Sixteen great songs from the last two weeks. Indie rock, indie pop, electronica, psych-rock, and sunshine pop. You’ll hear the influence of artists such as Radiohead, The Byrds, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, The Velvet Underground, Richard and Linda Thompson, and The Knife, plus the tracks show exposure to genres including classic 80s indiepop, post-hardcore, shoegaze, dreampop, quiet storm and gospel.
The Evens ‘King of Kings’
Iain MacKaye and Amy Farina return six years after their last album with the first taste of The Odds, pretty much picking up where they left off with drums, baritone guitar and twin vocals. Can’t wait for the album and really hope they’ll make it out to Australia when they tour.
[The Evens]
Of all the bands updating that 80s indiepop-jangle that eventually mutated into shoegazing, Veronica Falls are the best. You can place them on that axis that runs through the Beatles / The Byrds / Velvet Underground / Orange Juice/ The Pastels / The Smiths / The Primitives / The Shop Assistants / My Bloody Valentine / The Charlottes.
[Veronica Falls]
Kate Boy ‘Northern Lights’
Superior electropop heavily indebted to fellow Swedes,The Knife.
[Kate Boy]
Free Energy ‘Dance All Night’
Catchy mid-tempo rocker with a stadium feel from the power pop / new wave / classic rock hybrid. Taken from their forthcoming second album, Love Signs.
[Free Energy]
On a long term creative peak, Hoboken’s finest add mournful horns, strings and cowbell to their Velvet Underground-and-Krautrock-rooted indie-rock. Should win over a few fans of The National with this one.
[Yo La Tengo] Sally Shapiro ‘What Can I Do’
Sunshine indiepop from Sweden.
[Sally Shapiro] Suuns ‘Edie’s Dream’
Psychedelic pop with Radiohead guitar textures from Montreal band.
[Suuns] Jim James ‘Know Til Now’
First taste of the My Morning Jacket frontman’s solo album. A soulful slow jam that’s like a hypnagogic take on the mid-70s quiet storm sound.
[Jim James] Widowspeak ‘Ballad of the Golden Hour’
Subtle indie rock with breathy female vocals that builds into a mini-epic. A real grower.
[Widowspeak] The History of Apple Pie ‘Glitch’
London band with a distinct Pixies influence on the guitars and a vocalist with a hint of Tanya Donelly.
[The History of Apple Pie]
Tyvek ‘Wayne County Roads’
Garage rock from Detroit.
[Tyvek]
Joe Flory, previously recording as Primary 1, returns as Amateur Best with this soulful slice of melodic, layered electronica.
[Amateur Best]
Pat Jordache ‘Steps (Damaged Goods)’
“Hello, my name is Pat Jordache and I used to be in a band with Merril ‘Tune-Yards’ Garbus. I like early Talking Heads records and David Bowie’s Scary Monsters album (especially the title track)”.
[Pat Jordache]
Dutch Uncles ‘Fester’
Manchester band come over like Hot Chip with the quirk turned up to 11 on the first track lifted from their forthcoming third album Out of Touch In The Wild.
[Dutch Uncles]
Paradise ‘Blue Flower’
A song originally by German art-rock types Slapp Happy (it’s on Sort Of, their debut album from 1972), introduced to my generation via Mazzy Star’s 1990 shoegaze cover version and now resurrected for another generation by this London based duo (we’ll skip over Pale Saints unnecessary effort from 1992).
[Paradise]
Angel Olsen / Marisa Nadler ‘Withered and Died’
Two great feamles singer-songwriters (both of whom have featured solo in earlier In The Pharmacy cloudcasts) team up to take on this track from Richard and Linda Thompson’s classic I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974).
[Angel Olsen / Marisa Nadler]
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