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WeePOP! Records [Label Spotlight]

WeePOP! Records

There is a growing underground force of pop labels releasing music on nontraditional formats. Of these formats, two prevalent ones, at least in the lo-fi pop and twee pop arenas, are cassette and the 3-inch single. Being such a strong fan of the genres that release via these formats, one would think I would have the ability to play them when they arrive in my mailbox. Unfortunately, I do not at this time. (But boy do I love receiving them!) WeePOP! Records releases via the latter and they’ve built a solid foundation of twee and lo-fi pop releases.

What I found intriguing about this label is that they’re preparing to release number 40. I am continually astonished at the small labels that pop up (no pun intended) every so often; there are quite a few that fit this niche and they are doing and releasing some great things. No, what I really found intriguing is that these folks have already pumped out singles for such artists as Bunnygrunt, Summer Cats, and The Smittens. Not a list to scoff at by any means. And they’re still doing it, with a new upcoming release by Stars of Aviation. We’ll begin the label spotlight there, and continue on with a few other gems from their collection…

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Stars of Aviation: By The Shore

By The Shore by Stars of Aviation

Stars of Aviation are up next on the WeePOP roster with By The Shore. Their song “Underneath The Elms” has a sound somewhere between Sweden’s Suburban Kids With Biblical Names and Omaha’s Son, Ambulance. It’s the deep, dreary vocals that warrant the similarities on both accounts, and it’s Stars of Aviation’s lovable pop sound that makes this band stand on their own.

Download: “Underneath The Elms” by Stars of Aviation
[audio:100625-stars-of-aviation-underneath-the-elms.mp3|titles=Underneath The Elms|artists=Stars of Aviation]

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The 1959 Hat Company: Awesome Sneakers

Awesome Sneakers by The 1959 Hat Company

We recently covered The 1959 Hat Company’s split with Thunder Power. Well not too long before that came out, they released Awesome Sneakers on weePOP! It’s pop in a similar vein as what we covered, and we like what we covered, so we definitely approve of “Awesome Sneakers”, the title track off this 3″ single!

Download: “Awesome Sneakers” by The 1959 Hat Company
[audio:100625-1959-hat-co-awesome-sneakers.mp3|titles=Awesome Sneakers|artists=The 1959 Hat Company]

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transmittens-our-dreams

Our Dreams by Transmittens

“Balloons In The Sky” features joint male/female harmony vocals. It also highlights all the basics for the perfect pop song: heavy tambourine, hand claps, those insatiable vocals, and a melodica! This is one of the few releases also available digitally from BandCamp. Aside from Our Dreams Transmittens recently released We Disappear through weePOP!

Download: “Balloons In The Sky” by Transmittens
[audio:100625-transmittens-balloons-in-the-sky.mp3|titles=Balloons In The Sky|artists=Transmittens]

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Dexter Poindexter: The Adventure EP

The Adventure EP by Dexter Poindexter

Like many of the artists on the weePOP label, Dexter Poindexter fits the lo-fi pop subgenre, and they border on twee. “Total Disaster” is indicative of precisely what makes a label like weePOP great. The song is wildly catchy, with lighthearted guitars and bouncy percussion fronted by romantic-tinged vocals.

Download: “Total Disaster” by Dexter Poindexter
[audio:100625-dexter-poindexter-total-disaster.mp3|titles=Total Disaster|artists=Dexter Poindexter]

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colin-clary-every-little-thing-counts

Every Little Thing Counts by Colin Clary

Colin Clary’s music is about as lo-fi as it comes without getting tagged with the fuzz pop label. His vocals are a hint hazy and the guitars lack the standard production yet aren’t quite garage worthy. “Phone Me, Phone Me” will find its way into your heart, but may take a few listens before it really catches on. When it does, you’ll be singing along to all the do-do-dos and ba-ba-bas.

