really nice.

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 18:51 (twenty years ago) link

I got the shins album, but that's like major label indie pop. Most of the indie pop I like is Spanish as I'm free from trite lyrics and tweeness this way, unless I learn Spanish, which is unlikey.

jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 18:55 (twenty years ago) link

after the belle&sebastian show in new york, these kids were handing out boxes and boxes of free baskervilles CDs but i think i left mine on the train, on purpose. are they supposed to be good?

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 18:56 (twenty years ago) link

i'm seeing this band tonight called Architecture in Helsinki that's supposed to be "good"... ???

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 18:57 (twenty years ago) link

The Melbourne crew has talked about them a few times, as that is where they are from. They might well be 'good.'

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 18:59 (twenty years ago) link

"have" fun... ???

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 19:13 (twenty years ago) link

It's really disturbing to read comments you've forgotten you made.

Dare, Wednesday, 24 March 2004 19:16 (twenty years ago) link

the baskervilles are great, kinda like a band that should have been in athens in 1983. they also remind me of the able tasmans though they don't sound anything like them, just that the piano is really prominent and the lyrics are smart little stories. they don't sound anything like belle and sebastian though everyone says they do, it's more like college rock/pop from the 80s.


the magic whispers cd is great, kinda like a modern update of hunky dory but with two girls singing. the pipas ep is fantastic. new brunettes album is out soon.

keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 25 March 2004 01:25 (twenty years ago) link

I like Fosca a great deal. Scarlet's Well is coming off pretty well, though I've always viewed Bid as slighly inconsistent.

And Orlando is hot, even though they are only a pretend indie band.

Luke Broster, Thursday, 25 March 2004 06:24 (twenty years ago) link

new scarlet's well in a month or so. new clientele ep which i haven't got my hands on yet. dickon edward's involvement in scarlet's well worries me... he's ace, but you don't mess with perfection.

fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Thursday, 25 March 2004 07:45 (twenty years ago) link

> Architecture in Helsinki

i've heard the lp, courtesy of melbournian friend, and is one of my favourites of last year. and they made it into peel's festive fifty with that song about the owl (or something). remind me a lot of bearsuit and hyper kinako if that helps, like the indiepop version of melt banana - little bitty pop songs.

oh, here we go, festive fifty 2003: (http://infoman16.tripod.com/festive50/festiv03.htm)

5- Bearsuit - Itsuko got married
(A-side of limited edition single)
29- Architecture In Helsinki - The owls go
(from Fingers Crossed)
44- Hyper-Kinako - Tokyo Invention Registration Office
(B-side of Car And Kettle) (Demo)

andy

koogs (koogs), Thursday, 25 March 2004 16:35 (twenty years ago) link

It is! But imo I can't say they have a stand out album... all of their 90s material is top notch.

Evan, Sunday, 24 May 2020 13:22 (three years ago) link

Hey Evan, have you checked this out?

https://acolourfulstorm.com/track/i-wont-have-to-think-about-you

Great indiepop from Australia!

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 5 June 2020 18:55 (three years ago) link

i posted about that comp on another thread just the other day! v into it

just sayin, Sunday, 7 June 2020 07:48 (three years ago) link

Oh wow I totally missed this!

Yes I LOVE that comp because Bart Cummings is a legend and I've recently been absolutely obsessed with all of his bands. I also love the Cannanes! They played in NYC a few years ago and it was a huge treat.

Evan, Monday, 8 June 2020 19:12 (three years ago) link

What a label too! They actually reissued Unisex by Blueboy, how exciting!

Oh hey I hope you liked the Corrupt Postman tape, too.

Evan, Monday, 8 June 2020 19:17 (three years ago) link

first two Blueboy albums + attendant singles are all timeless

avellano medio inglés (f. hazel), Monday, 8 June 2020 21:13 (three years ago) link

Yeah I recently realized how much I love the songs Dirty Mags, Air France, and Sea Horses (latter which I fell back in love with because of the exciting live version on the Bikini 7" if you've heard that).

Evan, Monday, 8 June 2020 22:32 (three years ago) link

And man as a early 90s shoegaze fan, Dirty Mags is just such an incredible song from a band that doesn't typically go there.

