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<title>Update: January 3rd, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Ahoy there - long time, no speak! So I had a pretty good break these last few months, doing much more relaxing than I&#39;d expected to, though that&#39;s certainly not a bad thing... Anyways, it&#39;s good to say that we&#39;re back now, and with an entirely new site!<br /><br />The biggest change that you&#39;ll notice (besides the new design, obviously) is that I&#39;ve done away with the regular weekly update system, in favor of more occasional updates - thus removing the self-inflicted pressure I used to experience to post a new update each week! However, to make it all easier for everyone, I&#39;ve started an <a href="http://indiepages.com/IPfeed.xml">RSS feed</a>, which you can sign up for to get updates as I post &#39;em. I&#39;ve also signed up for a Twitter account, but I honestly have no clue what I&#39;m ever gonna do with it!<br /><br />There are also changes to the reviews section, but I&#39;ll save that for another post later. Have fun, and thanks for coming back!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:37:16 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Noise Annoys Simon - "You Say It I&#39;ll Know It" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I&#39;ve already heard at least half of this record via the band&#39;s previous EPs - I loved each and every one of those songs the first time around, and the rest of the songs on their debut album are just as great! I haven&#39;t gotten around to making my best of 2009 list yet, but I suspect that this record will be somewhere near the top - easily in the top five for sure. Their sound is pure and gorgeous jangly pop that makes you forgive Teenage Fanclub for not releasing a record in so many years or Monograph for pretty much dropping off the face of the earth nearly a decade ago. I could listen to this record on repeat for an entire day and never tire of it. Highlights are impossible to narrow down, so just sit down, relax and let it all soak in... Psst, while you&#39;re at it, be sure to check out main songwriter Simon Bish&#39;s solo project on the same label! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=12/12]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:39:38 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Magic Bullets - "Lives For Romance EP" lp review</title>
<description><![CDATA[The first time I heard this band was via their debut album on Words On Music last year, and I just didn&#39;t really like them. I loved the music, but the vocals just kind of grated on me - even after a couple listens. I can&#39;t decide if my feelings about the band have changed because this self-released EP is that much more enjoyable than the album or if their stellar set (and generally friendly demeanor) at last year&#39;s Popfest in San Francisco shattered any negative feelings I ever had about them. Either way, I am definitely pro-Magic Bullets at this point! Their style is that jangly guitar pop perfected by countless bands in the &#39;80s, and though it would be easy to compare this group to the Smiths after listening to a song like "Not Just A Long Face", I&#39;d say they delve deeper into territory mined by lesser-known bands, like 1000 Violins and Remember Fun. I hear they&#39;re at work on a new record, and I look forward to hearing it! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=4/4]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:40:46 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Land Of Ill Earthquakes - "Heartbreak Bombadier" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This is the band&#39;s third or fourth release (depending on whether or not you count their limited tour cd-r), and it&#39;s their best work to date! Though it contains one song from each of the three afore-mentioned discs (same recordings, even), the songs sound much better and flow more consistently than on their prior releases, where the fidelity could vary wildly. Their earlier recordings suggested a somewhat fanatical devotion to the Aislers Set, and though you can still hear elements of Amy Linton running through these songs, the band I&#39;m reminded most of now is the Besties ("Don&#39;t Pose For The Picture", "Off To The Races" and the title track all could&#39;ve appeared on that band&#39;s final album without sounding one bit out of place). Both bands share the same dual-female lead vocal style, as well as the way they arrange the songs, with more focus on the keyboards than guitar, and almost including an upbeat and catchy-as-hell chorus! The band self-released this disc, but for those who&#39;d like a cassette version, you can pick one up on the Bridgetown label. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=8/8]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:41:17 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Animal Dads - "Horrible Night To Have A Curse" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Luckily, I&#39;d already heard this band and knew that I liked them, otherwise their truly awful wrestler cut-out-themed sleeve really would&#39;ve steered me away! But despite having one of the worst covers I&#39;ve seen in quite some time, the record itself is quite good - barely missing my top ten LPs of 2009 list by one slot. This is the band&#39;s first release, and though they hail from South Korea, you&#39;d never know it from listening to them. Their sound fits nicely along with the solid indie rock of Superchunk, Urusei Yatsura and the first Seafood album, with hints of a scaled-back (mid-period) ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. They&#39;re usually loud - but not overpoweringly so - and always melodic, with stand-out tracks including "Operator, Operators", "Around" and the first three songs on the album, which could bowl over any fan of good indie rock.  &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=9/9]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:41:57 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Sweater Girls</title>
