Seattle indie pop gurus Poland are back with a new album on Series II Records called Please Interstellar Policeman. Like locals Math & Physics Club, the band writes twee-like pop songs fit for swanky lounges and your old-time elevator. It is along these lines (and from this album) that we receive “Your Sunday Book”, a catchy pop song and a colorful video. Paper airplanes and simple but artsy city backdrops on paper and computer art, this multi-media video fits well with the music of Poland.

A rarity for the Series II collective of artists putting out excellent CD-R albums is one from Seattle. But like many on the label that remain underground despite showing insurmountable quantities of promise, this Seattle artist is on the cusp of becoming a force in the local scene. Keep an eye out for Poland, Seattle – if you’re just hearing about them now, be assured that you’ll hear more in the near future. And it won’t necessarily be from me.

Poland: Your Sunday Book [mp3]

Super poppy lo-fi music often comes with a twee label; but even within a highly niche subgenre such as this, there are stark differences that can set one band apart from the rest of the herd. Sometimes that trait is a subtle one, just underneath the layers of standard genre-specific sensibilities. So it is with Paper City, whose Long Beach home brings forth imagery of palm trees, Mexico, and an intense longing for polka-dots and mojitos.

Perfect for the band’s moniker, Paper City’s video for “City Of The Future” features mixed media primarily centered around… yep, you guessed it… paper. Simple songs performed on ukuleles (“Oh The Cargo”), guitars (“Paris In The Wintertime”) and paino (“City Of The Future”), Paper City front-woman Marisa Predisik possess that nerdy-girl-waiting-to-be-discovered vibe. Her songwriting blends the complexities of life with the simplicity of twee.

You can also find Marisa making music under the name Moedog Darling. “City Of The Future” is off Paper City’s self-titled release, available from CD Baby. “Paris In The Wintertime” is off the recent Series Two Christmas Compilation.

Paper City: Paris In The Wintertime [mp3]

Such a simple concept, this video for My Autumn Sons‘ “Save Me”. Filtered through some sort of pop art thermal thingy, or something along those lines, the video merely follows a few kids as they walk down the street, showing off for the camera and doing what little boys do. My Autumn Sons is my lastest find from Series II Records, who released their album Perfect earlier this year.

My Autumn Sons have a dreamy tweeish electro-pop sound that’s easy to love. The vocals are at their most powerful when Anna Ödlund (Leonwalls) joins together with Anders Sundberg (who I’m guessing provides the male vocal part). The Swedish-based band also features Markus Majdalani (Small State).

My Autumn Sons: Again [mp3]

My Autumn Sons – Save Me from Anders Sundberg on Vimeo.

“This Spring Is” by Gothenburg’s Chuck Morgan is a simple acoustic song with hidden complexities. Morgan is good at creating plain pop melodies and weaving in various experimental pop elements behind the common singer/songwriter acoustic plus vocals make-up. Locked on a balcony, this video finds Morgan mulling over a favorite season. The cinematography is a play on focus and the purposeful instability in the camera merely heightens the video’s creativity.

Morgan’s music is fun and interesting. It fits well with the Series II Records collection of artists, alongside fellow Swedish artists like Tafra and Klas. The song comes from his latest album, Patchwork, available from Series II.

Chuck Morgan: This Spring Is [mp3]

Chuck Morgan: It Is About Time [mp3]

Chuck Morgan – This spring is from iCent on Vimeo.

After debuting on Series II Records joint 3″ series club with Eggnog Records, The Argyle Wishlist return with their infectious lo-fi indie pop. My Thoughts Exactly follows the twee-pop this Milwaukee, WI band has established as their trait over the past several years.

Featuring jangly guitars and lovable vocal hooks, and hints of orchestration with a backing trumpet, The Argyle Wishlist succeed in creating the perfect album for a DIY label like Series II. Amidst songs like “(You Make) Everything Else OK” and “Place Of Birth”… hell, and let’s toss in “Don’t Change A Thing” and “When The Night Comes To And End” while we’re at it… it’s hard to find a weak point on this album. It’s also difficult to pinpoint a song greater than the others.

