Free Tender Trap download and New Brilliant Colors single!

Tender Trap: Girls With Guns (Fortuna Pop! free download)

The current incarnation of Tender Trap are probably my favourite line-up the band have ever had. The recruitment of Elizabeth Darling and Katrina Dixon seems to have granted a new creative lease of life, and last year's 'Fireworks' was probably their best work to date. So it's great news that the band are releasing a new LP in the summer. To celebrate record company types Fortuna Pop! have made this track available for free download. Check out the endearingly silly no-budget video too, and ask yourself the question; "just how many times am I going to see Elizabeth Darling's red duffelcoat featured on this blog?"

Brilliant Colors: Never Mine (Slumberland 7")

Anyone fortunate enough to have caught last year's fantastic Introducing Brilliant Colors LP will be hugely excited by the news of a new single from the band. And it's just what we've come to expect from them; a fuzzed-up, punky take on indiepop reminiscent of The Shop Assistants at their most thrashy. Two tracks of goodness available here. They also play The Scala on the 23rd June.

New singles round-up. Dum Dum Girls, A Smile And A Ribbon, Allo Darlin'.

Dum Dum Girls: Jail La La (Sub Pop free download)

Not a new single alas, but a re-recorded and cleaned-up version of a cracker from back before Dee Dee signed for Sub Pop and hooked up with super-producer Richard Gottehrer (Blondie, Go-Gos). While it's nice that the song has been pared back to the extent that you can now actually hear the lyrics, and it's undeniable that this version sounds a lot more likely to become a proper P!O!P! hit, I can't help but miss the echo-chamber reverb and scree of the original. Still a great tune though. Download for free here.

A Smile And A Ribbon: Den Lille Havfrue (Cloudberry 7")

A plaintive harpsichord* intro that sounds not unlike the beginning of the very song from which ASAAR take their name kicks off this beautifully wobbly ballad. Indebted to fifties doo-wop, early rock'n'roll and (as always) sixties girl groups, 'Den Lille Havfrue' is full of talky breakdowns, marimba, and slightly off-key backing vocals. An utterly charming, totally brilliant single. Order the 7" or download for free here.

*possibly dulcimer.

Allo Darlin': Dreaming (Fortuna POP! 7")

Yes, we know we've reviewed this already, but now you can feast your eyes on this lovely video and download the song for free!

Cannanes mini-interview and download!

Frances Gibson from the legendary Cannanes here takes time out from her incredibly busy schedule to answer some questions exclusively for Baby Honey!

It's such a treat to have The Cannanes back! And with a new single and British shows too! I'm very excited about the forthcoming split with (Baby Honey favourites) Summer Cats and Soft Paw in particular. Can you tell us a little about how that single came about and what will be on it?

Well the song is called 'Truth B2031A.' It’s a little bit about bushfires as they were much on our mind at the time as 50 houses burnt down where we live and 173 people died not too far away(Feb 2009). Scott from the Summer Cats has long been a friend and also a supporter during some bad OS touring experiences and he asked us to do it, and we are pleased to oblige of course. Not sure what will be on it from the others as we haven't heard it yet.

There's three(!) new albums on the way too? How is this even possible? What form do they take and when can we expect to hear them?

How is it possible they haven't come out 5 years ago is more the question! But stuff happens in life and sometimes you cannot get what you would like done unfortunately.

Well there is one album we recorded a few years ago which we are not so sure about and may come out in the form of an EP maybe. There's some good songs but the band wasn't really together when recording and we didn't do that great a job. The sound is sort of arty barbecue like I guess...

Second album we recorded with Explosion Robinson in New York and he is working on this but is so busy it will take a while. I expect it will be well worth the wait as he is a whiz to put it mildly. There's some pretty good songs on that one.

Then...there is the album we recorded just before Christmas known as LAWN 2 (Love Affair With Nature 2) which was recorded with Francesca Bussey and David Nichols and James Dutton - people we have played with on older recordings. They are coming this weekend to work on that one and get most of the overdubs done we hope.

I won't even go on about the 40 tracks we recorded with Stewart Anderson a number of years ago which are sitting on an old Mac and one day we hope will be finished off if technology can reach back that far in time.

