Tiger Tape are not Tiger Trap

Tiger Tape used to be Moofish Catfish - a band whose name was so awful that it stopped me putting them on early last year, even though I really quite like their music.

Thanks heavens, then, that they've changed their name to Tiger Tape. Now, that might be utterly confusing and you might spend the entire day thinking you're listening to Tiger Trap (like I've done today), but even the daftest apron and bunting fanatic would agree that's it's a vast improvement.

This last autumn the Cosy Recordings crew received an email from Agnes Brynge, a quarter of its - at present - most successful act. Cosy had released a six track EP and a nine track CD-R with Moofish Catfish and the band had played festivals in Hultsfred and Emmaboda, Stockholm Pride, Pop Dakar… and a successful British ten date tour.

Mattias from Cosy Den says: "In September a 'real' album was beginning to take shape, and we would, of course, still be somehow involved - even now when it was no longer about CD-r. That’s when we received this:

from moofishcatfish@gmail.com

to cosyrecordings@gmail.com

date 21 September 2009 10.46am

subject Moofish Catfish R.I.P?

Hello,

Well. We have been thinking and after a lot of discussions back and forth come to the conclusion that Moofish Catfish is (probably) changing names. It may sound as a crazy project. But I’m feeling fed up with the MC concept – it’ll take a slightly new direction now, although you obviously see clear connections to what has been. Like suicide and starting from scratch again really. But perhaps even necessary if I’m not going to end up alienated from the whole thing. We’re taking a break from gigs and will work strenuously to get the new (fantastic) songs ready and release a record in the Spring as planned. It’ll be a bit as if we’d quit, but still not. The same line up, and the music really isn’t radically different. Would you still be interested in the co-release?

Agnes xx

Mattias wasn't happy. But he should be, because the result is an album that hints at the energy and youthful fizz of the Standard Fare album, whilst retaining a slight off-kilter pop charm that makes you think: "Ooh, I wasn't expecting that." And I dn't really get more animated than that these days.

The Tiger Tape album is called 'I Woke up in Hökarängen' and it's a joint release from Cosy and Lo and Behold Recordings. It's really pretty wonderful in that it can tear you up and then take you soaring off onto a different planet, before dropping you back down again like a sack of spuds. All this happened today whilst I was trying to write a feature at work about the forthcoming Budget. It made it a bit tricky.

Download 'Is it Me or is it Everyone Else' here.

And remember: TIGER TAPE ARE NOT TIGER TRAP.

When Hari met Aino

Ah, Sunday morning. Which means roaming around in my pants until the little hand is nearly at twelve, basking in a rare, yet ultimately futile, win for Grimsby Town yesterday. And perhaps making my six month old try his Town strip on for the first time.

This Sunday morning has also brough with it a new single from Hari and Aino, called 'All That Remains', which is sort of perfect for today in a happy, carefree, way that reminds me a little of Would-be-Goods poppermost moments.

Here's the smashing video for it.



The ep is avaiable in a crazily-limited run of just 50 copies from Edition 59, or you can download the ep at Bandcamp via the band's homepage.

Do your worst.

When space invaders were big

If, like me, you still mourn for the passing of 90s gripepop heroes Prolapse, then here's something that might brighten your spirits. Trev from Oddbox Records is putting together an album of their songs played by modern-day pop stars. A tribute album, if you must - but then I hate that term.

Anyway, bands already one hundred per cent interested and/or committed to the project, honest guv, are MJ Hibbett and the Validators, Magoo, The Wednesday Club, The Mai 68s, Leaf Library and The Humms, which is a pretty good start, but it's not enough. Your country needs you to take part, and it doesn't matter if you don't have a Scottish accent or a tiny, pretty woman in your band. No, a love of Prolapse is all you need, as the Beatles once said.

For those not au fait with Prolapse: 1. Why not? 2. Don't eat your tea whilst you're googling their name. And, don't, whatever you do, click on the 'images' tab.

Get in touch with Odd Box if you'd like to take part, won't you? Or email me and I'll pass your offer to cover 'Surreal Madrid' on to Trev, if you like.

Standard Fare, live in New York

Hey, hey, hey! Live at New York's Cake Shop a few days go, on their first US tour. We might have heard this song a million times before, but doesn't stop me wishing against everything that I was there.

Interview with Stuart from Indietracks

Those of you who haven't seen the line-up for Indietracks yet would do well to have a look. It's the best line-up of any festival ever.

I'm led to believe that the Indietracks team is in the process of confirming headliners AS WE SPEAK, so I thought I'd try and wangle some information out of Stuart, who put the first Indietracks event together back in 2007. I failed, of course, but here's what he had to say.

Does putting the festival together get easier as each year passes?

Not normally as as we've developed and grown there's always been new things to deal with. But this time as we're sticking pretty much with what we had last year, just different bands to arrange.

When do you start contacting bands?

The Specific Heats were offered a return slot a few minutes after they left the stage last year, so that'd probably be the first. I would randomly bump into bands during the year and offer them slots, then forget about it till they remind us when all the slots have been filled. I'm Mr Disorganised.

Is the railway still enthusiastic for the festival each year?

It's still the highlight of their year. Probably as it's not a train-based event (for them) and everyone is so nice.

Has the festival reached a tipping point regarding attendance now, do you think? Or do you want to get steadily bigger?

The railway felt that 2009 was big enough for them. I'd like to drop the bigger names with the associated hassles of dealing with booking agents so we'll probably shrink keeping the core indiepop crowd, although not everyone in team indietracks shares the same view. They're getting their way this year.

How do you choose which bands will play?

