The Charade – Monday Morning
If you like your indie pop blissed out and about as twee as tweety bird writing romantic poetry to a long lost feathered girlfriend then Sweden’s the Charade will be for you. Ingela Matsson, Magnus Karlsson and Mikael Matsson are from Stockholm although they take their cues from Glasgow’s bunch of fey popsters (and a pinch of Cinerama). Life for the Charade is an uncomplicated task and the soundtrack they choose to colour it will make your tummy warm inside. ‘Monday Morning’ is a pert twee classic, all twinkling piano lines, jangling chords and some neat interactive boy/girl vocals. In the wrong hands it could sound mawkish but the Charade sing like it’s coming from the lining of their souls. And the Charade even gave the indie world a presence at last years’ World Cup writing the song for the Swedish National Team named ‘Dressed in Yellow and Blue’. Close the doors on the outside world, turn on the Charade and dream a little dream. KD
The Charade – Monday Morning
Watch The Video To Dressed in Yellow and Blue
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Both Charade: Albums
Year: 2005 & 2006
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The Ghosts – Penny Falls
Mathew Sawyer may have played drums with the Television Personalities but his voice has been curated at the central altar of twee pop heaven. An acquired taste then you might think? Well, you’d be wrong because when it’s surrounded by dreamy soundscapes as evidenced on his band the Ghosts album ‘Blue Birds Blood’ these particular vocals sound as appropriate as snow on a mountaintop. The album kicks off with ‘Penny Falls’, a simple affair with Maebh Culhane’s cooing being rivalled only by the Velvet Underground like drum snaps and Sawyer’s engagingly delivered lines. This sort of song normally finds its true home at the end titles in the quirkiest movie of the year. Lovely doesn’t even begin to describe it. KD
The Ghosts – Penny Falls
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: Blue Birds Blood
Year: 2006
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Diktendo – The Tune I Call November
The Bent Pen Project is signed to a Swedish label called Melodrama. So is Diktendo (the games people play, eh), another solo project with one Magnus Wahlström at the helm. Diktendo is only a side project for Magnus as the band Citylights is his day job. This situation could change quite rapidly if the twee pop delights of Diktendo were to catch on the way they deserve to. This is the original of the species, a certainty to be rostered beside the Field Mice were it the early nineties when Sarah Records flourished like giant daisy’s in the warm summer air. ‘The Tune I Call November’ is instantly ear grabbing, softly lilting with gently tugged jangling chords and Wahlström’s fey vocals. It is featured on Diktendo’s current release the ‘Sweet and Tender, As We Are’ EP. You’ll go a long way to find an EP so appropriately titled. KD
Diktendo – The Tune I Call November
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy EP: Sweet and Tender, As We Are
Year: 2006
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Goodnight Monsters – 20 Fingers 20 Toes
I can’t think of anything else I would rather listen to this winter’s evening than ’20 Fingers 20 Toes’ by Goodnight Monster. Perhaps it’s the effect of a hangover or perhaps it’s the realisation that 9-2-5 is beckoning in a couple of hours. Whatever it is about these Finns (Matti Jasu and Valtteri Virtanen), right now the twee glow from this song is all I need to lock out the world outside. They have an album too called ‘The Brain That Wouldn’t Die’ and a quick glance of some its reviews reveals that ’20 Fingers 20 Toes’ isn’t alone in its venture to please those enamoured with simple melodies and cute musical gestures. The lyrics also toe the party line, being as innocently exuberant as a 3 years old attempt to break his keepy uppy record. Goodnight Monster are currently working on their sophomore record. KD
Goodnight Monsters – 20 Fingers 20 Toes
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die
Year: 2006
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Celestial – Fragile Heart
You can now buy this song on one of our Indiecater compilations here!
