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.

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.

Full Sun - Anxious

Here's some very lo-fi punk-pop from what appears to be this band's second release, Bare Floor, from earlier this year. The first release was called High Ceiling. I'm sensing a pattern here.

They're from Indiana and have a bit of a late 1980s Homestead Records feel to them, though with a bit more melody. This one's dead catchy, anyway.

Neighbors - Henry's Party

From the recently-released second album, John in Babeland, by these very Pavement-influenced Seattle lads. I'm still on the fence about them, but this is pretty good.

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.

Fanzine - Low

A very Dinosaur Jr-esque number from this London band, the title track to their debut LP, released last year. Heavier guitars than I would normally like on my lo-fi but when the tune's as catchy as this one I can't really complain.
    

Golden Grrrls - Beaches

Absolute cracker of a debut single by this Glasgow trio, released last year. It's got a bit of lo-fi, a bit of shoegaze, a bit of Twilight Sad and some really cool tribal drumming. More please!

 

Dignan Porch - Like It Was Again

One of my favourite songs of the past couple years and I can't believe I haven't posted it yet. It's simple and sweet and could actually break your heart if you were in that sort of mood.

It originally appeared as "Like It Was" on their 2010 debut album Tendrils, but was re-recorded, re-titled (sort of) and re-released for last year's Deluded EP. Which is a wonderful release, if you don't mind the atrocious cover art (seriously, this is what-were-you-thinking??? territory).

Oh, and they're from Tooting.

Horowitz - The Knitwear Generation

More DIY indiepop-punk from somewhereinEngland. This one came out on cassette only last year, the title track to a three-song EP, and I'm sure they won't thank me for saying the opening bits remind me of "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins. I actually like that song, though, so don't take it the wrong way fellas.

It's one of those songs that you might need to listen to for a while before it starts growing on you. But it will.

Anguish Sandwich - Leave My Brain Alone

Super lo-fi fuzzy pop from Northampton. I can't decide if their name is crap or brilliant, which probably means it's brilliant.

From their just-released four-song EP, Bermuda Triangle.

The Limiñanas - I'm Dead

A brilliant, buoyant, very '60s-influenced pop tune from this south-of-France band. It was their first single, released in 2010, and they've since followed it up with a self-titled album on the Trouble in Mind label. They do actually sing in French on some of their songs, which is something I always like in a French pop band. Not because it's French, I just think pop bands shouldn't always feel they have to sing in English, if their native language is something else. Anyway, great tune, this one.

Weed Hounds - Hard Drivin'

Weed Hounds, who are unsurprisingly from Brooklyn, blend the best of American indie-rock, lo-fi and shoegaze to surprisingly distinctive effect. This is a track from their 2010 split 7" with Dude Japan.

Catnaps - Lullaby

Catnaps are from Philadelphia, used to be called When I Was 12, and play such ridiculously appealing twee indie girl-pop that part of me wants to just turn this into the Catnaps Blog for a while and post nothing else. Except they already have their own blog (here). So this will have to suffice. Just listen, though, you'll know what I mean.

It's from their 2011 album Why Don't You Whisper?, their first under their new name.

Kids on a Crime Spree - I Don't Want to Call You Baby, Baby

Oakland, California band. If you're into the whole Beach Boys-meet-the-Ramones-in-the-garage-with-Phil-Spector-producing thing you'll want to check them out.

It's from their 2011 debut EP, We Love You So Bad. On Slumberland, naturally.

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.

 

Wavves - Bug

If Wavves were my age they probably would have been a skate-punk band in the '80s, like Jody Foster's Army or Agent Orange. I was actually never a big fan of that genre, and I've always eyed Wavves with some suspicion too. But you can't argue with songs like this one, which is just a fucking great three-minute pop tune. More where this came from please.

It's from their 2011 Life Sux EP.

The Violet Pets - Violets are Blue

Very young London band from the last decade who made records in their bedsits and gave them away. Apparently. Really liked everything I heard of theirs.

Dum Dum Girls - Blank Girl

More sixties-influenced lo-fi girlpop. I know these bands are a dime a dozen these days - and most of them are somehow linked to the Vivian Girls - but I haven't yet stopped finding them irresistible, and I hope I never will.

From their 2010 debut album, I Will Be.

Best Coast - Wish He Was You

Yet another branch on the Vivian Girls family tree (I'm almost thinking I should create a new blog label just for them), although in this case it's probably fairer to consider the stylistic similarities coincidental. Best Coast have, since 2009 alone, released a large handful of 7"s and one cracking debut album - on about as many different labels - and if lo-fi fuzzy-guitar '60s-influenced girlpop is your thing, well, you'll want to own all of them.

This was a b-side to last year's "Something in the Way" 7".

The Mad Scene - Paper Plane

A b-side to the first single from The Mad Scene, the NYC-based band formed by Hamish Kilgour (of The Clean) in the early 1990s. It's like super lo-fi Flying Nun, which of course means it's pretty fantastic.