On one end, these songs fit perfectly alongside artists like HHBTM’s The Afternoon Naps, while on the other you could relate them to Matinee Records’ Math & Physics Club. It’s no surprise, as it’s been a long time coming, that Series II Records has entered the realm of these two epic labels.

The Argyle Wishlist: Don’t Change A Thing [mp3]

The Argyle Wishlist: (You Make) Everything Else OK [mp3]

Series II Records [CD, 2009]

1. Don’t Change A Thing
2. Soften The Blow
3. Fine Wale Corduroy
4. Pass The Test
5. (You Make) Everything Else OK
6. More Midwestern
7. Place Of Birth
8. Making Up Last Time
9. You’ve Got It Right
10. Sing Your Own Back Vocals
11. When The Night Comes To An End

Over in the eastern region of Nebraska, obscurity has risen and is growing faster than the corn surrounding Omaha. Oberst is God, not Cobain. Saddle Creek, not Sub Pop, infatuates it’s residents. Yes, this the Midwest haven as well as (one of) the birthplace(s) of indie rock (minus King Elliot). And Electric Needle Room‘s Safe, Effective, and Fun embodies some of that eternal spirit from the land locked village full of talent they call home.

But, don’t think these guys lack originality and their own perpetual bliss. Their sometimes off key and out of tune style is one that brings out their own fun-filled originality that differs them from their pain-riddled counterparts. The track “If You’re Happy, I’m Happy” (which has a strange Peanuts feel) is a true feel good track is is sure to make you smile. And “Love Is Not About Teeth” is a good track, but don’t take it so damn serious that you lose sight of the abundance of fun it can create. Remember, these guys make happy songs!

Brothers Matt and Steven Beat are geniuses in their own right. It is very inspiring to think that this is their fourth album, and they still continue to create only what they choose. Their integrity towards their work is genuine in itself and enough to deem them a spectacular duo. Safe, Effective, and Fun may not catch the bright eyes (hey-O!) but, it is a helluva production and the Brothers Grin should be very proud.

Electric Needle Room: Farther [mp3]

Electric Needle Room: Henry Poole Is Here [mp3]

Series II Records [CD, 2009]

1. Farther
2. Love Is Not About Teeth
3. If You’re Happy, I’m Happy
4. Midwestern City
5. Let’s Make Fun Of Everybody
6. Oleaver’s Pub Won’t Let Us Play There Anymore
7. If It Weren’t For Time, I’d Have Some
8. One Good Friend
9. Henry Poole Is Here
10. Here’s What I Have To Say About Tomatoes
11. You Should Floss!
12. We Might As Well Live A Little Bit Before We Die

In my review yesterday of Tafra‘s “Oh Daniel” music video, I mentioned the artist had the sound of SKWBN. For those of you unfamiliar with the acronym, that’s Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, a Swedish duo. But then again it’s no surprise as the story goes like this: Niklas Tafra was supposed to play bass for SKWBN at the I’m From Bräke-Hoby festival but forgot to wake up that morning. Any guess as to the reason behind closing track “I’m Sorry Bräke-Hoby”?

Opening with “Cheesy Epic View”, Why Even Bother immediately caught my attention for its lo-fi, twee-like sounds. Following suit, most songs are fairly brief, but a select few do top the three minute mark, like the catchy lo-fi electro pop tune “Tired Of London”.

In tunes like “A Hundred Million Things” and “Dear Satan”, Tafra surfaces with a somewhat Son, Ambulance sound. The inherent sadness if Tafra’s voice contrasts beautifully with the backing na na’s and poppy electonics. While it may seem to object to the lighter mood of the instrumentation in Tafra’s songs, the lo-fi and light-hearted instruments keep the tunes poppy.

So, where does that leave Tafra? Well, I’ve got a stack of Series II albums awaiting my thoughts. Though there are a few I have yet to crack the case on, from what I’ve heard so far from the label, Tafra is my favorite one yet!