And you're playing Indietracks! That's going to be amazing. Have you been before or heard about it? It's quite the most perfect festival ever.

It looks pretty fabulous. I was supposed to be back in Sydney well before then but pleaded to get the trip extended as it looked good and something unusual and the chance mightn't come again. It is so long since I have spent any time in England it will be odd. I lived in London for a year once and spent quite a bit of time in Nottingham and when I went back to Australia I was so miserable and thought I had made a bad choice by coming home . I recovered long ago of course but it will be good to be back even if for a short while.

And tell us a little about 'Short Poppy Syndrome' the Cannanes documentary. Were the band involved in the making of it all? The UK premier is coming up right? Didn't you design a Converse trainer too? How on earth did that come about?

We were only involved in the making of the film by being in it I think . With some dreadful hairstyles etc on my part I remember. The film makers moved on to other things so it was never quite finished but will have a showing in Newcastle with live performance and we hope may be able to come out with a Best Of compilation

We were going to put out a Best Of in the near future but Stephen said last week he is so excited by the new recordings we have to wait to see what should go on there from then.

The film is by turns funny and rather embarrassing but what can you do? It is the past. I hope it makes sense to people who don't know the band.

The shoe - Well Converse asked us to contribute to 100 artists designing shoes and we got Davo as we knew he would do a good job. They are a pretty impressive shoe I have to say and I don’t give a toss about shoes normally

Let's go back to the beginning. How did The Cannanes form? You (Frances) were a founder member right? How did the hook up with Calvin and K come about?

Despite being around since 1985 it is often pointed out cruelly to me that I am NOT a founding member. You know I can't remember but its all at www.cannanes.com- Here's a sample

"The Cannanes really began as an imaginary band of David Nichols, featuring friends Annabel Bleach and Michelle Cannane. The fiction sort of became reality when David moved to Sydney from Melbourne in Oct. '84. This lineup did not really change until early '85, but Michelle was rarely available, besides which, none of the members could actually play instruments. However in December one song was recorded with these 3 involved

Annabel and David had written some lyrics, notably "The Cannanes"(later changed to "Tales of the Brave Cannanes" to suit their fixation with 60's supergroup Cream "Ode to Cream " (aka "Shower Scene Backstage at the Fillmore"): Stephen ONeil who lived across the road had written music, or so he claimed, and so one afternoon in December the four rehearsed in the 'family room' at 202. At this session they composed and recorded "The Cannanes" and "Ode to Cream" (one rendition of which featured a guest performance from "Triffid" Alsy MacDonald), the same versions now found at the beginning of "Rarities". This is the first time Annabel sang in the group. David was too nervous to play. Many songs were composed over this 3 month period, sometimes with and sometimes without Fran.Gibson Towards the end of the band's usage of this title, Stephen, Annabel and David recorded the 12 copies of the cassette single "Life"/"It's Hardly Worth It" individually. 3 shops were chosen to sell 3 copies each. Covers were individually made.

Then Fran, Stephen, Annabel, David and Michelle combined to record what was to become "The Cannanes Came Across With The Goods." It was to be a C30 cassette, side one beginning with "Hell & Back" and side two with "Sunday". "Bone " was to be excluded as it was cut off half way through. Many more songs had been composed including "Happy Was A Fly", "Skeleton is your Little Boy", "You're So Groovy", "Sunday" and "Gloom Turns to Boom" (pt.2).

The line-up in the Cannanes Mk. 2 was usually Annabel, David, Stephen, and Fran more often than not. A,D + S had busking forays in the streets of Sydney, including one marathon outside the Hellenic Hall recalled here by David's brother -

"In 1985 I was 16 years old. I was studying year 11 biology at high school. My main interests were gardening and golf. Something has changed in the intervening period... At easter time of that year my sister and I visited David in Sydney. His house had a tabloid newspaper poster in the kitchen which said "Skeleton is your little boy". On Saturday night there was some kind of benefit concert at the Hellenic Hall in Abercrombie St. with lots of punk bands playing. The Cannanes took two guitars and a drum, some cider and Tamsin and me and set up a sign outside saying "the Cannanes play 40 of their greatest hits" (or something like that). Not much money or interest was raised, but I do seem to remember an ugly drunken couple dirty-dancing (ahead of their time) to some tune or other, accompanied by Annabel's taunts. It took me a bit more than all this to convince me that The Cannanes were a 'band' but it was a start."
Michael Forbes Nichols Sydney, Australia 27/7/1990"

Calvin and David were/are pen pals. We played with him on recent Australian tour.

