We Got Tazers! definitely finds Stagecoach continuing to hone their songcraft down to a fine art, and managing to match the charm of bands like The Lemonheads, with none of the accompanying substance abuse.
Indie Pop
The Hot Melts – The Hot Melts
With the lyrics being pretty much irrelevant, and the guitars rarely playing anything but chords, the only thing that could possibly mark out The Hot Melts as special are their ridiculously cheesy backing vocals.
Their Hearts Were Full of Spring – How I Wasted My Youth
Whilst not being particularly original, Their Hearts Were Full of Spring do bring lush indie-pop to the masses, the perfect soundtrack to hot Summer days…
Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall
Watch Me Fall is mostly a very buoyant album, definitely poppy, with just the slightest hint of that insistent punk edge showing through to add zest to the songs.
Telegraphs – We Were Ghosts
The Telegraphs unleash short, sharp pop songs… but can they deliver enough hooks per minute to keep you interested? Tom Parmiter investigates.
TLOBF Interview :: Indietracks Festival
Steam trains and indiepop – an unlikely match made in heaven. Simon Tyers talks to Stuart Mackay, curator of one of the UK’s most admired small festivals “Indie Tracks” – which is now in its third year.
The Soundscapes – Freestyle Family
The Soundscapes arefrom Brazil, and may have avoided the Samba rhythms, but Freestyle Family is just an average indie album.
Introducing :: Internet Forever
“Good at songs, bad at fidelity”. Sounds like a perfect tag line for the wonderous indie-pop of Internet Forever… find out more inside!
Lacrosse – Bandages For The Heart
“I see a brightness, so can you” sing Stockholm’s Lacrosse. This is indie pop with a capital T-W-E-E
The Maccabees – Wall of Arms
People will no doubt view this album in different ways – there will be those who see it as a progression from their debut, those who moan about them not staying true to their original sound and of course those who simply think they are just another skinny-jean clad indie band. What can’t be denied is that The Maccabees make great pop music on their second album.
Cats On Fire – Our Temperance Movement
Second album from Finnish jangle-poppers, taking inspiration from the fruitful Scandi-indie scene but also the back catalogue of a certain 80s Manchester band.
Sunny Day Sets Fire – Summer Palace
A band which features members from five different countries attempt to corner the market in romantic summery, lightly psychedelic acoustic guitar pop.
The View – Which Bitch?
A quirky hit-and-miss affair reminiscent of a noughties answer to The Faces. But there’s a lot to like, and a lot you might not expect as these scallies show signs of maturing.
Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
A funny band Franz Ferdinand… Liked by everyone, loved by no-one. Or so Adam Nelson thinks. Their new album is here, but have they still kept the pop hooks and danceable grooves?
The Research – The Old Terminal
Tom Whyman THINKS The Research are a band… but a default image of a band without substance. He puts it down to the drumming…
Los Campesinos! – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Two albums in one year? Can Los Campesinos! maintain their ascention to the peak of indie-pop stardom? Tom Whyman reviews.
