Electro Group - "A New Pacifica" cd (Omnibus)
Debut full length from this California band with ties to early Rocketship. And like early Rocketship, Electro Group's sound is anchored deep within My Bloody Valentine territory, wavering between "Loveless" and "Isn't Anything". This is very powerfully noisy, often times with clean sweeping guitars, and loud distorted bass (how I love a good distorted bass sound!), but occasionally breaking into a wall of noise a la early Henry's Dress. Though buried, I can occasionally hear keyboards and bells in a few songs. For a while, I thought it was a girl singing, until I realized it was falsetto vocals - the vocals are very indistinguishable and buried in the mix. It wasn't until the ninth song, "Can't Remember", that I could even hear the vocals well enough to notice! Like too many "dream-pop" records, this has some ambient incidental music, but not too much... Luckily, though, this is mostly song-oriented. Well, all except for the last several minutes of the last track, which is unlistenable noise.  MTQ=12/14

A Boy Named Thor - "Rocket Scientist Blues" cs (Best Kept Secret) 
Subtitled "old songs for new ears", this is just that: songs that Jason Corace (aka "Thor") wrote and recorded between 95-98. Nine songs in all, with the seven on side one being mostly two minute pop songs in the vein of Metronome or Seasick Crocodile or maybe a bit of Orange Cake Mix. Quite nice. Unfortunately the two songs on side two are long, boring instrumentals, also with an OCM sound.  MTQ=6/9

A Boy Named Thor - "No Cult Girlfriend" 7" (Mobstar)
New single from Jason, and this one seems more quiet and heartbroken than usual. The first song, "Half Naked Heart", is pretty slow with a bassy beat, accompanied by acoustic guitar and Jason singing in a much lower voice. A short instrumental closes off side one. Side two is more like previous releases, and has a bit more of a country feel. But the songs are upbeat and quite nice, especially "True Stories" & "Cry Baby". The packaging, however, is amazing, with a cut-out mountain range over a blue background, and another cut-out range on the back that stands up on its own. Oh, and the single's on yellow vinyl, too. This was also released as a cd single, but why would you want that?  MTQ=4/5

A Boy Named Thor/Love Letter Band - "split" cdep (Best Friends)
This project ended up pretty differently than how it was meant to be. First off, it was supposed to be a split 7" on This Heart Plays Records, but since that label is no longer around, Best Friends in Denver (where Chris Love Letter Band lives now) has picked up the release. Also, originally, it was intended to be a project where Jason from A Boy Named Thor and Chris would record a couple songs on their own with just guitar and vocals, and the other person would fill it out with their own arrangements. However, when Chris received Jason's wonderfully stark songs, he couldn't bear to change them or add a thing - and that's why the project kinda stalled for a while. Apparently, Chris never sent Jason his songs, as the two Love Letter Band tunes are without him. Chris eventually did add a handful of subtle and melodic instruments (xylophone, melodica, shaker) to "The Pirates Of Temptation Island", which only add to the song's beauty, but he left "Scenes From Another Boy's Life" untouched, and it sounds like classic A Boy Named Thor. On the Love Letter Band side, the first song is an excellent acoustic tune simply called "I'm A Fool For Pop Music", while the other is a more complicated two-part instrumental called "Tim Burton" (and it does kinda sound like something out of a movie, too). Back-story aside, this is simply a split release between two good friends and their wonderfully pure and simple pop music.  MTQ=3/4

A Faulty Chromosome - "As An Ex-Anorexic's Six Sicks Exit" cd (no label)
Hailing from Los Angeles (though they just recently moved to Austin), this is the first album from this young trio. It took a couple listens to grow on me, as the songs are a bit repetitive and generally much longer than I usually tolerate (with seven of 'em passing the four minute mark), but most of them have a driving quality that I liked, and kept them interesting. The band's sound is somewhere between Jesus And Mary Chain (had they recorded "Darklands" at the very beginning of their career), My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" (had they recorded without a budget in their bedroom), and Spacemen 3 (had they been any good). There are certainly times when the songs overstay their welcome (eg. the tacked on coda to "A Frozen Lake" and the entirely dull 9 minute closer, "I'll Stop Swimming When I Drown"), but I found others, like "Anomie's The Enemy" and "Them Pleasures Of The Flesh", to be enjoyable, thanks to the afore-mentioned driving rhythms. And when the band does find themselves in a more concise mood on "Jackie O" and "Bad Thing", it turns out they can write a really good pop song!  MTQ=9/10

A Is Jump - "My Ice-Fingered Ghost" cd (Future Appletree)
This is the debut record for this group, and it reminds me a lot of the Cabrini record - very good melodic and somewhat complicated pop in the vein of Death Cab For Cutie or John Vanderslice, with lots of attention paid to the arrangement and production of the songs. The vocals sometimes have a Morrissey-ish quality to them, especially noticeable in songs like "Everglade (Version)" and "Mercurial Hours". The whole album flows together well, showcasing these fine unconventional pop songs, except I would've broken up the two seemingly unrelated songs bundled together as track 4 (they do this a few times on the record); "Until The Roof Explodes" is an uninteresting psychedelic song, while "Restless Humming" is a brief and wonderful song that flows into the next track so well. It's a good album overall, though I find myself fading away during the less-focused bits, like the untitled intro to "Brilliant Late Start".  MTQ=8/11