What's the line-up of the band at the moment? I believe you have a kind of rotating cast of oddball geniuses currently.

I don’t know about genii but David Nichols and Francesca Bussey and James Dutton are doing stuff and we hope others like Stewart Anderson and Shintaro Kiyonari and Guy Blackman and of course Explosion Robinson will in the future,

It will be just Stephen O'Neil and I in the UK and we hope to have help from Sarandon folk on bass and drums for a couple of songs.

You're heavily involved with the campaign to save small live music venues in Australia. What's the situation with that at the moment? Is there some kind of petition our thousands (cough) of readers can sign?

There was a great march in Melbourne-Basically it is about the usual- gentrification and people not wanting music in their areas and also badly thought out legislation trying to curb alcohol fuelled violence which doesn’t even happen in most original music venues, but laws were passed requiring bouncers even for a pub with an acoustic guitarist in it and forcing live music to stop at 12 pm and even earlier. And charging very expensive licence fees.

There is a petition I have signed but not sure about online. You know anyway - Think globally, act locally - so you readers go and make sure you look after music in your town!

What are The Cannanes listening to at the moment? Have you heard Milk Teddy, the band that Scott Summer Cats has been producing? We like them.

No haven’t heard Milk Teddy. I have been listening to some music from some surfing people - Windy Hill from Byron Bay and a reissue of the Chads Tree albums and stuff from Canadian songwriters James Keelaghan & Hugh McMillan - kind of folky - and Djan Djan who are : Mamadou Diabate, Bobby Singh & Jeff Lang whom I saw on the weekend, and I bought that Grizzly Bear album, and I had a ridiculous Stevie Nicks phase for a while

Tell us a secret.

I saw the Pixies and they were bad. Is that a secret? A real secret is that we haven’t played since one night in Mexico City in 2008 and I am rather scared about our shows in the UK.

Do you have any tattoos?

Nuh. I can't think of anything I would want indelibly written on me. I did think for a second I could have the word Newtown (where I lived and am about to live again in Sydney) once but I would never bother. Pain is to be avoided in my world. Most tattoos are a bit pathetic I have to say but I don't care if others want them. I am surprised they are still in fashion though.

Cannanes: Cardboard (Download)
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Baby Honey #004: with Chocolate Barry and Mr Wright!

BABY HONEY #004: Friday 9th April 2010: The Buffalo Bar: London

él Records are one of our all-time favourite labels here at Baby Honey towers, giving the world the likes of Momus, The King Of Luxembourg and Would-be-Goods. So it is our great pleasure to announce that this month's Baby Honey will be an él/Cherry Red special to celebrate the forthcoming Blueboy reissues. With giveaways and guest DJ Dominic (the Cherry Red man responsible for putting together those Blueboy reissues) we'll give you a sophisticated night with lots and lots of tunes from él & cherry red and our special blend of the finest, happiest indiepop, post-punk and soul. In addition, we will be hosting él legends and a band much inspired by the él aesthetic. Baby Honey #004 looks to be an unmissable event.

BANDS:

CHOCOLATE BARRY:

Chocolate Barry are without doubt one of the great 'lost' bands. Formed in Malmo they recorded one of the greatest indiepop singles of the nineties (the peerless 'I Cry Because Of You Argentina') and promptly fell off the radar. Now back and heavily inspired by él-affiliated legends The Monochrome Set, we are hugely proud to host their first ever British gig.

http://www.myspace.com/chocolatebarry

MR. WRIGHT:

Mr.Wright, who under the name Always released Thames Valley Leather Club on él and then continued with releases under his own name. The Metropolitan album on Siesta is a classic and the latest record Diary Of A Fool has the amazing Band Apart track.

http://www.myspace.com/mrwrightandalways

DJs:

Dominic (él/Cherry Red)
Daniel Novakovic (So Tough! So Cute!)
Anastasia Cohen (Baby Honey)
Rory Mackie (Baby Honey)

Friday 9th April 2010

The Buffalo Bar, 259 Upper St, London N1 1RU. 020 7359 6191

9pm - 4am. £6/5 (flyer/concs) £3 after bands have finished.

