Lisbonne - Debut 7" (2013)

 

GENRE : alternative, France, bedroom pop, lo-fi pop,

RECORD LABEL : Wonderful Sound

If you're looking for a little ray of sunshine in your grey little life, here's a fun little release from French lo-fi pop artist Lisbonne, who now lives in London. Or at least she was when she recorded this little 7" record back in 2013...

The songs on this debut single are quirky, cute and very lo-fi - performed on Casio keyboards, guitars and ukeleles, through vintage amps and pedals, with Lisbonne's lovely voice laying sweetly on top of the mix. On Track 2 there are guest vocals from Laetitia Saedier, who was one of the vocalists for the legendary Stereolab! The songs are sung in French. I don't understand the language, but it doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of it. So if you need to have your day brightened up a bit, look no further than Lisbonne. 

Stream/Download it here :

https://lisbonne1.bandcamp.com/album/lisbonne-debut-7

Eric Terino - Innovations of Grave Perversity (2022)

 

GENRE : alternative, art rock, chamber pop, freak folk, indie rock

RECORD LABEL : Perpetual Doom

Here's a gorgeous chamber pop album to soothe your aching spirit. This is the new album by American artist/musician Eric Terino, and the latest release by the ever-growing/ever-mystifying record label, Perpetual Doom.

These songs are deeply personal and confessional, yet rather than dragging you down into the dark pits of Terino's pain and suffering, they help you transcend your human boundaries and frailties, and ultimately elevate you to some higher plane. They make you feel like you can be whoever you want to be in this life. Like in all good music and art, Terino has the ability to turn heartbreak and tragedy into something beautiful and healing. 

Within seconds of pressing play I was lured and lulled by Terino's gorgeous voice - delicate, vulnerable, haunting and melancholic. The music itself is a beautiful mix of chamber pop and alternative art rock - the central focus being Terino's vocals and piano playing, wonderfully backed by soaring orchestral strings, jazzy French horns, harps and a musical saw. 

In the overall sound I hear elements of Anthony & The Johnsons, Tori Amos, Sigur Ros, and maybe even a bit of Bon Iver... yet at the same time it's entirely its own thing.  This is music conjured from the deepest recesses of the human heart. I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Stream/Download the album here...

https://perpetualdoom.bandcamp.com/album/innovations-of-grave-perversity

Outcast Tape Infirmary - Hope For Spring (Charity Compilation 2022)

 

GENRE : alternative, indie rock, punk rock, punk, emo, experimental, charity,

RECORD LABEL : Outcast Tape Infirmary

There was a lot of charity compilations released on yesterday's Bandcamp Friday, in support of various different causes. I had a super busy day, so I couldn't keep up with it all myself, unfortunately, but I was able to check out a couple of them and donate. 

Here's an awesome charity compilation from new-ish DIY tape label Outcast Tape Infirmary. See below for info...

(I'm going to do a separate blog post for compilation albums in support of Ukraine)

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100% of all purchases will be donated to Hope For The Day - an organization that provides important resources for mental health issues and suicide prevention. It's no secret that we're all struggling right now, and we all know somebody else who is struggling. There is always hope. There is always someone out there who cares. It's Ok Not To Be Ok. For more info, check out HFTD.org

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The artists who have contributed to this compilation are of no specific genre or style, which makes the whole thing unpredictable and chaotic, and brilliant. It bounces from lo-fi indie folk to emo to abstract electronica to dark ambient to ear-splitting punk rock. It's a great compilation of songs, and it's for a very worthy cause. Give it a blast and please consider donating.

A few personal highlights :

Ali Murray - Dear Evelyn - a stunning electro-acoustic dark atmospheric pop song by sinfully unrecognized Scottish songwriter Ali Murray. I'll be reviewing his new album when it comes out on 17/04/22, which is now available for pre-order.

Jonny Fallout - Dark Space - a breathtaking ethereal electronic pop song by Boston synthwave artist Jonny Fallout. Awesome stuff. Check out his Bandcamp page here.

