The end

Well my indiepop friends, after almost three and a half years I have decided to wrap up the blog. Sadly, I don't have much time for it any more, and because of this it's become more of a chore than a pleasure. So it's time to call it a day.

Many thanks to those who read and commented, those who regularly read without commenting (I know who where you are :)) and especially those who sent me stuff. I love getting stuff. Sorry I couldn't use it all.

Let's end this on a classic, shall we?

...and speaking of summer

I'm off for the rest of it. See you in September!

Moss Poles - One Summer

1987 single from this London band who went on to release a debut album and then vanish. Though they were seen as sort of a peripherally C86 band, I actually think this comes very close to late '70s power-pop territory - it wouldn't seem at all out of place on one of those compilations with the likes of The Records, Bram Tchaikovsky etc. Great tune, anyway.

Last Days of 1984 - Wave Life

I've been kind of neglecting the local scene lately, so here's one to make up for that. Last Days of 1984 are more electronic than I would normally be into, but their stuff is nicely atmospheric and (most importantly) there are good tunes underneath it all. Here's one from their 2010 debut album, Wake Up to the Waves.

The Driscolls - PC Roberts

Late '80s jangle-pop band from Bristol whose entire recorded output seems to consist of a handful of 7"s and compilation tracks. Most of which are worth tracking down, if not exactly essential.

This is from a 1987 cassette comp which mostly features bands of equal obscurity, though there are tracks from the McTells, Mayfields and Haywains - as well as a familiar one credited to "The Palesaints".

The Specific Heats - End of an Error

From Brooklyn and they sound like it, although (as you might guess from the cover art) they do have a slightly more psychedelic tinge than most of their contemporaries. Only slightly, like.

Title so good you wonder why nobody ever thought of it before.

My Bloody Valentine - Don't Ask Why

An atypical MBV tune, especially for their later years - it's almost minimalist, with unusually prominent vocals and some of their most heartfelt lyrics ever. That line, from the look in your face, I believe it's not too late, that gets me EVERY time.

I'd rank this in my top five MBV songs ever, actually.  Probably top three in fact.

Engine No. 9 - Waterfall

Great b-side to a 1991 Bus Stop 7" - the only Engine No. 9 release ever, although half of them went on to become Fudge (who I never particularly rated). It's a bit more serious and less twee than a lot of what Bus Stop put out, in fact I think it's just a tiny bit overwrought, but mostly as affecting as it tries to be. Actually it sort of reminds me of McCarthy with an American indie-rock accent.

Love Dance - Skisse #3

An absolutely stunning, upbeat shoegazey pop tune, the kind of song you fall in love with over and over again.

It was released earlier this year on the Beko 100 digital comp.

David Bowie - Life on Mars

Sure I'm not the only one who had this running through their head all day today.

Cowboys International - Aftermath

The Cowboys' first or maybe second single, released in 1979. It doesn't hit the heights of their masterpiece, "Pointy Shoes", which I've already posted, but it's still a good solid specimen of lost early new wave.

Peru - Clueless

East Midlands band who appeared on a couple compilations and a split 7" in the early '90s, disappeared for yonks and then resurfaced a couple years ago sounding like they'd never gone away at all. Which is always nice. You can get this one on their Across Blue Skies compilation on Jigsaw.

Bedroom Eyes - Norwegian Pop

I could make up a good excuse for not posting yesterday, but why bother? Truth is I went out with friends after work and got plastered. So sue me.

Here's a great '80s-ish pop tune by Bedroom Eyes, who is really called Jonas Jonsson and is Swedish. From his 2010 album The Long Wait Champion.

Ash - Girl From Mars

Hadn't heard this for ages but it was on when I went into the shop today and it knocked my socks off all over again. Radio friendly alternapop just doesn't get much better than this.

From 1977, from 1996.

Bunnygrunt - Favorite Food

Lo-fi punkish twee from St Louis, Missouri. I never saw Bunnygrunt, but listening to this makes me flash back to a million gigs in people's garages during my US East Coast visits of the mid-1990s. Anyway, haven't they got one of the best names ever?

From a 1993 EP, Standing Hampton.

Technical difficulties

Blogger is acting up again, so let's give it a rest for a day. See you tomorrow!

Girl of the World - 5 Years Old

1993 single from a pre-Cat's Miaow band of Bart and Cameron. I think it's almost got a bit of a Britpop tinge to it. They went on to better things.

Graeme Elston - Take Me Back to Ealing

Lovely track from Graeme Elston (Eva Luna, Love Parade etc) which I think is an exclusive to last year's Indietracks compilation. There's a very '80s soft jangle-pop feel to it; it's one of those songs you'll swear you've heard before, even if you haven't.

Dead Angle - Why Don't You

Lo-fi fuzzy girlpop from an LA band who used to be the Tartans (well, most of them anyway). It's familiar, but I still can't get enough.

Released last month on Loglady Records, part of a split 7" with Terry Malts.

The Minutemen - Doctor Wu

The Minutemen were such geniuses in their own right, I feel a bit guilty that their first appearance here is with a cover (of a Steely Dan song, of all things). I suppose the reason for that is that much of their music is the kind that I cerebrally appreciate without necessarily enjoying, if you know what I mean. Though lumped in with the LA punk scene, it would always be more accurate to describe them as post-punk - and even within that genre they were unique, drawing on jazz and funk influences to a degree almost unheard of by their contemporaries. Unfortunately, not being a fan of either jazz or funk, I couldn't really get into a lot of their stuff. But I always felt kind of bad about it.

In any event I did love this one, first of all because I thought it was brilliant that they covered it in the first place - an '80s punk band covering Steely Dan? Seriously? - and secondly because I love what they did with it, the dual vocals where one person sounds like he's trying to do a faithful version and the other is clearly taking the piss. As I said...geniuses.

It's from their 1984 (third) album Double Nickels on the Dime.