This review was originally published March 6, 2008 on the old version of FensePost.

Tafra: Oh Daniel [mp3]

Tafra: Cheesy Epic View [mp3]

Series II Records [CD, 2008]

1. Cheesy Epic View
2. At The Cemetary
3. Tired Of London
4. A Hundred Million Things
5. Why Do You Have To Be So Complicated Baby
6. Oh Daniel
7. Dear Satan
8. Why Even Bother
9. Your Ex-Boyfriend’s mp3s
10. I Wrote A Song About A Guy Who Wrote A Song About A Guy Who Wrote A Song About A Guy Who Wrote A Song
11. I’m Sorry Brakne-Hoby

It’s funny, I read about Chuck Morgan on Swedesplease, the go-to blog on Swedish music (oddly enough, written by an American) and decided I simply must cover the artist behind the music. Chuck Morgan‘s songs are a mix of lo-fi electronica and experimental pop. At least, that’s what can be heard in songs like “The Best Of You”.

Surprisingly enough, after visiting Chuck Morgan on MySpace, I discovered that his latest LP, Patchworks, is now available on Series II Records, the go-to place for lo-fi indie-pop from across the world.

Chuck Morgan: The Best Of You [mp3]

Stockholm, Sweden’s Johan Cederberg crafts mellow electro-pop melodies. The majority of songs, like “Near – On” and “The Shape Of Things To Come”, are simply good pop tunes, while others delve into a lo-fi experimentation, as found in “Moonmonths”. Both styles feature clever cuts and loops throughout complex and intricate piecing together of tracks for songs that have extensive breadth.

There’s a clever brilliance in the lo-fi electro-nature of Johan Cederberg; songs like “Are You Awake?”, “Explosions” and “The Room” are hypnotic, sending the listener into a meditative pop state. The mysteriously untitled “Track 10″ follows many songs off Selected Recordings with catchy lyrics and vocal patterns. Especially noteworthy on this track is Cederberg’s guitar-work.

Johan Cederberg is occasionally joined by other musicians. Josefine Jinder lends vocal talent to “The Shape Of Things To Come” and “Drop” while Victor Holmberg does the same on the mysteriously untitled “Track 10″. All these songs can be found on Cederberg’s album Selected Recordings 2004-2006, out now on Series II Records.

Johan Cederberg: The Shape Of Things To Come [mp3]

Johan Cederberg: The Room [mp3]

Death Valley Sleepers, despite a plural name, is one man — Tobias Winberg. Winberg, who hails from Denmark, writes songs that find themselves in the realm of highly infectious indie pop. The vocals are soothing and relaxed while the guitar, with an added power, delves into the psychedelic.

My introduction to Death Valley Sleepers comes from the Eggnog Series Two EP Club. More specifically, as the first set has five 3-inch discs, the introduction came via First Club Compilation, the only EP with various artists. “Small Town Bells” closes the EP on a definite high point.

I posted about the string of EPs on Cover Art yesterday — read the Eggnog Series Two EP Club Cover Art piece.

Death Valley Sleepers: Small Town Bells [mp3]

Allt Är Musik is somewhat of a rarity in that Andreas Sjögren, the primary force behind Allt Är Musik, sings in his native tongue. The typical Swedish artist tends to sing in English. On Skapelseberättelsen, Allt Är Musik creates lo-fi pop tunes that blend acoustic guitars with drone-ridden synths, the combination of which is quite peaceful.

Songs like “Allt Är Sagt Och Gjort” and title track “Skapelseberättelsen” include heavier synth focuses, but it’s not always the case. Sjögren will toss in a track where the primary focus is stripped to acoustics, like the outstanding, simple, yet entirely catchy tune “Lyssna Noga”, where the percussion builds softly for a most impressive conclusion, and a similarly constructed “Tomrum, Tomrum”.

There are comfortable mediums, like “Skymningen”, where the consistent, bass heavy acoustic strum maintains a very soothing presence, despite a mixed-down synth. Still, both sounds are conducive to one another; going from the organ-heavy drone of “Skapelseberättelsen” into the slightly bouncy pop in “Tomrum, Tomrum” is a little strange, but there’s a consistency that allows it to work very well.