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/75045

Girls Names 12" EP.

Girls Names: Don't Let Me In (Captured Tracks 12" EP)

Judging by past releases Girls Names are huge fans of Beat Happening, but here they also crib a little bit of Crystal Stilts reverb-and-jangle, to fine affect. Title track 'Don't Let Me In' breezes by in a woozy kind of a way, sounding not unlike a more relaxed Veronica Falls, but 'Graveyard' is the real stand-out here; with Cathal T Cully's Calvin Johnson-esque vocals wrapped around a chiming, Flying Nun riff (as seems to be all the rage at Captured Tracks these days) and lots of nice, atmospheric echo. Somehow both epic and restrained, this comes highly recommended. And they're from Belfast, not Brooklyn! And the cover is dead nice! What more do you want?

Hear 'Don't Let Me In' on their myspace, or 'Graveyard' here.

Order the 12" here.

Baby Honey #3 tonight! Cats On Fire Download!

Hi everyone. The advance tickets have just sold out but there will be tickets at the door so come on down when we open (9 pm) if you want to catch the bands. If you just fancy a drink and a dance then we'll be playing the very best in Indiepop, Post-Punk, Northern Soul and Girl Groups 'til 4am, and if you come down after the bands (midnight), you'll be able to get in without problems and will only have to pay a measly £3!

STAGE TIMES:
9.45 Betty & The Werewolves
10.30 Twig
11.15 Cats On Fire
12 and onwards, indiepop dancing!

And if that wasn't enough excitement for one day, those lovely Cats On Fire boys have kindly agreed to share an mp3 (the brilliant 'Horoscope') with us all, as a wee taster for this evening!

Cats On Fire: Horoscope (Download)

Sourpatch mini-interview and download!

Hello Sourpatch, discovering your band helped make 2009 a great year for me, and your wonderful hit single 'I Want You Either Way' made my Top 20 Songs list. What were your favourite songs, LPs, new bands, popshows of 2009?

Rich: My favourites of 2009 were Leaving Mornington Crescent, new Magrudergrind LP, Roskopp, Superbad (R.I.P), Fleabag, new Pants Yell LP, Grass Widow records.

Nicole: New Julie Doiron, the new Rose Melberg.

Christine: Raincoats reissue, Mirah, Brilliant Colors, Screaming Females, Songs for Moms.

Mander: Pains of Being Pure at Heart LPs.

And what does 2010 hold for the band? Any new records? World tour? We'd love to see you come to the UK and there's a Baby Honey gig waiting for you if you want it!

Mander: Robo tripping.

Nicole: More videos, new recordings, and spring tour with Fleabag!

Rich: We have enough to make another LP so hopefully something/anything new on vinyl and we'd love to go to England, but probably not till next year, can anyone help?

Your sound reminds me of some of my favourite bands ever; Velocity Girl, Spinanes, Tiger Trap and Go Sailor! particularly. Were these important groups for you? Any more influences we should know about?

Rich: Wow! Ummmm...yea, they are important, we have so many influences it would take a whole storybook to name 'em all, but here are some more...

Nicole: Mazzy Star, The Cranberries, Gayle Garnett, Victory at Sea, Pam Berry.

Mander: Billie Holiday, Henry's Dress, Crass, Cub.

Christine: Kate Bush, Boyracer, The Raincoats, Aisler Set, Odetta, Bessie Smith, Patti Smith, Chrissy Hynde, Amelia Fletcher, Janet Weiss.

Rich: Superchunk, Undertones, anything Tracy Thorn, Allison Statton, The Wipers, The Lemonheads, Mary Lou Lord, That Dog, KIT, Dear Nora, this list could go on a lot longer!