<description><![CDATA[Soft and gentle indiepop that fits somewhere between a full-band Softies and a calmer Black Tambourine. These are their first recordings, and I look forward to hearing more!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:42:41 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Tacocat - "Shame Spiral" lp review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This might actually be my new favorite riot-grrrl record (American-style, that is; this is hardly related to the UK flavor of riot-grrrl). Tacocat hails from Seattle, and take all the right cues from their Olympian ancestors Bikini Kill, Heavens To Betsy and Bratmobile, but leaving out the politics, rage and, well, brattishness attributed to those bands. Without those elements, we&#39;re left with an incredibly fun and playful 24 minutes of punky pop. Their songs range a variety of serious to silly topics from marshmallow Peeps and enjoying their room in the basement to Anna Nicole Smith and the movie Waterworld. You&#39;ll of course find their take on standard topics, like the uncomfortableness of gynecological exams, fear of toxic shock syndrome and the nightmare of UTIs (the faint-hearted might want to steer clear of this one, though I think the song&#39;s pretty funny), though my favorite "grrrl-themed" tune is "Leotard", which explains how to keep the guys on first base by wearing a leotard. But the band generally keeps things lighthearted; even when pretending to be angry, you can tell they&#39;re smiling about it all along. Oh, and if possible, try to pick up the lp version of this, which includes a full lyric sheet, poster and band-themed tarot cards! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/13]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:01:20 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Cheap Red - "Cheap Red" dbl cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Of course, I like this record - it&#39;s the debut (and only?) release from yet another band starring one of my friends/musical heroes, Stewart Anderson of Boyracer, and his wife, Jen! For this project, they&#39;re joined by Akina &amp; Arland from Kanda of Portland. Musically, it&#39;s not really like either band, though you could certainly draw comparisons in particular songs. Instead, I&#39;d say this record sounds closer to some of the Australian projects that Stew is often associated with, such as Huon and the Cannanes. The arrangements are fairly basic and the sound is sparse in parts, even in the peppier songs. The mood of the record is also lighter and more fun, as evidenced in the lyrics, their choice of covers (including the Vaselines&#39; "The Day I Was A Horse" and the Maggots&#39; "Let&#39;s Get Tammy Wynette") and the minute of silly studio banter that closes off the album. But you&#39;ll also find quieter songs, such as "Red Shoulders" and "Unlucky In Love",  that feature Jen&#39;s soft voice and Akina&#39;s violin more prominently. Now, I should probably mention that there&#39;s a bonus disc of remixes of various album tracks by 13 artists (including Kid606, Jason Sweeney, DJ Downfall, and the like), but I&#39;m mentioning this only in passing, as I generally find remixes useless fodder and these are no exception. But they&#39;re on their own disc, and the album is sold at a single cd price, so you can ignore that &#39;bonus&#39; disc and not feel the least bit short-changed. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/14]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:52:19 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 11th, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[So I&#39;m, like, mere days away from announcing my exciting big news. I just have a couple small things to arrange, then I&#39;ll tell you all about it. Oh, it&#39;s truly exciting alright...<br /><br />Thanks to everyone for all the kind words and compliments on the site this past week - it&#39;s great to be back online and hear from so many friendly (internet) faces again!<br /><br />Talk more soon!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:07:45 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 12th, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Awesome! Even though I spent nearly half of 2009 taking a (much-needed) break, IndiePages still managed to snag the number one slot for "best indiepop website" on the <a href="http://www.twee.net/list/polls/poll2009.html">Twee.net poll</a>. Thanks so much to everyone who voted!<br /><br />Here&#39;s a fun fact: IndiePages has won that title every year since starting in 2000. Yay!!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:36:47 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Swimteam</title>
<description><![CDATA[Brian from the Tartans passed me this disc when they were in town last summer. It&#39;s his solo project, and it&#39;s fine pop in the fashion of the Windmills or the Lucksmiths&#39; quieter moments.]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:26:44 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 15th, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[So remember the other day when I posted a teaser about some really exciting news? Well, here goes: I&#39;m opening up a record shop here in Seattle! A real, proper shop with records you can flip through and cds you can look at and a cash register and probably a little couch (under a sign that reads "Yes loitering"). I had an opportunity that was just too good to pass up!<br /><br />And along with this shop, of course, there will be the requisite webshop/mailorder where you can look at titles and add &#39;em to your cart and whatnot (you have to supply your own couch, though).<br /><br />All of this will be ready on March 13th, but I&#39;m getting all of the stock together now - go to <a href="http://jigsaw-records.com/">jigsaw-records.com</a> to learn more about that. Yay, yay, yay!!!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:59:59 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Seldon Plan - "Lost And Found And Lost" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This is the third record from this group from Baltimore, and the flagship band for the Beechfields label (or at the very least, my favorite on the roster). Their albums have always been rich with melody, and this one is certainly no exception, but I also find it a bit more subdued and softer than their previous one, "Making Circles". The rough edges that record showed at times have all been polished down to a much friendlier tone this time around. Whereas the Weakerthans (albeit a somewhat softer version) or Sunday&#39;s Best might&#39;ve been a decent reference point for the band then, now I&#39;d use Saturnine, Citified or maybe even the softer moments on the last few Teenage Fanclub records (check out their frequent use of vocal harmonies!). Simply put, the keyword for this record is &#39;understated&#39;. You may not exactly be bowled over when listening to this, but there&#39;s no way you won&#39;t at least be charmed by its simple beauty. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/12]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:57:49 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Gold Bears</title>
