The Specific Heats - "Aboard A Spaceship Of The Imagination" cd  (Total Gaylord)
I was pretty impressed with this band when I saw them play last year, but unfortunately not as much so with the demo cd-r I got afterwards. When I saw them again this year, they were even better, and this time have a great album to back them up! Their sound is a combination of the jangly indiepop sound of Masters Of The Hemisphere and the Maybellines together with a strong 60s pop influence from bands like the Monkees or the Turtles, and even a bit of Nuggets-styled garage rock in there, noticeable in places like the distorted guitar line in "Dependable Ninety Two" or the science fictiony (complete with theremin) "Brain Song", which degenerates into "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" at the end. Twelve strings abound throughout the record (which is always a big plus!) and the reverb levels range from "a lot" to "enough to stun the Jesus And Mary Chain". Lots of instant favorites on this record, like "Take The Wheel", "Are You For Real Mehgan O'Neill", "She Went Home" and the hidden thirteenth track, simply referred to as "Bonus Track" in the liner notes; this record is a fun and not-too-sugary indiepop treat!   MTQ=11/13

The Specific Heats - "Back Through Thyme EP" 7"  (Hugpatch)
It's been a while since we've heard from the Heats; since their debut album in 2006, they've undergone some line-up changes (with Mat Pat being the only original member remaining) and are now based in Brooklyn rather than Boston. Additionally, while the album only hinted at their Nuggets/'60s psych-pop leanings, you can hear them delving much deeper into that territory here, particularly on the A-side ("Back Through Tyme" and "Bad Tymin'"). I haven't heard psych pop mixed with indiepop this good since the Tables! The flipside starts out with my favorite track on the EP, the jangly and Rocketship-esque "Things Get In The Way", which is followed by "Violent?", which is more in tune with the band's earlier work. It's great to have this band back in action again (and that the breakup rumors from last year were untrue), and I look forward to the album they promise to have out by year's end!   MTQ=4/4

The Spectacular Fantastic - "Goes Underground" cd  (Ionik)
This is one of those discs that comes as a very pleasant surprise. It starts off right with "Darkest Hour", a wonderful pop tune with a bouncy Beulah-ish feel to it, and keeps up the pace pretty much all the way through. Hailing from Cincinnati, the band is primarily the work of Mike Detmer, who gets help from a few friends on several tracks. I can tell that he draws some of his influence from the Elephant 6 sound (particularly Elf Power), but I can also hear other elements, like the understated pop of later Butterglory (like in "Did It For Me" and the intro and verse of "Living In A Dream"), the retro sound of bands like the Resonars ("Harmony"), and even some straightforward rock and roll (as heard in "All In My Head" and "Underground"). Full of catchy and melodic tunes, this record is a delight!   MTQ=12/14

Spectacular Fantastic - "Consume" cdep  (75 Or Less)
Hey, I was recently wondering whatever happened to this band! I first heard of them a few years ago when I got their last album, "Goes Underground" - and it appears that the title had a ring of truth to it, as the band have since taken to only releasing their new music for free on their website. This EP is their first proper release in three years, and finds the band still making the same fuzzy pop in the vein of Elf Power, the Resonars and fellow Ohioan heroes, Guided By Voices (especially noticeable on the disc's opener, "Limitless And Free"). This five song EP clocks in under twelve minutes, but manages to pack quite a punch in that short time (though the closer, "Sympathy", was a bit too hard-rockin' for my taste)! Let's hope they stay above ground for a bit longer this time!   MTQ=4/5

The Speedies - "Speedy Delivery" cd  (Radio Heartbeat)
I've been a big fan of the Speedies ever since I was introduced to a pair of their songs ("Let Me Take Your Photo" and "Something On My Mind") via the first Teenline compilation on Hyped To Death Records a few years back. So when I saw this new disc which compiles the Brooklyn band's only two singles from 1979 & 1981, as well as a handful of other songs recorded at the same time, plus a complete live set from 1980 which boasts an additional five unreleased songs, thus creating a minimum of duplicate titles across the disc... well, I was rather excited to say the least! Although those two singles were easily the strongest in the band's oeuvre and would make this an essential purchase on their own, this collection proves that the short-lived group still had plenty of quality songs in their catalog (see "1-2-3", "You Need Pop" or "Countdown", for example); however, they simply lacked the luck needed to secure that record deal to hit the big time (although the liner notes relate a humorous story about their closest brush with a "proper" label). All of the songs were remixed/remastered for the collection, which makes "Let Me Take Your Photo" sound a bit fuller than it did on the original single, and it sure is nice to have a copy of "Something On My Mind" that doesn't have a skip in the middle of it! I probably could've done without the silly remix of "Photo" tacked on at the end, but I guess the producer wanted to have a little fun...   MTQ=15/19

Speedmarket Avenue - "Is Anything Ever Done?" cdep  (no label)
When I first got this disc in the mail from Sweden, it was snapped right in half. Totally unplayable. But based on both the accompanying letter and the appealing artwork, I knew this was something I wanted to hear. So I requested a second copy, which arrived unharmed, and luckily, my hunch was right. This six-song disc is quite enjoyable indiepop in the vein of Moped, Spent, and Glossary, but a bit more subtle than those bands (meaning not a lot of loud or noisy parts). Very melodic guitar pop, with decent vocals and some trumpet flourishes. I really like the guitar sound, especially in "I Can Tell By Her Eyes" and "Moments Of Sudden Bright". For being home-recorded, the sound quality is varied, but still pretty good, though the cd-r has a couple minor glitches at the beginning of a few tracks.   MTQ=5/6