Crushin' is a nigh-on perfect debut LP, any plans to release it in the UK? The shipping costs are crazy!

Mander: That would be awesome!!

Rich: If anyone offered we'd probably do that..hint hint!

The video for 'IWYEW' is ace and makes me want to pack a bag and head for California every time I watch it. What's the 'scene' like in San Jose? Is it a big Indiepop town? Any other local bands you'd like to recommend?

Rich: I honestly think we don't know or fit in to a lot of the local indiepop scene. I would like to play with a lot more pop bands but we tend to stick to a more punk/d.i.y side of the bay area. No dis, it's just that we aren't very clean cut in looks or sound.

Christine: The indie pop scene as it's defined here is more radio friendly. and when I say that I mean that the sound is more like the newest Built to Spill or Modest Mouse or new Stereolab; bands that are well known but still have roots and connections in the indie scene. The sound that we like to play is more punk than it is pop, or at least we'd like to think so.

Rich: The bay area scene is very hit or miss, we usually have more fun at small house shows than at legitimate venues so we try to play those more. Some great bands to check out; Opt Out, Fischer, Trouble, Trainwreck Riders, Ovens, Young Offenders.

Mander: Fleabag, Godstomper, Songs for Moms.

Nicole: Ugly Winner.

Christine: Grass Widow, Brilliant Colors, Albert Square, Forever ( who live in Portland now), Younger Lovers.

Not many people actually read our blog at the moment, so we're trying to bribe people to come visit by giving them free stuff. Do you have anything knocking around on mp3 we could shove in their direction if we make them promise to buy the LP?

Rich: Umm, well the only thing we have is this acoustic version of a song that nicole had recorded to show us all.

Christine: We recorded it with all of us but it got cut on the record, maybe it'll be on a comp in the future!?

Sourpatch: Party Of Five (Download)

Your Myspace status reads: "Fuckin' Pan! Fuckin' Cakes!" and, as it's recently been Pancake Day in the UK, this would seem like the ideal time to share Sourpatch's perfect pancake recipe with our readers.

Rich: You have a pancake day? Do your pancakes mean the same as ours?

Mandi: Go bananas for pancakes!

Christine: It's actually national pancake day here in the US on Feb 23rd, but I'm a waffle person myself.

Tell us a secret.

Rich: If Nicole drinks and smokes weed at the same time she freezes up like a vegetable and is scared of everything! It's pretty ridiculous.

Mandi: Plus she has four nipples. No joke.

Do you have any tattoos?

Rich: Yea, that's a weird one; I have two roses, two x's, a wooly mammoth/reaper sleeve on my left arm, a noise symbol on the other arm (I also play in a grind band - like Napalm Death), the words "empty head" above both of my wrists and a local vegetarian restaurant's logo on my other wrist (I got it on a tour as a joke - the joke is on me.)

Nicole: Red wagon, ice cream cone, k records logo, Rose Melberg tour poster logo (the one with the jumping boy.)

Christine: A replica of a tattoo my dad gave himself when he was 12, it's a rising sun but people think its a taco, a tarot card image meaning strength, the same Rose Melberg tatoo as Nicole (it was meant to be a friendship tattoo but she got hers 6 months later), and the words "though the return be never" on my forearm. It's from the Langston Hughes poem "No Regrets."

Mandi: A king on a bike on my thigh, I have 2 "W"'s tattooed on each butt cheek so when I do cartwheels it says "WOW MOM!" Hahaha!

Rich: Hahaha!

Christine: Hahaha!

Nicole: DUMB!

Sourpatch Myspace

New singles round-up.

Wild Nothing: Cloudbursting (Captured Tracks 7")

Here at Baby Honey Towers we hold up Kate Bush's 1985 masterwork Hounds Of Love as a bold example of pure pop perfection, an undeniably brilliant LP and a totem of absolute genius that should not be sullied by the hands of mere mortals (and yes Futureheads, we are talking to you here). However Wild Nothing's cover of the wonderful 'Cloudbursting' gets a pass. Why? Because it actually manages to out-weird the Queen of Weird herself, being as it is, a wonderfully gloopy, slo-mo-narco version with added drone and sine-wave. Like New Order trapped in a wind tunnel and ripped to the tits on plant food. Or something. Anyway you can listen to it here and order it here.

