Tag: indiepop

Posted on

The Rosebuds – Christmas Tree Island (2012)

Christmas Tree Island cover

Self-Released
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes

Few modern bands have had as much success writing enjoyable Christmas tunes as the Rosebuds have. I have hunted down their Christmas offerings on more than one Raleigh-area compilation, and am extremely happy to have a bunch more songs to sink my ears into.

My expectations were high, and they were roundly met. The two tracks I was familiar with, “I Hear (Click, Click, Click)” and “Oh It’s Christmas” are standouts (of course), but so are a good number of the new (at least, to me) cuts. The moody, saxophone-heavy “Xmas in New York” is truly exceptional. The sorrowful “Thru That Door,” also has some fantastic saxophone parts, that if not done so well, would be cheesy. “Melt Our Way Out” may be my new favorite – great music, and wonderful lyrics.

There are only a few tracks that I’m not too into, as I tend to enjoy the Rosebuds the most when the tempo is quicker. Another word of caution – the lyrical content of the record is largely melancholy. So… perhaps not party music – but its probably better than your party music anyway.

Bottom Line: A wonderful effort. I hope this (sort of) compilation does not signal an end to them writing Christmas songs. 4.5/5

LISTEN:

Posted on

Pelle Carlberg “Soon After Christmas” (2008)

Lilac Time cover

Labrador Records
Buy: Amazon CD | Amazon.uk CD | Amazon.de CD | Amazon.fr CD
(You need the CD to get the download!)

Pelle Carlberg is one of my FAVORITE singer/songwriters… I am particularly fond of his two most recent solo records, In a Nutshell and Lilac Time. So, I dutifully bought them, enjoyed the hell out of their witty wordplay and to my amazement… there is a bonus… a hidden bonus to be found.

I encourage you to first look up Pelle Carlberg, or just groove to the songs below. If you like what he’s putting down, then you should go buy a copy of Lilac Time. If you read the liner notes carefully, you’ll find a link that shall lead you to three additional songs. One of those tunes… a wonderful cover of Stina Nordenstam’s “Soon After Christmas.”

You might imagine… when I found this… I jumped out of my seat, punched a waterfall, and smacked a leprechaun. It was damn exciting.

I will not post it here, and I beseech you to not post it anywhere once you hunt it down yourself. Lets actually buy some records. Let’s put a few bucks in Pelle’s pocket. He has a family, and he is a full-time musician. The album is 100% worth it… throw in an ultra-rare Christmas tune that you have to search for… and you cannot beat it.

Bottom Line: The album itself is fantastic, and the Christmas song is wonderful. 5/5

LISTEN:

Posted on

Do You Think it Will Snow Tonight? (2010)

Do You Think it Will Snow Tonight cover

Cloudberry Records
Buy: CD | Bandcamp (but it doesn’t allow purchasing!)

Not technically a Christmas release, the 3″ CDR Do You Think it Will Snow Tonight falls in the winter/snow category that I open up my mix to. The vibe is much more varied than the previous Cloudberry release, adding a bit more of an indie rock tone at times. The first track, “Catch Your Cold,” is the best example of this. Evans the Death have created a rocking song with a great feel, and some very silly lyrics – “I’m afraid of getting a job / I’m afraid of Snoopy Doggy Dog…,” but it works.

Seapony‘s “Dreaming” is a lovely piece of 80’s inspired chillwave that will find favor with kids who listen to Wild Nothing. It later appeared on their 2011 record, Go With Me, and is certainly good enough to be mix-worthy BUT – is not winter-related enough for me (or at all!).

The Sweater Girls follow with “Sweater Weather,” which has a much more indie-pop feel than its predecessors. It could use a bit more a hook, with the lead singer’s spoken vocals over a buzzy guitar that is going in circles that would benefit from some variation of tone. Still, not a bad song – it gets bonus points for being the second song whose subject matter qualifies for Christmas mixes.

Floridian indie-poppers Cassolette weigh in with “Not Just Anyone,” the longest song on the record… a little over 3 minutes (a definite plus for this record if I may say so), but it is not a winter song! The only nod to the season is the lyric “You turn my winter into spring.” Too bad – it is a wonderful piece of indie-pop!

Finally, the Christmas-y named The Garlands finish out the album with a song that could be off a Sarah record of old, “Throw Away This Day.” My personal taste leads me to say this is the least strong song on the record, though if you love the indie pop sound of the 1980 & 90s, you’ll absolutely love it. Though, this is not a winter song either! (They did release a rather good Christmas tune two years prior that you should check out.)

Bottom Line: Not enough winter-themed songs hurts its rating, but some strong stuff. 3.3/5

LISTEN

Posted on

Last Train to Christmas (2008)

Last Train to Christmas cover

Cloudberry Records
Buy: Discogs | Bandcamp (but it does not allow purchasing!)