A Passing Feeling - "s/t" cdep (75 Or Less)
I'm always super-excited when I put on a record from a band I know absolutely nothing about, and love it instantly... and this is one such record. As far as I can tell, this is the band's debut release, and it sounds a lot like the Thermals (one of our favorites!). I mean they've got everything down, from the overdriven sound to the hyperactive vocals - hell, they're even named after a Thermals song! And although the songwriting is also a bit similar - with the band emphasizing melody as much as energy - there's not so much repetition as the Thermals like to use. These five songs clock in at just over 14 minutes, so the disc is over before you know it, but that only adds to the immediacy of the whole record. I'll definitely be looking out for this band!  MTQ=5/5

A Passing Feeling - "We Might Not Sleep At All This Year" cd (75 Or Less)
Named after a Thermals song, this band really blew me away with their debut EP a couple years ago, so I was really looking forward to their first full-length. The music is a bit different this time around - not as hyperactive (and it sounds a bit less like the Thermals this time around, as well), but though the pace of the songs might have slowed a bit, there seems to be even more intensity to them somehow. Listening to these songs and the lyrics is like watching someone who believes they are completely indestructible (and quite possibly are) smashing through everything in their path, against all odds, to reach their destination. They may be exhausted or discouraged, but they rarely show it. A lot of the songs have a road/driving theme to them, as if they were written about (or in anticipation of) the trials of touring, which is something they plan to do a lot of, so look out for 'em!  MTQ=10/10

Aberdeen - "Sink Or Float" 7" (Better Looking)
In case you were wondering, yes, this is the same wonderful Aberdeen that released singles for Sarah and Sunday Records, then disappeared many years back. The title track on the A-side is probably the best song I've heard from them since "Byron". They've got a more full sound, with real drums and very layered, shoegazy guitars. Heck, the sub-label this is on is called "The Tremolo Arm Users Club" and the cover is a picture of a guitar distortion pedal in a bed of flowers. That image right there is a pretty good description of the sound. Very Moose... The b-side is a softer song, but still very upbeat. Both songs are totally joyous, of course. And both songs will also be on their upcoming record, due out very soon, I hear! I sure am looking forward to that release!  MTQ=2/2

Aberdeen - "Homesick And Happy To Be Here" cd (Better Looking)
To say that this record is long-awaited would be an understatement. Aberdeen came and went in almost a flash over seven years ago with two wonderful singles on Sarah Records and an equally wonderful single on Sunday. Then they broke up. Literally. The two key members, Beth and John, ended their romance, and therefore the band. Last year, rumours of an Aberdeen reunion became fact when the band released the "Sink Or Float" on Better Looking Records. This time around, though, they brought some friends, and Aberdeen is now a full band (meaning no more drum machine). And now, finally, we have their first full length release, essentially doubling the number of Aberdeen songs on record (which is a very good thing). The sound is more shoegazy than their past work, and much more layered, too (thanks to the use of a 24-track). Similar bands would be the Field Mice/Trembling Blue Stars (and not just because Beth has sung with TBS in the past), Moose, and the Brittle Stars. This album is very beautiful sounding, and just the perfect dreamy pop record. Though the only flaw I can find with it is that if you're not in the right mood, a few of the songs can go on a little long...  MTQ=9/10

Aberdeen - "The Boy Has Gone Away" cdep (Better Looking)
It's been a couple years since their last album, and I haven't heard anything about a new full-length, but these three songs are the perfect reason to get excited anyways. The title track is a wonderful and catchy song, and easily their best yet. "Miss You Now You're Gone" follows, and is a fine mid-tempo song with their traditional dreamy sound. Ending the disc is a cover of the Field Mice classic, "Emma's House", which is a good effort, though I'm not sure if I like the vocal treatment; there seems to be a lot of energy and passion in the vocals, which I think doesn't fit with the lyrics/mood of the song. Still, though, it's a nice version of the song...  MTQ=3/3

Acid House Kings - "Mondays Are Like Tuesdays And Tuesdays Are Like Wednesdays" cd (Hidden Agenda)
Of the group of bands that came from the Åhus, Sweden scene - including Starlet, Club 8, Red Sleeping Beauty, Poprace, and others - Acid House Kings were the first. At least one member of AHK is/was in all of the afore-mentioned groups. Well, Joakim Ödlund (Starlet) isn't on this album, but he's still a member of the band. And though Acid House Kings are one of the forefathers of the modern Swedish indiepop scene, they haven't been as prolific as some of those other bands, seeing as this is only their third full-length in ten years. The sound on this cd, like the recent albums from Club 8 and Starlet, is much less jangly-pop and more quiet, introverted pop. Many songs are hushed in tone, though there are some POP moments, like the near-perfect "Say Yes If You Love Me" and "Start Anew". The vocal duties are shared between Niklas and Julia, each of them with perfect pop voices. In fact, I'd even say that Julia's voice is nearly indistinguishable from Karolina Club 8's voice - especially since both bands share songwriters. And even though I've always thought that this group of bands were quite similar in sound, I still don't care - it just means that all of their songs are perfect pop!  MTQ=12/12

Acid House Kings - "Do What You Wanna Do" cdep (Labrador)
It's been a while since we've heard anything from the Acid House Kings, although Johan Angergård has obviously been busy keeping us entertained with music from Club 8 and the Legends (who enjoyed a huge burst of popularity last year). This five track single (a teaser for a new full-length, at that!) finds the Angergård brothers in fine form, with five superb indiepop tunes. The title track is a classic Acid House Kings song, while the others are a bit on the gentler side, reminding me a bit of Camera Obscura (especially now that Julia is singing more often). This is exactly what you could ever hope to hear from the band, so I'm sure that the new record will be terrific!  MTQ=5/5

