Julius – Shepherdess

The new album from Julius, aka Matt Adams is a mammoth twenty track affair, and at times the strain does begin to show. It starts with Jane Eyre a hypnotically charmed instrumentally, slightly medieval, but infinitely bucolic. The title track tinkles by, Matt sounding like an old sage in a hippyish surrounding, holding court. Wandering would hold up well with much of Iron & Wine’s stuff, although Matt’s voice has an incredible warble, wavering delightfully all over the place. Tread Lightly is expertly picked wandering minstrel time, while Instant Start is a clockwork pub singalong, open fires and arran sweaters all round. Bees whirrs and clicks and sparkles and is a backwoods delight, bright and breezy and clappy. Anne Frank is another sumptuously picked out melody, gentle and sweet. Although we’re barely half way through, I’m wondering if something so lovely but consistent can sustain over the album, without getting repetitive or boring. Road is making me have these doubts. Things improve with My Lovely Boy, a sweet lolloping thing, like sitting by a gently rushing stream in the woods. Dark Days is a hand wringing Bon Iver spiritual, A Man Alive is a brittle wee thing and then the cyclic folk of Separate ends the album. There are some great moments here, but you may want to be selective and cut it down to half of this. Not that there’s anything poor, its just similarity breeds contempt.

You can download the album for free from his myspace

Night’s Bright Colors – Late Night By Lamplight

This is the companion disc to last years First Set Fire To The Stars, from Night’s Bright Colours, aka Jason Smith from Asheville, NC. Blush is a cute little wistful start to the album, like a sweet little thing from Badly Drawn Boy’s debut. The Popular Girl is shuffling indie pop, a gorgeous little melody and some aching vocals, while Liar’s Tears is in a sumptuous, near comatose vibe, relaxing and soothing. After the delightful tinkling of the title track, we get Minor Love Story a heartfelt ballad of total warmth and gorgeousness. Next is the brief twinkling medieval Shining Moment before Turn Your Thoughts delivers a cute little strumalong. Light Sleeper is a drag your heels, but act all cool Badly Drawn Boy sweet fest and Kiss Kiss Oh is a shuffling piece of sweet pop like Elliot Smith used to make. After the slightly more upbeat Parry The Wind, we get the gorgeous stand out track Bottle Scars. It has delightful finger picked guitars and whispered vocals, its Simon & Garfunkel updated with tender care. Late Night is a satisfied but world weary sigh, which closes a fine album.

Late Night By Lamplight is self released and available as a free download from the band's website

Martin Carr – Ye Gods (and little fishes)

Ye Gods finds Martin back on the pop form of yore. With a slightly nasal vocal style, a bit like Tim Burgess, Dead Of Winter harks back to the summery guitar pop with added brass of the Boo Radleys. The vocal comparison is still there on Darwin’s Tree, but the music is spaghetti western with a mariachi influence. Its sublime stuff and works much better. Bear Lake is more laid back beatifications, verging on the country, certainly taking in the pastoral. Pontcanna Stone is a reflective and not a little doomy rumination, the tune rolling on at dawdling pace, taking its time, like the clouds moving in to herald an impending storm. Goldrush ’49 is a suitable updating of Neil Young’s acoustic vibe, with Martin managing to sound even sadder than on the rest of the album. The song is soothed by a gospel hearted spirit and erupts into an ending of grinding guitars and spiritual rendering to California. Orpheus Lament is a standard but highly melodic and catchy pop song. Running is a gorgeous thing, the sound of someone satisfied with his lot and content to make the best of it. The tune glides by effortlessly and you think of him singing this in his garden, a man finally at home. Why You Gotta Bring Me All This Rain sounds note perfect for something Idha would have recorded in the nineties, while Tired and Broke and Black and Blue is a dark version of The Charlatans at their balladeering and acoustic best. The rousing catchy pop of The Golden Key rounds off a rather splendid album.

