of Elvis and Ukuleles

Our fav ukulele troubadour, Jacob Borshard, whose new single we just released over at WeePOP!, has put up four new songs for download at his myspace page. As explained on his website, he has finished writing and arranging the songs for his third album, and these are four brand new songs, which don't fit on it. New album to be available by the end of the year! rar!

001collective

Just came across an excellent new torrent based label, although i probably shouldn't call them that - in their faq they say "The collective isn't a label, or an internet distribution site, or an internet label. We like to think of the Collective as a family of artists who help each other out whenever they can, and who make music because they love to make music."

But basically a nice clean website for a really good collection of quality new music, put together by one Luke Morris, an american college student from Louisiana, who also records under the name Secret Owl Society.
At present there are five releases up there, ranging from the lurching shy grandeur of Errand Boy, tinyfolk getting a lot more freak folk than his usual ukulele musings, and the off-beat pop of Secret Owl Society, which kinda sounds like how you imagine Anticon should have sounded. I'm still downloading the other two at the moment, but these three releases so far have all been super good.
What really impressed me was their 'Declaration Of Independence'. Its really articulate and accurately describes our changing habits of music dissemination and file sharing, in the positive manner which it should be viewed, seizing the opportunities of the now, rather than the pessimistic gloom we hear perpetuated from the RIAA and majors.
Oh, and of course they have the cutest logo ever!

Popcast #8 - British bands!

Hello,

The British music scene is great at the moment, lots of new labels around (just to name a few: hdif, atomic beat records , weePOP! records, lost music records), new venues, new promoters, good gigs happening all the time, and the main thing, without which any of those would be of any use: Lots of awesome new bands!

For our eighth popcast, we compiled some of them. There's actually lots more out there, and we tried to get a bit of everything we've been listening to the most and going to see live. Enjoy it!

The School - Shoulder
The Felt Tips - Not Tonight
Roadside Poppies - Counting the seconds
My sad captains - Bad decisions
Pocketbooks - I'm not going out
The Manhattan Love Suicides - Suzy Jones
The Crisps - Happiness
The Just Joans - I Hear You're The Man Now, John
Pete Green - The Ballad of Phil Jevons
Stars Of Aviation - Love Is Only In Your Mind
Butcher Boy - Girls Make Me Sick
The Hermit Crabs - Feel Good Factor
Monkey swallows the universe - Little Polveir
The Hi-Life Companion - Times table
The bobby Mcgee's - Ivor cutler is dead
Slow Down Tallahassee - Candy
Amida - Monkey Puzzle
Strawberry Whiplash - Falling through
Little My - Cute guts
Ray Rumours - Making noise
Sunny Intervals - Let the city run away with us

Download the file here.

89

Mmm, if theres two things i really love, its comic books and Jacob Borshard, so when Jacob Borshard records a new song called "The Bat Days (summer of 89)" - i get kinda excited!
Its up for free download on his myspace at http://www.myspace.com/jacob
Its pretty fun! Its a bit more novelty than his other recordings, but i can't get enough of his recordings, so anything new makes me happy!

Popcast #6 - Boy/Girl vocals!

Hello hello! time for another popcast - this time all songs have that special magic you only hear when you have two contrasting boy/girl vocals going on!

Ponies In The Surf - Ventricle
The Hi-Life Companion - You're the greatest
Roadside Poppies - Just Another Love Song
The Maybellines - Wait For You
Blanketarms - I Love Your Guts
Acid House Kings - Drama Inside
Arrah And The Ferns - Skylark
The Lucksmiths - How to tie a tie
Lava lava - Dylan
Agent Simple - I wouldn't know
The Gazetteers - Tin Anniversary
Moldy peaches - Jorge Regula
Strip Squad - Unreliable narrator
Bunnygrunt - Good But Not So Good
California Snow Story - Brook Lune
Boy crazy - Stark Street
Milky Wimpshake - Pearshaped
Los campesinos - Death to Los Campesinos
Pocketbooks - Cross the line
The Diskettes - Come on over
The Haircuts - Umbrella day
The Smittens - C'mon! (When the Grass Grows Tall and Green)
Saturday Looks Good To Me - The Girl's Distracted
Let's Be Honeys - No love

Download it here

The Just Joans

Possibly influenced by my Lanarkshire/Glasgow roots, but more likely just by the sheer humour and catchiness of their tunes, I have fallen head over heels for Motherwell's The Just Joans! taking their name from Scottish newspaper The Daily Records' agony aunt, their tales of teenage life in the outskirts of glasgow are wry odes to the adventures and mischief possible even in the shittiest of towns.

Filled with colloquial humour and slang, sang in a broad accent over winsome guitars, occasional banjo, and beachboys-esque backing vocals, their songs exude charm and innocent naivety. Whether feigned or genuine i can't tell, but the tales resonate so strongly and honestly with my own teenage memories, I can't help but laugh out loud!

Their myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/thejustjoans - lists five band members, however the website of their label, Ivan Lendil, only lists David Pope and Chris Elkin, which is supported by their live video footage, which can be found on webcaster "Last Night From Glasgow". Links to the label and webcasts can all be found at their myspace, where you can also download two tracks and stream another two. My personal fav to check out is "I Hear You're The Man Now, John"!