Acid House Kings - "Sing Along With Acid House Kings" cd (Twenty Seven) 
Where would the world of indiepop be without the Angergårds? The Legends, Club 8, Red Sleeping Beauty and of course Acid House Kings are all top-quality bands featuring one or both brothers, and are among the most adored indiepop groups. This is the fourth album from this group, and finds the band still playing their special blend of upbeat and soft pop. This album is full of instant of classics, like "7 Days", "Sleeping" and the single, "Do What You Wanna Do". This album has a much better production value than their previous records, with frequent use of strings and trumpet here and there. The only thing I don't really like about this album is the use of vocoder on the vocals (damn that useless toy), but this is an otherwise wonderful record. Oh, and as a special bonus, you also get a dvd that's a karaoke disc that lets you actually sing along with the record!  MTQ=10/12

The Action - "Rolled Gold" cd (Reaction Musik)
A few years ago, I started discovering a bunch of those 60s bands that you always hear of influencing loads of today's bands. Hard to believe, but up until a few years ago, I hadn't heard more than two Zombies songs ever, hated the Who only because I knew of the hard rock crap, and had not even heard of the Creation. Thanks to the magic of scores of reissues and compilations and box sets, I've been exposed to many wonderful bands from the 60s. Now, there's another reissue label to pay attention to: Reaction Musik, from the folks who brought you Action Musik (namely Ric Menck & Geoff Merritt from Parasol). And their debut release is a collection of demos from the little known (though apparently highly acclaimed) 60s mod/pop band, The Action. Apparently, the band had recorded a string of singles with the legendary George Martin in the mid 60s, but even with his help, they never reached the masses. Soon after, they parted ways with Martin and Parlaphone Records, and they decided to record some demos to secure a new contract. Well, the contract never came, and the demos were shelved. Now, they've been restored and remastered by Reaction Musik, and are packaged along with some liner notes from fans (including Ric Menck & Matthew Sweet) and a former member of the band for the world to discover. The sound is similar to the style of the Creation and early Who; young, a little raw, lots of soul, and a hint of psychedelic influences (though thankfully not too much, though it does get a little out there at times). And just because these are demos doesn't mean they sound unfinished or even that rough (of course, that could be the remastering...). And hey, the press kit has a quote from Phil Collins claiming the Action was his all-time favorite band - how can you not trust an endorsement like that?  MTQ=12/15

Action Biker - "Sandy Edwards" 7" (Break & Enter)
After a self-released cd-r ep, this is the first vinyl release from the one-woman disco-pop band from Gothenburg, Sweden known as Action Biker. With Sarah's sweet voice and a heavy emphasis on the keyboards and drum machine, the songs sound like a mix of Pet Shop Boys and OMD filtered through later Club 8. The A-side, "Sandy Edwards", could easily be a popular dance club hit - quite catchy! On the flip are two songs, "Wrong Side" and "The Perfect Job", the former is slower and darker than the others, while the latter is very upbeat and happy sounding.  MTQ=3/3

Action Now - "All Your Dreams... And More 1981-1984" cd (Avebury)
In two sections, this disc collects the works of this jangle pop band from L.A. In the first half, we have all of the band's studio recordings, most of which originally appeared on a French posthumously-released album in 1985, while "Try" is taken from a "Rodney On The ROQ" comp lp. The second half of the disc is a complete live show from 1981, featuring several songs that the band never officially recorded. The whole thing was remastered, and sounds quite good. Their sound is very similar to many other bands of the time period: catchy three-minute songs, full of vocal harmonies and lean, jangly guitars. In fact, these guys seem a little more consistent than others from the era. If you're a fan of the Teenline comp cds on Hyped To Death (and it's a wonder they haven't picked up on Action Now yet!), then this is definitely for you!  MTQ=26/27

Keith John Adams - "This Is A Six Track EP" 7" (Kabuki Kore)
This is the second 7" release from Keith, and it's a fun little record, filled with six whimsical tunes in the vein of the Television Personalities, XTC and the Kinks. The first track, "Never Look Down", is the best of the bunch with its very catchy and upbeat, British-sounding melody. "In Love" follows, and is a simple acoustic, Beatles-ish tune. "Inconsequential Thought" and "Weather" are found on the other side, and both are also good songs with the former being a simple, xylophone-led tune and the latter falling in the same vein as "Never Look Down". The last track on each side ("Sex Pest" and "Find A Body", respectively) are very brief song snippets, which are rather odd and disjointed, though I wouldn't say that they don't exactly fit on this record (I did say it was whimsical, after all!)...  MTQ=5/6

Keith John Adams - "Pip" cd (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)
I gotta admit - I wasn't too into the first Keith John Adams album when I first heard it, although I did love his follow-up single, "This Is A Six Track EP". Of course, after I saw him play live and met him last year, my opinion of that record changed somewhat, but I still have to say that I like this record considerably more than his first one. The sound here is a lot more fleshed out with a full band, but of course you'll still find some of his signature ukulele or toy piano songs (even adding an accordian to his repertoire!). A few of the better songs from his last single show up here, including "Inconsequential Thought", "In Love" and the single's highlight, "Never Look Down"; but you'll also find a number of new favorites like "Ever Been You?", "Dad" and the XTC-ish "Man Overboard". Keith's songs are best described as Robin Hitchcock fronting the Television Personalities: catchy tunes with lyrics as humorous as they are insightful. With this album's marked improvement, I hope that a lot more people are able to hear Keith's tunes, because they will surely be charmed (and that goes triple for anyone who gets to see him play live!).  MTQ=12/14