Even when it leads into the third track, a heavily distorted pop track called “Borgmästaren” in the vein of The Hartmans, the continuity remains. And that’s what makes Skapelseberättelsen a brilliant lo-fi pop album.

Allt Är Musik: Skymningen [mp3]

Allt Är Musik: Lyssna Noga [mp3]

Series Two Records [CD, 2008]

1. Skapelseberättelsen
2. Tomrum, Tomrum
3. Borgmästaren
4. Ovän Med Mig Själv
5. Måndag I Mitt Liv
6. Mörkerseende
7. I Gungning
8. Å Andra Sidan
9. Glad På Allvar
10. Skymningen
11. Allt Är Sagt Och Gjort
12. Lyssna Noga
13. Gå Solo

The Argyle Wishlist may have put it best themselves: their music spans from soft folk pop to fuzzed out electrobeat compositions. These styles, and the lovable indie pop and twee that make up the space between, can be heard on Day Trips, the group’s recent 3″ release.

Primarily the solo workings of Jesse Bell with assistance from a collective of good friends, The Argyle Wishlist presents four highly infectious, super upbeat tracks on Day Trips. Tracks like “What’s Done Is Done” and “Should’ve Kept A Journal” find the Wishlist dishing out warm scoops of pop that amount to one delicious collection.

Day Trips is part of a series of 3″ EPs released via two labels, Series II Records and Eggnog Records. Accompanying it are additional EPs from Double Dan, Flannel, Robert Church, as well as a seven song compilation.

The Argyle Wishlist: Should’ve Kept A Journal [mp3]

Series II Records / Eggnog Records [3" EP, 2009]

1. What’s Done Is Done
2. Slippery Slope
3. If You’d Only Allow Me To
4. Should’ve Kept A Journal

Tafra‘s “Oh Daniel” follows a Suburban Kids With Biblical Names influence. The track could as easily have been found on one of the duo’s Labrador Records releases as on Tafra’s Why Even Bother. This is, of course, no surprise. And you’ll soon learn why…

Following the twee sounds of his release, Niklas Tafra’s video for “Oh Daniel” finds the singer/songwriter dishing out a light, poppy tune on a ukulele while his mopey voice is somewhere between sad and sarcastic—a feat SKWBN are masters at accomplishing.

Of course Tafra has the sound of Suburban Kids With Biblical Names! Part way through one of the SKWBN members gives Tafra a lift to the ocean.

The theme of the video covers Tafra’s gift to a little boy, Daniel, for his birthday. Given the lo-fi, cutesy nature of the tune, it’s good to see a video that follows suit. It’s fun and light-hearted, perfect for a Sunday morning.

Tafra: Oh Daniel [mp3]

The first time I heard Pigeon Lane, I thought it was a new project by Pelle Carlberg. But it quickly dawned on me that it indeed was not — Pigeon Lane’s sound is filled with similar amounts of pop, but the vocals (the trait most like Carlberg) are less humorous, less professional. Compared to Carlberg, Pigeon Lane fits a lower-fi profile. This suits them well; in a way, this style is comparable to early Starlet or early Acid House Kings.

The extent of similarity Pigeon Lane possesses with Swedish pop artists, it’s a bit of a surprise the group hails from Germany. Songs like “Judy” and “Teardrops” are immediately catchy, despite their slower nature. Pigeon Lane is definitely folk-pop. It is a bit mellower than your standard indie-pop, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less good. How Sweet, How Kind… is filled with the style of folk and pop that will make you instantly fall in love.

