Francis Albert Machine
I Love You & I Don't Want You To Die: Singles & Rarities 1999-2004
Maudlin indiepop on new solo album from Airport Girl member Francis Albert Machine, unfortunately marred by hard-to-hear lyrics
Lovejoy
Strike A Pose
Sophisticated, fun electro pop on one-off 7" single on the new Unpopular label from much-acclaimed twee popsters, Lovejoy
Clientele
Lacewings / Policeman Getting Lost
First release on new indiepop 7" llimited edition label, Unpopular Records, which features two live tracks from the Clientele
Loves
Love
"Conciously retro", but "insanely catchy" indiepop on long-awaited debut from Cardiff's the Loves
Pipas
Bitter Club
"Eerily bittersweet" and "nerve-wracking" indiepop from much acclaimed Pipas
Loves
Shake Yr Bones
Familiar, but comforting indiepop on new single from Cardiff group, the Loves
Set Designers
Five Songs
Ramsackingly "charming and cute" bedroom indiepop from new act, the Set Designers
The King Of Luxembourg
Sweets Of Japan
Entertaining, if a little idiosyncratic indiepop on coloured vinyl from former él sigining Simon Fisher Turner, aka the King of Luxembourg
Foxgloves
Lives You Didn't Lead
First-rate indie pop from new British duo the Foxgloves, who have drawn early comparisions with the Smiths and New Order
Liberty Ship
Northern Angel EP
Perfect "jangly indie pop with harmonicas" from exciting new Nottingham-based group, Liberty Ship
The Guild League
Private Transport
Debut album from Lucksmiths' voclaist and percussionist Tali White's side project, the Guild League, which, despite chirpy sing-a-long nature contains a surprisingly dark edge
Paper Moon
One Thousad Reasons To Stay
Spectacular "pristine pop" on "Impressive debut" from new Winnipeg group
Various
Little Darla Has A Treat Foryou V.19, Indian Summe
Thoroughly enjoyable new sampler from the diverse Darla indiepop label, that fields a "wealth of new, slightly off the beaten track music"
Various
Hit Music Only
"Delightful" debut compilation from new indie-pop label, Heavenly Pop Hits, which, co-run by Pennyblackmusic writer Tommy Gunnarsson, includes tracks by Remington Super 60, Nixon, Sodastream and ballboy
Pipas
A Short Film About Sleeping
"Sophisticated" debut release on Matinee label by new London girl/boy duo Pipas
Michael Carpenter
Up Close
"Classic " power pop release from under-rated Australian multi-instrumentalist Michael Carpenter that compiles together tracks from his previous two albums, Hopefulness' and 'Baby' , but which also features several new songs
Various
The Politics Of Disappearance
'The soundtrack to an imaginary film – the soundtrack to your internal monologue", 'The Politics of Disappearance' is the latest compilation from Radio Khartoum, "one of the few truly innovative record labels of the moment."
Motormark
Our Lips Are Sealed
Some would say sacrilegeous, others brilliant reworking of the old Go Gos hit.
Various
Compilation Electro
The French – they’re suave, they’re chic, they invented pain au chocolat – and for this I salute them. They also excel at making rather fine but largely ignored pop music, although fear not because “
Lollipop Train
Junior Electric Magazine
This is the penultimate instalment in a series of fantasy pop concept albums which have come on the Siesta label offshoot – Reverie. The albums, released between September 1998 and September 2000 , c
Harper Lee
Go Back To Bed
Harper Lee’s debut album is what is proverbially known as a “grower” .At first listen it may seem simply like another batch of angst ridden songs written by and for dressing gown wearing, cold baked b
Windmills
When It Was Winter
As someone who has a strong aversion to the summer and sunshine (which I am currently soaked in) I will quite happily reminisce on those cold but cosy months which last for about eleven months of the
Various
What You Hear Today, You'll Be Singing Tomorrow
This conservative indie pop compilation was originally released way back in 1997 in the death throes of Britpop when people still strutted around with a certain amount of pride in their gazelle traine
Napoleon Maria
Dreams & Reveries
Maria Napoleon, the guise for Shazna Nessa and three producers-cum-masterminds Jerry Butler, John Austin and Matt Hulse, sees the sixties influenced chic pop series, Reverie, brought to its conclusion
Various
Elefant Dosmiluno
File under “vocal pop, indie pop, pop rock, and easy listening” or at least that is how Spain’s Elefant records categorise their budget priced introduction to their rather lovely roster.
The joyo
Various
A Wish On A Star
When I first received this compilation, I vowed that I would do my utmost to avoid falling into some kind of clichéd review about dreamy music making up the dreamy records roster; But it’s difficult f
Mogul
Rotunda
'Rotunda' sees the return of Mogul and their rickety brand of lo-fi, as part of the ongoing Elefant singles club. This 7” of delight is on pink flecked vinyl so it bears a passing resemblance to a Ref
David Candy
Playpower
David Candy has got to be a teenager. Trust me. Of course, David Candy is really Ian Svenonious of The Make-Up, but he plays the pretentiously intellectual youth card pretty well.
Yet again, the a
Phony
Good Times. Silent Place EP
My attention was drawn to Phony because their drummer is in Le Hammond Inferno. Do not, however, be fooled by this – Phony are not in the least bit like Le Hammond Inferno. They have their own idenit