Pizza First, Booze Second

A rare mp3 from me today. If you have a low tolerance threshold for tweepop, probably best give this one a swerve; otherwise, dive in - you'll love it!

The Hazzards - Pizza First, Booze Second mp3

Three of a Kind #106

I'm really enjoying Caroline's Radio, the new single - and homage to the famous pirate radio station of the 60s - from Scots popsters Bubblegum Lemonade; not just because it's a very good song in its own right but also because it's reminded me of, and provided me with the perfect excuse to dig out, a couple of my favourite songs on a similar theme i.e. My Radio Sounds Different in the Dark by fab early-90s Irish combo The Would Be's (sic) and On The Radio by Sweden's own Concretes. Sometimes these things just fall into your lap.

The Would Be's - My Radio Sounds Different in the Dark mp3

The Concretes - On The Radio m4a

Bubblegum Lemonade - Caroline's Radio mp3 (right click)

You can order the full three-track Caroline's Radio EP from the Matinée Recordings website

Never Mind The Buzzcocks...

....here's late-nineties Pete Shelley & co soundalikes Sportique!

Bit of an indie supergroup, Sportique, containing as it does (did) former members of the Razorcuts, Television Personalities and Heavenly. Amelia Fletcher even ended up playing keyboards for them, so their twee credentials can't be in doubt. Here are two of their two early John Peel-friendly 7" singles. Marvellous.

Sportique - If You Ever Change Your Mind mp3

Sportique - Tiny Clues mp3

Buy Sportique stuff

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a leaders' debate to continue to half-listen to. Still can't get used to the idea of Brown and Cameron calling each other by their christian names rather than the more traditional, grudging "him" that you get during PMQs. It's mildly disconcerting and more than a little creepy. You two hate each other's guts, remember?

I agree with Nick, by the way!

Like a dream

Hello you! Guess what? Allo Darlin' have only gone and released another single from their upcoming debut album. It's called Dreaming, it features guest vocals from Monster Bobby from The Pipettes (I bet he's not a real monster though), it was Record of the Week on a recent edition of Round Table on 6 Music, and it can be yours for just £3 from Fortuna Pop. (They're also very kindly giving it away as a download here, but you don't get the b-side this way, and Allo Darlin' b-sides are often even better than the lead tracks).

Here's the promo video, which carries on a noble tradition of pop videos being filmed in and around London's fashionable West End (cf Feels Like I'm In Love by Kelly Marie, Shaky's What Do You Wanna Make Those Eyes At Me For, Inner City's Good Life and, of course, West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys).

Remains of the Day

All That Remains is the long-awaited new four-song EP from Hari & Aino, who Spike wrote about in justifiably effusive terms in 2007 & 2008. It'll be officially released via all the usual download retail outlets on March 28th, but if, like me, you can't wait that long, it's available to download right now for a measly $2 direct from the band's website.

There'll also be a strictly limited run of just 59 copies of the EP available on CD. Order yours here.

Here's the frankly marvellous promo video for All That Remains.

Up for the Cup Noodle Song

Thisa isn't the first time I've posted Pineforest Crunch's rather wonderful Cup Noodle Song here, but as the previous occasion was way back in September '07 a lot of you may not have heard this before. Which would seem like a terrible shame - so here's a belated encore!



Pineforest Crunch - Cup Noodle Song mp3

Don't you (forget about this)

Mildly spooky coincidence ahoy! One minute I'm reading about The Breakfast Club on Adam's 1980s film favourites post from earlier today, the next I'm watching the latest, Breakfast Club-inspired video from blog favourites Allo, Darlin'. This is smashing:



I know what film I'll be watching tonight now anyway. Holiday on the Buses.

Order The Polaroid Song 7" here

Picture Perfect

Oh happy happy joy. It's the new single from Allo, Darlin'!