Pigeon Lane: Judy [mp3]

Pigeon Lane: Waiting For Her [mp3]

Series Two RecordsSeries II Records [CD, 2008]

1. Judy
2. So Glad
3. All Together
4. Next To Mine
5. Teardrops
6. And So Is She
7. Flowers In My Garden
8. Blossoms
9. Taxi
10. Waiting For Her
11. Wet Holiday
12. Wall Of Blankets

The vocal powers behind Double Dan may sound familiar; if they do, massive props are in store. Double Dan’s Malmö origins and Swedish back-story include an impressive incestuous history of great Scandinavian pop groups. Their history trails through The Ambassadeurs, Sambassadeur. Consisting of Dan Eriksson (also of Starlet, September, and occassionally of Club 8), Dan Lindgren (from Alexis and September), and Joakim Ödlund (of Poprace, Starlet, and Acid House Kings fame), Double Dan’s music finds most similarity to Ödlund’s Poprace.

This brief EP is from the Series II Records 3″ collection and includes three phenomenal tracks led by “When The Sun Falls Down”. All three feature highly infectious indie pop highly influenced by Sarah Records’ artists and the twee movement. The lyrics and melodies are all simple, but they’re poetic and they’re filled with all the proper hooks. Where “When The Sun Falls Down” sides fully in the pop realm, “A Picture Of You” injects elements of rock and features much more prominent keys. In “Shyness As A Sin”, Double Dan takes it back down a notch, concluding the album with soft, melodic, dreamy pop.

For any obsessed with pop music of Swedish origin, Double Dan is an absolute must. There is simply too much collective history behind this trio of individuals to ignore. And for the rest, it’s just hard to deny that Double Dan makes great pop music.

Double Dan: When The Sun Falls Down [mp3]

Series II Records [3" CD-R, 2009]

1. When The Sun Falls Down
2. A Picture Of You
3. Shyness As A Sin

In Wizard On Fire, Robert Church comes across as the twee stepbrother of The Radio Dept. “Old Friend” has that overly distorted slash mashed with reverb sound of the much loved Lesser Matters, but the fuzziness lacks the production that kept The Radio Dept. from being slapped with the lo-fi label. But that label works well here; it fits Robert Church & The Holy Community. For the most part, Wizard On Fire is decidedly more pop friendly than Le Rouge, Robert Church And The Holy Community’s last Series II release. It has more flare, more flame, more verbosity.

Wizard On Fire can be found accompanying four other records; it’s the first installment of a promising new collaboration between Series II Records, whose releases pop up occasionally here on FensePost, and Eggnog Records out of New Zealand. One is a seven song compilation and the three others are mini EPs by Double Dan (Poprace, Acid House Kings), Flannel, and The Argyle Wishlist.

No doubt you’ll here more from this quintet of 3″ CD-Rs in the near future…

Robert Church And The Holy Community: Old Friend [mp3]

Series II Records [3" CDEP, 2009]

1. Old Friend
2. Wizard On Fire
3. Larusso
4. Panda Love

Hinting strongly of Sarah Records and the twee movement, Charlie Big Time can easily be likened to everyone from greats like The Field Mice and Lovejoy, to more modern artists like Palomar and Tender Trap. And, of course, the king of all twee-based influences: The Smiths. There is no denying the influence of The Smiths here, both the songwriting and vocal styling have Moz written all over “Love Is A Franchise”.

In fact, all songs on The Tall Storeys Of… have hints of The Smiths. There is also a fair amount of jangle in “Charlie Big Time” and the group plays off Keith Girdler’s like of the 12-string guitar in “Lipstick And Bravado”. Perhaps their greatest feat is “Giving In, Giving Out, Giving Up” not entirely due to the dual harmony male/female chorus, but it sure helps.

These are the bountiful themes of The Tall Storeys Of…; Charlie Big Time has succeeded in creating a wonderful little twee-pop gem.

Charlie Big Time: Charlie Big Time [mp3]

Charlie Big Time: Giving In, Giving Out, Giving Up [mp3]

Series II Records [CD, 2008]

1. Something’s Happening, Somewhere
2. Co-Stars In A Freak Show
3. Goodnight Irene
4. Second Hand Dealing
5. Charlie Big Time
6. Lipstick And Bravado
7. Love Is A Franchise
8. Giving In, Giving Out, Giving Up
9. Fred Astaire
10. Soul Glad
11. The Good Ship Faithless

Their motto is clear: We release records when we feel like it. If anyone likes to listen, we’re glad. If no one listens, we’ll keep doing it anyway. It’s a great attitude and likely one held by terrible bands and great bands worldwide. Luckily for The Hartmans (MySpace), they lean toward greatness.