<description><![CDATA[With a sound that fits somewhere between Superchunk and the Faintest Ideas, of course I think this band is awesome! Plus, it&#39;s got ex-members of Plastic Mastery (another big fave) and Stew Boyracer on drums on the second track, so bonus!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:56:46 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>[V/A] - "Home And Abroad Songs Vol. 1" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Here&#39;s the first release on this new label from Connecticut whose goal is to help out bands from their home state, but like the comp&#39;s title suggests, this collection also includes songs from outside of their borders, with even a couple international groups. Many of these songs have actually been released elsewhere on albums and singles, but I was still introduced to a number of good new bands, such as Panda And Child, Submarine Spaceship and the Bynars. Other highlights came from Chariots Of Tuna (who I have been LOVING as of late), the Transmittens (one of the few exclusive tracks, and a real winner at that!), a song from the forthcoming Cavemen Go record (which just might be my favorite track of theirs yet) and the seemingly ubiquitous "Really Really Weird" by the Simple Carnival (this is the third comp I&#39;ve gotten that it&#39;s appeared on!). A fine collection of songs, and a good start for the label! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/15]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:58:22 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 21st, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[So I&#39;ve got a silly question: I signed up for a Twitter whatchamathingy for IndiePages, but what the heck do I post on it? What I&#39;m listening to? What I&#39;m reviewing? What I&#39;m eating? What does one do with these things anyways... ?<br /><br />Here, I&#39;ll post something now - we&#39;ll see if it&#39;s ridiculous or not...]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:03:15 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Free Loan Investments - "The Last Dance" 7" review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I&#39;ve gotta say - it&#39;s not too often that labels release a 7" with brand new songs from a band that broke up years ago (not counting the semi-lucrative reissue niche some labels have going on), and I seriously admire Magic Marker for getting these previously unheard FLI tunes out in the open! In case you don&#39;t remember them, or just missed &#39;em the first time around, the band is something of a supergroup (comprised of members from small, yet absolutely super groups, such as Nixon and the Shermans) from Stockholm who played short and catchy punky pop songs in the vein of Talulah Gosh, Vacaciones and the Besties, and released records on Shelflife and WIAIWYA. They even got to play a few dates in the US before they split in 2003! These songs were the last the band recorded, and fit in perfectly with the rest of the band&#39;s output. Make sure to pay attention to the accompanying download code, though (I personally usually ignore them), as it contains a bonus track that didn&#39;t fit on the single! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=4/4]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:38:54 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 24th, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Oh man - not only is Jigsaw Records (the record shop) going well, but the label might be coming back, too! Right now, I&#39;m working on releasing the "lost" Spraydog record which was recorded a couple years back, but shelved. So exciting to be working with one of my favorite bands!<br /><br />Details to follow, but now might be a good time to bookmark the <a href="http://jigsaw-records.com/">website</a> and follow the <a href="http://twitter.com/jigsawrecords">twitter</a>...]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:43:15 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Watercolor Paintings - "Open Your Mouth" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I have so many fond memories of this band from a fun weekend last summer (that could&#39;ve been a fun two months, had I actually been able to join Iji on tour), but this album will have to do until I see them again. They&#39;ve got a number of releases out, on 7"s and cassettes, but this debut cd of theirs is their best work to date. A few of the songs on here have been previously released in various forms, but these recordings capture the band at their best. Clocking in at just over 17 minutes, these ten brief songs are both super-sweet and heartbreaking ("Indiana" still gets me every time), with a fragile instrumentation of harp and ukulele backing Rebecca&#39;s dulcet voice (as well as her brother Josh&#39;s occasional backing vocals). A common complaint about this band is their tendency towards somewhat childishness in the lyrics (sometimes approaching Kimya Dawson levels), but apart from "Snail" (a song sympathizing with their demise by strollers or salt), that component seems to be kept to a minimum here. This is a gentle record that soothes me any time. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=10/10]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:41:36 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: February 2nd, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[No update in a week - sheesh! The old me would&#39;ve been stressing the hell out about that, and, well, that&#39;s why the site imploded last summer. Now that I&#39;m taking it easy with self-imposed deadlines and rules, I can just update the site when I have time. Which unfortunately seems to be never these days, thanks to the record shop planning/preparations, recording the next Iji record and an increased dayjob workload! Oh well, it&#39;s a good kind of busy...]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:48:33 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Spencer McGillicutty - "Games" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[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 &#39;60s, with influences coming from a range of the era&#39;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&#39;m more than willing to overlook a couple duds... &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=8/11]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:47:48 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Boshus</title>