Allo, Darlin' - The Polaroid Song mp3

Allo, Darlin' - Will You Please Spend New Year's Eve With Me? mp3

Allo, Darlin' are currently in the studio laying down some tracks (maan) for their debut album, which is scheduled for release in February 2010. More details as and when we get them!

Buy The Polaroid Song 7" at Fortuna Pop

Winter's here

Idaho indie popsters The Very Most have been busy releasing season-themed EPs throughout 2009; the A Year With The Very Most cycle is now complete, with the release of The Winter EP. From it, here's their rather jaunty version of Yuletide chestnut Away In A Manger (or Away In A Manager as it was rather endearingly misspelt on the press release).

The Very Most - Away In A Manger mp3 (right click)

Buy the three-track Winter EP for 2 Euros from Indiecater Records.

New Tender Trap free download single

Not the most original post heading ever, I'll grant you, but I think it conveys the whole crux of the message pretty well. Anyway, yes, Amelia and chums are back (back! back!) with a brand new single, Fireworks, and a nifty accompanying video to boot.

Filmed in swanky Margate (in homage to Chas 'n' Dave no doubt) in their own inimitable style, here it is in its glorious entirety. Gercha!



Mildly Interesting Pop Fact: Tender Trap have been busy during the latest transfer window, securing the signings of not only Katrina "Police Cat/Sally Skull/Garden City Project/I've not actually heard of any of these bands" Dixon but also blog favourite Elizabeth "Allo Darlin'" Morris. Fancy!

Download Fireworks (plus b-side Grand National) for free at the Fortuna POP! website.

Three of a Kind #97

The weekend stops here!



Edson - Sunday, Lovely Sunday mp3

The Budgies - Lucky Sunday mp3

The Sundays - Gone mp3

Things that make you go 'Ahhh'

Just been going through a box of old CDs I'd not listened to for too long, and one of the first that jumped out at me (not literally - that would be ridiculous) was Looper's (i.e. the band fronted by former Belle & Sebastian bassist Stuart David) debut album Up A Tree.

Aside from the realisation that this album is somehow already a decade old (where the feck did those ten years go?) the other amazing thing about this CD is the following track, Impossible Things #2, which is one of the sweetest love songs I've ever heard. Basically, it's the musical equivalent of a lovely little puppy licking your face for five minutes and twenty three seconds. Or thereabouts. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Looper - Impossible Things #2 mp3

Sally Shapiro's Guilty Pleasure

If Swedish twee synth-pop is your bag (daddio) then the forthcoming album from Sally Shapiro could be just what you're looking for. My Guilty Pleasure comes out on August 25th in all the usual formats (plus a strictly limited 20-copy cassette release!) and features eleven tracks including new single Love In July, which is accompanied by this rather sweet promo video, gripping narrative and all:



Ahh, I love a happy ending.

Sally Shapiro - Love In July mp3

Quizzical Attraction

Oh I've been a bad blogger - hardly any updates this week, and I've got nowt planned. In which case, please accept this gratuitous plug for the daily trivia quiz wot I run, and which enjoys the regular patronage of such luminaries as DavyH, tvv, Breadman and Spike/Sutti (when she's not too busy to get online).

There are ten multiple choice questions to be answered each day on a variety of subjects (only one subject per day, mind, so it only takes a minute or two of your time). If you're not part of it already please do come and join in, as all are welcome. It's a good laugh and an education to boot!

Also, apropos of nothing, I seem to remember an old Girlfrendo single that I put up here a while back proving to be quite a hit with some of you, and which led to one or two people requesting to hear some more of the sadly now defunct winsome Swedish twee-piece (tweesome? twee-o?). So here, somewhat belatedly, you go!

Girlfrendo - Air mp3

PLAY THE DAILY TRIVIA QUIZ

Song of the Day

Twee-mendous!



Marine Research - Queen B mp3

Footsteps Look Listen

London tweepopsters Pocketbooks have a wizard new single they'd love you to hear. Footsteps is taken from their debut album Flight Paths which, like an unsuperstitious summertime debutante, comes out on July 13th.