Keith John Adams - "Unclever" cd (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)
Keith John started to show off his rock side on his last record, "Pip", but on this record, he's embraced it even more fully. Gone are the simple toy piano/acoustic guitar ditties (though he does keep the acoustic handy for songs like "Nothing" and the softer "Yesterday Morning"), replaced by a tight guitar/bass/drums trio with Keith backed by Jason & Kay from Casper & The Cookies. But of course, his playful lyrics remain - they're just backed with beefier songs this time, with some of them (like "Bed" or "Lie") even having an almost rockabilly feel to them! Even some of the slower ones, like "Sorry That I Love You Badly" and "Found You", seem to have something of a menacing overtone due to the chunky guitar sound. I definitely like this record and its songs, but I feel that it obscures Keith's charm a bit too much, which is really one of his strongest qualities...  MTQ=11/12

Aden - "Hey 19" cd (Teenbeat)
When I first heard Aden in 1997, I liked them, but their songs were always too slow for me. They were very nice and all, but they couldn't hold my attention for too long. So I ignored them for a few years... When I saw them with True Love Always a couple times this summer, I was surprised when I found my toes tapping to all the songs! On a whim, I picked up this cd, and I see they've changed their sound a bit. Now, many of their songs are bouncy and much catchier, but still retain the gentle vocals and soft guitar melodies. In fact, they're very similar in sound to True Love Always - no wonder they often share bandmates on stage! Like their music, their lyrics are light-hearted, with songs about Josh Klein's (Vitesse) record collection & hard rockin'. I'm very into this new record!  MTQ=11/12

Aden - "Topsiders" cd (Teenbeat)
This cd was obviously put together with love. From the wrap-around cardboard sleeve to the 24-page booklet, which is probably my favorite Mark Robinson/Timonium design yet, everything about this is quite visually pleasing. Now for the music: it's definitely different. With the introduction of Kevin's new guitar (a Telecaster B-Bender, which they go into great detail about in the booklet) and the frequent use of the banjo, they've created a very Southern-influenced, down-home-feelin' album. Heck, you just need to hear Jeff go falsetto in the chorus of "The Chase" to know what I mean. There are hints of the sound of Aden's previous records here and there ("Boggle Champs" and "Readenator", for example), but really, it's like they're a whole new band now. But the best part is that the "new" Aden is just as great as the old Aden. Just because they've changed quite a bit doesn't mean that you won't like this record (though I can see it being a little hard for some folks to get into right away). If you've been listening to the Currituck County album, you'll realize that Kevin's had a lot of influence in the songs on this record.  MTQ=9/11

The Adventures Of Jet - "Muscle" cd (Suburban Home)
Though I've heard the name before, this is the first time I've ever heard Adventures Of Jet, and I do like it! They remind me a lot of Weezer/Rentals; which is a rather obvious point of reference, given their affection for moogy keyboards, impeccable melodies, and a big crunchy guitar sound (and an occasional solo or two). The entire album is loosely based on the concept of muscle cars (with the tone set by the dialogue and revving of engines in the brief instrumental opener, "Number One"), but we won't hold that against 'em. I have two main complaints about this record, though: the songs too often tend to be a little long (most are in the 4-5 minute range), and they also sound a bit samey. I mean, scan the first three seconds of each song, and half the time, you'll hear practically the same keyboard intro! But still, the songs are good enough for me to over look these faults. Hey, if they're gonna sound the same, they should at least sound good, right?  MTQ=9/12

Aerospace - "A Minute History Of Air And Space" 7" (Strings Of Nashville/Modesto)
If I had to pick one band that perfectly defined the sound of summer, it would have to be Aerospace. This Swedish quintet is just full of bright, jangly guitars, lightly brushed drums, and a soft Wurlitzer, and of course it helps that most of their songs are about summer (falling in love in the summer, wishing for the summer to return, etc). They've got an energetic urgent sound that makes these four gentle songs so exciting. It's no surprise that a couple of these members have ties to the Shermans (another Swedish fave), though I find their sound different. This is comparable to 60s bubblegum pop classics like Herman's Hermits or the Association.  MTQ=4/4

Aerospace - "The Bright Idea Called Soul!" cd (Seven Inch Soul Rebels)
The kings of sunny Swedish pop are back with their first full length. Now, I'm not sure if this is a legitimate release, or simply a cd-r (they sold all 50 copies they made at the San Francisco Popfest), but it's definitely worth talking about regardless. Three of these songs appeared on their recent 7" on the Strings Of Nashville label, but there are still nine new songs to be excited about! With song titles like "Summer Still Reigns Supreme", "Summer Bliss", and "Summer Days Are Forever", you can really see what the music will be like - all clean jangly guitars, lightly brushed drums, jaunty tambourines and bells, and optimistic vocals. Most of the songs are fittingly upbeat, though they do slow it down a couple times. Musically, I'd compare them to Rocketship, the Sea Urchins, the Shermans (well, Toby was in the Shermans and Christer still is), and various 60s bubblegum pop bands. Listen to this on the darkest of days, and you'll swear you can feel the sun shining...  MTQ=12/12

