Last Friday I had the chance to meet Jari from Tampere in NYC. He was in town for a few days, where he even played an open mic show at Otto’s Shrunken Head. Jari as you may know was/is in two superb Finnish bands, Cessna and Artisokka. He was telling me that there is a third Artisokka album coming up while we were having beers in the Lower East Side, at a strange beer hall called The Grand Delancey. It is within a food court/market, on a basement. They have a huge list of beers but what surprised me was that now and then, among all the terrible music that was being played, you’d hear a song by The Bats, or one by Orange Juice. Quite surprising.
It was a nice afternoon talking about music, the bands, the scenes… and about New York, Finland, Europe, and whatnot. It was fun!
Chorusgirl: here’s some fantastic news. Chorusgirl is back! The band is now Silvi’s solo project and there’s a new album in the horizon! It will be called “Colapso Calypso” and is coming out on October 14. Will be released by Reckless Yes on vinyl and CD and will include 10 songs! Right now we can preview one of the tracks, “Don’t Go Back to ’89”, which is ace. There is also a video for the song that I am also enjoying. Definitely an album not to miss!
The Age of Colored Lizards: the Oslo band is a common sight in this blog. Always following the Norwegian band formed by Christian and Cato. Their latest release is a digital single, the second single, from the band’s upcoming 4th album “Fake”. The album will be available digitally in August. So, very soon!
The Variable Stars: it seems there is a superb fantastic scene now in the Bay Area. Lots of great bands. You wonder why there’s not sort of a compilation introducing many of these bands. The Variable Stars are not new though. They were from the early 2000s. The good thing ois that all their songs have been compiled on a tape called “All Signs Point to Life”. I just wish it wasnt a tape as I have no patience for tapes! The one song I’ve had the chance to listen on Bandcamp is really really good. Titled “Junkfood Romance” it sounds like heaven to my ears. Like the perfect mix of influences. The tape is out on August 15.
Thee Smashing Times: amazing news here too. The Smashing Times from Baltimore, another band I enjoyed immediately at first listen have signed to Meritorio Records and will be releasing an album titled “Bloom” on October 21. 13 songs will be in this album, and we can preview the last of the songs on the record! It is called “Mother Nature is Son” and as expected is great. Definitely another album I need to get later this year.
The Happy Somethings: the English band has just put out a compilation CD with Subjangle! Called “Running Away with the Happy Somethings”, the comp collects many of their songs, from their two albums, EPs and singles, as well as new tracks recorded for the occasion. In total you can find 20 songs here and the album is quite limited. Just a few copies were available at the time I wrote these lines!
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A lot of my recent finds come thanks to that unknown indiepop soldier that is stoneeyedkiller on Youtube. If you haven’t seen his work finding indiepop gems, make sure to check it out and subscribe. Right now that I have not much time in my hands I am following his steps and trying to find more info of the bands I like the best from his posts.
Big Blue World is the latest surprise. He has uploaded a 1990 song titled “Factory Lights” that sounds ace. Also gives us the band lineup, Andrew Jardine on guitar and vocals, Mick Rivett on bass and Jon Corkill on drums.
I want to think that the band named themselves after the Paul Haig’s song “Big Blue World” that he released in 1984. Maybe?
The band did get to put out a record, a 12″ in 1989. It was released by White Mountain Records (BBW 01) and included three songs, “Deviation” on one side and “Deceiving Myself” and “Winter Skies” on the flipside. It was a double A sided single.
The songs had been recorded at The Music Room in Peterborough. Did they hail from there? I also look into their label and the only other artist listed with two releases in this label is Nick Rowe who is described as a new age musician.
What about the Music Room? I should be familiar with this studio, The Pleasure Heads recorded there, and I wrote a post about them. Also The Charlottes’ classic “Are You Happy Now” was recorded there.
The producers for this single were the band and Baz Voce. Baz also is listed as the engineer. Also it is important to mention that another band member is listed here, Ian “Nobby” Clarke on guitar.
Then there’s a strange release: Craig Thomson and Big Blue World’s “I Want You to Want Me”. Did the band become the backing band for the Australian actor and singer that was on the Aussie soap opera “Home and Away”. The record was released on 7″, 12″ and CD, and it included a cover of Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” on the A side and “Foolish Pride” on the B side. The producer for the A side was Duncan Bridgeman while the B side was produced by Ian and Dave Morgan. The 12″ release included a 12″ mix and a 7″ mix for “I Want You to Want Me”.
This release was put out by Telstar (TOMOCD1) and The Brothers Organisation.
Then we find a Soundcloud account by Mick Rivett. Here there’s a trove of songs! He last updated this account 3 years ago. The three songs from the 1989 release are there, but there’s more: “Factory Lights”, “The Love of May”, “Waterfall”, “Lost Town”, “Live Down the Life”, “Temple of Broken Dreams”, “Your Character”, “Thee Home Road” and “It’s All Down to You”.
They don’t have any more info, no details when you click on the songs. Thanks to the photos we see that they played a place called Gaslight. But that’s it.
No more info, but a bunch of great songs. Maybe we will find more about them in the future. I really hope so!
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