This little 3″ CDR packs a big indie-pop punch. Four tracks of solid songs that would please any fan of the genre, and perhaps even those who don’t normally warm towards the twee. Featuring four originals that don’t fall into any heavy religion at all… pretty much what I wish every Christmas CD I picked up was like.

The Swedish band Twig starts it off with “Antoinette’s Christmas Wedding,” which will give you all the crooning, brass, and calypso that you never knew you wanted in a Christmas song. A small story of a song, it sets the wedding (and surrounding) scene quite well. I am quite partial to Christmas originals, and this one is a very interesting one… It has yet to make a Christmas mix for me yet, it just hasn’t fit yet. It may never fit… but that doesn’t make it a lesser song.

The first of two NYC bands, Strega follows with “When the Stars are Shining Bright at Christmas Time,” and their very familiar, sleigh bell-heavy, female fronted approach does not stand out quite as much as the dulcet tones of Twig. However, they have written a tight little song that is immensely listenable.

The Soft City lead off “Side B” with “Snow Keeps Falling,” with a much more 60’s inspired treatment that I could imagine being off an early Essex Green record for some reason. Great motion to this song…

The final song is by the Danes Champagne Riot, who can be found singing Christmas tunes (Xmas Safari) on the most recent Matinee Records holiday offering. “December Slopes” is a fine first effort with a great groove; they reach a level that not many bands hit after many Christmas attempts.

Bottom Line: Every song is truly good, though no song is mind-blowing incredible. 4.8/5

LISTEN:

Posted on

12 Days of Christmas (2009)

12 Days of Christmas cover

Bubblewrap Collective
Buy: CD | Bandcamp

The concept is intriguing. 12 bands were selected and given 31 days to write and record a song, each based on a particular day in the “12 Days of Christmas.” It was intriguing enough to compel me to preorder it many moons ago. As with nearly every single Christmas compilation, there is a WIDE variety of quality on this record. The tracks that rise above the rest are all female-fronted indie bands – one might think that I have a type. The first notable track is “Five Golden Rings from the Hi Five Kings” by The Rocky Nest. They have a great musical aesthetic – everything works well together. The second track I would like to highlight is “Silver Swans in NYC” by Allo, Darlin’ (Look them up – they put out a fantastic record this year). This was the one I was anticipating… and perhaps it was that anticipation that raised the expectations a bit too high. Its a lovely little song… but for some reason I wish it was a more fleshed-out production. There are a few other tracks on there that are ok, but largely, I was not a huge fan.

Bottom Line: So much potential, but not enough quality payoff. 2/5

LISTEN:


Posted on

Fantasia De Navidad (2002)

Fantasia de Navidad cover

Siesta
Buy: Discogs (CD) | Amazon.uk (CD)

If you want an entire record of very, very, very pretty indie pop, then Fantasia de Navidad is for you. I find very little fault with the efforts of these Siesta recording artists – they have pleasant music, and interesting lyrics. There is also a calypso(?) thread that runs through the record, popping up to the forefront at times. This is perhaps a little too-pure indie pop for what I am looking for on my own personal mix (or to subject to party guests). I am just not that skinny and beautiful, while somehow melancholy and well dressed, to pull it off.

Of particular note, Admiral Achilles’ “East of the Country” (at certain times) sounds like it could very well be Elvis Costello in disguise, perhaps going indie pop in between his Burt Bacharach and country music phases. Their second track on the album, “Christmas,” sounds like Mark Kozelek… specifically with his vocal phrasing, as well as the general tone. I can’t pin that band down…

This one is tough to come by… to read more about it, check out Siesta’s discography.

(A quick afterthought – this CD comes in a regular version, as well as an ultra-limited, wooden CD case version with the cover impressed upon it. Crazy.)

Bottom Line: Do you LOVE indie pop? If you do, add 2 points to my score. 2.8/5

Posted on

If I Make it Through Christmas (2001)

If I Make it Through Christmas

Perfect Pop Records / Two Zero Records / Thatsperfectwonderball Records
Buy: Download | CD (Perfect Pop) | CD (Discogs)

Released in Norway back in 2001, this EP is a solid little piece of indie Christmas. Two tracks are of particular note (and they can be previewed at the Norwegian website where you can download it), the John Prine classic “Christmas in Prison,” performed by Cinnamoon, and Peru You’s “Real Maria.”

The Oslo-based Cinnamoon cover  “Christmas in Prison” with a great, full-band, folk treatment, that has just enough banjo to make you really take note of (and enjoy) – and before it was fashionable. I think they made some wonderful decisions with the arrangement – nothing seems out of place, and while they didn’t reinvent the song, they certainly improved upon it.

Also a Norwegian band, Peru You’s “Real Maria” sounds like something that Vampire Weekend could really tear up on a Christmas single. The vaguely Caribbean feel of the instrumentation, the interesting phrasing and the lyrical bobs and weaves really make this a great track. You need to hunt this down.