Aerospace - "In A Place Of Silver Eaves" cd (Majestic)
This is not quite a full length cd, but more of a mini-cd, with six songs in just under 20 minutes. Produced by Swedish pop legend, Fredrik Norberg (Popsicle), this release shows the band sounding quite a bit like Love. Of course, the usual elements are here (shimmering 12-string guitars, tambourines and subtle organs), but I notice that there's a lot more energy this time. I mean, the band was often energetic before (particularly during their live sets - have you ever seen a band smash their tambourine?), but this energy seems a lot more nervous and edgy. Listening to these songs, the rhythms just jump out at you! Everybody's rushing their parts (except for the organ, which somehow always remains calm), and the musical tension is practically visible. In "My Love Don't Care About Time", Toby's vocals almost reach a Pete Shelley-ish frenzy. Needless to say, it's very impressive. I've always thought that Aerospace's recordings never did the band justice (and if you've ever seen them play live, you probably agree with me), but this record catches everything just perfectly; highly energized perfect pop music!  MTQ=6/6

Afraid Of Stairs - "s/t" cdep (Lavender) 
Wow - putting this cd on is like slipping into a soft bed, sandwiched in between a thick quilt and an electric blanket! Everything is just so dense and warm-sounding, fitting snugly in Secret Shine/Pia Fraus territory (except with male vocals), and sometimes even reaching peaks of My Bloody Valentine (the first song, "Tell Him How You Feel" hints at "You Made Me Realise" in parts). But even through the layers of guitar and keyboards, you can still hear a jangly guitar or two shining through over a driving and purposeful rhythm. An excellent start from this Swedish duo!  MTQ=4/4

Afternoon Naps - "Sunbeamed" cd (Instant Disco)
Patience Please and Afternoon Naps became fast friends on our tour this summer, thanks to their incredible kindness! Not long after returning home, I received their debut EP in the mail, and it's as pleasant musically as they are personally! Their name may sound sleepy, but half of the songs on this record is pure sunny pop, complete with trumpets, handclaps, assorted percussion and boy/girl vocals. That half of their sound reminds me of the Icicles, while the slower songs, like the delightfully lush "Postcard" and the instrumental "Argyle Spring", fit more in a Cat's Miaow or Autocollants vein - still friendly sounding, but with a touch of melancholy. There were a couple dull spots, but the high points more than made up for those. Don't be surprised to hear the brilliant "Orange Paw" show up on your next indiepop mix tape!  MTQ=6/8

Air Formation - "Ends In Light" cd (Drive-In) 
This is the second full-length from this British group. The sound is best described as shoegazery wall-of-sound pop, in the vein of My Bloody Valentine via Jesus And Mary Chain and the Drop Nineteens. Layers upon layers of guitars and synths over bass and drums, with dreamy male vocals somewhere in the mix. The songs are generally in the four-five minute range, which is long enough for them to establish and maintain their mood, but not too long for them to overstay their welcome. To be honest, there's nothing very unique or memorable about this album, but damn the songs are pretty! The melodies on this record are catchy, and I found myself humming along to a few songs the first time I listened to it...  MTQ=7/9

The Airfields - "Laneways" cd (Humblebee)
This little delight showed up at our door a couple months ago, and we've been loving it ever since! This EP is the second release from this Toronto group (after a self-released EP), and it sounds like a combination of the Radio Dept. and Brittle Stars, but on Flying Nun. They have some shoegazer tendencies in the music, but it's more open and airy than that, sometimes reminding me of the darker Chills or Clean songs. The driving beat in songs like "Nowhere Left To Go" and "The Turning Of The Leaves" also reminds me a bit of For Against. Reverb-drenched male vocals and slightly-distorted guitar melodies lead the way, while organ and jangling 12-string guitars provide the backdrop. The result is a gorgeous 22 minutes of shimmering pop!  MTQ=6/6

The Airfields - "Up All Night" cd (Humblebee)
Though I was blown away by their last EP on Humblebee, this debut album of theirs is somehow at least three times as brilliant! This is essentially dreamy pop, with all of the basic elements of a good dreampop band (especially the lush, reverb-laden production), but with most of the emphasis on the pop. Each song shimmers and shines with jangling guitars and rolling organs, while the singer's gentle voice reminds me quite a bit of the Radio Dept. (as does much of the music, for that matter). The mood of the record is highly spirited, with many of the songs having an exciting, driving feel, with even a couple loud Jesus And Mary Chain-ish moments (such as "Yr So Wonderful", which first appeared on a Cloudberry EP last year). Even the softer songs like "St. Monday" and "The End Of The Evening" have an advanced level of energy to them, with the latter sounding almost like a revved-up Clientele! This is easily the best dreampop record I've heard in quite some time...  MTQ=11/11

Airiel - "The Battle Of Sealand" cd (High Wheel)
I'd seen this band's name in Clairecords' catalog a while ago, and could tell they had a shoegazey sound, but the descriptions led me to believe the band fell on the lighter side of the genre (eg. Cocteau Twins/Chapterhouse). However, the sound on this album is more on the Swervedriver/Ride side, with loud blankets of noise covering much of the record. The band's songs tend to be on the longer side (with many of them exceeding five minutes), which in this case is actually not a complaint, as the band can make a five minute song like "Peoria" or "Red Friends" fly by in no time, although the same can't really be said about the album's 10½ minute closer, "The Big Mash-Up", which could've been a wee bit shorter. Even their shorter songs like "Thrown Idols" and "The Release" can be hypnotic in a way, but they have an added sense of urgency that reminds me more of The Brother Kite. Aside from a couple shoegaze clichés I can do without (instrumental opener, over-extended outro - hey, at least there aren't any between song interludes!), this is a highly enjoyable and engrossing record!  MTQ=8/11