Evan, Monday, 8 June 2020 22:36 (three years ago) link

yeah I remember how surprising that track was when it was released... good though. and I do have that Bikini 7"! printed in acid green ink on white cardstock

avellano medio inglés (f. hazel), Monday, 8 June 2020 22:59 (three years ago) link

Then you know! Something about the energy in that version. Wish I could have seem them live so I could jump up and down during the chorus.

Evan, Tuesday, 9 June 2020 04:32 (three years ago) link

two years pass...

Update: geek levels are off the charts

Where are the other classic-indie-pop geeks of ILM?

Evan, Friday, 3 March 2023 15:38 (one year ago) link

Classic indie-pop as in stuff compiled on the "Scared To Get Happy" box? Count me in!

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 3 March 2023 15:41 (one year ago) link

Yes, and American style stuff as well!

Since you mentioned that specifically, you'll really love this:

https://wilfullyobscure.blogspot.com/2013/06/va-scared-to-get-happy-addendum-aka.html

Evan, Friday, 3 March 2023 15:45 (one year ago) link

Oh yes, there were other addendum lists that came out at the time, I compiled them all.

Whats your top 10 indie pop LPs?

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 3 March 2023 17:31 (one year ago) link

There were? I thought this was just a singular fan exercise by that blog.

Dang, I'll need a minute to over-think that answer. There's so much overlap with shoegaze, american shoegaze, lo-fi, Dino Jr rock, slacker, general ameri-indie stylings...

Give me some guard rails maybe!

Evan, Friday, 3 March 2023 19:43 (one year ago) link

I’m not listening to much of this kind of stuff at the moment but was surprised and pleased to see a song by the band I was in 35+ years ago crop up in that addendum list. Thanks for posting it, Evan.

Tim, Friday, 3 March 2023 22:11 (one year ago) link

Of course! That is a fun surprise. And because you weren't forthcoming about it, I won't ask :)

Evan, Friday, 3 March 2023 22:17 (one year ago) link

Haha sorry for being obtuse, you can hear me singing on “Goldmining” by The Visitors.

Tim, Friday, 3 March 2023 22:22 (one year ago) link

Wow, top spot!

Evan, Friday, 3 March 2023 22:33 (one year ago) link

Whats your top 10 indie pop LPs?

For me, it's easier to get behind specific songs, so without tooo much deliberation:

Second Story - The Hang Ups
Sunlight In A Jar - The Lucksmiths
Trampoline - Greenberry Woods
Passion Play - Papas Fritas
Tallulah - Allo Darlin
Mercury Girl - Cleaners From Venus
Lunar Sea - Camera Obscura
Sprocket Dick - Tripmaster Monkey
Black Cab - Jens Lekman
The Wild Ones - Push Kings

enochroot, Saturday, 4 March 2023 01:23 (one year ago) link

I still have the Visitors flexidisc!

everything, Saturday, 4 March 2023 02:12 (one year ago) link

!!

A really tiny number of people seem to like it quite a lot.

Tim, Saturday, 4 March 2023 11:24 (one year ago) link

Not sure if I quite grasp the thread revival, but FWIW I listen to late 1980s UK indie a great deal. In recent weeks I was playing the C87 CDs 2 and 3 over and over and over again.

I also enjoy Tim's old records, but he knows that already.

the pinefox, Saturday, 4 March 2023 11:49 (one year ago) link

I found 3 great sources for addendum's to "Scared To Get Happy":

From Wilfully Obscure (http://wilfullyobscure.blogspot.com/2013/06/va-scared-to-get-happy-addendum-aka.html):
01. Visitors - Goldmining
02. Moss Poles - Go Down
03. Remember Fun - Train Journeys
04. Field Mice - I Thought Wrong (Run away) (demo)
05. The Church Grims - Plaster Saint
06. Candy Skins - She Blew Me Away
07. Outskirts - Blue Line
08. Various Artists (the band) - Original Mixed Up Kid
09. North of Cornwallis - Billy Liar
10. Hellfire Sermons - Rachel Clean
11. Potting Sheds - Happy Again
12. The Perfect Disaster - Call it a Day
13. Hey Paulette - I Really Do Love Penelope
14. Jane From Occupied Europe - Ocean Run Dry
15. James Dean Driving Experience - Drop Dead Darling
16. The Rose Of Avalanche - Always There
17. Power of Dreams - The Jokes On Me (demo)
18. Palisades - Knight in Gale
19. This Scarlet Train - Picture Frame
20. St. Christopher - Even The Sky Seems Blue
21. Stray Trolleys - Secret Dreams Of A Kitchen Porter
22. Sundays - Can't Be Sure (4-track demo)