Speedmarket Avenue - "I'm Going To Let My New Swiss Army Knife Answer To That" cd  (Fickle Fame)
This is the debut album from Sweden's Speedmarket Avenue, after a pair of great singles. Produced by Fredrik Norberg (former member of one of the most important Swedish bands, Popsicle), the sound on this record is a definite improvement over the previous eps, but I've noticed that the songwriting is a lot more subdued. With "Will That Do", the album gets off to a slow start, though I don't mean that in a negative way. Rather than a poppy album with some slower moments, this is the opposite. Sure, there are still moments of Mopeds/New Pornographers-ish upbeat jangly pop like "He's A Rebel", "You're Not That Foreign Anymore" and the A-side of their last single, "I Can Tell By Her Eyes", but there are just as many slower songs, like "Last Song", "Leave. Now." and "Here To Follow" - and both sets of songs are excellent. Add a few trumpet flourishes and some rather catchy tunes, and you've got yourself a great album!   MTQ=9/10

Spencer McGillicutty - "Games" cd  (no label)
This Spencer McGillicutty fellow is not a fellow, but rather a large collection of musicians from Minneapolis. The core of the group is two boys and two girls, with the music fleshed out by over a dozen friends on a variety of instruments, including all flavors of percussion, brass and woodwinds. Their sound is firmly rooted in the sunny and swinging '60s, with influences coming from a range of the era's best girl groups, beat groups and songwriters (think Bacharach, Walker or Diamond). The lead vocals are mostly female (with two different lead singers), but everyone sings a ton of backups, including a fair share of bas, das and even some shooby-doo-wops! My only problem with the record is that a few of the songs sound just a bit too radio friendly, from the AM Gold-ready "Telephone Signals" to "Lock Myself Away" which might as well be an Olivia Newton-John or Anne Murray ballad. But with jaunty tracks like "Claire Carnaby", "Secret Best Friend" and "Hide And Seek", I'm more than willing to overlook a couple duds...   MTQ=8/11

The Spinanes - "Imp Years" cdep  (Merge)
Wow, this took a damn long time to see the light of day! For those who don't know, this cdep compiles the first two singles the Spinanes released on Imp Records, as well as a song from an obscure comp and an unreleased song. It's definitely nice to have these songs on cd, as my original singles didn't stand the test of time. The two bonus songs are pretty good, but not wonderful; "Messy Shitty" is a sloppy rocker accompanied by Crackerbash, and "Handful Of Hearts" is a slower tune.   MTQ=5/6

Spink - "Freeep" cdep  (no label)
I'm not entirely sure, but I think that this is a self-released cd. There's no label information anywhere on this, and there wasn't an accompanying press sheet when I got this in the mail. When I listened to it though, I knew it was too good to not review. The first track on this six song ep is the instantly catchy "Everything". Next is the low-key "To Stand" and then the upbeat "Come To". The next song, "Hide", is actually quite slow and dull, as is "This Boy", to be honest. The ep finishes off with a nice cover of Will Oldham's "New Partner". Though it has its low points, this cd has merit just from the first half. Not sure who to compare it to, but I think it would fit in with some of the better singer/songwriter type artists, like Adam Schmitt or Tim Best.   MTQ=4/6

Spoilsport - "They All Want Cake" cd  (no label)
Hailing from Boston, this band plays fun and energetic pop that owes as much to the Go Gos as it does the Ramones, fitting in with newer bands like Kiddo, Dressy Bessy or a rawer-sounding Honeyrider. The guitars are turned up loud and the drums provide a 60s surf-influenced beat that keeps everything jumping. The only thing that's slightly out of place is Craig's gruff voice which sounds more like it belongs to a harder-edged garage rock band, though I wouldn't say it's distracting or anything. Occasionally, the lyrics get a bit dorky (see "Boys On The Beach"), but for the most part they fit the music well. With highlights including "This Summer", "Just Dance" and "Everybody's Cryin'", this is a good debut; but with just a little work, I think this band could be a lot better...   MTQ=10/14

Spoon - "A Series Of Sneaks" cd  (Merge)
It's kinda funny to be reviewing a reissue like this, but since I've never heard this record the first time around, it might as well be a new release to me. Spoon are a band that I'd never really paid attention to before - not because I didn't like them or anything; I just never really listened to 'em. This, their second album, was released on Elektra back in 1998 after picking them up from Matador, and then dropping them not long after this album's release, therefore putting it out of print. Merge didn't really like the idea of this record being so hard to find, so in between new releases from this band, they've reissued it with the original artwork and songs (well, they did add two songs from an out of print single, as well). No remixing, no remastering - this is the same album the critics loved when it was originally released. From the angular post-punk of "30 Gallon Tank" and "The Minor Tough" to the Elvis Costello-ish "Metal Detektor" to the upbeat sound of "The Guestlist / The Execution" and "June's Foreign Spell", it's easy to see why this record has been such a favorite of those who had heard it. It's funny, but the two songs tacked on at the end don't fit very well with the sound of the rest of the disc, and probably could've been left off. So if you've never listened to the band before, this is a pretty good place to start. And if you've already got the original cd, pull it out and give it a listen. Either way, this is your chance to rediscover a lost classic!   MTQ=13/16

