The second split single is out! And what a cracking single it is. Take my word.

Kevin McGrother was a late 2008 discovery for me. As I’ve said, I don’t do end of year lists, but if I did, his album, “Living on Enyd Blyton’s World”, would be there. It’s a marvelous record, no fillers, just perfect songs, one after the other. The second song from the single “A Week of Wednesdays” does appear on the album, and after listening to it, you’ll have it on repeat for sure. Great lyrics and a catchy melody, what can top that? Kevin combines the magic of The Hit Parade with the elegance of Max Eider and the Jazz Butcher. The first song “A Riverside Heaven” bring us the genius of Kevin, with one of his greatest Tickety-Boo songs re-recorded. You ask who is Tickety-Boo? Well, just wait for the next Leamington Spa compilation, and some questions will be answered. Or let’s have a quick look at Kevin’s bio!

It started back in the early 1990s with Just Like Alice, raw pop songs being belted out in the pubs of North East England – chunky guitars, manic violin and glorious trumpet. Then, after a few comings and goings and a name change it was Tickety-Boo – ’sweet, not sickly boy girl vocals’, more violin and a highly regarded EP. Then came the court case when Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and his publishers took exception to the Ticketys dropping a snatch of one of his most famous tunes into their anthemic ‘Cantona’. The band taunted the lawyers, the lawyers headed North and it all ended up at the High Court. It ended in inevitable defeat – ‘they fought the lord, the lord won’ and the band crumbled away. Ten years on and Kevin McGrother, the man behind both bands has dusted down his song collection and has released a 10 song album, “Living In An Enid Blyton World”.

And now he has put out this little single in our little Cloudberry. And how thrilling it is for me to have him on board. Two bouncy pop songs that are sweet sweet sweet that feel like an indiepop merry-go-round of fun.

Then we travel to Europe’s mainland, to Germany. Awaiting us is André Daners and his My Laundry Life. Another one-man band genius. This time it’s all about the jangle. I’ve always had a soft spot for German bands but lately I couldn’t find many that gave me that rush and urgency to listen to them. So I’m glad My Laundry Life appeared with his 80’s tinged pop that reminds me to The Go-Betweens, The Smiths and The Trash Can Sinatras. This is proper jangle! The kind that makes you happy, the ones that feels epic and classy, the one that you can’t find at your local record store. And if you can’t have enough of these two great tracks, André has already scheduled an eleven-track album to appear in March in the Vollwert Records label from our good friend Werner. A bit impressive as My Laundry Life is such a new band, formed during the late months of the past year. And now, like a storm, he is all over, getting well deserved words and praise. And hopefully soon he’ll be playing gigs! That’s what the world really needs!

You can order the single directly from the label page. It comes in the classic 3″ CD format and the wraparound sleeve has a lovely Swedish post stamps photo by Joe Brooker (from The Pines). And it’s just $5 (includes postage to anywhere in the world!). Don’t Stop Indiepop!

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Listen
Kevin McGrother – A Week of Wednesdays
My Laundry Life – Sons & Guns