On the strength of those tracks, i bought a copy of the album last week and have been listening to it on repeat since i received it on wednesday, and would highly recommend its purchase!

Popcast #5 - Scary monsters!

Hey! Time for another popcast, and number #5 brings you horror songs: zombies, vampires, monsters, cannibals and all those other scary things! Enjoy it!!!

The love letter band - Tim Burton
Jacob Borshard - Brains brains
Antsy pants - Vampire
Milky Wimpshake - Not zombie
The bartlebees - She loves monsters
The sprites - George romero
Matty Pop Chart - Ghost dream
The besties - Zombie song
All of my brother' girlfriends - Turn the lights off
Ballboy - Kiss me, hold me and eat me
Bunnygrunt - Here come the vampires
Tha galactic heroes - Mummy
The blanket truth - I'm in love with a ghost (dennis driscoll cover)
Tricycle bicyle cycle - Zombies!
The bicycles - Ghost town
Chugga chugga - Don't eat my brains

Download the file here

Missing You Like Pokemon

Having topped my weekly lastfm charts since i first discovered him less than a month ago, i can definitely say that my current musical obsession is Alfred Daniels Midland!

I discovered him while making my way through lastfm's recommended similar artist to Jacob Borshard, and while his music is not at all like Mr Borshard's ukulele-pop, its easy to see the similarity in their poignant bedroom lo-fi compositions.

Alfred Daniels Midland is more uptempo and not all sad stories, although he does have his fair share of heartbreak tales.

According to his artist page on Lastfm, Robby Fronzo, the lad behind the moniker, was previsously called Snow-fi, but curiously changed his name to mock a US agriculture business named "Archer Daniels Midland".

His own website over at http://www.freewebs.com/alfreddanielsmidland/ has links to several albums for free download, hosted at archive.org, and the cutest video of playful kitties (you just can't go wrong with cute kitties!!), however - sadly his myspace page states "I'm not a band anymore - I've decided to stop making songs under this name, BUT i'm looking to form a pop punk band... so if you play an instrument, and like pop punk.. tell me."

Which we think is a crime!! :)
Go download his albums, get addicted and let's all try and convince Robby to keep playing Alfred Daniels Midland!

Popcast #3 - Cover Versions!

Ola!
time for another popcast, this one based on Cover Versions - It was loads of fun making and researching! Hope you enjoy it and find out a few new artists, or songs!
Quiztime as well - we want to see your answers to who the original artists are in the comments! :)

Tracklisting is:

Tullycraft - Girl about town
Gregory Webster - Untidy towns
Genoe - Miss Douglas County
Billie The Vision & The Dancers - I'm a Cuckoo
Acid House Kings - Keep your love
Strawberry Story - Made Of Stone
The Guild League - Between Delta and Delaware
Math and Physics Club - You're So Good To Me
The Softies - Hey Hey Girl
Six Cents And Natalie - Your Class
The Smittens - Party time
Colin Clary - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
The World Record - She Plays Guitar
All Girl Summer Fun Band - Look of love
Sun Hill - Falling Out Of Love (With You)
Jacob Borshard - I'll Be Your Mirror
Basil the Mouse - Here Comes The Sun

Download it here..

thanks! thor + camila

Popcast #2 - Girls In Love!

rar! we've just put together the second in our series of themed popcasts - this one based on girls singing love songs. Hope ye enjoy it!

Tracklisting:
Shermans - Boy With the Bright Eyes
The Icicles - Ralphy Rodriguez
The Golden Circles - Gonna Love You
Go Sailor - Bigger Than An Ocean
The Charade - My Song To You
The maybellines - On & On
The Diskettes - Abc's of love
Cub - Your Bed
The Postmarks - Weather the Weather
The Smittens - Jeans And Mittens
All girl summer fun band - Cutie pie
The Motifs - Every Way
Springfactory - As winter gives way to spring
The 6Ths - You You You You You
Sister vanilla - The two of us
Adventures In Stereo - Close To You
The Softies - Excellent
Bella Vista - I've Only Ever Dreamt of You
The Pastels - Love It's Getting Better

Download the file here

Popcast #1 - Superpowers!

Ola! Here's the first in our series of popcasts, each based loosely around a theme. Our first episode is themed around superheros and superpowers! Tracklisting is:

Tullycraft - Superboy & Supergirl
Masters Of The Hemisphere -Meteor
Showdown At The Equator - Powers
Kissing book - Superman vs. Lloyd
Tricycle Bicycle Cycle - The Time I Learned To Yogic Fly
The Apples in Stereo - Signal in the sky (let's go)
Cars Can Be Blue - Dating Batman
The Bright Lights - You Have Amazing Powers
Basil The Mouse - Supergirls
Six Cents and Natalie - Fly With Me
Milky Wimpshake - Spidey
The Galactic Heroes - Heroes And Villains
Jim Guthrie - Where Have All The Heroes Gone?
Vaccum Tube Technology WIll Render Your Fear Obsolete - Superheroes in Love
Shermans - Fly Away
Shonen Knife - Buttercup ( I'm a super girl )
Aikagi - Invisible Friends

Download link is here