Sad Dad For Puppets: Again (Cloudberry 7")

I had the lovely Roque (head honcho of Cloudberry Records) staying on my couch for the duration of London Popfest and, upon leaving, he made me a gift of this, the latest 7" from Swedish newgazers Sad Day For Puppets. There's been some debate in P!OP! circles about whether the noiser, shoegaze inspired bands should really be considered indiepop at all, but I've always been a big fan of the genre and 'Again' is a cracking example, trading in the bands Dinosaur Jr-esque live energy for a more stately, elegiac feel. A mini-epic then, and therefore a far better leaving present than a boring bottle of wine. Cheers Roque! Download or order here.

Sambassadeur: Days (Labrador download only single)

This one came out a while back, but somehow passed me by until now. Imagine my delight then upon finding out that 'Days' is probably the best thing that Sambassadeur have ever done. An aching, gorgeous, nigh-on perfect orchestral pop song, with 'Dancing Queen' piano and soaring strings all layered over Anna Persson's astonishingly beautiful vocals. This wouldn't sound out of place on the last Camera Obscura record (or any Camera Obscura record come to that.) Download it from Labrador here. And pick up the LP too if you know what's good for you - it's a corker.

Meow Meow: I Wonder What Went Wrong (WIAIWYA free download)

The latest in Where It's At Is Where You Are's free download singles sees Liverpool's Meow Meow take centre stage. WIAIWYA reckon that 'I Wonder What Went Wrong' sounds like power-pop, Heavenly, All Girl Summer Fun Band and Tiger Trap, and they won't get much argument from me. The B-side is a charmingly evocative cover of Go Sailor's 'Ray Of Sunshine' on acoustic guitar, bongos and shaker, and you can get both tracks here.

The Lodger: Have A Little Faith In People (This Is Fake DIY download-only single)

The Lodger are back. And what's more they're back with a hugely infectious pop gem, with added brass! Sounding not a little unlike Billy Bragg's 'Sexuality' or even the Housemartins at their finest, this is an unashamedly mainstream sounding song, and all the better for it. It's the sort of thing that would have thousands of student union dancefloors shaking up and down the land if this was still 1986, and if this all sounds like a back-handed compliment, then it's not meant to be, 'Have A Little Faith In People' more than transcends it's influences and, if there was any justice in the world, would go on to be a huge hit in the pop charts proper. Download here.

New Summer Cats single!

Yes, the hotly anticipated new single from Summer Cats is finally here, in the form of a beautifully packaged 7" from Slumberland Records. B-Side 'TV Guide' is a perfectly acceptable slice of Sunshine/Bubblegum Pop, but the flip 'Your Timetable' is simply excellent, managing to sound like both a lost New Wave/Powerpop classic and 'Psychocandy'-era JAMC at the same time. Bonzer.

Summer Cats: TV Guide (Stream)

Smittens mini-interview.

Hello Smittens! I'm interviewing you because your wonderful cover of the Just Joans 'What Do We Do Now' (from your seven inch split EP on Wee Pop!) made my Top 20 Songs of 2009 list. How does it feel to be in receipt of such an overwhelming accolade?

Well that was some great company to be in. And clearly we couldn't have done it without the genius song they wrote.

And how did that collaboration come about? Were you good friends with the Joans beforehand? Can we expect similar projects in the future? Maybe with Transmittens?

We wanted to cover one of their songs after we saw them play the first time in Glasgow. We were on the books to release a single on WeePOP records, and invited them to join us because we enjoy gimmicky symmetry and of course we wanted to hear what their cover of one of our songs would sound like, and, lucky for us, they were game. As far as future collaborations go, there's nothing currently on the books, but you never know.

Similarly, what are The Smittens favourite songs (or popshows or LPs) of 2009? You don't have to do twenty, I know that you're busy people.

The Littlest Smitten says her favorite pop show was seeing Gordon M. from Ballboy playing in the church at Indietracks.

The Charming Smitten says: The Middle Ones at London popfest, Suburban Kids in San Fran (the night after the SF popfest) or the POBPAH Valentines show in Burlington, VT.