From Facebook suggestions:
Playthings - Juice
The Times - My Andy Warhol Poster
The Cleaners From Venus - Julie Profumo
Atom Spies - Aliens In Your Wardrobe
The Perfect Disaster - TV Girl On Fire
The Passmore Sisters - Every Child In Heaven
Barbel - Inferno
Jim Jiminee - I Wanna Work OR +Snap Me Up
St. James Infirmary - Terry Marriagehead
Essential Bop - Eloquent Sounds OR +Croaked
Electric Guitars - Work
The Lilac Time - Return To Yesterday
Snakes Of Shake - Southern Cross
Memphis - You Supply The Roses
Dislocation Dance - You’ll Never, Never Know
The Anyways - Confession
The Friendly Fires - Arkansas
Fat Tulips - Where’s Clare Grogan Now?
Parachute Men - Leeds Station
Fizzbombs - Surfaround
Mousefolk - Devil in the Deep Blue Sea
Baby Lemonade - Real World
Mayfields - World of Your Own
Moss Poles - One Summer
The Bridewell Taxis - Just Good Friends
Candy Darlings - That’s Where Caroline Lives
The Big Paintings - My Minitrend Friend
Gifted Children - My Favourite Films
Honeycrash - Kill Someone You Like (aka I Don't Blame You)
Fontaines - I Want Everything
City Giants - Little Next To Nothing
Jazzateers - Wasted OR +Natural Progression (Part 1)

From https://pedaladasabuenritmo.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/scared-to-get-happy-addendum-i/
Young Marble Giants - Cakewalking
Vic Godard - Stop That Girl
Direct Hits -Modesty Blaise
Eyeless In Gaza - New Risen
Ringing - Caprice
Memphis - You Supply The Roses
Cocteau Twins - Aikea Guinea
Beloved - A Hundred Words
Enormous Room - 100 Different Words
Stars Of Heaven - Talk About It Now
Bridge - Shame Is A Girl
Wallflowers - Thank You
Cleaners From Venus - Living With Victoria Grey
James Dean Driving Experience - World Weary & Wise (new version)
Emily - Mad Dogs
Reserve - A Perfect Lie
The Man From Delmonte - (Will Nobody Save) Louise
The Parachute Men - Sometimes In Vain
Marden Hill - Oh Constance
Remember Fun - Cold Inside
Po! - Appleseed Alley
The Nivens - Yesterday
St. Christopher - All OF A Tremble
The Ogdens - Rachel Put Your Arms About Me
Devine & Statton - Under The Weather
The Love Parade - Under The Weather
Treebound Story - Swimming In The Heart Of Jane
St. James Infirmary - Terry Marriagehead

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 4 March 2023 19:10 (one year ago) link

Nice! Looks like wilfullyobscure inspired the third one (at least)

Not sure if I quite grasp the thread revival

Sorry, to clarify I was providing a personal status update given my previous revive here.

Evan, Sunday, 5 March 2023 16:32 (one year ago) link

Well, to answer your previous revive -- yes, I am still very strongly into this music and listen to it frequently.

the pinefox, Sunday, 5 March 2023 16:46 (one year ago) link

Awesome.

Boy I got so overwhelmed by the innocent top 10 indie pop question, I've been putting it off...

Going to pivot and mention some recent favorite 45s:

Majestic 12 - Lost & Found
My Favorite - The Informers & Us
Tizzy - New Jersey
Moped - Naked, Sharp & Plastic
Snog 6 - Start All Over Again (CD EP)
Sammy - Neptune Ave. (Ortho Hi Rise)
The Someloves - Know You Now
Lenola - Oh Yes, Jeep Is Good! (more in the indie-noise-shoegaze camp)
Number One Cup - Malcolm's X-Ray Picnic
Bubby Girl - Coyote Spindle
Solar Coaster - Zero Sum / Karmageddon
Hopper - Wasted
LKWRM - Thirty Years Of Concentrated Thought (CD EP)
The Pennikurvers - The Pennikurvers
Clag - Manufacturing Resent
Madison Electric - Heavy Petal
The Cherry Smash - West Coast Rip-Off
New Sweet Breath - Silka
Charlotte Hatherley - Summer
Bomb Pops – Girl Daredevil + Riverside

Evan, Monday, 6 March 2023 16:03 (one year ago) link

Long shot - does anyone have digital rips of anything the label Bliss Aquamarine released?