Airport Girl - "Slow Light" cd (Fortuna Pop!)
On their second full-length, Airport Girl have almost completely abandoned their indiepop roots; so while their debut record was almost evenly split between noisy, jangly pop songs and slower, acoustic country-inspired songs, this one contains only the latter. Which, to its benefit, gives this album a sense of coherence that made the first record a little hard to get into. As a result of either that fact or maybe the grey and bleary October morning I've just started, I find myself strangely drawn to this record. Some of the more obvious reference points include Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and the more melancholic side of the Go-Betweens, but I can also hear bits of Felt in the guitar playing (which really shines in some of the songs, like "Ode To The City") and the Clientele (only with 80% less reverb) in songs like "Hold Me Through The Night". There are times when the record loses my interest or even goes in a really odd direction (a couple songs have unnecessary and seemingly unrelated intros), but there are also plenty of low key, but memorable songs, like "Don't Let Me Down Again", the shuffling "Twice Around The Bay" and "Show Me The Way", which has a lush sound, thanks to the addition of strings and horns. Don't expect to be wowed from the start, but this album can grown on you given time...  MTQ=8/11

The Aislers Set - "The Last Match" cd (Slumberland) 
Going into this, I knew that it couldn't possibly be any less than brilliant. And I was right. Many of these songs I remember from their live shows in the past year. Almost every song, once it started, I'd go "oh, I love this song!", even though I hadn't heard it in many months. This time around, it's not just Amy's project; it's definitely a full band effort. While the recording quality's about the same (it was recorded in Amy's garage again, producing a very cozy sound), you can hear each individual's influence. Most noticeable is Wyatt's songwriting input - his songs are wonderful! This album has 14 songs, full of chiming 12 string guitars, flowing bass, and quiet keyboards. Gentle and moving in some parts and loud and raucous in others, this is seriously a contender for the album of the year!  MTQ=14/14

The Aislers Set / The How - "split" 7" (Slumberland)
Amy Linton takes another huge step into the land of Phil Spector with "Hey Lover". This is old school girl-group pop, complete with "yeah yeah"s and hand claps. Classic! On the flip, the How (Stewie Boyracer with Matt from Henry's Dress) give us a song that's a cross between the Who and Henry's Dress (a thin line to begin with). Called "Dreaming Of Lily" (erm...), it starts out with a conversation clip, then goes into a very Who-sounding song, with everything maxing out from the distortion near the end! No picture sleeve, but it is on dark blue vinyl. Ace!  MTQ=2/2

The Aislers Set / The Fairways - "split" 7" (Yakamashi)
Split single between these two great San Francisco bands, each giving us a cover; the Aislers Set do an Georgie Fame song from 1964 and the Fairways cover the excellent Jesse Garon & The Desperados song, "The Rain Fell Down". The Fairways song is pretty close to the original; I've always loved that song anyways, and they do it quite well. The Aislers Set song, on the other hand, was new to me, and interestingly sounds nothing like them. Wyatt sings (there are far too few Wyatt songs!) but it doesn't sound much like him, and there's a Black Tambourine-like distorted guitar in the background. Sounds like it was a lot of fun to record! All housed in a very attractive sleeve designed by Adrian Tomine.  MTQ=2/2

The Aislers Set - "Attraction Action Reaction" 7" (Suicide Squeeze)
I hate to say this, but the A-side to this is one of the most boring Aislers Set songs I've ever heard. It's not really bad; it's just not too interesting. Compared with the brilliance of "The Last Match", and the last couple split singles, this song is just so lifeless. Even the sudden ending seems wrong, like it was a recording accident. The b-side, however, is a beautiful solo Wyatt song, similar to his old Putney Swope days, or maybe Sebadoh (especially the strumming). Very soft vocals and haunting melody... why are there so few Wyatt songs?  MTQ=1/2

The Aislers Set - "The Red Door" 7" (Slumberland) 
Latest in a string of 7"s from one of today's best bands. The title track is a revamped version of the one on "The Last Match", but I seriously don't hear a difference (though I say that without actually comparing them side by side). Next comes a live version of the Girls At Our Best classic, "Warm Girls", recorded in Santa Cruz late last year. Very noisy and very good. On the flip, is the best song they've released since their last lp, "Summers Reprise", which is a relatively quiet tune with a very airy sound, and lots of trumpet. The production sounds really clear, especially with the organ and vocal harmonies. Very good, but I'm already anxious for a new album to appear...  MTQ=3/3