<description><![CDATA[You know when you go and see a band, and their ten biggest fans are in the front all shouting along to the lyrics? That&#39;s what this band sounds like all the time. These guys seem to have more singers than instrumentalists, which only adds to the fun and even adds a wee bit of chaos to these otherwise simple pop songs!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:15:50 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Bunnygrunt - "Matt Harnish &amp; Other Delights" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Ever since their return five or so years ago, Bunnygrunt have been transforming themselves into a solid rock and roll band (the surprise for me wore off long ago, but it&#39;s always fun to watch an older fan&#39;s reaction when they see them again now). Their previous album, "Karen Hater&#39;s Club", started this trend, but was a really disjointed and even almost incomplete record to listen to. A couple intermediate singles showed the band was improving, but this new record proves that they have found exactly what they were looking for. The days of cute pop are long behind the band (though they&#39;ll never lose their mischievous sense of humor), and in its place we have an amazing power pop record. It&#39;s Karen&#39;s songs that are taking the spotlight this time around, with "Where Eagles Dare Pt.2", "You Get What You Get" and "The Limits Of Southern Hospitality" ranking among the best I&#39;ve heard from her, but the recent live staple "1000% Not Creepy" (a Matt song from the Wee Pop! EP) is another standout track. Finally, a record to match the band&#39;s fun and energetic live set! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=9/10]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:59:32 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: February 22nd, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Oh dear - I just realized it&#39;s been nearly three weeks since I last updated! Well, things have been mighty crazy around here. This weekend has been spent getting furniture & supplies for the store, working on the new Jigsaw website, compiling orders for distro stock and building shelves, among other things.<br /><br />Oh, and I joined another band, too; I&#39;m now the live drummer for Math & Physics Club, who are just wrapping up their second record and are planning some shows this spring/summer! (And the new record&#39;s really great, of course!)<br /><br />There will be updates soon - I&#39;ve got a great idea for new sounds, but just need to find the time to do it. And the reviews, too, I know. You should see the area around my desk (or at least where my desk would be, if you could see it). Also, I&#39;ve been staying up *way* too late these past couple weeks. Wonder if that&#39;s why I can&#39;t shake this cold. It&#39;s now officially the longest-running cold I&#39;ve ever had for as long as I can remember in my life!<br /><br />Okay, sleepy snoozy-snooze time...]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:33:54 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>A Million Years Ago - "1000000000000000000000000000" cs review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I was introduced to this Seattle band last summer by playing a show with them, but regrettably they broke up not long after (though they recently played another show, so hopefully that previous statement is false!). Before they split, however, they managed to record this cassette (though it was self-released posthumously) containing nine energetic tracks that I already knew after seeing them live only a couple times. The band&#39;s a three-piece, consisting of guitar, keyboard and drums, though while listening to these songs, you&#39;d never know they were mising a bass player, thanks to Jordan&#39;s clever synth parts. If I had to describe the band&#39;s songs in a word, it would have to be "anthemic". Between their big sound and the the catchy songs, it&#39;s impossible not to sing or shout along once you&#39;ve got even a minor grasp of the lyrics (seriously - try sitting still to "You Got A Heart" or "What You Are"). Anyways, seek this band out! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=9/9]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:50:36 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: March 1st, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Okay, I really really started out today with the intention of clearing out all of those Februarys to my left here (oof!), but unfortunately the day did not go as planned... After an especially irritating project, an ill-fated shelf-building incident and one heavily-medicated (but still persistent) headache, all I have to show for it is this one review I did this morning before things turned sour. But what a fine record it is...<br /><br />On the plus side, I finally kicked that pesky cold! Two weeks - the longest I&#39;ve ever had a single cold in my life by a factor of three! Seriously, I think I recovered from my wisdom teeth removal and sinus surgery faster... What the hell happened to my once-superb immune system?! The past few days were spent in a day/ny-quil & decongestant haze, as I finally gave up late last week and bought all the over-the-counter medicine I could. Not sure if it was that or the seemingly endless sleep I got as a result, but I&#39;m glad to be able to go fifteen minutes without coughing again...<br /><br />Okay, more updates later this week - for real!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:10:53 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>New Century Schoolbook - "The Happy Detective" 7" review</title>
<description><![CDATA[The debut album from this Portland group was nice, but never really grabbed my attention. This single, however, shows that the band has improved tenfold since then, with all three songs sounding great and each one of them proving themselves as A-side material (I certainly don&#39;t know how the band could ever choose!). The title track is a driving little pop song with punchy electric piano and bassline, sounding like a slightly softer Salteens. "Icebergs" is the other song on the first side, and is a subtler song with a memorable flute melody. On the flip, we&#39;ve got "The Vetting Process", which is a grand affair comparable to something from the first few Belle & Sebastian or Decemberists albums. Oh, and the whole thing comes on nice, grey marble vinyl - definitely a single to check out! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=3/3]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:45:54 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Snowstorm - "Snowstorm" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Most of Kevin&#39;s music that I&#39;ve heard in the past (and most of the Monotone catalog, for that matter) has been pretty low key and quiet acoustic stuff, and though this is still acoustic-based, the songs are quite upbeat and catchy. So it should come as no surprise that it&#39;s my favorite thing that I&#39;ve heard from Kevin to date! Though this is a solo release, there are usually at least two guitars playing together (often doubling or even exchanging melodies), along with frequent keyboards and drums (or at least some form of percussion). Still pretty lo-fi, of course, but it does sound really good overall. Musically, I&#39;d have to say the closest resemblance is to the early Moon Socket stuff, but with a little more consistency and without the extraneous sounds. Plus the songs are all pretty short, so we&#39;ve got ten of &#39;em in twenty minutes! Though the band&#39;s name may suggest winter, this is more for the winter days when the sun is shining bright and you can go out and enjoy the foot of snow all around you. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=10/10]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:22:54 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Phase 4</title>