The Greek one says: San Fransisco Popfest final Tullycraft show

The Lady Smitten says: I fell in love with Cats on Fire last summer at Cosy Den.

And the Dashing says: The Would-be-Goods at Twee as Fuck last February, Burning Hearts in Stockholm, Speedmarket Avenue at Indietracks, Just Joans at the Nottingham all-dayer in November. I've been addicted to all these bands' records this year.

Your performance at Indietracks last summer was one of the highlights of the year for us here at Baby Honey Towers. Any other favourite moments of 2009?

3 Smittens got married a week apart in 2009 (two of them to each other). It was really the year of doing everything we dared ourselves to do. Also finally touring Sweden--better known as the Magic Kingdom of Indiepop.

And what does 2010 hold for the band? New records? Are you coming back to the UK? Can we book you? We'll start stockpiling the Newcastle Brown.

Yes, yes, and yes please. Though Colin still hasn't gotten over the fact that they don't have Newcastle on tap in Newcastle. 2010 holds some time in the studio recording a new album, the release of our addition to the Tullycraft Covers compilation (put out by LA Tool & Die), the release of our latest album, The Coolest Thing About Love on vinyl, a cover of a Cars Can Be Blue song for the HHBTM 10 year anniversary compilation, and for sure, a UK and European Tour. We are also confirmed to play NYC popfest and Indietracks, and have been invited back to play Cosy Den as well.

How is Vermont? Is there much of an indiepop 'scene' going on in Burlington? Are you aware of the British band called Vermont? They were pretty good actually.

We love Vermont. As far as indie pop goes, we are currently sitting in a room with 80% of the indiepop people in this state (it would be 90% if Max was here). There is a big indie community here in Burlington, VT but it spans a variety of genres and media--artists, farmers, dancers, folk musicians, bakers, and more. It's an amazingly creative, conscious, and beautiful little place and we totally feed off that and hopefully give something back as well.

We're big fans of Wee Pop! and think that Camila is, like, totally rad, but can you tell her to stop making the packaging for the 3" CD-Rs so pretty? Sometimes it's heartbreaking to have to open them and spoil such beautiful design.

First off, Camila is the bees knees! You've seen her cd artwork; what you don't know is that she makes a mean veggie lasagna and is the best host in all of the UK! If you buy two of every release, you wouldn't have to worry about whether your only copy got ripped.

When I cack-handedly attempted to interview you and The Pocketbooks last time we met, you mentioned that you very much enjoyed discovering some particularly British delicacies such as Marmite and Newcastle Brown Ale. In the spirit of cultural exchange, are there any US or Vermont-based

foodstuffs us Brits should know about?

We have really good locally brewed beer here in VT. And great local cheese. and obviously there are those guys Ben and Jerry. You might want to check out spelt pretzels, fluffernutter sandwiches, half and half in your coffee, and when in New York, Dominican breakfasts of yellow rice, black beans, and eggs (with a side of fried sweet plantains). PS don't be fooled by the Canadians: Vermont maple syrup is the best. In fact, it's nearly sugaring season.

Tell us a secret.

We can be real bitches. If we're on stage and all wearing stripes, it's not actually a coincidence...

Do you have any tattoos?

Both Dana and David are inked in places we can't divulge.

The Smittens: Something Sassy (Reverbed)

'Forthcoming' Allo Darlin single previewed on Fortuna Pop! website.

Allo Darlin': Dreaming (Fortuna Pop!)

Known to anyone who has seen the band play live recently as 'the one with Monster Bobby' this is a gorgeous, world-weary duet, propelled by dreamy lap-steel and the beautiful harmonies provided by the intermingling of Elizabeth Darlin's crystal clear voice and Bobby's more sonorous tones. In songwriting terms, the arrangement and structure provoke memories of the (sorely-missed) Lucksmiths, but the vocals are pure Indiepop Nancy & Lee. Heart-stoppingly pretty.

No release date yet (as far as I could tell) but you can hear it here. And here's the video, which is so good it even manages to make Piccadilly Circus look like a nice place!

New single from Bonne Idée.