You can also catch the band (not literally - well, not unless they've developed a sudden and unexpected penchant for stagediving) over the summer playing live on/at the following dates, venues and places.

Tuesday 9 June: Madame Jo Jos, London (with the Pains Of Being Pure At Heart)
Tuesday 7 July: Catch, London
Thursday 23 July: Jamm, London
Saturday 25 July: Indietracks festival, Ripley, Derbyshire
Friday 21 August@ P!O!P Kombinat, NBI, Berlin

But before the album and the gigs, here's that single!

Pocketbooks - Footsteps mp3

N.B. If Spike had been doing this entry she'd have made a much better fist of it than I just have, as she's a long-standing Pocketbooks fan (she bought their album at the London Popfest earlier this year, if memory serves). But sadly for them - and you - Spike doesn't really get round to blogging much (or at all) these days, so you're stuck with this poor excuse for an entry instead. (It's the way I tell 'em.)

Pre-order Pocketbooks' debut album Flight Paths here.

My legendary Girlfrendo

I own but two Girlfrendo singles - Heartbreakers and Air - but they're both dead good. From 1997, Heartbreakers calls to mind a more Swedish, more twee, equally shouty version of Shampoo. Only with bags more charm.

Singer Josephine Olausson now sings with indie rockers Love Is All, by the way. I'm not so keen on them, mind.

Girlfrendo - Heartbreakers mp3

Buy Girlfrendo stuff

Whisper to ice cream

Some facts about Let's Whisper: They are: multi-instrumentalist and singer Dana Kaplan, slightly fewer instruments and vocals Colin Clary, bassist Steve Williams and drummer Jason Routhier. Colin and Dana are also in a band called The Smittens. They live in Burlington, Vermont. In the United States. Their pop is of the twee - and Wee - variety; they currently have a six-track CD, the Make Me Smile EP, out on WeePOP! records. I like it very much, and I think you will too. Here're a couple of my favourite tracks.

Let's Whisper - Dylan's Song mp3 (for 7 days)

Let's Whisper - When You Were Eating Ice Cream mp3 (for 7 days)

Make Me Smile is available in a strictly limited edition release of 160 copies, so if you want one you'll have to nip over to the WeePOP! shop and get your order in a bit sharpish!

Three of a Kind #52

They're Swedish! They're called Salut!machaut! They sound like a cross between I'm From Barcelona and Billie The Vision and the Dancers! They're making me use far too many exclamation marks! Arrrgghh!!!!

salut!machaut - The Fastest Boy In School mp3

salut!machaut - Saints and Prophets mp3

salut!machaut - Tom and Joanna mp3

(right click links to download)

salut!machaut's MySpace page

Three of a kind #24

Regular Too Much Apple Pie readers (note ambitious use of the plural there!) will know that Spike's the main tweepop advocate of the two of us who regularly contribute. But I'm not averse to a bit of the stuff myself, either, when the mood takes me. Which brings us to today's Three - or, if you will, Twee of a kind: a triple-whammy from Sweden's Handsome Train.

Inspired, as you might expect, by the likes of The Smiths and Belle & Sebastian, Handsome Train were active around four or five years ago, when they released the This Engine Should Do EP through the quintessentially indie Popkonst Recordings.

Sadly, the record has long since sold out, and the band's website has fallen into a state of disrepair over the past year or so - the domain name's been bought out by some travel company - which doesn't exactly bode well for the chances of us hearing any more from them in the future.

But never mind - at least we can still enjoy the music. Speaking of which, here are three superb blasts from the fairly recent past from the very same Handsome Train (that's the band, rather than the travel company).

Handsome Train - Winterwar mp3

Handsome Train - Horse, Boy, Girl mp3

Handsome Train - When I Work I Cry mp3

(mp3s available for 7 days)