<description><![CDATA[Delightful jaunty bedroom pop from somewhere in the UK that reminds me a lot of the Silly Pillows.]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:44:25 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>The Fallen Leaves - "That&#39;s Right" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This band from western London may be somewhat new, but they&#39;ve certainly been around for a while. Composed of participants in the late &#39;70s UK punk scene (including a couple original members of the Subway Sect!) and leaders of the popular Parliament Club, the Fallen Leaves play high-energy garage rock in the vein of Mickey Hampshire and Billy Childish; you know, the original UK garage rockers, not the ones that have been tarnishing the genre&#39;s good name all over the charts in the last several years... The songs may be full of raw energy (check out the break in the middle of "The International Brigade"!), but they are also just as tuneful, with memorable melodies coming out in "Sylvie Says", "Listen To My Heart" and "Is She Somewhere". Yeah, so I wasn&#39;t too into the "Tequila"-styled one word party song, "Vendetta", but this is still a really fun and energizing record - and surely an exciting band to witness live! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=8/10]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:51:07 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Pale Sunday - "Shooting Star" cdep review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I&#39;ve been a huge fan of this Brazilian indiepop group from their very first self-released debut EP. They released a second EP and an album on Matinee soon after, but have remained silent ever since. This new batch of songs (their first in five years) finds the band continuing their style of Swedish-influenced indiepop; and when I say "Swedish-influenced", I&#39;m referring more to the style of the mid &#39;90s groups like Popsicle, the Honeymoons and Popundret than the recent indiepop explosion the country experienced. These songs sound more in like those bands than Pale Sunday&#39;s earlier work did, but only by the virtue of a better recording sound here. And apart from the title track, they&#39;re also slightly more subdued-sounding than the band&#39;s previous work, but it certainly didn&#39;t take long to fall in love with them all over again! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=4/4]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:53:01 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Update: March 23rd, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Dear IndiePages tiger,<br /><br />I&#39;m very sorry that I&#39;ve been taking up all of Chris&#39;s spare time so that he hasn&#39;t been able to play with you or listen to records with you or go hunting for new bands with you or barely even have a chance to feed you. I see the way you look at me, as if I were some tasty morsel... I&#39;ll try to be good from now on and share his limited time with you, as I know it must get boring just chasing your own tail while you wait...<br /><br />Love,<br />Jigsaw Records]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:57:44 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Update: April 11th, 2010</title>
<description><![CDATA[Got some new sounds up tonight! I actually had the idea for it, but I just forgot to put anything up! Grr...<br /><br />Things are still crazy around here - all three of my bands (Iji, Sandy City and now Math And Physics Club) have already played a combined four shows in April, and I&#39;ve got another three this week, including one all the way on the other side of the state in Spokane!<br /><br />More news soon!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:56:52 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 7th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[Sorry this site has gathered so much dust last year. I tried to be good about updates, but too many things got in the way, and then it became a habit <i>not</i> to update it. Sheesh!<br /><br />Anyways, I&#39;ve got some new sounds up now, and there&#39;s more to come very soon. Enjoy!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:12:31 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Very Most - "A Year With The Very Most" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[A year and a half or so ago, the Very Most released a set of four seasonal-themed EPs, which was great except it was digital-only. Bah! Thankfully, Indiecater has collected all of them on this handy disc for those of us who don&#39;t take kindly to mp3 "releases", packaging it all in an attractive digipak. The four EPs each begin with a mood-setting (though still unnecessary) 10-15 second interstitial piece, followed by three or four songs pertaining to (or at least in the spirit of) its season. Spring starts the disc off with a bang with one of the highlights, the bouncy "Today It Is Even Better", followed by a few gentler tunes. Summer also alternates between the breezy pop of "You&#39;re In Love With The Sun" and the lazy strum of "The Motor-Vu Lights", while autumn gives us a trio of livelier songs (including another highlight, "Sweater"). Two of the three winter songs are Xmas-themed, with the original "When Does The Goodwill Start" besting the traditional "Away In A Manger". And to top it off, we&#39;re treated to a bonus track at the end: a cover of Lake&#39;s "Kite"! All in all, a year well-spent! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=13/19]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:50:23 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>International Waters - "It Felt Like EP" 10" review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This band came to my attention at the Athens Popfest this past summer, where they won over the room with their immaculate jangly style. The band hails from Austin and contains ex-members of Voxtrot, so don&#39;t be surprised if you hear a resemblance to that band&#39;s earlier work. This EP is their second release (following a self-released 7"), and perfectly encapsulates the band&#39;s sound, which combines the softness of the Orchids and the romantic yet moody side of Orange Juice. Side one contains a pair of subtle pop hits, while the flipside is even more subdued, particularly the dark and haunting "Cycle Of The Chain". They&#39;re currently working on a debut album, so keep an eye out for it! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=4/4]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:51:33 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Oddball &amp; Chain</title>