Första Brevet Till Amerika is their latest release and can be found stateside on Series II Records. (They’ve been pumping out LPs and EPs since their inception in 2004.) Filled will great Swedish pop of the garage subgenre, The Hartmans fit nicely in a collection of growing hype artists like Crystal Stilts and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, yet they have not quite reached the widespread notoriety of the aforementioned.

Not nearly as catchy or rhyme-driven as TPOBPAH, The Hartmans still deserve the catchy pop label. Songs like opener “Neptuni Orden”, “Jehova” and “Qué Séra, Séra” are thoroughly enjoyable, and the same can be said for most tracks on Första Brevet Till Amerika. And they mix distinctly male/female vocals – a trait that sets them apart from similar contemporaries.

So the conclusion is simple: if you’re obsessed with the old-made-modern garage sound and are looking to add similar artists, look no further than The Hartmans. Give it time and these guys will gain the notoriety they deserve.

The Hartmans: Neptuni Orden [mp3]

The Hartmans: Qué Séra Séra [mp3]

Series II Records [CD, 2009]

1. Neptuni Orden
2. Svea Orden
3. Götiska Förbundet
4. Svenska Frimurare Orden
5. Ateistens Tröst
6. Qué Séra, Séra
7. F.O.G.
8. Jehova
9. Sent Skall Syndaren Vakna, Och Hårt Skall Han Straffas
10. Wolfgang Alexander Laugg
11. Thomas Quick
12. Mattias Flink
13. Tommy Zethraeus + Guillermo Marquez Jara

Desmond Reed is a mystery. The clues are few. It’s a he, he resides in Massachusetts, and he shares his name with a USC Trojan football player. So I guess it’s a little surprising that his music is not a mystery. The messages are clear and honest and simple and, at times, a little strange. At least that’s what can be gathered off his three-song, three-inch CD-R out now on Susy Records, The Window Shopping EP.

Reed’s music is harmonic and acoustic, filled with simple melodies and fun lyrics. The title track is easily the high point on this mini-release thanks to the inclusion of the occasional synth. Like the two that follow, “Dizzy” and “No More Room” respectively, “Window Shopping” is an immensely catchy tune. “Dizzy” comes close to rivaling the opener and includes harmony vocals.

None of these three tunes are exclusive; in fact, they can be found in the same order as the first three tracks off 10 Acoustic Demos, which was released recently on Series II Records. But, it’s a sweet little pop release nonetheless. And its Peruvian origination makes it a hot little item any indie-pop collector would love.

Desmond Reed: Window Shopping [mp3]

Susy Records [3" CD-R, 2008]

1. Window Shopping
2. Dizzy
3. No More Room

I’ve had a copy of The Pristines‘ State Of Mine release on Series II for some time, but with the amount of promos I get, I just hadn’t had a chance to fully appreciate it’s indie pop awesomeness. That is, until I received a cute little 3″ CD-R from Peru’s lovable new pop label Susy Records.

The Susy Records EP is titled The Access Trilogy and its trios of tunes instantly caught my ear. “Star”, especially, has a power unlike anything I have previously heard from the band, which, honestly, isn’t much. But it’s intriguing enough to want to hear more. And upon perusing the promo rack for The Pristines, I came away with a beautiful CD-R with a cover that looked like it came from Roy Lichtenstein’s library.

And sure enough, State Of Mine is packed with a similar style of super catchy, minor-ly distorted lo-fi pop that’s highly infectious. While “Star” is my star from the group, “You Pay For Me” off The Access Trilogy is also decent, though it pales in comparison. On State Of Mine, the counterpart is “Suitable Lies”.

The Pristines: Suitable Lies [mp3]

The Pristines: You Pay For Me [mp3]