Sportique - "Don't Believe A Word I Say" 7"  (Matinee)
New single from this Oxford pop super-group, featuring folks who have at one time or another been in the Razorcuts, the Carousel, Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research, McTells, or the Television Personalities. So, how is it? Great! The A-side is a catchy sing-along with jangling guitars and organs and hand claps and la-la-las. The b-side, though not as exciting, is a slower northern-soul type song with even more organs. Nice!   MTQ=2/2

Sportique - "Modern Museums" cd  (Matinee)
Second full length from this British group, and it's a bit punkier than the last. Much of this record has the feel of late 70s punk (and attitude - see the bemoaning of boredom in "Definition Seventy-Nine"), especially the Buzzcocks, Magazine, and Wire. Hell, even the intro to "The Dying Fly" is an exact copy from the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant". The guitars are fast and jangly, the drums and bass are tight and punchy, and the vocals are loud and upfront, with some occasional outbursts of shouting (on "How Many Times..?" and the title track). There's more organ on this record, now that Amelia Fletcher is a full-time member (I'm sure you already know that the band also features Gregory Webster of the Razorcuts, Mark Flunder of the TVPs/McTells, and Rob Pursey of Heavenly). The record is fairly short, as well - nine songs in 24 minutes. And even though it's purposefully retro, it still somehow sounds fresh and new.   MTQ=8/9

Sportique - "Communique No.9" cd  (Matinee)
This is the third album from Sportique; and at under 17½ minutes, their shortest yet! Like last year's "Modern Museums", it still follows somewhat in the 1979/1980 punk/post-punk style of Wire, Buzzcocks, etc, except that this album is a little more subdued, and not as overtly punk as "Modern Museums" was at times. Oh sure, there are still punky moments, including "Other Peoples' Girlfriends" and the minute long "Stereotype", but it doesn't get as angry and shouty as the previous record (though there is a song on this album titled "Angry Street"). A few of the songs slow it down a bit, though, like "Arthouse Cinemas" and the humorous "Tips For Artists Who Want To Sell Records", as well as the title track, which also incorporates a bit of dub influence. Definitely an exciting record all around!   MTQ=8/8

Spraydog - "Citrus Bitumen" cd  (Ferric Mordant)
This was actually released in 1998, but since I don't think I've ever seen it reviewed, here goes... Okay, this is one of those things I just happened upon. I got the Spraydog 7" on Orgasm a few years ago and liked it, and got another single to the same reaction. I bought this cd almost a year ago and liked it, but didn't really listen to it much. Then a few months ago, I listened to it again, and it just really hit me. This is an amazing cd! I really REALLY love it! I listen to it at least four times a week. It's one of those things that on the surface seems average, but when you figure that the production sounds good and the songs are well-written and performed, that puts it above a lot of other stuff out there. As for sound - if you've ever heard Tse Tse Fly, that's a really good comparison. Boy/girl vocals and a good sense of dynamics. If not, I'd say the really good Pee songs on their first album or Tongue (still obscure, I guess). Seek this out, just forgive the unfortunate name...   MTQ=12/12

Spraydog - "Lintered" cd  (Ferric Mordant)
Brand new cd from one of my new favorite bands! These guys (and girl) are from England, and have a great catchy indie-rock sound, like maybe Versus or Moped. Boy/girl vocals (sometimes at the same time) and well-written songs are the key here. Overall, this album isn't as instantly catchy as their first ("Citrus Bitumen") was, but it's growing on me fast!   MTQ=13/14

Spraydog - "Dialling Mitt" 7"  (Fortuna Pop!)
Alright, we all know how useless two song singles with an album track as the A-side are, right? Well, I hate to say it, but this is one of those. What sets this apart, though, is that this band really excites me like few bands do. And the (previously unreleased) b-side is absolutely terrific! It's not so bad that the A-side is on the album, because how many people actually have the new album (Lintered)? Not enough! For those who missed it the first time, this band is energetic indiepop in the vein of Tse Tse Fly, Versus, or the Bear Quartet, with excellent girl/boy vocals & songwriting. So, all of you, go to your favorite record shop or mailorder and demand Spraydog!   MTQ=2/2

Spraydog - "Mint Hand" cd  (Stupid Cat)
Spraydog have been one of my very favorite bands for a while now, so of course I've been greatly anticipating this cd. And they don't disappoint in the least. Sure, I can pull the old "I like their early stuff best", which is true in a small way, but this record is still no less than amazing - better than last year's "Lintered" even! A bunch of the songs on "Mint Hand" are catchier on the first listen, where "Lintered" took a few listens to sink in. "Aspirin" is excellent, as is "Don't Remember", "Girls Know Girls", and the noisy and cool "Cal-Neva" (especially the fun shouty chorus). Actually, this record is less noisy than their earlier stuff, but they still maintain their sound, which I can say is very distinctive - I can think of few bands to compare them to. In case you haven't heard about them, I'd say "noisy boy/girl pop in the vein of the Swirlies or Tse Tse Fly, with a great guitar sound!". I've raved about this band more than a few times to friends and anyone else who would listen, so let's hope that the band gets some more recognition soon!   MTQ=14/14