<description><![CDATA[A pair of fine songs steeped in reverb and atmosphere that sound like a Kiwi Clientele!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 03:04:39 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 8th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[New reviews! New sounds! New Demo of the Week! And I even updated the About Us page to include our new son, Desmond (AKA one of several reasons IndiePages got left behind)...<br /><br />Spread the word: IndiePages is back!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 03:10:36 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Tesco Chainstore Mascara - "Good Foundations" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Okay, that&#39;s got to be one of the best names I&#39;ve heard in ages - clever and tastefully punny! Ah, but there&#39;s more to this than just a creative name - we&#39;ve got nearly a dozen top pop tunes on this album! A husband/wife duo from Glasgow, this band plays bedroom pop in the vein of Bubblegum Lemonade and Strawberry Whiplash - in fact, Laz is a friend of the band&#39;s, and even gets a co-writing credit on "Stuck Together" - but the band I&#39;m most reminded of is the Pearly Gatecrashers. With the vaguely (but not quite) twee music and Katie&#39;s vocals, there are many spots on here that are a dead ringer for that band. And like the Pearly Gatecrashers, TCM occasionally get a little too fluffy and vapid for me, but not too often to tarnish the album. All I have to do is put on "Writer&#39;s Block", "Sun&#39;s Shinin&#39; For You" or "Pop Song In A" and I&#39;m happy again! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=9/11]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jan 2011 20:47:58 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Twin Atlas - "Good Light" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Over a year old now, and the band just recently called it quits, but that&#39;s no reason to overlook this fine understated gem of a record. Their fifth proper album (if you don&#39;t count the companion discs they liked to make for each record), this is hands down their best work to date. Ranging from the Byrds/Beachwood Sparks-styled country-tinged sound of "Pink House" and "Versions" to the pure jangle (imagine an American version of Electric Pop Group) of "Reach Across" and "Double Shot" to the Yo La Tengo-ish meanderings of "Fill The Sky", Twin Atlas are the masters of the pastoral pop sound. Even the handful of instrumentals are melodic enough to hold my interest - well, except for that "Fill The Sky" one, which went on a little long... Always laidback, this is the perfect record to play late at night when you just need to unwind, but aren&#39;t quite ready to doze off yet. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/12]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:28:36 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 10th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[Just a friendly little indiepop announcement: two fine bands are currently offering their entire discography for free downloads. <a href="http://www.thetwinatlas.com/">The Twin Atlas</a> play gentle janglepop and only got better during their ten year career. I just reviewed their final album, "Good Light", in case you&#39;d like to read about it before taking the time to click the download link.<br /><br />The other band is <a href="http://vetran.tumblr.com/">Vetran</a>, and though that name may not be familiar to many of you, you&#39;ll probably recognize Bren&#39;s work with his later band, Masters Of The Hemisphere, who were only the best American janglepop band of the last decade or two! He released a few very limited tapes during the &#39;90s, and though they&#39;re not entirely consistent, there are still many gems to be found (and even some MOTH demos!).]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:30:04 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Craig Ramsey - "Parting Gift For A Party Girl" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Craig is one half of the Cleveland band Bears, and taking advantage of the band&#39;s hiatus (while Charlie lives in Chicago, and has his own new project, the Golden Rule), he&#39;s recorded and released a full album almost entirely by himself. It comes as no surprise that his solo project sounds considerably like his full band: simple pop songs with a lush sound that evokes classics like the Zombies and the Beach Boys, as well as modern bands like the Ladybug Transistor and even the Shins at times. Don&#39;t be fooled by the term "solo", though: Craig packs in the layers, from rich vocal harmonies to melodic guitar flourishes galore. But under these layers, the songs retain a simplicity that makes them instantly enjoyable and hummable. Overall, the album&#39;s mood is fairly easy-going - a bit too much so at times - but there are certainly fun, upbeat tunes, like "If You Won&#39;t Try" and "Some Days". Perfect summery pop! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=10/12]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:49:15 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: Kramer Versus Kramer</title>
<description><![CDATA[Basically a totally lo-fi take on the whole Phil Spector sound, these three songs are simple, catchy and drenched in reverb!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:27:52 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Dude Japan / Weedhounds - "split" 7" review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Like myself, Rok Lok&#39;s Mike Andriani has a deep love of &#39;90s US indie rock, and it clearly shows in his own band&#39;s debut vinyl release (following their demo cd-r that&#39;s been repressed on cassette and then just recently on a 7"!). These two Dude Japan songs sound like they could&#39;ve been taken off of a lost Merge release from a band like Chisel, Small or Spent circa 1993. Which is, to say, full of energy and guitar melodies! On the flip, we have a song from the Weedhounds, and though they may have a rather unfortunate name, their "Hard Drivin&#39;" sounds a lot like Velocity Girl back when they rocked a bit harder. All in all, a really great single! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=3/3]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:29:52 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Orca Team - "Let It Go" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[I love love love this band! Hailing from Portland, they blew me away when I first saw them play live last spring, and have continued to wow each and every time I&#39;ve seen them since. The way I&#39;ve been fond of describing them is imagine if that lost Go-Betweens record from the late &#39;70s was actually a surf record. A clean, jazzy guitar sound, minimal drums, nimble basslines that steal the show and reverb all over the place makes for an excellent combination. Oh, and when you add the fact that these songs are catchy as hell, you&#39;ve got one awesome record! Ten songs in just over 22 minutes, this record is over way too soon. This cd was self-released, though they recently signed to HHBTM Records. Watch this band, because they&#39;re sure to win over the world! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=10/10]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:33:40 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 16th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[After being gone for so long, I&#39;ve got a lot of record reviews to catch up on! I&#39;ve just put up two of my faves from last year, from two of my favorite new bands of 2010: Orca Team & Dude Japan! Please have a listen and take advantage of two of our new reviews features: the Facebook Like button and a link to buy the record from the <a href="http://jigsaw-records.com/">Jigsaw Records mailorder</a>!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:45:31 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Westfield Mining Disaster - "Big Ideas From Small Places" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Following a couple releases on Cloudberry a few years back, we finally have the debut album from Bristol&#39;s Westfield Mining Disaster. Led by Paul Towler (from the legendary Haywains and the overlooked Casswells), the WMD play guitar-pop that fits right in line with bands like the Liberty Ship and the Windmills (Paul&#39;s voice even reminds me of Roy Thirlwall&#39;s tenor). Like those bands, there&#39;s an even mix between upbeat jangly songs and more melancholic (but just as jangly) tunes, with added hints of country in places a la Airport Girl. The music may be mostly light-hearted, but the lyrics run much deeper, with songs like "Everyone&#39;s So Spiteful In This Town" and "No-One Heard Us Calling" striking the same political chord as, say, Milky Wimpshake - not to mention McCarthy-esque song titles, like "Greedy Bastards, Save Your Souls!"! All told, a rather enjoyable debut album! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/11]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:14:27 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Dynamic Truths - "Understanding Is Overrated" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This was a band that rose from the ashes of two prominent Richmond, Virginia bands, Coral and Honor Role, both of whom released records on Merge in the early &#39;90s. But unfortunately, Dynamic Truths only released one single (also on Merge) during their lifetime. Well, this disc collects those two songs, along with an additional thirteen unreleased songs recorded between 1997-99. While their two previous bands were more heavy and angular sounding, these songs are a bit more straight-forward in some ways, and there are memorable melodies all over the place. Where they really stood out, though, was their darker sound (which wasn&#39;t in vogue yet back then), taking cues from Joy Division (even nicking a guitar part in "New Light") or maybe early Public Image Limited. At times, they even remind me of a louder version of For Against! Another band that kept passing through my mind while listening to this was the Muslims, both in the songs&#39; driving rhythms and Bob&#39;s vocal delivery. It&#39;s a shame they never really went anywhere the first time around, but this strong collection of songs (packaged in a nicely-screened sleeve) is as fine a legacy as anything else. &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=14/15]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:48:52 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Mona Reels - "Volume One EP" lp review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This record really caught me off guard when I first heard it. For one, PIAPTK Records isn&#39;t really known for this type of pop music, and neither is Olympia (where they come from), for that matter (save for Lake, but they&#39;re not really all that similar). I&#39;ve heard a brief history of this band before, but forgot most of it; I think it involved something about a fluctuating line-up and these songs being recorded a few years back. Judging the band based solely on these six songs, though, I&#39;d say that I totally love them! They sound rather Swedish to me, reminding me of Club 8, Heikki and El Perro Del Mar; half of the songs are keyboard-based and dancey, while the rest are softer and use acoustic guitar or piano instead. Most of them use drum machine and all of them heavily feature boy/girl vocal harmonies (though he takes most of the lead vocal duties). Only released as a limited 12", this record is perfect for any fan of soft, romantic pop! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=6/6]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:50:24 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Hilarious Posters - "Hilarious Posters" cdep review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Yes! Remember several years ago when I raved about the Cusacks? Well, that band is long gone and sorely missed, but here&#39;s another project from Dave Gibson in his new home (well, not new but recent-ish and not Columbus), Charlottesville, Virginia. Like his previous band, this band plays playful and bouncy &#39;60s-inspired pop in the vein of the Galactic Heroes, Princeton Reverbs Colonial and early Poison Control Center. Five songs in just over eleven minutes, so there&#39;s no time for filler - just fun, upbeat music that&#39;s impossible not to dance along to! Now let&#39;s see if we can get a full-length album from these guys... &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=5/5]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:36:22 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Churrus - "Monotone" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This is the second album from this Brazilian band and their first on Midsummer Madness Records, and though the title of the album may be "Monotone", the music is anything but! Instead, we&#39;ve got very melodic pop with a laidback feel in the vein of Teenage Fanclub, the Pernice Brothers and my beloved Seaside Stars, with touches of dreampop courtesy of the slightly-effected guitar sound and the general airy atmosphere throughout the album. The band&#39;s style hasn&#39;t changed much since their first album in 2007, but their songwriting certainly seems stronger now, with "Kite Song", "Fingerprints" and "Easy To Crack" shining as particular favorites. Oh, and the musical bridge in "Stepping Quietly" (with the guitar bendy-bit) was stuck in my head for DAYS! Additionally, the production of this album is noticeably better than the first, which sounded a bit uneven overall. A big improvement for the band, and a great record as well! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/12]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:37:14 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: January 27th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[Hey there! We&#39;ve got a couple more reviews up today, as well as a couple a few days ago that I didn&#39;t properly announce. I&#39;m still working my way through over a half year&#39;s worth of great records that may not be the newest releases, but are still worth telling you about! Oh, but I&#39;ll mix it up with new things, of course - don&#39;t want to seem too stuck in the past!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:48:14 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Demo of the Week: The Whatevers</title>