Evan, Monday, 6 March 2023 16:25 (one year ago) link

It's always seemed to me that there was an "indiepop revival" around say 2008, and indeed that much of the current / subsequent idea of "indiepop" was actually crystallised then, retrospectively streamlining much of what had happened originally.

The prevalence of "popfests" for several years (plus Indietracks) around that period would support this view.

I also have the sense that this then flowed into some kind of dreampop that was possibly 80s-revivalist viz. Wild Nothing (who when I saw them live were not very different from a guitar-based indie band - but this is as long ago as 2010).

Whether there has been yet another wave of indiepop revivalism I don't know - rather, I suspect that C21 culture has "kept everything in play", permanently available.

the pinefox, Monday, 6 March 2023 18:31 (one year ago) link

Hey check out my stellar thread-relevant haul yesterday at the shop I used to manage (I am in the US):

Hood - I've Forgotten How To Live
Juno - Magnified And Reduced By Inches / Pablo Y Zelda
Fertile Virgin - Lucky Day
14 Iced Bears - World I Love
Tompot Blenny - Thinking Of Ways Of Keeping You Warm
Trembling Blue Stars - The Rainbow
St. Christopher - All Of A Tremble
The Sweetest Ache - I Remember Caroline
Strawberry Story - Small & Slightly Rounded EP
Various - Joe Friday
The Some Loves - It's My Time
The Melons - Strictly Melonhead EP
The Melons - Fast Lane
Eye Pilgrims / Choo Choo Train - Wall Of Sand / Many Happy Returns

Not bad for ~$55 total, right?

Evan, Wednesday, 15 March 2023 15:29 (one year ago) link

Anyway... anyone have any good leads for some obscure "classic" indie cassette compilation uploads? I've been hunting the web and it's tougher than I'd thought! Not to dismiss the great stuff I AM finding but just as often I'll learn of compilations that don't seem to exist digitally on soulseek or blogs or archive.org etc. yet. Or, I'll remain puzzled at the absence of any blogs dedicated to that "scene" of DIY and/or small label cassettes (with downloads). It would seem like one of those things a fan like myself with access would have done by now.

Evan, Friday, 17 March 2023 16:01 (one year ago) link

Have a gander at the things on here that aren't the NME tapes (actually the NME tapes are largely excellent but they are mostly outside the rubric of this thread): https://pressplayandrecord.wordpress.com/

I found this by searching for two old tapes whose names stuck in my head: Abigail's Birthday Party and Plinky Plonky There's a Donkey. For shame.

Tim, Friday, 17 March 2023 17:18 (one year ago) link

Ha! I can see why they stuck... thanks!

Evan, Friday, 17 March 2023 17:24 (one year ago) link

You're welcome. There are some good things on those tapes but if you emerge from listening to them and find yourself agreeing with the thread title, you're made from stronger stuff than I am.

Tim, Friday, 17 March 2023 17:25 (one year ago) link

I have a high tolerance for messy experimental throwaway if there's at least something to grab onto. Could just be atmosphere, or the extra-musical context of the tape aesthetic. The lows emphasize the highs along the journey, too. It all contributes to an audio ransom note of pop experiments with punk spirit.

Evan, Friday, 17 March 2023 17:41 (one year ago) link

pinefox I'm sorry to have passed over your post above!

You're probably right. I remember 2004-06 the trend in indie circles was bombast and post-rock/emo melodrama with elaborate post-twee instrumentation. Classic indie-pop was all about the ingredients of punk with a pop approach, so it would make sense that this would come back when there was a need for the pendulum to swing back in the other direction. But the 80s revival was certainly extremely popular too so yeah that focus got mixed in.

Evan, Friday, 24 March 2023 19:00 (one year ago) link


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