There's no easy answer to that, there's so many different threads that all come together and are dealt with in different ways - bands that we've seen or heard we like, bands that approach us, overseas touring bands and the headliners. The rest of the team (I wasn't involved in band picking this year) got together in January and drafted a schedule and start confirming slots with the bands.

Why did you drop the Christmas gigs?

Getting people to Derbyshire in December for a three band show wasn't working, numbers were falling to the stage it wouldn't work (it was probably a revolt against us using the tw** word!)

What's been your favourite Indietracks moment of the last four years?

Probably getting to go home at the end of each weekend.

Who would be your dream headliners for the three nights, if money was no object?

Pocketbooks, The Smittens, and Ballboy continually playing Day In Space for the whole weekend.

Pale Sunday: dream fulfilled

I've long admired Brazilian indiepop band Pale Sunday, who, you might remember, released their last single on Matinee just after Christmas after a hiatus that was seriously worrying for fans of the band.

Well, this afternoon, they were announced as playing Indietracks, along with Burning Hearts, The Hillfields (yes!), La La Love You, Internet Forever, Stars In Coma, Springfactory and Urbantramper.

I couldn't be more excited about seeing Pale Sunday - a band I thought, because of geography, I'd never ever get to see.

Back in the mists of time, just after they contributed a track to Matinee's Smiths tribute album, 'Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware', I interviewed the band. They said it was their dream to play in Europe. Mine too. Both will be realised come July.

Here's that interview in full.

Of all the newer bands on Matinee, Pale Sunday are probably the greatest. Their debut ep on the label, ‘A Weekend With Jane’, was rightly hailed as one of last year’s best releases. Here tasty has a quick chat with Sineval about how it is to sing in Portuguese and not be gay…

Do you think that you're completely different to other Brazilian bands, or is there a large indie pop movement over there?

I don’t believe that we are so different to the other Brazilian bands, there’s a lot of wonderful bands here in Brazil (not a specific scene) recording their songs, releasing their own cds. and making people like me very happy! Bands like Hey miss!; Luisa Mandou um Beijo; The Tamborines; Postal Blue, Wonkavision, Multisofa; Spengler tenglers; Magic Crayon; Superphones; etc. I believe, can put a smile in your face.

How did you come across Matinee Records?

In 2002, with a self release 'Everything starts when you smile' ep. We sent this record to Brazilian zines, e-zines, etc. They liked a lot, so I thought that could be a good idea to try some international label; we sent the cd to jimmy and to our great surprise he said he liked Pale Sunday and invited the band to belong to the Matinée Records cast!

How did you feel when 'A Weekend With Jane' was instantly hailed as a classic? Do you feel under any pressure with your next releases?

’A Weekend With Jane’ is very important to us. A "classic"? I don´t think so, but you can be sure, it´s a honest ep and we loved to do it! To all the positive reviews and all lovely e-mails sent to us, we need to say thank you!

You sing in English - on the songs I've heard anyway. Why is this?

Here in Brazil if you sing these kind of songs in Portuguese the majority will ask you: "Are you gay?" …hehehe. It’s true. People say this kind of words and song are too sensitive! We are not a rock and roll band.

Who are your big musical heroes?

I don’t have musical heroes but a lot of bands that make me feel proud to be alive. Some of them? The Smiths, my favourite band. The Field Mice, Nixon (from Sweden), Brighter, Camera Obscura, Hey Miss, Postal Blue, Les Ondes Martenot, The Diskettes.

How difficult is it to get noticed as a band in Brazil?

There’s no specific indie press here, just some zines. This is a problem, you could fill pages and pages with a lot of cool bands.

In my zine, pop friends and I write some articles about these bands. I´d love to run my own label.

How do you feel about the current turbulent political situation in Brazil? Did you vote for 'Lula' and what do you make of his reforms?

Brazil is a nice country to live, I don’t know what image people have of us in Europe. We have a lot of problems (political, social), but we have a lot of good stuff to show too. Our culture, our medical and scientific research, the beauty of a lot of wonderful places.

Unfortunately a lot of politicians derive great benefit from their own position. There’s a global interest in Amazon (this is our big problem). Not to protect the jungle, but to explore it. All the water, all the uranium, all the medical plant, all the gold, everything the world will need in the future . You can find there.
About Lula, the population believe him. I’m still waiting for the results. I’m tired of promises.

Have you any plans to come and play in Europe?

We’d love to play in Europe. In due course. Europe is a dream.

How difficult or easy was it recording your version of 'I Know It's Over'? (for the Matinee Smiths tribute album, 'Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware')

The difficult is the responsibility to work with a Smiths song. In a tribute album, you need to put something new in the song you’ve choose. Something like to say "Thank you!" We did the best we can. We love our indie-bossa nova version of I Know It’s Over’.

And finally, do you agree that you have the cutest website in the world?

Hahaha. We need to say thank you to a Brazilian fan, Rodrigo Maceira.He asked us "hey, you don´t have a site. Can I do it?" we said "yes" He did! We love it!

Love Dance

I picked Love Dance up from someone's Facebook feed a couple of days ago, and I've listened to little else ever since.

Not much is known (by me, at least) about this mysterious Norwegian band, who once used to go by the name of Try Happiness, but Marianthi tells me Love Dance had an album out in 2007 on Marsh Marigold called 'Results'. She also kindly sent me a copy.

I've just listened to it twice through, but it's a stunning record - all chiming guitars and swooping melodies. You know that feeling you get when you listen to a band, and you think: "Yes! If I had one iota of musical talent in me, I'd want to be in a band EXACTLY like this!" Well, this is how I feel about Love Dance. They should be superstars. Why aren't they superstars.

If anyone can tell me if they're still together, and what they're up to, then I'd be most grateful.

Meanwhile, have a listen to "Unsympathetic Ways".