Ye Gods (and little fishes) is out soon on Sonny Boy Records
Martin Carr's website is here

Amida – If The Wave Loves Two Suns

Manchester’s Amida issue a new EP through Wee Pop!, their second so far. Lead track These Are Golden Times reminds me of Bizarro era Wedding Present, but slightly feyer and a bit too mumbled. There’s a good meandering song waiting to push through, but it’s all a bit too murky. Weather follows in a similar vein, if a little less dramatic. There are some lovely tinkling melodies, but little of substance. You’ve Changed, Baby Girl is much better, far more strident and sounding like BMX Bandits doing their best Jonathan Richman thing. The pleasant alt Pavement stroll of Miho rounds things off on an EP which didn’t promise a lot, but got progressively better.

If The Wave Loves Two Suns is out now on Wee Pop! Records
Amida myspace is here

Marshmallow Coast – Phreak Phantasy

Phreak Phantasy is the work of ex-Of Montreal man Andy Gonzales. Nasty Dream is a springy, sproingy little funked up piece of dream pop that noodles along pleasantly until some crazy funk guitar soloing at the end. Millionaire is a brief excursion into chilled dream mood, while Hanging On A Cloud is very eighties, burbling synths making it sound like a nippy China Crisis. Please Don’t is nimble and disco expressive, with that early eighties tilt. It squirms and slivers around the dancefloor. After the interlude of Electro March, we’re back to business as usual with Scathom. Sara’s Song slows things down a little, a chilled out groove, its electro glide with added squelches and a lovelorn lyric. Lonely Days is self satisfied bouncy Phoenix style pop, but the trick is proving a little tiresome by now. The title track takes a little of the Thriller rhythm, song nifty popping keyboards and some weird noises and samples thrown into the mix willy nilly, only making way for the sparse lyrics. It’s a suitably odd ending to a weird yet wonderful album.

Phreak Phantasy is out now on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records

Marshmallow Coast myspace is here

Golau Glau – Soft Silver Young

Above the shuffling, tinny rhythm of Soft Silver Young float some ethereally twee vocals. The whole thing sounds like an elegiac hymnal, which is unsurprising when you establish the song is about the family who jumped off Beachy Head recently with their already passed infant son. Therefore the song sounds suitably sad, but also hopeful, as if problems are alleviated and they’re in a better place. Heartland Half Seizure has keyboards that sound like desperate wastelands, while two lost and confused young girls sing a hypnotic nursery rhyme. Its weird, yet affecting and helps make a rather fine single.

Soft Silver Young is released as a free download on Oddnet on July 1st. You'll find it here
Golau Glau myspace is here

The Humms – Are You Dead?

The Humms are another great band from Athens, Georgia. The title track on this EP is basic rock n roll chords and a ghost train heart. It carries a flick knife and is destined for a rumble on the wrong side of the tracks. Think of the way the Raveonettes drew on the fifties and you have a similar idea, but not as close to plagiarism as that band. Do The Graverobber! Is The Darling Buds scuzzed up, looking mean and dirty, while LSD Is Evil is Hank Williams via The Meteors, a rockabilly country rout. The only slight disappointment is No One Wants To Be Alone On Valentine’s Day, which is McFly versus BMX Bandits, a nice enough tune, if a little too sickly for my tastes.

Are You Dead? is out now on Odd Box Records
The Humms myspace is here

The Crack Babies – Smoking At Gas Stations

Smoking At Gas Stations is a reissue of an old Lostmusic Recordings release. Shine is scuzzy Jesus And Mary Chain without the style or panache, the vocals recorded in a muffled echo chamber. All style, no content. America takes the lead track and turns it into a deathly dirge, which is hardly covered up by the squall of feedback. It so desperately wants to be the early Mary Chain, but doesn’t have a clue. Honey Believer is slightly better, but frail and spindly like their legs in their drainpipe jeans. Pretty drops the feedback and reveals very little left. The rest of the EP brings it the noise back, but isn’t very exciting.