Yes this sounds exactly the way you thought it would; twee, ethereal and as precious as a gold ring lying undisturbed on a riverbed somewhere. Celestial are from Sweden and lean on a range of stylish influences. Shoegaze is the predominant marker but you could pluck a host of dream pop champions from their sound. The boy/girl combination gets me every time but there are other attractions to be savoured. The fuzzy production recalls Sarah Records but the lack of sheen tends to highlight the flickering guitars and a piano line that is as loose as an old pair of Joe Bloggs. Celestial have been active of late, recording a fancy Christmas ditty and releasing ‘Fragile’ on 7-inch (no less). Their label Music Is My Girlfriend consistently uncovers twee pop gems and must be congratulated for keeping the dream alive. KD
Celestial – Fragile Heart
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy: Fragile EP
Year: 2007
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Duke Special – Last Night I Nearly Died
How about this for confusion. Belfast artist Duke Special presents ‘Freewheel’ as his contribution to the SXSW 2006 torrent, it’s a blast. Later that year ‘Freewheel’ is renamed ‘Last Night I Nearly Died’ and becomes a moderately successful single in Ireland. Now ‘Freewheel’ is set to be released but is a completely different tune altogether. Ah well, just as well then that Peter Wilson looks like a dreadlocked Robert Smith and sounds like Damien Gough to complement the already fuzzy logic. ‘Last Night I Nearly Died’ is a nice piece of whimsy, full of orchestral noises in the dark and a chorus that’ll keep the kids happy until school reopens in a week’s time. Could Duke Special perhaps be the answer to the curse of the singer songwriter? KD
Duke Special – Last Night I Nearly Died
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Songs from the Deep Forest
Year: 2006
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The Motifs – Dots Secret Address
The Motifs are quite glad that they’ve managed to sell out their debut CD. Ok, it was only 50 copies but little acorns and all that. And, little acorns are about as apt as you could get to describe the wispy wonderfulness that Alexis from Melbourne creates. Sweden’s Music Is My Girlfriend were the canny label to snap her up, spotting how her sub 2 minute acoustic rambles could potentially become the stuff of legend. You’ll spot an early B&S influence as well kindred spirits Camera Obscura but its hard not to admire the uniquely toyful way the Motifs eek out a charming harmony. You’d think the idea would soon diminish but each tune has its own spread of joyful inventiveness. On this evidence twee pop could once again rule the world. Thanks to the wonderful getecho for the heads up on this. KD
The Motifs – Dots
The Motifs – Secret Address
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: Dots
Year: 2006
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Action Painting! – These Things Happen
Aaah, Sarah Records and her heavenly (!) army of twee pop janglers. Right at home amongst the low-fringed cast were a band from Brighton called Action Painting! The quartet only released a clutch of 7-inch singles, including ‘These Things Happen’, but some of their members will be best known for a stint with the uproariously disposable concoction that was Shampoo. As well as treading the boards at Sarah, Action Painting! also had stints at the Fierce Panda and Damaged Goods labels. ‘These Things Happen’ is a deliciously lo-fi wisp that has an opening sequence that is curiously similar to a defrocked ‘Rotten Love’ by Levy. The jangle is sparse like early Wedding Present and the vocals are ideally suited to the indiepop genre that pervaded in the late eighties/early nineties. KD
Action Painting! – These Things Happen
More Info: Sarah Records & Damaged Goods Label
Buy Album: [UK] Laying the Lodger [7" VINYL]
Year: 1990
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Chin Up Chin Up – This Harness Can't Ride Anything
For the life of me I can’t think of Chicago without reminiscing on the times I’ve spent listening to Sufjan Steven’s song of the same name. Perhaps that’s all about to change with Chin Up Chin Up’s (windy city natives) second album about to strike fear in a population willing to settle for music thrills as illuminating as a doorman’s dress sense. One, two, twee, it’s time to hold hands and jump up and down to the sound of ‘This Harness Can’t Ride Anything’. So flush with frantic detours is this song that it’s quite likely it could recharge Nimh batteries from 20 paces. Gotta also admire the courageousness of the band after the tragedy of losing one of their own during the recording sessions for their debut. But, bounce back they did in glorious style and ‘This Harness Can’t Ride Anything’ will blow your socks off and then gently lick away all that toe jam until you feel like taking on the world all over again. KD
Chin Up Chin Up – This Harness Can’t Ride Anything
Watch The Video For We Should Never Lived Like Skyscrapers
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] This Harness Can’t Ride…
Year: 2006
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Michael Knight – I Did It Biff's Way
You can now buy this song and the rest of the album on our record label Indiecater Records here!
In some ways ‘I Did It Biff’s Way’ is an new avenue of wonkatainment for Michael Knight but as a curtain raiser there’s no denying its appeal in closing the marvellous ‘Youth Is Wasted On The Young’ record. It reminds most of something that the underrated Swedish band South Ambulance might conjure. Of course Michael Knight mostly exist within the elaborate confines of being the first band out of Ireland to compare with the incomparable B & S. Right from the off the pulsating riffs set the momentum with Richard Murphy’s vocals riding the entourage like a champion chord surfer. You can picture the end of gig antics as the band decide its time to ditch the balanced harmonies in favour of a sublime feast of white noise. This is an intimate venue blowout at its most ebullient and the greatest achievement is the way it reveals hidden nuances slowly. The circular merry-go-round is shattered towards the end when the roof finally blows to reveal the sun, moon, a comet or two and an unknown galaxy of glittering stars. If this doesn’t shake your world then its probably time the doctor turned off the machine. Biff, bang, pow. KD
Michael Knight – I Did It Biff’s Way
Watch The Video To Leaving Town
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: Youth Is Wasted On The Young
Year: 2005
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#188 Emma Pollock – Fortune
The loss of the Delgados was a big one for those who succumbed to their cinematic creations. Alun Woodward and Emma Pollock were the bands creative hub and the break up has robbed us of a wonderful song writing partnership. It looks like Emma will be first out of the blocks with work due to begin anytime now on her debut album as a solo artist (her husband and ex-Delgados drummer Paul Savage will lend a hand mind). The album will be recorded in the new Blantyre studios in Glasgow and the material should see the light of day by the end of the year. Emma’s greatest strength is her achingly beautiful voice as evidenced on this work in progress which was recorded for BBC Scotland. Aside from a neat piano line and some layered vocals the singer holds court, hooking attention through grace and an ability to swoop where others would merely ramble. The future looks bright, who said break ups need to be upsetting? KD
Emma Pollock – Fortune
More Info: Emma Pollock
Buy A Delgados Album: [UK] The Great Eastern
Year: 2000
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