Share the pain with Standard Fare

It's in dark days like this, when this piss-vicious fuckpig of a government is now planning to PRIVATISE THE FUCKING ROADS, dismantle the NHS even further, and in the Budget this Wednesday launch another round of attacks on the working class, that your mind springs forward to happier times - namely Indietracks.

And what's brought today's hand-rubbing at the thought of three days in Butterley? Why, it's the video to Standard Fare's soaring '051107'. I really, really love this song.



I have to write about the Budget as part of my job on Wednesday afternoon. I might have to play this on loop to number the pain

Remember, remember...

Just a very quick post (no, please, put the hanky away) to update you on our Nottingham all-dayer on 29 September. The most brilliant Fireworks have been added to the bill, so if you like your indiepop Subway Records influenced rather than Sarah Records bedwetter-lite, then you may as well come along.

In the meantime, take a look to the left of your filthy screen for more information on who's playing, then out 15 minutes aside to http://thefireworksgopop.bandcamp.com/ set your laptop (or whatever new-fangled thing you're reading this on) speakers alight.

That was the week that was

I've been all over the shop this week (well, Birmingham and Manchester), but I've heard so much exciting new music that there's hardly been a day recently when I've not though: well, go to the bottom of my stairs; as if these lot aren't my favourite new band.

I don't really think like that. I'm not Ena Sharples. Not yet.

First up, Joanna Gruesome. That name is the first thing you should love them for.

The next thing is this; six tracks of the sweetest, noisy pop music you're likely to hear. I want them desperately to come and play our all-dayer in September, or before. I hope they somehow read this, or the desperately shy email I sent them and grant me my wish.

Young Romance are from London, and have receiving rave reviews from them what's in the know down there. I've put off listening them for a while for fear of being let down - something which i'm sure happens to us all - but their coyly-named 'Bedroom Demos' is a thrilling game of two halves: one swashbuckling pop triumph; t'other sweet and introspective. I want both of their children without any gas, air or lager.

Next, Rex or Regina, from Florida, who plough the same furrow as Evans the Death with a touch of The Meeting Places thrown in. They're playing in Orlando tonight, but I can't get a babysitter and I'm thousands of miles away in Nottingham, which is a shame because they're pretty wonderful.

Lastly, those spunky Tigercats have released a quite amazing video to accompany their forthcoming single 'Full Moon Reggae Party'. If you don't fall in love with the hero of this little film you have a heart made of stone and a brain to match.



I'm off to the listen to some new Strawberry Whiplash songs.

Tell me lies

When you're down, and in trouble, and you need a helping hand, just watch the new Evans the Death video. Tuesday: saved!

All day, and most of the night

I'm still reeling a little bit from the magic that Shrag, Tunabunny and Horowitz brought to The Chameleon on Friday night. I didn't even have a hangover yesterday, despite drinking my own bodyweight in cheap lager for the entire evening. Perhaps euphoria is the best way to avoid feeling like death. Which sort of goes without saying...

A big thanks to all three bands on Friday, all those that came down for the gig (except the twat in the jacket, jeans and boating shoes who came leering at woman all night, but who didn't quite have the balls to shout "get your tits out" too loudly. What a fucking hero you are) and to Mike from Happy Happy Birthday to Me records who piled me high with records... and a Sourpatch mug! You really are a hero.

Owards! This year's Nottingham pop all-dayer will be on Saturday 29th September at The Chameleon in Nottingham. This is the fifth year of the all-dayer which started after taking some inspiration from a really drunk few hours at the London all-dayer in 2007. I have no idea where it was, but I remember The Cut-Outs being excellent.

Enough of the drunken reverie, because we've already got some bands booked for the all-dayer in September. They are: Standard Fare; The Whatevers, The Hobbes Fanclub; Sock Puppets and Tigercats. There'll be five more bands, and it'll be £12 to get in again. We're not doing tickets up front, because we can't afford to, so it'll be pay on the door. And we promise it won't as hot as it was last year, so those of a fragile constitution might be able to wear their cardigan all the way through this time around.

Oh, and Tobi from Riots Not Diets will be DJing for us.

Right now, I'm off to tuck into that new Sourpatch LP.

Evans the Death - Evans the Death (Fortuna Pop!)

The vibrancy of youth is often overstated when it comes to music. "Startling" young bands come and go, in a hail of cockiness, Top Shop wardrobes, some instruments still being paid for by Daddy's credit card, and only the most vague idea of how to write a pop song.

A lot of young people are in a lot of bands, but that doesn't make the bands vibrant. In fact, often the opposite is the case. Remember Gomez? Apologies if that name has just brought back terrible flashbacks, but they were permanently two years ahead Chris Rea in the tired and jaded stakes, and they first emerged when they were about eight years old.

Evans the Death, meanwhile, are the real deal. Firmly in that long line of bands (The Smiths, Suede, Kenickie, 2Unlimited) who seem to have ideas dripping from their ears as soon as they get up in the morning. To me, they're the sound of being young at the moment. Not that I'd know much about being young any more, you understand.

That's not to say every song here is akin to something terrible like Supergrass's 'Alright' - far from it. Evans the Death sound as world-weary as the next office drone, but the way they throw themselves into this set of songs on their debut album can only be done by a band on the right side of 20. Or the wrong side if you hate teenagers.

Because I'm a hip fucker I've heard about half the songs here before, but they seem to work just as well - if not better - when listened to as part of an album. So, 'Catch Your Cold' and 'I'm So Unclean' take on even extra power when played back to back at the beginning of this album, whilst 'Threads' (the band's finest moment so far) sounds even more menacing right before the equally ace and somewhat SEXY 'Wet Blanket'.

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about Evans the Death's sound, but then there doesn't need to be, because they write such fizzing pop songs. Katherine Whitaker's voice might be a strange mixture of Debbie Harry and Morrissey, but other than that they use this almost obsessional drive to play every song like it might be their last. In a world where slack-jawed 21 year olds in bands seem to think that growing a beard will render them instantly fascinating, then this, amongst other things, makes Evans the Death heroes of my pop world.

Evans the Death's debut album is out in April on Fortuna Pop!

Shrag - Tendons in the Night (Fortuna Pop!)

Ever longed for that holy grail where The Fall meet Prolapse perfectly in the middle? Oh, come on - you must have. You need wait no longer, because Shrag's 'Tendons in the Night' is that song.

If this is a taster of what's on the new Shrag album then I'm in for a Spring of hiding indoors, crouched over the CD player, finger hovered over the repeat button, because 'Tendons in the Night' is the band's best single yet. Bob's deadpan delivery melds perfectly with Helen's hissyfit vocals across a strict background of clockwork drums, organ and squally guitar. The last 20 seconds in particular are just about the most exciting thing that's everey happened to me on a Monday.

This track, of course, is Shrag's half of their split single with Tunabunny, their upcoming tourmates. You can buy the single here. And you can - nay, YOU MUST - buy tickets for their upcoming Nottingham show with Horowitz here.