The Aislers Set - "How I Learned To Write Backwards" cd (Suicide Squeeze) 
I'll admit that this record took a little getting used to. In fact, I didn't even really like it from the start, which is odd, as their other records have always been instantly loved. This one is a bit of a departure, though. Not in sound, as it still sounds like the Aislers Set, but rather more in song structure. The first two songs on the album, "Catherine Says" and "Emotional Levy" are perfect examples of this: both are very minimalist musically, half the time simply drums, bass and vocals. In fact, there are no guitars at all in the latter song; in their place are fingersnaps and four-part vocal harmonies. But then they kick right into "Langour In The Balcony", which is probably one of their best songs yet, and a classic Aislers Set song, if there ever was one. Everyone has probably heard "Mission Bells" by now, whether via the 12" single or the band's amazing 2002 Peel Session. I remember seeing them perform that song live two years ago, and just being instantly enamored by it. "The Aislers Set will be big in no time" I thought... There are other great songs on here (like "Through The Swells" and the super-punky "The Train #2"), but there are also a few uninspiring moments, such as the 90 seconds of seemingly noodling in "The Train #1" and the pretty, but lifeless, "Unfinished Paintings". Overall, I do like this record, but I still don't quite love this as much as "The Last Match" (I don't know, call me a sucker for traditional classics). I do, however, like this record a lot more than I did when I first heard it...  MTQ=8/11

Alaska - "Nouveau Liberty" cd (Marsh Marigold) 
This is the debut album from this Hamburg group, and the first release since their debut single back in 1999. Even with several years in between, the sound of the two records is not very different, with the band playing fragile pop that fits somewhere between Felt, the Starlets and Sodastream (the Australian one; not the dancier Soda Stream found on this very label). The band displays a soft touch with the music and vocals throughout the record, with soft acoustic guitars, light drums (on the songs that even use drums at all) and frequent use of violin and organ. The album's single, "She Was A Rockstar", is probably the most rocking of the songs, but even that doesn't get very loud. Sometimes, the vocals can be a bit too fey in songs like "I Could Never Bother You" and the almost Blueboy-ish "Super Extra Thought", but they do fit the music quite well. A pleasant and relaxing disc to listen to in the early morning...  MTQ=10/13

Albumen - "Lake Desolation" cd (Treble Hook)
From the album's title and artwork, I was expecting something much more stark sounding, but instead, we have songs that sound somewhere between Grandaddy, Pavement and maybe a bit of Versus without actually sounding like any one of them. The band is a duo, comprised of Andrew Ashton and Paul Coleman (the latter of whom used to be in the Operators and Sinkcharmer not too long ago), with some drum help from Andrew Churchman of Pants Yell! on a few of the songs. The record starts off with three of its strongest songs (not coincidentally, the ones with Churchman on drums); after that it sort of loses its momentum, with the lowest points being the digital effects-heavy "17,000 x 0" and the very strange "Bad Arm & Bowie Knife", finally ending with "Dark, Dark Country" (the other song with a full band sound), which would've been great, were it five minutes shorter. The only songs I can really recommend down on this end of the record are the Neil Young-ish "Delgado" and the subdued yet poppy "Raven Black". Overall, it's not a very great record, but it is a pretty good first release with a few shining moments.  MTQ=5/9

Alcove - "The Greatest Romance That Never Was" cs (Best Kept Secret)
As you could probably tell from the title, the songs contained on this cassette are tales of heartbreak and despair. The music perfectly matches, too - often times recalling Luna and the early brooding Hood material. Most of the songs are slow and quiet (though the distortion pedals get switched on a couple times, which is not a Galaxie 500 cover), yet they don't seem to go on too long. Out of six songs, three of them are instrumentals, and while "Thursday Night" and "Lullaby" aren't very interesting, "Riverside" holds up quite well without lyrics. The two clear winners on this ep are "Echodream" and "My Queen", which are both wonderfully dreamy sounding, yet still catchy.  MTQ=4/6

Tom Alford - "Second Foundation" cd (no label)
This cd almost failed the first test right away, when I put it on and heard rockabilly (a genre of which I am definitely not a fan), but luckily I sampled a few more tracks and found them much better. Upon listening to the whole album, I found it full of very good jangly power pop in the vein of the dBs, Let's Active and the Chills ("The Pool" would've fit perfectly on the "Heavenly Pop Hits" album) - apart from the opening song, that is. The layered guitars (both six and twelve string electric and acoustic) seem to swirl gently together throughout these songs, which along with the matching multitracked vocals, give the songs an almost hypnotizing beauty. There are some augmentations throughout the record, including bells and organ, but there are also some sound effects here and there, which probably could've been left off. "Boy In The Bubble", for example, has wind chimes mixed quite loudly throughout the entire song that I can hardly believe were included on purpose. With only a couple exceptions, this disc is full of near-perfect jangly pop songs like "After Today", "The Pool" and "Ever Question Why" - this album is definitely worth checking out!  MTQ=11/13

Joe Algeri / Sugarrush - "split" 7" (Rhythm Barrel)
We've all seen those split singles where a band will cover a song of the other band's, right? Well, this one goes one step further, and rather than covering the other's song, each band actually wrote a song in tribute to the other! On Joe's side, we have "Sugar Rush", a slow and wonderfully orchestrated jangly pop tune, with help from folks from Finnish group, Ben's Diapers, that sounds like it could be a Teenage Fanclub b-side, circa "Grand Prix". And on the Sugarrush side, is the song that started the exchange, "3 Chords For Joe", written after seeing one of Joe's live performances. To top off the EP, is an extra unreleased song from each band: Joe's "Break Up In Barcelona" is a solo acoustic tune, while "Summer Love" from the Sugarrush is a more rocking power pop tune.  MTQ=4/4