I can’t bring myself to write about every single song, so I shall end it there, with the two best. Additionally, I am certainly fascinated by the fact that I can find out very, very little about these two bands… who have no doubt broken up in the over ten years that its been since this release. I thought I could find every answer on the internet… or at least a long-abandoned myspace page…

Bottom Line: Those 2 tracks make the record. 3.5/5

Posted on

Happy New Year 2008 (2007)

Happy New Year 2008! cover

Elefant Records
Buy: Bandcamp | CD | 7″ | iTunes
icon

I don’t have much time, so I grabbed a short one for this review. Happy New Year 2008 is out-of-print, and unavailable via Elefant, but still out there for purchase. Nothing really dates it to 2008, so no worries about that.

Anyone familiar with the Elefant label will not be surprised by this indie pop groove. The School kicks it off with “Kiss You in the Snow,” which is a perfectly passable song. Light, happy, and generally a good time. Coming in at 2:18, it is the perfect time – any longer and the saccharine sweetness might wear a bit… but they hit it well.

The second track by Helen Love is probably the one that you’ll come to with the highest expectations, if only for the title, “Joey Ramone Snowman.” Unfortunately, this is the worst song on the album. It sounds like a child is slightly autotuned… and the spoken-word-singing by a child is not only annoying, but ANNOYING. Sorry to be so brutal… but really. It’s just not enjoyable.

Corazón contributes a song in Spanish, which is quite appropriate for a Spanish label. My Little Airport rounds out the disc with a song in Japanese, leaving only the twee-loving Swedes missing from this international celebration of the indie pop new year. With both tracks, the music is quite pleasant, but they don’t catch me as others have in the past. I don’t need to know what people are singing – if the music is engaging enough, that is all you really need. Not quite there.

Bottom Line: Cheap, but nothing truly amazing. The School track keeps this afloat. 2.6/5

LISTEN

Posted on

Kitty Kitten Kristmas (2010)

Kitty Kitten Kristmas

Kingem Records
Buy: CD | iTunes

Tiny Tide’s “Left Alone for Christmas Time” begins with the line “Do I have to wait and cry,” which sums up a lot of indie pop Christmas tunes–Dreary lyrics with a danceable beat. The rest of the disc does not follow quite the same formula, and for that, I am appreciative. The tone is pretty similar though – its all indie pop. “M.I.S.T.L.E.T.O.E.” is a solid song about office-party romance… not quite catchy enough for me to consider for my own mix. Cherry Berry has two songs on this release… which is unfortunate (for my taste). “Berry Xmas” is the weakest track on this record, and its on there twice. The vocals are just distracting, and make it impossible to get into – though their English is no doubt much better than my Indonesian.

Without giving a rundown of EVERY track on this 8-song release, I would like to highlight the two bright spots. Paisley and Charlie offer a beautiful slice of holiday melancholy with “Unhappy New Year.” Perhaps a bit too dreary for my wife to stand, I really enjoy the groove the music creates (and you, oddly, really need to listen to it LOUD). Stars in Coma also have a standout with “The Frozen Spectacle.” With harmonies that are reminiscent of the Fleet Foxes, these Swedes have created a track 2:36 of subtle beauty. Brevity is often an asset when it comes to a good Christmas song… and Stars in Coma do not wear out their welcome.

Bottom Line: Inexpensive, with two very-solid tracks makes this release better than most. 3.7/5

LISTEN

UPDATE! Stars in Coma have re-recorded “The Frozen Spectacle” for their upcoming, Christmas Eve release of You, Me and a Nuance of Arctic Air. This is a slightly different mix, so its all a matter of personal taste as to which one you like. For fun, I’m also posting their demo of this, fantastic track GONE (which is a highlight of my personal mix this year!).

Posted on

Christmastime, Approximately (2010)

Christmastime, Approximately cover

Where Its At Is Where You Are
Buy: CD | Bandcamp

Christmastime, Approximately is one of the stronger indiepop Christmas compilations of the past few years. This was originally released in 2010 as a free download (500 downloads), and now available as a ₤5 Bandcamp download or as a ₤3.50 CD! I picked up the CD, as I am a sucker for a physical copy.

While every compilation (with very few exceptions) suffers from filler, there are certainly some standouts here worth appreciating. The Social Interaction Foundation (aka Help Stamp Out Lonliness) leads off the CD with a danceable, folktronic version of Low’s classic, “Just Like Christmas,” which is different enough from the original to be interesting. Other standounts are Eux Autres‘s “Teenage Christmas,” The Hillfields‘ folky “Spirit of the Season,” and especially Hexicon‘s “See That Day.”

Bottom Line: The songs are good enough to justify the price. 3.9/5

LISTEN