<description><![CDATA[Boy/girl duo from the UK that plays playful bedroom indiepop - nice! Check out their many mini-releases on Bandcamp...]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/demo/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:46:37 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>For Ex-Lovers Only - "Coffin" 7" review</title>
<description><![CDATA[With the Black Tambourine-inspired band name and record sleeve, this Florida trio doesn&#39;t really have much in common with that band. The A-side does pack quite a bit of feedback and noise into its 100 seconds, but I&#39;d liken them more to Boyracer or the Bright Lights instead. On the flip, are two nice acoustic tunes (also each under the two-minute mark) - "Lover&#39;s Heart" reminds me of the first couple Shins 7"s while "Scraps" is a bit more stripped down in the vein of the State Of Samuel or early Lil&#39; Hospital. Three different sides to this band packed on one brief single, and it makes me wonder what else they&#39;ve got up their sleeve! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=3/3]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:48:41 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Lycka Till - "Lycka Till" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This disc is a perfect example that not all great Swedish music is indiepop - there&#39;s some quality punk, too! And what a spirited record this is! Imagine a really young Pogues crossed with This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, and you might be able to picture what you&#39;re in for: acoustic-based punk where everyone sings, er, shouts along. But this is plenty poppy, too - check out the simple and perfect guitar melody in "Nar Kapitalet Tar Till Vapen" or the lively trumpet playing all over the place. I&#39;d even go as far to say that musically, this band is cut from the same cloth as c86 bands like Talulah Gosh or Strawberry Story - all shambling and speedy and full of reckless energy. I can picture popkids balking at the singer&#39;s gruff voice, but it kinda works with the predominately Swedish lyrics (don&#39;t worry, there&#39;s a link to a website with translations and explanations), which themselves are highly politically-charged - both nationally and internationally. This is a really fun and energizing record, and probably my favorite Plan-It-X release! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=11/11]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:23:18 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Merchandise - "For The Masses" cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[This British duo teased us over the past couple years with a pair of 7" singles that hinted at where they were going with their new album, "For The Masses", and now we finally have it! Led by the two earlier A-sides (with both b-sides nestled within the record, as well), the album only gets better as it goes, with other winners including the tense "Enemy" that feels like a bomb waiting to explode (but never does), the completely sunny and carefree "Best Idea" and the bombastic "Lies Like These". In addition to the ones I just mentioned, the band runs through a wide variety of other influences and styles in just under 42 minutes, from Nada Surf-ish alt-pop to bossa nova to electropop, with hints of the Go-Betweens and the Monochrome Set popping up in more than a few places. And despite a couple missteps, like "Sonora Dance Band" (a vocal-effect laden interlude) and the dull "You Were Right", this is still a rather impressive record! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=10/13]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:18:37 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Jasmine Minks - "Poppy White EP" cdep review</title>
<description><![CDATA[Though this is a brand new Jasmine Minks release, the songs are actually previously unreleased recordings made before the band first split in 1992. The songs may lack the bite of their earlier, more well-known material, but it&#39;s still good jangle-pop from a band that seemed to have aged better than many of their peers, like Biff Bang Pow and the Weather Prophets. This EP is also the debut release for this new Scottish label, and the disc is dedicated to two lost members within the Minks camp with all proceeds going to a cancer support charity, so that just gives you another good reason to pick it up! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=4/4]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:19:22 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Update: February 18th, 2011</title>
<description><![CDATA[While the rest of the country seems to be having crazy weather, it&#39;s actually been rather pleasant here in Seattle! Surely that will change (it always does!), but I&#39;ve been enjoying it so far... Well, at least while I&#39;ve not been working or watching streaming Netflix, which is as bad as cable - I find myself watching things I wouldn&#39;t&#39;ve bothered to otherwise!<br /><br />On the site this week, we&#39;ve got a few new reviews up this week, along with some other updates, so check &#39;em out and have fun!]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:27:22 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>The Fantasy Four - "Getting Fantastic With..." cd review</title>
<description><![CDATA[So, Bunnygrunt (version one - the darling indiepop trio) broke up around 1999, and soon after, the main members Matt & Karen played in their own separate bands - Matt was in the Julia Sets and Karen was in the Fantasy Four. Listening to this posthumously released disc, which would&#39;ve been their debut album had it come out when the band recorded it in 2002, it&#39;s easy to see where Karen&#39;s head was when Bunnygrunt reinvented themselves as a killer rock band in 2005! Most of these songs are in the same mold: straight-forward powerpop in the vein of Nikki & The Corvettes, vintage Blondie and the Shivvers, with barely any hints of indiepop (save for the toy pianos in "Your Mirrors Must Be Mad", the girl-group influence in "Warm (You Used To Be)" and the totally twee cover art). A couple of the slower songs aren&#39;t that memorable, but there are plenty of other super-catchy songs, like "He&#39;s So Mod", "Outta My Head" and "Shotgun (I Should Be Ridin&#39;)" (which was covered by Bunnygrunt on their most recent album) to make this a really fun, punky pop record! &nbsp;<b>MTQ</b>=13/15]]></description>
<link>http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:19:06 -0800</pubDate>
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