All My Friends - "Get Hung Up" cd (no label)
This band sent me a demo cd-r not long ago, and they instantly won our hearts not only with the beautiful music, but also with the great cover illustration of a boy drawing stripy cats (that look remarkably like the tigers Arianne used to paint!)! In the letter he mentioned that those five songs would soon be released on an album, and this is that album (featuring the same artwork - yay!). It was initially due to be released on a label, but after a few delays due to financial woes common to small labels, Garry decided to self-release the disc - and it's about time! The band is comprised of two folks: Garry (who writes, plays and sings pretty much everything) and Alison (who shares vocal duties, and has a hand in the songwriting), and their sound is perfect bedroom pop that sounds like Brian Wilson and Phil Spector co-producing a Trembling Blue Stars record. The music veers both ways, between the mini-orchestral sound of "Theme From 'All My Friends'" and "Turn Tails" and the simple and heartbreaking style in "Shame So Late" and "Rain Song"; but my favorites are the sugary pop ones, like "Fraught And Frantic" and "People Like You". A couple of the instrumentals lost my attention, but overall, this is still a delightful record!  MTQ=9/13

All Stars - "Older Slower Softer" cd (American Brothers)
This is the second album from this Finnish group, and as the title indicates, the record is full of slow and soft songs with a mature sound (although an album with a love song about a former Scorpions guitarist could hardly be considered mature!). Sitting somewhere between the Hidden Cameras, Ida and the last couple Mendoza Line records, these songs are mostly acoustic-based with boy/girl vocals and flourishes of glockenspiel and mandolin here and there. Every now and again, the album will lift its sleepy head for lively tunes like "Gö-Star" and "I'm Happy But She's So Sad", but it's much more content to nap on the sofa, chuckling quietly to itself over songs about satan worshippers, old TV shows and nationalism. Not many of the songs really stand out as instant favorites, but it's still a pleasant listen, and one that will probably grow on you after a while.  MTQ=9/11

All Tomorrow's Party - "Yoo Doo Right, Yoo Doo Slide" cd (Alive)
You know when bands will sometimes write on their sleeve to "play loud"? Well this record doesn't even give you an option to play it quietly! Much of it was mixed so loud that even when I turn my speakers down to a reasonable level, everything still sounds completely overdriven! However, with this music, it fits just perfectly, as the songs are a mixture of the drone of bands like the Velvet Underground and a loud garage rock sound filtered through 90s alternative ("Bad Bee Says", for example, sounds quite a bit like Nirvana). Now, I don't generally go for this type of thing (especially when the first song on the album is a six minute long groove-based instrumental called "Sympathy For The Junkies"), but there are some really great-sounding tunes on here that put as much emphasis on melody as on volume, like "Love Can Bring You Down", the almost Beatles-esque "In Shade Of Blue" and the slower "Healer", which reminds me of 18 Wheeler. They also have a quieter side, as heard in the acoustic-based "Juliette" and "Sure Love". Some of the garagey tunes seem to wander too far into White Stripes territory, and there are a few too-long songs included, but I still think there's enough on this album to keep it interesting.  MTQ=7/12

All-Time ¡Quarterback! - "s/t" cdep (Elsinor)
Very good five song disc from this side project of Ben from Death Cab For Cutie. And, this cinches it - Ben is one of my new favorite singers! Really, he's as good as Stephin Merritt or Tali Lucksmith - his voice just makes me swooooon! So soft and mellow... Anyways, this is a bit more lo-fi than DCFC records, with lots of acoustics and casios. And a very jaunty piano line in "Untitled". This is still pretty mellow, though, and his cover of the Magnetic Fields' "Why I Cry" fits in quite well. Very nice!  MTQ=5/5

All-Time ¡Quarterback! - "s/t" cd (Barsuk)
I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed with this release. Nothing to do with the quality of the music, of course, but simply because this disc is a compilation of the s/t cdep and the "Envelope Sessions" cassette released a couple years ago on Elsinor, (both of which are now out of print, I believe) - and they left off some amazing tracks! The cdep was very good (as you can see in our prior review), and all five tracks from that are included here. However, the cassette is probably one of my favorite releases ever, and the fact that they didn't even include all of those songs on this disc (four are missing, including the classic "Dig It!"), just depresses me. Sure, we've still got "Cleveland" and "Sock Hop", but what of "Don't Touch The Tape" or "Stark Mobile"? Oh well, despite the glaring omissions, we've been appeased by the inclusion of a previously unreleased song, "Dinner At Eight In The Suburbs", which falls in the same vein as the cdep; as well as the hilariously pornographic video for "Plans Get Complex". Since very few people got to hear most of these songs in the first place, I'm glad this disc exists, though I wish they had been more thorough.  MTQ=11/11

Amateur Hour - "Hold On, Believe" cd (no label)
After being a member of a handful of DC-area bands, Dan Perriello has struck out on his own with this solo project; and his first self-released six-song mini-lp is a hit! The sound is melodic power pop - the kind you'd hear from the Sneetches or the Hang Ups, although I have to say that the first and strongest reference point I heard for this band was an equally obscure band from Seattle called Sorry (those two bands should definitely hook up!). The songs are easygoing and refined, with lots of harmonies and upbeat melodies (with the lyrics having a more heartsick feel). My favorite element, though, is the guitar, both in the pleasant tone and the simple yet elaborate-sounding chords (especially in songs like "What If..." and the title track). After recording this record, Dan has formed a band to start playing live, so let's hope we can hear more from the group soon!  MTQ=5/6