Smoking At Gas Stations is out now on Odd Box Records

Pinkshinyultrablast – Happy Songs For Happy Zombies

Russian band Pinkshinyultrablast provide the third release on Odd Box Records. Blaster is run of the mill effects drenched shoegazing, never really going anywhere, but fans of drone rock will take to it. Deerland is a bit better, sprightlier and with wispy female vocals floating above. It also dares to rock out and change pace at times, keeping you entranced. Honeybee falls somewhere between the two pace wise, but fails to have much impression on me. Ode To Godzilla wraps things up, a mysterious surf pop tune drenched with the Dinosaur Jr guitars and effects, but with again a shoegazing vibe.

Happy Songs For Happy Zombies is out now on Odd Box Records
Pinkshinyultrablast myspace is here

Casper & The Cookies – Modern Silence

Athens, Georgia’s Casper & The Cookies return with their fourth album, and a cracker it is too. It starts with Little King, all big smiley pop in the manner of The Shins. It wavers for respite and then pops back up like a rejuvenated jogger, all psyched up and ready to go. You Love Me starts off chugging along unassumedly, before breaking out and going all Musical on us, and then back to its former trance like state. Maybe it’s because of the surprise that the groove makes more sense after the freak out. It then squirms and high kicks to a fitting close. Pete Erchick Bicentennial Service Area is just plain weird, hyperventilating backing vocals; female strident lead vocals and shonky jerk pop rhythms. Sharp! combines kids TV themes, jittering rhythms and preppy vocals, while Little Lady Larva combines sixties pop with a light version of Siouxsie Sioux and some screaming. Cloud Of Bees is a dream of something beautiful, a gorgeous little number, wistful and other worldly, Moldy Flower is dirty in contrast and at times, a balls out rocker while New Day Zero is again channelling the Shins and Nada Surf for some blissful Cali pop. Keep Talking is Ben Folds kind of wonderful, Sunshine Girl is Gorillaz gospel and Eulogy For Marcel Marsalis is ELO style blue sky. I Am Happy is on an astral plane, drifting blissfully in its own world. All manner of weirdness closes the album in the fifteen minute I Am Gone, suitably for such an eclectic and interesting album.

Modern Silence is out now on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records
Casper & The Cookies website is here

The Funeral Suits – Eye Spy EP

The second EP from The Funeral Suits begins with Start Of The End, which starts all subdued, edging its way in before exploding into a maelstrom of crazed vocals and a storm of instruments. The drums lead a way through the electrical storm and what’s left is something akin to a melodic thrash. Helsinki is much more formulaic, hurtling skinny guitars and yelping vocals. Like the Wombats and their ilk, its good, but been done before. Dani Is Karl rumbles away like a good ‘un and is a mysteriously spooked piece of dark rock. Acidhappy takes a better turn, going all backwoods on us, being a lovely folk thing with a fuzzy background noise. If you love any of the new breed of ‘back to the earth’ bands, you’ll love this track.

Eye Spy EP is self released and out now.
The Funeral Suits myspace is here

Compute – This

Reminds Me Of You is a twiddly bit of icy electro pop, and a gentle way to ease yourself into the first Compute full length, This. All The Things I Swore I’d Never Be is whip crack smart, part industrial light era Depeche Mode, part dramatic eighties girl singer pop. Rushing, Slowing Down is wonderful spook pop, the thwacking electronic beat and rumble coupled with a Hazel O’Connor shriek. All Walk By has elements of the electro Altered Images of early Compute, but with a glacial sweeping landscaping, while A Matter Of Patience threatens to start off like a computer game soundtrack, before embarking on a gorgeous melody reminiscent of one of OMD’s big brash hits. Between all this, the tune hurtles along, like a headrush in an ecstatic discotheque. Over And Over uses a minimal tune to bring the heartbreak; there are beeps of life support, twinkles of light, but mainly a dark despair. Its one that offsets the upbeat nature of the rest of the album well. Words has what can be described as an electro reggae beat. It’s rather beautiful, but a little lacking in substance and doesn’t really get going. More of a feeling than a song, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Better Ways starts like a broken ice cream van tune, before gliding effortlessly into a beauteous study of icy cool. It’s like the Pet Shop Boys cooler female sibling, who’s been inspired by them and come up with a wonderful end product. The Dream closes proceedings with a mysterious tune and an over excited vocal, words spilling from her mouth at ten to the dozen and sounding like a wondrous Bjork. It’s a lovely way to end such a good album.