Spraydog - "Lines Are Drawn Only By The Eye" cd  (Kittridge/Morgan Leah)
It's well-documented that Spraydog are a favorite around these parts, so of course, it is with open arms that I welcome this disc, which compiles most (but not all, sadly) of the band's non-album songs, recorded in 1996/1997; the same general time period as their classic debut album, "Citrus Bitumen". With all six songs from the two Ferric Mordant 7"s (the "Alinear" debut 7" & the "Run The Lights" EP), the A-side from the Orgasm 7" ("Melter Twine"), a few songs from comps, and a couple of unreleased tracks to boot, this cd contains some of the best Spraydog material out there! I'm talking about songs like "Alinear", "Lemonade", "Some Sort Of Corporate Attack", "Melter Twine" and "Run The Lights" - all total classics. I do wish that this were more complete (the album is missing the two songs from the "Starry Eyes" 7" and "Sweet Thing" from a Fierce Panda comp), but this is great, nonetheless. If you haven't heard the band before (or at least, heard me describing them), they play indie rock, in the style of Versus, the Swirlies and Tse Tse Fly, with boy/girl vocals and excellent melodies. They're definitely worth checking out, and this or "Citrus Bitumen" are the best places to start!   MTQ=12/12

Spraydog - "Allison Blaire" 7"  (Nirfa)
H'ray - after a three year absence (not counting their singles compilation), Spraydog have finally returned with a new single and the promise of an album to follow shortly after! I'm always excited by new tunes from this group from Newcastle, and this single is no exception. The sound is very similar to what you'd find on their last couple albums, with both songs being mid-tempo tunes with fuzzy guitars and boy/girl vocals. Here's to the return of Spraydog!   MTQ=2/2

Spraydog - "Karate Summer Camp" cd  (Ferric Mordant)
On their fourth album (fifth, if you also count their singles collection from a couple years back), Spraydog aren't exactly covering any new or different territory, but when you've already perfected the noisy pop song, why would you change the formula? Anyone who's heard the band before will know exactly what to expect on this record: generally mid-tempo indie rock songs that sound reminiscent of Versus or Tse Tse Fly with dual boy/girl vocals and frequent noisy bursts of guitar. Several of these songs could've easily fit on the band's previous record or two, from the very molodic opener, "Get This Way" to the somewhat droney "Allison Blaire" (which was released on a 7" a few months back) to the short burst of energy that is "Where This Leads". I did find two things I wasn't fond of on the record, though: Maria takes the lead vocals in "One Big So-So", and they're a bit too screamy for my taste (Crucial Taunt, anyone?), while the song "Lack Of Sleep" is a complete misnomer, as I had to fight to stay awake. Despite those faults, though, I'm still fond of this record - another fine record from one of my favorite bands!   MTQ=12/14

Springfactory - "s/t" cd  (Series Two)
The great thing about indiepop is how global it is - I love how a small bedroom-pop band from the middle of Sweden can have its music released on a small bedroom-pop label in the middle of America. This disc is actually a compilation of the band's two previous releases from a couple years back on Bedroom and Canarie (a pair of Swedish cd-r labels that are now defunct), along with a pair of previously unreleased songs. The band plays catchy and fun indiepop in the vein of Land Of Ill Earthquakes, the Happy Couple and Pipas, mixing jangly guitars and Action Biker-ish electropop. There are a number of fantastic songs on here (I'd forgotten how great this band was!), with the best of the best being the jangly "Swedish Folk Highschool", the shuffling "As Winter Gives Way To Spring", the impossibly catchy "Get Out Of Bed" and the lush "No More", where the singer proves she's the female counterpart of Jens Lekman. My only problem with this release is that the packaging is really shoddy - the sleeve was hastily cut and doesn't even fit inside the case!   MTQ=9/10

The Sprites - "Starling, Spiders, Tigers And Sprites" cd  (March)
This is the new project of Jason from Barcelona, who sings and plays almost all of the instruments on this record, though the band now consists of his old bandmate Christian, Kevin (of Lil' Hospital), Armin, and Jay's wife, Amy. Ths sound on this record is a little more low-key than the Barcelona records: most of the record is strummy acoustic guitar, clean electric, brushed snare, bass, and occasionally melodica. The songs, themselves, though aren't too much different; Jason still writes goofy, yet personal lyrics. Song topics include being jealous ("I Want You Back"), liking a cute girl's selections in various stores ("Following Her Around"), and procreating ("Make A Baby With Me"; though unfortunately, the too-dorky lyrics make it my least favorite of Jason's songs). There are also a few musically autobiographical songs, like "Do It Yourself" ("never start a band with your best friend") and "I Wish I Sang A Little Better". Glad to see Jay back in action, and with such a fun batch of songs!   MTQ=10/12

The Sprites - "Bionic Hands" cdep  (Lejos Discos)
Jason and company are back in action with this six-song ep on a brand new Spanish label, which is finally available in America after a long delay! The sound here isn't too different from their debut album, "Starling, Spiders, Tigers And Sprites", with jangly yet subdued songs, very similar to the Lucksmiths or early Kissing Book. And Jay's humorous anecdotal lyrics are here, as well, with my favorites being "These Shoes Keep Walking Back To You" and "This Girl Needed A Dog". Not sure when they'll have a new album, but this is a great release to hold us over until then!   MTQ=6/6

