Not much news today, it is great though that I keep finding bands and time to write about them!

The Umbrella Puzzles: all over the weekend I saw many friends sharing the wonderful EP by this new band from California. It is a new band but behind it there’s a friend that has always made amazing pop tunes. That is Ryan Marquez who we know from Apple Orchard, The Haircuts, Sodajerk (who were interviewed in the blog) and more. This EP has 6 songs of lo-fi indiepop that are catchy, dreamy, sweet. The art was also done by a good friend, David, the same David that introduces me to so many bands all the time. What a combo! Really lovely debut. Happy to see Ryan back and in great shape!

This Certain Kind: a new janglepop band from the 80s are getting love by Firestation Records next September. On the 6th this band that I know very little about will be releasing an LP called “Inspire”. Firestation Records has shared one of the songs that will be in the album, “Make Your Heart Bleed” which sounds ace! Definitely one not to miss!

Spreadeagle: and here is one band that I have discovered through David. They come from Glasgow and have just released a new song called “11.59” on their Bandcamp. But that’s not all. There are other three songs that have also been released this past August, “Close the Door”, “The Night Sky” and “Palatine Hill”, this last one maybe my favourite!

The Slowest Clock: remember I interviewed not so long ago this fantastic Irish band? Well I just learned that the superb Fanning Sessions blog has posted the band’s 1988 BBC1 session for Liz Kershaw in its entirety! So great! You can check then 4 songs: “Where’s Andi”, “Desert Mouth”, “Rejoice the Burning” and “Turning Green”!

Tvärtom: some superb tracks in this Finnish band’s Soundcloud! It seems these songs are not that new, from what I am reading on the bio the band formed in 2010. It was actually Joel who started the band and later Eni joined to play bass and. Kristina drums. Joe picked up the guitar.With this lineup the band recorded the two songs here. Are there more? Who’d know. But these are really good and that’s what matters!

—————————————————————–

After featuring White Come Come I thought it would be cool to explore another Japanese band from the same period. Less than a week apart. So I went to check out a band that is quite unknown to me but whose name I saw for the first time thanks to the White Come Come post. How’s that?

Remember I said I was going to explore the bands on the compilation “Brand Skip New Decoration” (QTCA-1003) that Quattro had released on CD (and Parco Sectary had put together a promo 12″ for it). Yes, on this 1992 comp Loco-Holidays appears with two songs, “Place in the Sun” and “Close to Me”. So I went looking for them and I liked what I heard!

It seems that was the only compilation they were in. But it is not something to be sad about. The band released one mini-album and two CD singles on the Confusion label which is also  a new label to me. Lots of good stuff to discover! I’m very excited! I love how from one band I jump to the next and so on. Discovering this way lots of great new music.

I read that Loco-Holidays were one of the first shoegaze bands from Japan. The band was formed by Hideka Matsuno, Kinya Kamijyo and Moriya Kamijyo. Were Kinya and Moriya siblings? Also we know that Hideka Matsuno would become much more known later on on Ruby Ruby Star and as Hideka. Kinya and Moriya, on the other hand, were involved with Penpals and Starwagon.

It is surprising that the mini-album was released before the CD singles. “Engine Flower” (PCCC-00007) was released in 1991 as I said on Confusion Records. It was released on CD and had six songs, “Bloody Minded Hill”, “Femme Fatale” (a cover of the Velvet Underground’s original), “Silly Smile”, “Strawberry”, “Desert Me” and “Two Gloomy Suns”. The record was produced by Kazuhiko Hirata.

Next came the “Screw” (PCCC-00009) CD single. It had 3 songs, “Screw”, “Blackberry Way” and a remixed version of their cover, “Femme Fatale (Flowerfall Mix)”. It was released early in 1992.

Lastly the “Drive” (PCCCC-00010) CD single came out also in 1992. Three new songs came on it, “Drive”, “The Fountain” and “Once”.

Then quite a surprise. Some live footage on Youtube. There is a video of the band playing “Strawberry” live on TV even though the hosts of the show are talking over the song! What show was this? Then another live footage video of them playing “Place in the Sun” at a wedding party of a friend of the band. Even more surprising, perhaps a reunion of sorts, there is the band playing “Close to Me” on October 26 2013. I would find on Hideka’s site that the band was reuniting to play after 20 years at Shibuya Club Asia at the DJ Bar EdgeEnd 18th Anniversary Party. They payed that day alongside Venus Peter. What a gig!

Searching for Loco-Holidays I get lots of hits, but for hotels and vacation sites. Nothing much about the band.

But I’m hooked now with the band. I want to find copies of their records. I want to listen to them at home, play their CD and relax. I hope I will get to find more about them. Did they hail from Tokyo? I suppose so. But I definitely would love to learn more. Like if this was the first band they were involved with? Are there more recordings? I’m sure my Japanese pop friends must remember them!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Loco-Holidays – Drive