This is out now on Distortion Girl Recordings and is available to purchase from the Compute myspace

Withered Hand – You’re Not Alone EP

No Cigarettes is a delightfully whimsical opener to this EP, the vocals are winsome and fragile, while the music is gentle piano and guitar. It’s something you imagine cropping up on recent releases by Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, it’s that lovely. Over an opening beat from an old Pong machine, the lyrics of Oldsmobile Car arrive, recorded in a cupboard while the guitar tries to keep up. Rumbly drums and percussion pop in to round things out a bit, before the game machine is unleashed again for the bridge. When the song comes back in, its like a backwater pub singalong, you only wish the vocals were a bit clearer. Big Ten Four (Paul’s Song) is back to the feel of the opener, but more maudlin, the cracked vocal and piano leaving you heartbroken. Imagine Wayne Coyne singing alt country. R U Courageous is even more brittle, the melodies on the chorus making you think of a family fighting back the tears at a wake. That doesn’t sound like a compliment, but it’s that emotional it’s certainly meant as one. It’s a great end to a lovely downbeat EP.

You’re Not Alone EP is out now on SL Records
Withered Hand myspace is here

Cause Co-Motion! – Because Because Because EP

The new 12” EP from Cause Co-Motion! kicks off with And You Wonder, which is a rickety little thing, like the Pooh Sticks with Duglas from BMX Bandits on vocals. Is What You Say What You Mean? is indie rockabilly, rolling weedy military drums and a spindly guitar line in drainpipe jeans. It’s Time! reminds me of the cute ramshackle mess of early Soup Dragons, while I love the way the guitar on the title track chk chks along, while the singer goes for a croon that misses by a mile, but somehow it comes off as something else entirely. Leave It All sounds like the shambling sound of the mid eighties, a perfect copy in fact. You Lose is a bit more murky and downbeat, it’s almost a neat little instrumental, with what vocals there are sounding just like a gentle feedback overlay.

Because Because Because EP is out now on Slumberland Records
Cause Co-Motion! myspace is here

Bricolage – Bricolage

Bayonets kicks off the debut album from Bricolage sounding like a joyous version of The Wedding Present, the rattling guitars are present and correct, yet the vocals sound more euphoric, without being deliberately so. The song has an infectious melody that can’t help to get your feet moving and you singing along. Flowers Of Deceit reminds me a bit of The Chesterfields, that clipped singing, chirpy guitars and fey, fun tune. Footsteps is a calypso led Orange Juice, while The Spoilsport’s Retort is The Strokes gone indie pop, a particularly askew version of pop, but a very good one. Looting Takes The Waiting Out Of Wanting has some lovely harmonies, an upbeat tune in the manner of The Jam and a smile on its face. Turn U Over reminds me of Dogs Die In Hot Cars and their cool white boy soul. Sixth Form Poet makes me think of The Strokes again, with a guitar line that’s almost Lust For Life and some mumbly vocals. On The Omnibuses is ridiculously catchy, while Sleepwalk To Me lives up to its name, a gorgeous slow song. The giddy whirl of The Waltzers ties things up, a hazy swirl and yet another infectious melody.

Bricolage is out now on Slumberland Records
Bricolage myspace is here