Spy Island - "Little Fires EP" cdep  (We Got Bikes)
After liking this band's contribution to the "Fundraising For The Field Trip" comp cd on Boyarm a couple months ago, I'm now treated to a batch of songs from this duo from Detroit. These nine songs span 24 minutes, ranging from the 92 second long opener, "Sober Sleeping", that sounds like it was ended prematurely to "Whiskey Scientist", which breaks the five minute mark, yet still manages to not get old to "Detroit Gestapo", which is a minute too long. The sound is your basic home-recorded lo-fi (but on the better-sounding end of the scale), in the vein of Guided By Voices/Kleenex Girl Wonder. The songs are fun and catchy, for the most part, with favorites being "Mini-Mall!", "Seldom Scene Queen", and the afore-mentioned "Sober Sleeping". The handmade artwork is really cool, too, with both a screened outer sleeve and an inner sleeve lovingly decorated with blue masking tape.   MTQ=7/9

Spy Island - "A Treasury Of Great Science Fiction" cd  (Ginger Gorilla)
Now living in Portland, this is the second album from this band, and it shows some improvement over their first release, the "Little Fires EP" from a few years ago. Both the sound quality and songs themselves are better this time around, and though the band had quite a range of styles before, it seems to be a lot more noticeable on this album. We've got acoustic folk in "Eyes" and "Boats Pt. 1", straight-forward Canadian rock-styled tunes (think the Parkas or Sloan) like "The Curse", "Daylight Fades As Faketown Shakes" and "Charge This Vacation", and some psych-pop scattered throughout - a few of the songs have extended outros, some of which work in the song's favor ("Acacia III"), while others don't ("Battle Clouds"). Both their overall sound and the wide variety in the songs reminds me a lot of the High Dials; and as with that band, I find that though the songs are generally quite good, they tend to be hit or miss.   MTQ=9/12

The Squish - "Still So Sweet" cd  (Snowglobe)
Second cd from this band from Kamloops, BC, and their first for Snowglobe. Though their first self-released cd had a full band, this cdep mostly consists only of the main person, Kris Ruston, with a couple guests. The music is very similar to Weezer and the Rentals, with really crunchy guitars and moogs prominently played everywhere. The songs aren't quite as instantly catchy as Weezer's, but they come pretty close in parts (see "You Once Said" or "And The Afternoon"). The instrumental intro and the last song, aptly titled "The Intro" and "The Ending" respectively, are pretty dull, but everything in between is quite nice.   MTQ=6/8

St. Christopher - "Lost At Sea" cd  (Plastilina)
I actually only recently came to appreciate St. Christopher, although I frequently came across their songs on the Sarah compilation lps and assorted comp tapes in the early/mid '90s. Even when I picked up their Vinyl Japan output (including a couple albums and "Dig Deep, Brother", a compilation of early singles and rarities) several years back, I found that I only had a passing interest in the band, though I was particulary partial to the singles comp. Then, a couple years ago I gave the singles comp another listen, and this time it clicked with me, winning me over for good. This disc is another singles compilation for the band, but this one includes their entire Sarah Records output (four 7"s and a 10" EP), which is commonly (and accurately) considered to be the band's finest material. There are so many legendary songs on here, that there's no reason a pop fan should miss out on this collection; even when I wasn't too into the band, I still couldn't deny the pop perfection of songs like "You Deserve More Than A Maybe" and "All Of A Tremble". All of this comes in an attractive digipak, with liner notes by Mateo of Siesta Records and even an old interview clipping from the Woosh fanzine, making this a fine release, indeed!   MTQ=14/17

Stanley Ross - "Favorites" cd  (no label)
Stanley Ross is not a fellow, but a band from Chicago, and this is the first I've heard from them, though they've been around for a few years. Clocking in at just under half an hour, the songs on this record fit somewhere between Guided By Voices and the Oranges Band, with nods to Superdrag and Pavement, as well. The music on this record is rather hard to easily define, as it can sometimes be too off-kilter to be power pop and at other times too hard-rockin' to be indie rock (check out that guitar solo in "ZZ Hop"!) - but no matter how you want to classify them, there are plenty of catchy hits to bounce along to, like "Make Us Deaf", "Go!" and "Baby Divine"! The slow "Nails" wasn't too interesting, though I did like their even slower, somber ode to being hospitalized, "I.C.U.". This record is a good time, and I bet they're even better live...   MTQ=9/11

Starflower - "Moment In The Sun" cd  (Music Is My Girlfriend)
Here we have another fine release from one of our recent favorite Swedish labels, as well as the debut full-length from this Finnish quartet. The band's sound reminds me of Edson, Starlet or the Bluebells, playing jangly but melancholic indiepop that is still somehow a little positive and sunny. The songs tend to be in the midtempo range, although they pick up the pace in tunes like "You're Not Alone" and "Rock Around The Clock". As a result of the similar tempos and general style, I'll admit that the album is lacking a bit in the variety department (with only a few songs actually standing out), but I still find that on the whole, it's a very pleasant listen. But I guess that anyone who doesn't enjoy melancholic janglepop will find nothing of interest here...   MTQ=10/10

Starlet - "Stay On My Side" cd  (Parasol)
New ten song disc from this Swedish indiepop band, and it's much mellower than their first cd. In many ways, this is similar to Motion Picture and Belle & Sebastian, in the way of soft strummy pop songs (especially in "Diary & Herself"). In their louder moments, they sound a bit like Happydeadmen. This would be a great cd to listen to while driving through the countryside in the summer (for the few left in the country, that is...).   MTQ=8/10