Download: “Phone Me, Phone Me” by Colin Clary
[audio:100625-colin-clary-phone-me-phone-me.mp3|titles=Phone Me Phone Me|artists=Colin Clary]

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just-joans-love-and-other-hideous-accidents

Love And Other Hideous Accidents by The Just Joans

Not often do you hear the Scottish accent fronting a soft, emotive electopop with a light synth beat and a heavy piano. That’s exactly what you get with “Hideous Accident”. The Just Joans are a weePOP regular, and two of their notable releases include Love And Other Hideous Accidents and Hey Boy… You’re Oh So Sensitive.

Download: “Hideous Accident” by The Just Joans
[audio:100625-just-joans-love-and-other-hideous-accidents.mp3|titles=Hideous Accident|artists=The Just Joans]

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felt-tips

Bought And Sold by The Felt Tips

Oddly enough, and I have no basis for reasoning in this statement, The Felt Tips remind me a bit of The Lucksmiths. Or maybe a clash of The Guild League meeting Math & Physics Club, another statement with no particular basis of reasoning. Either way you look at it, “The One Who Got Away” is a great pop song with a slight country twang and a big ol’ heart on the sleeve.

Download: “The One Who Got Away” by The Felt Tips
[audio:100625-felt-tips-one-who-got-away.mp3|titles=The One Who Got Away|artists=The Felt Tips]

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the-endless-bummer

Donald Fagen Mix Tape by The Endless Bummer

“Rio Grande Sandbar, 2001” begins with an a capella barbershop quartet sound, and it only goes lo-fi pop from there. The combination is entirely unique, and it works surprisingly well. Donald Fagen Mix Tape may be one of the more interesting and eclectic releases on weePOP!

Download: “Rio Grande Sandbar, 2001” by The Endless Bummer
[audio:100625-the-endless-bummer-rio-grande-sandbar-2001.mp3|titles=Rio Grande Sandbar 2001|artists=The Endless Bummer]

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lets-whisper-make-me-smile

Make Me Smile by Let’s Whisper

I didn’t mention it before, but Colin Clary is in The Smittens, who have released albums on weePOP and Happy Happy Birthday To Me. He returns in Let’s Whisper with Smittens bandmate Dana Kaplan. With a ukulele and a light guitar, this duo brings back bedroom pop in a big way.

Download: “Hey Sunshine” by Let’s Whisper
[audio:100625-letswhisper_heysunshine.mp3|titles=Hey Sunshine|artists=Let’s Whisper

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one-happy-island-secret-party

Secret Party That The Other Party Doesn’t Know About by One Happy Island

Earlier this week I wrote a feature on One Happy Island and their new release on Odd Box Records, but I discovered them a day or two before thanks to weePOP. What initially drew me to this band was their highly lovable hand-clap pop, iterated perfectly in “Temporary Tattoo”.

Download: “Temporary Tattoo” by One Happy Island
[audio:100625-one-happy-island-temporary-tattoo.mp3|titles=Temporary Tattoo|artists=One Happy Island]

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wonder-for-all

Wonder For All by Wonder For All

Simple ukulele folk-pop artist Wonder For All is the solo project of Wendy Chin, and she plays delightfully romantic twee songs that are ever so brief. “Holiday” is one such song and it is, dare I say, totally adorable.

Download: “Holiday” by Wonder For All
[audio:100625-wonder-for-all-holiday.mp3|titles=Holiday|artists=Wonder For All]

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bunnygrunt-1000-hot

The 1000% Hot EP by Bunnygrunt

Bunnygrunt’s “1000% Not Creepy”, which is on The 1000% Hot EP, was also released on Matt Harnish & Other Delights, their most recent LP on HHBTM. The song is a bit more rambunctious than others on the weePOP label, but that just makes it stand out even more.

Download: “1000% Not Creepy” by Bunnygrunt
[audio:100625-bunnygrunt-1000-not-creepy.mp3|titles=1000% Not Creepy|artists=Bunnygrunt]

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