indie features
Feature: Soundtrack of Our Lives – The Special Pillow
The Special Pillow are old hands at this indie pop game, having recently celebrated their Silver Jubilee, but are still mixing up 60-pop with a touch of psychedelia here and a serving of antipodean 80s indie there. Their new mini-album ‘Worlds Finest’ is out at the end of the week, and see’s the band – …
Feature: Ohmme give us an exclusive track by track of their new album Fantasise your Ghost
Out last Friday via Joyful Noise was the new album from the Chicago based duo of Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart, aka Ohmme. Called Fantasize Your Ghost, the album was the result of the pair spending more time on the road than in Chicago, and looking at the concept of home, as well as ideas …
Not Forgotten: Black Wire
A band with a ferocious but short-lived output, Black Wire were among the greatest who opposed the 2000’s indie/garage/DIY cluster of clones. They toured with The Cribs during their lifespan, whom they later supported in a one-off reunion show in 2013. Like The Cribs, Black Wire’s discography is light-years from the photocopied groups which flocked amid the post Is …
Feature: Scratch the Surface – 14 Iced Bears self-titled album, and an interview with Rob Sekula
14 Iced Bears: ‘14 Iced Bears’ ( Thunderball Records 1988 ) “Only the dust remains…” Background Formed in 1985, 14 Iced Bears released three excellent records on the short lived Frank label before moving to Sarah Records in 1988.There they released a three track 7” single ( two songs of which also appeared on the …
Feature: Breathless give us a track by track rundown of The Glass Bead Game – Reissued today
Reissued today is the 1986 debut album from dark indie band Breathless. Called The Glass Bead Game, it saw the band – bassist Ari Neufeld, singer, keyboardist Dominic Appleton (who went on to guest in indie supergroup This Mortal Coil), Guitarist Gary Monday and drummer Tristram Latimer Sayer, go into the Blackwing Studios with John …
Feature / Playlist: Every track (on Spotify) for every John Peel festive 50
Over on our Spotify page, alongside all the playlists we’ve received from artists, albums of the year, our monthly playlists, psych playlists, classic DJ sets, not forgotten series and other delights (you should really check it out and follow some of them), we’ve added a new, mammoth playlist – every track currently on Spotify from …
A Beginners Guide to Sparks
Sparks aren’t just any old pop band. Formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the former child models were just too weird for the macho chest-beating alpha male loving American rock scene of the 70s, Sparks have always enjoyed far greater success in Europe. Following some tentative steps as Halfnelson, the brothers would form Sparks …
Feature: Merge Records celebrate 30 years – Interview and exclusive playlist
If you follow the brilliant Merge label, you’ll have had some insight into this. They’ve been releasing various limited edtion vinyl to celebrate it, but they’ve been going for thirty years. Started by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance of Superchunk to release some of their own music (the first album on the label was Superchunk’s …
A Buyers Guide to Matt Berry on Acid Jazz
Although primarily known as an actor, comedy performer, and voice over artist, in recent years Matt Berry has received an increasing amount of attention for his music. Since 2005 Berry has released five albums, which although utterly charming, can also verge on the uncategorisable. Late 60s psychedelic folk seems to have been a significant influence, …
A Buyers Guide to Crowded House (1986-1996)
Few acts have ever managed the career trajectory that Crowded House managed to pull off during their initial decade-long run from 1986 to 1996. Their debut album did solid business in the USA with their debut album on the back of a pair of big hit singles, while they struggled to make much of an …