The Starlets - "Surely Tomorrow You'll Feel Blue" cd  (Stereotone)
This debut record from this melancholic Scottish group was a nice surprise; receiving wonderful records from bands I'd never heard of before is always a pleasure. If I were a lazy reviewer (which I try not to be), I could compare them to Belle & Sebastian and leave it at that. There are enough similarities to validate the comparison (a full sound provided by the group's six members, and a few other guests; as well as the singer's Scottish accent over gentle music replete with strings, brass, and flutes), though there are other elements, as well, such as their occasional noisy tendency (as heard in "New Wave" or "Hypercool"). The album's soft opener could just as easily be compared to a Pernice Brothers ballad, and the chorus to "Rocking In A Shy Way" sounds rather a lot like "I Wanna Be Alone" by Edson. Though there are a few songs I quite like on this record, there are a few times when they slow it down a bit too much and drag a bit, such as the terribly long (71/2 minutes!) "Firestorm" and the hopelessly dull title track.   MTQ=6/9

Stars In Coma - "My Sunshine Years" cd  (Music Is My Girlfriend)
I believe this is the first record from this Swedish one-man project, and it's full of some really great synthy-pop tunes augmented with acoustic guitars, drum machine and loneliness/sadness-themed lyrics, which fit somewhere between the Embassy and the dancier Acid House Kings songs. The album starts off on the wrong foot, with the technopop instrumental, "Harmonizers", but then picks up with "Give Up", followed by one of the record's highlights, "I Wish Someone Would Dance With Me". From there, it's not very consistent (with a couple of uninteresting tunes along the way), but there are still a handful of excellent songs, including "Misplaced" and "I Saw My Heart Passing By", to make this album worth a listen.   MTQ=7/10

Stars In Coma - "You're Still Frozen In Time" cd  (Plastilina)
André has been recording as Stars In Coma for a few years now, with a scattering of releases on fine indiepop labels like Music Is My Girlfriend, Popkonst, Actionpop! and Cloudberry, but it's easy for me to say that this is his best release yet! While a number of the songs on this disc have appeared on his previous records, they have all been re-recorded (and in some cases, slightly re-worked) with a uniformly positive effect. Some of them even seem to be a bit livelier than the original versions, which is always better, as well... But despite the presence of poppier songs, there's still plenty of his usual somber lyrics and song titles like "I Wish Someone Would Dance With Me", "Moonport Sickness" and "I Saw My Heart Passing By". Plus, as André seems to have cherry-picked his favorite songs for this release, it's a lot stronger than his other records; while some of them seemed to have boring sections, this one is fairly solid all the way through.   MTQ=12/13

The Starside Eight - "Goodnight Noises Everywhere" cd  (Electric Frog)
In the scores of unsolicited promos we receive every week, it's always refreshing to run across one that catches my ear the first time around. This Brooklyn duo's debut cd is one such gem. Judging from the cover and packaging, I actually would've chalked this one up as "acoustic lo-fi"; and I would've been half right. Though the songs on this cd are all acoustic-based, they are definitely not lo-fi. Sure, it was recorded in the band's basement apartment (which helps add to the close, small room feel of the album), but they have taken great care to produce a very pleasant sounding set of songs, at times similar to early Small Factory, Love Letter Band, or Eric's Trip's quieter moments. The songs are fleshed out with clean electric guitar melodies (and nice bass melodies, as well!) and brushed drums. Both JJ and James sing, and their vocals actually remind me of Dave from Small Factory's - a little flat at times, but still sure enough to not get in the way of my enjoyment (but between the two, I like JJ's voice better). The album was purposefully split between the A and B side, with the first half being the poppier songs (which I prefer, naturally) and the second half being the moodier, more diverse tunes (which I don't find as interesting, though they're not so bad). This is a good relaxing pop record.   MTQ=8/11

The State Of Samuel - "Here Come The Floods" cd  (Humblebee/Total Gaylord)
Wow, it's been a few years since the last State Of Samuel record, but in that time Sam's acquired a full band (featuring members of Speedmarket Avenue & Penti) and almost completely shed his trademark lo-fi sound! In its place is a mix of Minders-ish perfect indiepop and '70s power pop (which I know Sam has long had an affinity for). The production sounds quite good throughout, even in the couple songs, like "The Unholy Ghost" and "Suburbs On The Run", where he pulls out the acoustic guitar again. The only hint of lo-fi occurs in "Heads, They Split", which is just piano and vocals for most of the song. But although the music appears to have changed considerably, not much has actually changed with his songwriting style - Sam still writes compact and catchy gems with somewhat obscure (yet still entertaining) lyrics. And there are plenty of new songs on this record to get excited about!   MTQ=12/12

The State Of Samuel - "Santa Barbara EP" 7"  (Modesto)
From what I gather, The State Of Samuel is one fellow (who may or may not actually be named Samuel), who hails from Sweden, though if you were listening to this record, you'd swear he was from California, or at least the U.S. This record would fit just great on HHBTM Records along with the Gwens or King Sauce, and I can also see a comparison to the Galactic Heroes a bit. It's upbeat, lo-fi, catchy acoustic pop that obviously was a lot of fun to record. Sometimes it's a bit amateur sounding, yeah, and the lyrics are usually quite odd (and often repetitive, especially in the choruses), but it's really not that bad. Watch out, though, as many of these songs will tend to stick in your head for a while! ("...sennnd the pope to santa barbara! I'll see him there...")   MTQ=5/6

