MV : "New you" by My Bloody Valentine

Right my little holiday (actually series of DIY jobs) is over, back to blog business next week!

Top 5 Records (August)

1) Emily - Emily Bindiger
2) the memory of a smile - Skittle Alley
3) Tommy candy shop sugar me - Tommy February6
4) black tag parade - The Kensingtons
5) erasing memories - Various

MV : "I was running" by Alpaca Sports

Jingle jangle for ever.

Kenny Feinstein - loveless: hurts to love

Root-folk covers of indie rock classics are nothing new, Johnny Cash's "hurt" for example, but Kenny Feinstein has taken it to another level by taking all of MBV's classic and immortal album "loveless" (plus the song "Swallow") and covered it in a "bluegrass punk" style, and it is pretty amazing to be honest. Instead of swirls of guitar feedback noise on "Only shallow" we have a delicious acoustic backing to the pop thrill of that track. Its beautiful like the original track but in a different yet familiar way. Its like an echo, a parallel universe, one as wonderful as our own.

"Soon" replicates the mysterious feedback noise loop with expert picking over a mellow yet intricate melody. Rediscovering these well-loved MBV tracks in this way is a total joy. A lot of thought and care has been put into how to replicate what is still one of the ultimate engineered soundscapes in an organic way. "Loomer" is an example of that, using vocals and instruments to replicate the sounds in an amazing manner.

The acoustic feel adding a darker edge at times, a new dimension, another umpteen layers of depth. Its not a cover album really, its a re-imagining... from another planet.

MV : "Polygonal graphs" by Ang Bandang Shirley

Really liking this song at the moment.

The Depreciation Guild - nautilus

The start of the Depreciation Guild journey, their debut single which was released by 8bitpeoples. Somewhat rawer to match their first album which had a heavier chiptune influence (courtesy of the NES 2A03 sound chip apparently). "Stuck pig" though is quite a standard indie pop song with guitars to the fore. "By sundown" has waves of 8-bit noise mixing with the fuzzy guitar line. "Nautilus" also appears on their debut album in a similar guise. A moody piece of dark electronic music that draws you in then whacks you with a potent guitar attack. So much more was to come but this was a brilliant start.

MV : "Heritage" by Clouds

Crank up that organ psychedelic boy.

MV : "New you" by Roboshop Mania

Smooth pop from Japan.

Syd Barrett - the madclap laughs

Syd Barrett left Pink Floyd in 1968 and this was his first solo album released in 1970 (though it included 2 of his former band mates playing and producing), he left the Floyd following increasingly unpredictable and strange antics especially on stage. As you can imagine his solo album is quite a strange experience too, asymmetric and unpredictable... and with some great tunes too. Plus some stuff that might be best described as "less than great". Thats in the minority though.

Tracks like "golden hair" have mysterious lyrics and a delicate fragility about them, the songs sound like they are on the brink of collapsing. "No good trying" sounds like two songs competing at the same time, sounds clashing and jarring, yet its held together by Syd's individual singing style and voice, its one of the best psychedelic songs ever. "Terrapin" meanders with random tempo changes.

When "The madcap laughs" is good its amazing, when its not so good its... well its not terrible. The outtakes and demos added to the release may stretch your patience a bit though.

MV : "You don't know i love you" by Youth In My Videotapes

One of the best band names i've seen for some time. Music is pretty good too!

Top 5 Records (July)

1) recorded for Japan - Various Artists
2) afar - The Ice Choir
3) Emily - Emily Bindiger
4) in her gentle jaws - The Depreciation Guild
5) Penguin Prison

Outerhope - no end in sight EP (Number Line)

Delicate dream-pop sounds drifting off into the ether, thats what Outerhope sound like on this EP which is available as a free download here. "Lost year" is laid back and restrained, beautiful pop tones almost lost in the mist but sparking mystery and nostalgia. "No end in sight" is a bit more upbeat (well slightly) and has a catchy melody over a layered pop journey.

"Hear the days go by" has some heavenly synths, its another laid-back layered intelligent pop track. A ethereal soundscape thats the perfect track to watch the stars by. Finally "Pale as the day" is more acoustic and reflective. Its on that lush end of the dream-pop spectrum, sequencers and sonic layers and totally lovely. Its like a Summer evening, sitting out in the cooling air.