The Salient Braves - they must have seen me coming EP

We haven't covered indie pop on this website for some time... so here is the return of the Salient Braves. Classic guitar pop that is as fun to listen to as it obviously was to make. The title track is lovely jingly jangle. "The great unwashed" has a deeper tone, and surprise instruments! I like this track a lot, the tones are quite country rock at times.

The cover of "Losing my religion". You know the original is one of those overplayed songs that i'm not sure i can stand much anymore (and i love REM) but this cover has an organic urgency and immediacy that brings new life to the worn out track. Its my highlight of the EP which is very enjoyable, and out now on Broken Down Records.

MV : "Only child" by Shearwater

Another fine track.

MV : "Genius of crack" by Tsunami

Lets go back to a tune i loved back in the early 90s.

Shearwater - jet plane and oxbow

A fine album, music with a message. The message is one of protest, railing against the world and its so many problems. The music matches the message for power, so often atmospheric and mesmeric. Key track is "Quiet Americans" with its electric menace but "Only child" also wins. The sound is big but in an 80s style not noise for the sake of it. Big sound big ideas? Well its very enjoyable thats what it is.

MV : "World cup fever" by Air Miami

We've all got it.

The Bordellos - The Bordello underground tape Vol 4

The Bordellos are prolific post-punk psychedelic heroes and produce too much stuff to release "properly" hence the decision to release extra material from their archives on free EPs of which this is volume 4 and can get downloaded here.

Don't expect the straight forward, instead the mysterious sonic meanderings of "Bring me the disco king" and the acoustic lament-into-thrash of "Punks not dead". Its weird, its brilliant, you'll probably spent half the time wondering what the hell that noise was.

MV : "Quiet Americans" by Shearwater

This rocks the office at the moment more than anything else.

Wolf Alice - blush EP

Wolf Alice are one of the best bands around right now, this early EP from 2013 just a taste of things to come. The title track is powerful, emotional indie rock underpinned by a solid and irresistible melody. "She" is also an excellent track, throwing in some tasty electronics to beef up the beat.

Wolf Alice - my love is cool

This is an astonishing debut album, so full of great tunes. It covers some indie ground with bit dollops of grunge and power pop but its all held together with some great energy and verve. Favourites are "You're loves whore" which explodes into a wall of noise and razor sharp guitar and "You're a germ" which builds from a dark low-key opening into an angry explosion.

"Freazy" is laid back and funky, sounding like some great 90s indie dance and some vocal interplay that really appeals. "Lisbon" is very raw and garage sounding but underpinned by some great pop melodies. The sum of the parts would make this a great album alone but this is more than that, terrific stuff.

MV : "It never was the same" by The Twilight Sad

Great video, song, alum, band et cetera.

MV : "Last year" by Joanna Gruesome

Punky pop rock yeah.

Courtney Barnett - sometimes i sit and think and sometimes i just sit

The debut from Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett and its a mixed bag but overall it succeeds and is well worth a listen. Her style is low-key indie rock with exploratory (and often rambling but in a good way) vocals. Her word play is sometimes inspired, sometimes a bit toyshop Dylan, but throughout its entertaining.

Favourite track is "Debbie Downer" which has some great pop moments. The album doesn't always work but it is always individual and honest and thats the best thing of all in a world of sameness.

MV : "Debbie Downer" by Courtney Barnett

Lovely tune.

The Airfields - laneways EP

This is the kind of thing i love, noisy dream pop preferably by a band who are "The" something and have a record sleeve with just 1 or 2 colours on it (the band name written in all lowercase natch). Many hours were spent listening to weird and wonderful bands who released singles like this in my youth. Of course this isn't quite the same thing as its a 6 track CD EP but i still got a nostalgia kick.

The music is psychedelic pop, quite 60s in some ways but with a more modern indie twist (distorted vocals et cetera). Tracks like "Lonely halls" jingle jangle their way along very jollily. "Imaginary stars" has a great driving rhythm. Its wonderful yeah.

MV : "When you´re around" by YAST

Like this band.

MV : "Celebrate" by Metric

One of the great songs off an amazing album.

MV : "Out of sight" by Tessera Skies

Lovely arty video in more ways than one.

MV : Silver John" by This Is The Kit

Lovely song from a lovely album.

Houndstooth - no news from home

Oregon's Houndtooth present their second album, and a very presentable collection of modern garage rock it is too. There is a bit of a small town vibe about proceedings with the album underpinned with rootsy psychedelia but plenty of modern touches. Highlight is "Amelia", a delightful background melody over which vocals and guitars shimmer and soar.

MV : "Bashed out" by This Is The Kit

Off their latest album.