The State Of Samuel - "Swedish Metal Aid" lp  (Escalator)
This album is a sampling of songs from the past few years of Sam's highly prolific project, collected especially for the Japanese market (meaning this is going to take some seeking out). The songs are culled from Sam's sole 7" (whose six songs kick off the record just nicely) and his many cassette releases, along with a few not previously released. The music is acoustic-based upbeat lo-fi pop, which is often augmented with a full band or at least another instrument (or sound effect, in a couple songs). Sam likes using up all the channels on his 4-track, and he does it to good effect. The vocals are often doubled up, and remind me a lot of Mathlete (there are even some vocal effects here and there). Not all of the songs are great, but there are a lot of gems on here. And with 25 songs in under 40 minutes, you never have to worry about a song being too long! Also, having this on lp is cool, because all of the short songs give the vinyl a great stripey look! The next State Of Samuel release will feature new recordings, so be on the lookout!   MTQ=21/25

The State Of Samuel - "Mutiny On Mercury" cd  (Strings Of Nashville/Humblebee)
This is the first real full length cd from Sam (his other cd, "Swedish Metal Aid" on Escalator, was actually just a compilation of some songs from his several self-released cassettes), and it's both his best-sounding and best quality batch of songs yet! These are highly melodic acoustic tunes (often with other backing instruments, ranging from casio to bass to all sorts of percussion), with Sam's animated (and usually double-tracked) vocals on top. Imagine Mathlete or Benji Cossa playing the Beach Boys, and you'll be pretty close. The songs are usually quite short: only three of 'em break the two minute mark, and the whole 17 track album clocks in at under 25½ minutes. With instantly loveable hits like "I Still Love You", "Why", "On A Sunny Day" and "Trip Wires", it makes me glad to know that Sam is such a prolific songwriter!   MTQ=16/17

Statuesque - "Live From Lake Vostok" cd  (no label)
I was actually quite excited to receive this cd in the mail recently, as I didn't even know that this band still existed anymore. I say band, though it really is just the work of Stephen Manning and a handful of guest musician friends. This British group first came on the scene in 1996, with the excellent "Angleterre" EP on Cassiel Records, followed a couple years later by their first album, "Arbiters Anonymous", but seemed to disappear not long after its release. It's good to see them back with this new self-released album. The sound is often very similar to that of the Chills, Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, and the Chameleons; occasionally dark, but usually melodic. There are a few songs, like "Genius Is Static" and "Born In Front Of A Train", that break the pattern, though, and not in a good way. I can't quite think of any particular band to liken them to, but the latter sounds like some loud, angry band, only with their distortion pedals taken away. But I guess if you were going to hold this album up against the Flying Nun catalog (which would not be hard to do), even that had some crap among the real gems...   MTQ=8/12

Statuesque - "Choir Above Fire Below" cd  (125)
Always remaining well below the radar, this is the third album from Stephen Manning (AKA Statuesque). The sound on this album isn't radically different from his previous records; in fact, I think it's even closer in sound and tone to the earlier records than 2002's "Live From Lake Vostok" (especially noted as I still pull out the "Angleterre" EP every now and again) - this record isn't as dark as the last one. Similar to the previous album, though, is Stephen's occasional experimentation in songs like "Safecracker" (a sparse song driven by an effect-ed electric guitar) and "Weaponised" (another short guitar effect workout, but this time without a melody), but overall, this album is a lot more focused. Also, his songs have gotten a bit longer on average, with the majority being over five minutes long. Normally, this is a hindrance, but I find that most of the time the songs don't feel as if they've gone on too long (although there are a few that do). Musical reference points include the Chills (uncanny, at times) and Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, with hints of the Wedding Present in the guitar and even occasional vocal similarities to Malcolm Eden. Though I do admit that I prefer the earlier records, I have to say that this is definitely Stephen's strongest record to date.   MTQ=10/13

The Steinbecks - "Recorded Music Salon" cd  (Drive-In)
Brand new cd from this wonderful duo of Josh and Joel Meadows (and friends), and like their first cd, it's hit-and-miss. It gets off to a great start, and there are a few excellent songs, but a few of the songs aren't so great. There's only one I truly dislike (the a capella reprise to "Are You Guys Into Wings" - ugh), and a few songs are just boring. On the other hand, there are some great bouncy hits like "Monochrome" and "The Long Walk". And of course, there's his enchanting Australian voice!   MTQ=7/12

The Steinbecks - "Branches And Fronds Brushing The Windows" cd  (Microindie)
The Meadows brothers are back with a new rhythm section and their first album since 2000's "Recorded Music Salon". Overall, it's not as instantly catchy as their previous albums, but there are some very good songs on here, like "Song For Today" and "Mens Suit Hire". The other songs, however, seem to have a darker mood than usual. "Guilty Spring" is quite heavy sounding, and Joel's vocals towards the end of "Morell Bridge" sound downright angry! Lyrically, the songs are darker, as well, with a couple ("Guilty Spring" & "Arafura Sea", the latter of which is very reminiscent of Billy Bragg in the verse) about war, most likely influenced by Josh's two year stint as a volunteer in Papua New Guinea. "Mens Suit Hire" is probably the lightest song on the disc, with the guests (A.D. on trumpet and Kirsty & Tess from Melbourne group Surrogate Turnip on vocals) audibly having fun at the end of the song. I like the final track, "Trying Too Hard", though at eight minutes, it's much too long. Admittedly, it's not my fave Steinbecks record to date, but it's still pretty good...   MTQ=4/6

