The first snow this winter. That’s what just happened in NYC. Indiepop keeps quiet, like hibernating, when it comes to news. I learn through friends about some bands that will play Popfest. I find that the announcements, whenever they will be, will make a lot of people happy. Some amazing bands from the past and today should be arriving to the city in May. And it should be grand once again.

Not many news for new releases either. At least not on my radar. Today is a holiday too in the US. Martin Luther King day. Things are quieter than usual. I was surprised this weekend when I heard Felt’s “Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow” being used in a movie called “The End of the Tour” with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg. A movie about the writer David Foster Wallace and a journalist who accompanies him to interview him during the last days of a literary tour in 1996. It makes me happy when I listen indiepop songs, classic or not, on Hollywood movies. It should mean that the band must have made some money out of it. Or hopefully they did. Don’t know who owns Felt catalog these days, it was Cherry Red but I believe Captured Tracks was re-releasing their records. I just hope that whoever owns these recordings, either the money-hungry or the low quality label, behaved well with Felt.

Times are quiet. Madrid Popfest announced some more bands to their lineup. I’m thrilled to see Red Sleeping Beauty will be playing. I was very happy when they announced their comeback, and to see that they will be playing gigs, well, it’s even better. It could mean that they will come to NYC Popfest too! Wow, that would be something! Wouldn’t it? Then the announcement of Horsebeach feels a bit like justice. One of the best contemporary jangly bands from England, that never seem to be invited to Indietracks, will get to play. How I wish I could see them! And lastly, the other band I would be very excited to see, that I’m very envious of every popkid attending this festival, are Los Animalitos del Bosque. Can’t imagine the racket that they will bring on stage, and on to the crowd! I think there will be a lot of dancing!

Also it’s good to mention that this 30th of January, in Berlin and Cologne, three Spanish bands will be touring together, The Royal Landscaping Society, When Nalda Became Punk and Linda Guilala. That is next week. If you are in town, definitely do not miss them. Check this Facebook event if you need more information. Another event that makes me long living in Europe. One day.

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Kept digging on that box of 7″s of bands starting with either M or N. I can’t recall when I bought this 7″ by the band Milo, but I’m pretty sure of the why: it was released on The Bus Stop Label.

The strength of this record is the A side: “Car Crash”. What a nice song! I’m glad I picked this record, I think. All the ingredients that make me like this sort of indiepop are their, electric guitars, catchy melodies and girl vocals. It reminds me a bit of an English band that released some stuff on the same label, Eggplant. A favourite of mine. The B sides are “Beautiful” and “Can We Play Run Around?”. This record was released in 1994 and was catalogued as BUS 050.

From the back of the record one can learn that the band was formed by Cindy, Charlie and Pari. And from the internet, from the little I could find, they were based in Champaign-Urbana.

The Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, also known as Champaign-Urbana and Urbana-Champaign, is a metropolitan area in east-central Illinois. It is the 191st largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The area has a population of 231,891 as determined by the 2010 U.S. Census. The area is anchored by the principal cities of Champaign and Urbana and is home to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system. 

Many good bands in the late 80s, early 90s, came out from that area. So it’s no surprise.

Discogs luckily lists another record by the same band. I don’t own it sadly, but I will make sure to order it later today as it is very affordable. It seems it was actually released in both CD and 10″ version. It is titled “Can We Play Around?” and the catalog number is BUS 1004. Funny enough the song of the same name as the title that was included in the 7″ doesn’t appear on this release. Instead there are five other songs: “Empty Em”, “King of the City”, “Ribbons & Bows”, “The Best Part” and “I Get Burned”. Andrew Beddini produced this records, and there are special production thanks to Allen Stickels and Sweet Patrique Hawley.

That’s all I could find online sadly. It is a bit hard looking for a band named Milo too. Especially when there’s a drink (Milo is a chocolate and malt powder that is mixed with hot or cold water or milk to produce a beverage popular in many parts of the world. Produced by Nestlé, Milo was originally developed by Thomas Mayne in Sydney, Australia in 1934. It is marketed and sold in many countries around the world.), cities and villages with that name (for example there’s a Milo, Indiana, Milo, Maine, etc.), a couple of rivers (in Tanzania and Guinea), boxers, footballers, politicians with that name, videogames, plants, and so on!

But maybe you remember them? Perhaps they released more records? Maybe some other songs appeared on compilations? Did they have more recordings? Did they gig all over the US? Whatever happened to them? Were they involved with other bands? Would be nice to know!

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Listen
Milo – Car Crash