Frick. - Bike - a cool fun simple lo-fi punk song by a band called .frick that would be right at home on any of the wonderful 90's Epitaph or Fat Wreck Chords compilations. I love it.

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Stream/Download the compilation here :

https://outcasttapes.bandcamp.com/album/hope-for-spring-compilation-22

Fall Town - After The Crash (2021)

 

GENRE : alternative punk, power pop, alternative rock, dream pop, shoegaze, post-punk

RECORD LABEL : Dead Forest Records

Fall Town are a band you've almost definitely never heard of. They're an alternative punk band from Scotland, and this is their phenomenal (yet sinfully ignored) debut album, 'After The Crash'. It's a dark, powerful, introspective journey. One of these albums that's all over before you know it, and you're left wanting more...

Fall Town's sound is a unique amalgamation of dark post-punk, power pop, alt-rock and shoegaze. A perfect soundtrack to driving down dark highways, or running away from home. There's a real sadness to this album, yet at the same time it's fun and energetic, and catchy as hell. This band needs a lot more love than they're getting. You should give this one a blast. 

Here's the album blurb taken from their Bandcamp page, which totally nails it...

Fall Town comes roaring from bare, rocky, isolated islands to unleash a debut album overflowing with passion, rage, sweetness and melancholy. Huge riffs collide with soaring melodies like storm-raised waves battering cliffs in a push and pull that mirrors the anger, joy and loss of the human condition.

Somehow Fall Town has managed to create a debut that sounds as fresh as these energies did when they were first unleashed somewhere in the history of rock music. 'After The Crash' is a must-listen for lovers of meaningful music that evokes profound emotions. It also kicks ass.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://falltown.bandcamp.com/album/after-the-crash

Feast of Smoke (2021)

 

GENRE : psychadelic blues, freak folk, psychadelic rock, alternative, indie rock, dark pop

RECORD LABEL : Perpetual Doom

Feast of Smoke is the husband/wife duo of Paul & Amber Oldham, and this is their fantastic debut record. They managed to merge ghostly psychadelic blues with whispered downtempo folk, dirty punk riffage and straight-up rock n roll. To steal a quote from the music website Raven Sings The Blues  - ''This record is both intimate and aloof'''. I think that description nails the vibe. In fact, I find quite a lot of interesting juxtaposition going on in this record. It's dirty and beautiful, weird and wonderful, comforting and eerie, haunting and reticent, joyful and depressing... even the way both their voices seem to float in and out of tune, but somehow create a great overall tone.

I was anticipating the release of this album for what seems like forever. I can't explain why I was getting so impatient and desperate...I just was. It was a shitty year, and something about this album convinced me that I was going to love it. Maybe it was a combination of the artwork and Perpetual Doom's great promo work...I don't know, but it felt like months of unbearable torture. When it finally came out, I played the shit out of it, mostly during pitch black commutes to and from work. The songs are cool and comforting, yet they also make me feel kind of sick and anxious. I love it though, and I'd highly recommend it. I really hope this great musical duo release more in the future.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://perpetualdoom.bandcamp.com/album/feast-of-smoke

Sarah La Puerta - Strange Paradise (2021)

 

GENRE : doom pop, freak folk, alternative, indie, dream pop, lo-fi, synthpop

RECORD LABEL : Perpetual Doom

The soundtrack to being alone and depressed on a tropical island. Everything is hot and sticky and miserable, and no one speaks the same language as you, and the food sucks...

'Strange Paradise' is the debut album of Austin songwriter/musician, Sarah La Puerta. It's dark and funny and weird and beautiful. Perpetual Doom is a great quirky record label that mostly specializes in limited vinyl/cassette releases of a raw lo-fi aesthetic. They have released many great albums of artists I've never heard of. This one ranks amongst their best.

Stream/Download album here:

https://perpetualdoom.bandcamp.com/album/strange-paradise

Official Website :

https://www.sarahlapuerta.com/