The Steinbecks - "Far From The Madding Crowd" cd  (Microindie/Popboomerang)
I've always liked the Steinbecks (having been a big Sugargliders fan beforehand), but I've historically found their albums a little disappointing on the whole; there are always a few truly amazing songs on each, but it seemed that for every great song, there was a not-so-good one, making it hard for me to fully enjoy each record all the way through. This record, however, though not perfect, is possibly the band's best album to date (though I still have fond feelings for the debut, so it would be hard to top for me). Like always, there are a number of instant favorites, including "Moon & Stars", "1987 + 1994 = 2007", "Shin's Journey" and "The Doppler Effect" (one of two songs with lyrics written and sung by the Meadows brothers' cousin, Tali White AKA Tali Lucksmith!), but I also found some of the band's more experimental forays (which typically bothered me before) enjoyable, such as "Every Empire Must Fall" and the jazzy, yet still poppy "Beacon". They also seem to have (thankfully) lost the rather dark edge introduced on their previous record, though there are of course some typically Meadows melancholic moments. A fine return for the band!   MTQ=11/12

The Stereotypes - "2" cd  (Earthling)
As you could guess, this is the second record for this group, though I haven't heard of them before this. It starts out with a bang with "New Situation", a song that I can only refer to as a "stomper", sounding like something from one of the louder Swedish bands like Soundtrack Of Our Lives or the Hellacopters. When they follow that up with the simple and jangly "Stars", I knew that this was going to be a very good record. The rest of the songs on the album alternate between the jangly pop of "Stars" (with "Outside" being the pick hit of the bunch) and a louder, kinda Replacements/Strokes-y sound (but not as in your face as the album's opener). Though their sound may not be the most original I've heard, I can't deny that there are some really amazing songs on this record. They mention work for "3" already, and I can't wait to hear it.   MTQ=8/8

The Stereotypes - "3" cd  (Empyrean)
Following soon after last year's "2" ep, this batch of songs follows in the same style as the last record, alternating between loud, somewhat garagey rock in the style of Soundtrack Of Our Lives or the Hives and a more melodic jangle sound closer to Cotton Mather or Teenage Fanclub ("Did You Know" in particular has a real "Catholic Education" feel to it). And when I say alternating, I mean that literally, as the first half of the album switches between the two styles in almost every other song (the latter half is more on the janglier side). I only really noticed this pattern because the two styles are so contrasting, but since the band seems to do both equally well, it all works out fine. I do prefer the janglier stuff, however, as on occasion the louder songs get a bit too rocking and even a bit generic (the lyrics to "Need Some Action", for instance). As a bonus, this album also comes with a second disc entitled "Leftovers", and while it may appear to be mere outtakes, these songs (five new ones and a re-recording of an album track) are every bit as enjoyable as the main course!   MTQ=13/16

The Sterns - "Sinners Stick Together" cd  (Omnirox)
A friend of mine told me I really needed to check out this band, so I picked it up recently to find that she was quite correct! This group hails from Boston, and have been an apparently well-kept secret for the past couple years (this album had actually been out for nearly a year before I came across it). Looking at this disc, it's actually not hard to see why: the cover art is pretty generic and the overall packaging design (not to mention the band's unfortunate photo) is very drab and gives the impression of some major label nu-emo band destined for the dollar bin. The music inside, however, is quite vibrant and colorful, sounding quite similar to the first couple New Pornographers records, but with Andrea from My Favorite giving additional vocals/input instead of Neko Case (as well as a heavy nod to vintage Elvis Costello in songs like "Papa, You're In Your Prime" and "Twenty-Three Hours"). The songs tend to be clean and jangly, with a fair share of organs, assorted percussion and handclaps to spice things up. This album may not have fun written all over it, but it certainly is filled with nothing but!   MTQ=10/11

Steward - "Horselaugh On My Ex" cd  (555)
Stewart Anderson is one of the kindest, most generous person I know; but this release has taught me something: don't get on his bad side!! Most of these 20 tracks contain the most spiteful bitter lyrics I've ever heard. And with good reason - they're all directed at the girl who broke his heart, and left him stranded in another country. Well, he's pretty much gotten over it, thanks to the therapeutical "primal scream", if you will, of this release. Some of this is more pop-song oriented than his last few records, but it's still full of loud, abrasive (think Aphex Twin) electropop & atari beats. Guests (and there are many) include members of Even As We Speak, Hood, Halkyn, Girlboy Girl, the Cannanes, as well as Jen Turrell. Also included are covers of songs from Meatloaf, the Psychedelic Furs, & Adam and the Ants. Possibly Steward's best release!   MTQ=16/20

The Stoves - "Come On Along" 7"  (Monotone)
Debut 7" from these two fellows from New Jersey, and the music on this single is as stark as the sleeve suggests. Think Simon Joyner and Broken Girl (but without the girl). The A-side has two acoustic guitars sharing a melody backed by a minimal drum beat, while the flip is just one guitar. Kevin and Ryan sing together on both songs. Very nice and relaxing.   MTQ=2/2