All My Friends - Up and Down the River

Pleasant little indiepop tune from a 2008 EP by this Glasgow band featuring members of Butcher Boy. Bonus points for clocking in at exactly two minutes.

The Good-Natured - Rose

More electro-pop, while I'm in the mood. This one was released on a 2009 Eardrums Pop compilation called Birdsongs, Beesongs, which is quite fitting because the song is quite reminiscent of The Bird and the Bee.

Now if only they'd come up with a better name...

The Smittens - Gumdrops

I was going to post an Indietracks 2012 exclusive but unfortunately my electronics aren't co-operating, so here's something wonderful from a few Indietrackses back. I'm still on a high after the wonderful weekend gone past.

The Golden Rule - Now I Hear the Train

This is a really nice little piece of gentle jangly guitar pop. Chicago band, from a self-titled 2009 EP.

Eternal Summers - Able To

When I first heard the name of this band and saw their cover art I expected something twee and/or blissed-out, but Eternal Summers are in fact a minimalist lo-fi indiepop band with a decided No Wave tinge. They're from somewhere in the middle of Virginia, which makes me like them even more.

This is from a self-titled 2009 release, nearly every song on which clocks in at under 3 minutes.

Lisa Mitchell - Neopolitan Dreams

This may have been ridiculously overexposed a few years ago through being used in about twelve different companies' advertising but, erm, that's because it's really really good. I never realised she was "discovered" on Australian Idol, and actually did pretty well on it; the TV audience for singing competitions must be different down under because I can't imagine a twee-indie-folk artist getting beyond the first round over here. In saying that I suppose I have to admit I never watch those programmes anyway.

From her second (2008) EP, Welcome to the Afternoon.

Panda Kopanda - Ocean of Fire

No idea if this Belfast band is still around but over the past half-dozen years or so they had a number of releases which were really nice in a lo-fi Death Cab sort of way. This was one of my favourites of theirs, the title track from a 2006 EP.

The 6ths - As You Turn to Go

I have mixed feelings about this particular Stephin Merritt project, but it's hard to be ambivalent about this track, a lovely two-minute-long twee ballad performed entirely on zither (whatever that is). Its sheer sublime gorgeousness is all the more surprising when you realise the vocals are provided by Momus, who's usually pretty creepy.

It's from the second 6ths album Hyacinths and Thistles, from 2000.

The School - I Want You Back

Cardiff band. Dreadful name, Heavenly music. And I do mean capital-H Heavenly.

This was originally released on a 2008 EP and subsequently reappeared on their 2010 debut album, Loveless Unbeliever, on the wonderful Elefant Records.

Brilliant Colors - Absolutely Anything

Not to be confused with '80s Bristolians the Brilliant Corners, or Dublin's Gorgeous Colours, these are a San Francisco band with short fuzzy pop tunes that recall the punkier side of the Shop Assistants. And with that description you just know it's gonna be on Slumberland, don't you? I'm not entirely sold on the vocals, but the tunes are great.

From their 2009 debut album, Introducing Brilliant Colors.

 

The Lodger - A Year Since Last Summer

Leeds band active since the mid-2000s but recalling all your favourite '80s indie/jangle-pop. My only reservation about them is I'm not mad about the vocals, but the songs are (mostly) strong enough to compensate.

This is a track from their second album, 2008's Life is Sweet.

The Radio - One of Two Ways

2007 single and track from The Radio's second album, Charm Offensive. The Radio were occasionally referred to as an Irish supergroup, although Rollerskate Skinny is probably the only related band that will mean anything to anyone outside of Ireland. And they sounded nothing like Rollerskate Skinny, instead being something of an early '80s (very early '80s) new wave revivalist band. There was inevitably a touch of the novelty act about them, although they were never as crass in their retroism as a similarly-influenced Irish band around at the same time, Neosupervital, who bizarrely seemed to be a lot more popular. Anyway, The Radio had some really nice tunes and were pretty fantastic live. Awful name though.

Crystal Stilts - Crystal Stilts

Another band I can't believe hasn't made an appearance here yet, Crystal Stilts are of course one of the reasons I regret not being in Brooklyn anymore. Obviously I was way before my time.

This track, from their 2008 debut album Alight of Night, always reminds me of the Mary Chain's "Kill Surf City".

Dirty Pretty Things - Deadwood

It was easy to hate the Libertines. Their music was incredibly derivative, their fans obnoxious beyond belief and, well, generally they seemed like arseholes. But at times they won me over nonetheless. Carl Barat's post-Libertines material has been less successful in that regard, although this catchy number which opened up the Dirty Pretty Things' 2006 debut Waterloo to Anywhere did fill me with high hopes which, alas, were not fulfilled. Not that I really expected them to be.

Elephant Parade - For You

Totally adorable song from this Brooklyn (of course) duo, from their 2007 album Bedroom Recordings. It's sort of a modern "I'm Sticking With You", which is not a bad thing at all.

Kristallin - Flashback

More great German indiepop, from a band who's from someplace called Flethsee, which I confess I have never heard of before and have no idea where it is. Their music's rather familiar, though. In fact, it's kind of tempting to make a joke about the title of this song because it really is a flashback - to the classic indiepop sounds of the late '80s/early '90s. Reminds me most of the Sea Urchins, in their more upbeat moments.

It's from their 2000 debut (and only?) album, Station, on Marsh Marigold.

Kicker - Don't You Listen (to What's His Face)

From Our Wild Mercury Years from 2006. Kicker were one of the bands on the Comet Gain family tree, and to my ears their main distinguishing feature, at least on this album, was the focus of their '80s retroism. There's little C86 here; instead the bands they remind me of are the ones a couple steps closer to the mainstream of alternative pop (or whatever it was called back then) - think of people like the Lilac Time, Lloyd Cole and I even hear Fairground Attraction in spots. It's not really my favourite thing that the personnel involved have ever done, but it has its moments.

Giant Drag - Kevin is Gay

LA duo Giant Drag's 2005 debut album, Hearts and Unicorns, was a fairly solid piece of early '90s-influenced indie rock - sort of a cross between MBV and Garbage - marred only by some really juvenile song titles (they actually get worse than this, believe it or not). The follow-up has been a long time in coming, though we did get a decent taster of an EP a couple years back.

I have the same sort of girlcrush on Annie Hardy that I had on Katie Jane Garside 20 years ago.

Metric - Help I'm Alive

Metric are proof that you can be slick and radio-friendly and play songs with guitar riffs stolen straight out of 1980s' MTV promos and still be good. Of course, a voice like Emily Haines' doesn't hurt.

This one, their biggest hit, was in super heavy rotation on Dublin radio back in 2009 but somehow I never got tired of it. It's a great catchy tune, slightly offbeat, with some really clever wordplay - what's not to like?

From their fourth album, Fantasies.

Morton Valence - Sailors

Great piece of electro-pop from this London band, released about five years ago. A re-recorded but very similar version appears on their latest (second) album, Me and Home James, from last year.