Close Lobsters - Going To Heaven To See If It Rains 12"

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Close Lobsters - Let's Make Some Plans 12"

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Close Lobsters - Nature Thing 12"

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Close Lobsters - Never Seen Before 12"

Another C86 classic! From one of my favorite record label, Firestation Tower.

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Northern Picture Library - Last September's Farewell Kiss 7"

A strange approach to downtempo indiepop, NPL's title track combines accordion, pitch bending synth and occasional guitar distortion to brew an almost perfect melody. The first time I heard this song I thought they sounded very much like Field Mice only to find out in Wikipedia that some of the members were indeed from that legendary band. The flip-side is not to be missed. Its straight out clean acoustic guitar pop with equally brilliant melody.

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Big Red Bus - All I Need EP

Jingly jangly pop song from UK's jangle pop band Big Red Bus. While majority would commend for Cathedral Walls because of the song's inclusion in The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 1, I find the song All I Need quite interesting and deserves to be heard. In the tradition of The Bodines and The Mighty Lemon Drops, experience what this band has to offer for it surely won't disappoint.

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Sportique - Don't Believe A Word I Say 7" [Matinée 017]

A collaboration of some of C86's legendary pop stars Gregory Webster (Razorcuts, the Carousel, Saturn V), Rob Pursey (Marine Research, Heavenly), Mark Flunder (TV Personalities, McTells), and Amelia Fletcher (Marine Research, Heavenly, Talulah Gosh), with this line-up alone how could you doubt the music of Sportique? From the label who brought you The Lucksmiths,The Windmills, Northern Portraits, Brighter and The Siddeleys, this is another Matinee's cream of the crop.

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The Penelopes - It's Not You 7"

Released by indiepop favorite Elefant Records, 3 magnificent Sarah-inspired pop songs are ready to blow you away. This is not your usual English, Swedish or Australian indiepop band, these guys are from the land of the rising sun, Japan. I got my first mp3 samples from my good friend Cino and the first time I've heard of their songs I said to myself I got to have a tangible copy of this. So please do check out this one and savor what east has to offer!

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Aberdeen - Sink Or Float 7"

East River Pipe and Aberdeen were two of the Sarah Records artist I could think of off the top of my head who were from USA. They've been under the label's shadow and eventually made a breakthrough with the release of this phenomenal single. The band have proven their worth once again with or without the legendary label tagged along their name.

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The Corn Dollies - Map Of The World EP

Delivered as promised, this second single although not exceedingly good as the first, still meets your expectation of the band and still worth your time and ears. The songs from this single are ready to fill-up your never ending appetite for good jangle pop music!

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The Corn Dollies - Be Small Again EP

This is slowly becoming one of my favorite jangle pop band, The Corn Dollies were destined to provide us melodic guitar pop tunes in the late eighties and early nineties. Hailed from the great city of London, these quintet have produced several singles during their residence with Medium Cool and later on with Midnight Music, label notable for post-punk band lineups. Personally, their creativity were exhibited in Medium Cool as three of my favorite singles were released on that label. Have a taste of their first single and as you crave for more, more songs will follow. Just keep your browser tuned in to this website!

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Groove Farm/ Esmeralda's Kite 7" Split FLEXI

I just love the guitar works of Vampire Girl which made me pick Esmeralda's Kite as the favorite among the two.

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Strawberry Story - Midsummer Daydream 7" FLEXI

One of the best flexis in my collection, the Midsummer Daydream is my recommended cut! Ironically, that song has strong resemblance to Strawberry Switchblade. Coincidence? I don't think so. The other split, Buttercups & Daisies has the punk energy of The Flatmates, not as good as the first but worth enough to be part of this flexi!

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The Love Parade - Under The Weather 7" FLEXI

Definitely, The Love Parade belong to the league of The Smiths-like bands such as Brilliant Corners and The Hardy Boys. Don't get me wrong though, TLP was not another The Smiths prototype band, they had their own personality. Although they possessed the jangly-guitar trademark and ala-Morrissey vocal of the Smiths, their unique melodies made them separate from the former.

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Hey Paulette - I Really Do Love Penelope EP

This is one of the very rare jangle pop EP that came out in the C86 era. It contains 4 tracks and each of them is simply a masterpiece of its own. The EP is released under Mickey Rourke's Fridge. Very jangly pop songs from start to finish, I consider Hey Paulette as one of the most brilliant neo-acoustic bands of their era. The title track was part of the Firestation Tower compilation The Sound Of Leamington Spa but that is just quarter of fun. I strongly insist you download all four songs and let me know what you think!

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Friendly Fires - Arkansas 7"

I've been dying to post this the moment I won this record on eBay. But I have to resist myself and would only post item that I do have in my hands. So I've waited for days until I finally got it and can't wait to share it! Just to give you heads up of what their music is like, their name would kind of sum up how they sound, very ear-friendly and that's just for starter. This single was launched in 1986 and if only was released years later Sarah Records would have signed them. Not that I have anything against their label, Deadbug Records is a pretty decent label. They just sounded like top Sarah artists such as Field Mice and Blueboy. The guitar rhythm is like early New Order. In other words, its quality indiepop. Highly prescribed by indie doctors worldwide!

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Popguns - Someone You Love EP

The title track Someone You Love has this distinctive madchester-funky-beat-trademark to it. Cino and other fans of this genre would know what I'm talking about right? The closest resemblance I could think of for that particular song would be Crystal Clear by The Darling Buds. Also, the bass line solo towards the end of the song reminds me so much of Manny's famous bass intermission in The Stone Roses' immortal song I Am The Resurrection!

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The Corn Dollies - Forever Steven EP

Althought their single Forever Steven reached the highest in UK chart amongst all their songs (including their debut Be Small Again), they never got the recognition they deserved. This single was released by Medium Cool, when their music used to be very jangly.

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Blow-Up - Good For Me EP

Freshly hand-picked from Atomic Records in Burbank couple of days ago, I really have no clue about this band until I saw the review from Jangle Pop Boutique. This was another Allan McGee's protege, a highly recommended music for fans of Creation and indiepop in general.

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The Tempest

Here's another treat from Magnet Records, home label of the Bodines and other great indiepop acts. Their music sounds like its been taken from Blur's Parklife album, very britpop!

On pictures:

1. Didn't We Have A Nice Time?
2. Lazy Sunday

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