Bonne Idée: A Dream Of You (Cloudberry 7" 1015)

Bonne Idee have made some of the most fragile and beautiful pop music it's been my privilege to listen to over the last couple of years, and 'A Dream Of You' is no exception; being a thing of downbeat, understated elegance.

Imbued with a particularly Swedish melancholy, it's gossamer-thin and sounds like it may fall apart at any moment - but in a good way. A very good way.

You can pre-order the seven inch from Cloudberry (or download the mp3 for free) here.

And here's a video of them playing on a tram that makes my heart melt every time I watch it.

Black Tambourine reform (sort of)! Record new tracks (sort of)!

Black Tambourine have revealed in an interview with Washington City Paper that they have completed four (four!) new recordings for an upcoming compilation album. The tracks consist of two originals; 'Lazy Heart' and 'Tears Of Joy' plus covers of Suicide's 'Dream Baby Dream' and Buddy Holly's 'Heartbeat'.

Blimey.

Here's the video for 'Throw Aggi Off The Bridge' just in case you'd forgotten how brilliant they were/are.

Help Stamp Out Loneliness: Plastic Trash Vortex Remix EP.

Anyone who has caught one of my DJ sets in the last few months will be aware of my deep and abiding love for the Help Stamp Out Loneliness track 'Plastic Trash Vortex' (included in my top 20 tracks of 2009 mixtape). Now those lovely folks at Where It's At Is Where You Are have made a remix EP available, free to download, featuring re-workings by DJ Downfall and Tall White Guy. Also available is the 'lost' Airport Girl single 'Salinger Wrote'. Go get!

Help Stamp Out Lonliness: Plastic Trash Vortex Remix EP (Download)

Airport Girl: Salinger Wrote (Download)

This Friday: Baby Honey 002!

Baby Honey #002. Shrag, Northern Portrait, Still Corners! Dancing 'til 4am! Free CDs for early birds! Don't miss!

Baby Honey #002
Friday 12 February 2010 at 9:00pm
Buffalo Bar
259 Upper Street, Highbury Corner
London N1 1RU
United Kingdom
Facebook event
Last.fm event
Songkick event

ticket

London Indiepop I-Spy. Harmless fun or a licence for carnage?

Not sure whether I think this is brilliant, hilarious or terrifying. From Man Ill Kid's blog 'Ill and Ancient':

London Indiepop EyeSpy

Rules
1. Points given for Eye-Spying Indiepop people in and around London
2. No points for yourself
3. You don't get points for the same Spyee twice
4. Points are awarded at the first instance
5. Double points for sleeping with, having sex with, or assaulting the Spyee
6. Final score for any 24 hour period

All rules are debatable

Other rules
7. Extra half point if the Spyee is doing their shopping in a supermarket
8. Extra point if they're wearing a hipster stripey top
9. Minus points for considering talking to the Spyee, but not following through
10. No points for spotting bands at their own gig

Bands and Artists
Pocketbooks - 4 points per member
The Loves - 3 points per member/former member
The Bobby McGees - 3 points per member (no points for calling Jimmy Bobby)
MJ Hibbett and the Validators - 3 points per member
Tender Trap - 2 points per member
Moustache of Insanity - 2 points per member
Allo Darlin - 2 points per member
Veronica Falls - 2 points per member
Arthur and Martha - 2 points per member
Electrophonvintage - 2 points per member
White Town - 2 points per member
Darren Hayman - 2 points per member
Comet Gain - 1 point per member

Scenesters
Kitten Painting - 3 points
Bob Underexposed - 3 points
Ill and Ancient - 1 point
John Marshall - 2 points
Nat Davis - 3 points
Camilla - 3 points

Promoters
Trevor OddBox - 2 points
String Bean Jen - 2 points
Ian HDIF - 3 points
TomB - 3 points
The Twee As Fuck ladies - 2 points
Anastacsia So Tough So Cute Baby Honey - 2 points
Rory So Tough So Cute Baby Honey - 1 point
Crystalball - 3 points
El Presidente - 1 point
Team Come Out 2Nite - 2 points per member

DJs
Rocker Rosehip - 3 points
Steve Lemaqc - 4 points