I recall turning 27 and recounting how that was the same age as so many other artists who passed away. Brian Jones (the original drummer of The Rolling Stones), Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain. Even Amy Winehouse who, born in 1983, was younger than me at her time of death — yet…
Author: Andy Fenstermaker
5 Bands to Listen to if You Like The Pain of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart gave us their debut, self-titled LP in 2009. The band created this interesting blend of indie pop with hints of shoegaze and even emo. The songs featured on the Pains of Being Pure at Heart were romance and relationship based with a youthful edge. Their music was packed…
Alvvays | Blue Rev | Blue Marble Vinyl
When I compile best of albums of the year each December, I have a few rules for myself. One such rule is that I must have the album in my collection. This is a relatively new thing, post-pandemic. Either way, it’s inevitable: each January, I tend to finally get an album that I hadn’t picked…
Acid House Kings | Play Pop! EP | Vinyl Review
The Acid House Kings‘ Play Pop! EP is an early example of the Swedish indie pop band’s distinctive blend of melodic guitar pop and electronic dance music influences influences that were somewhat signature to their early years. The EP was released on 7-inch vinyl in 1992 by Marsh-Marigold Records, and it features four catchy and…
Saint Etienne | Good Humor | 25th Anniversary Splatter Vinyl Unboxing & Album Review
Today I’m taking a look at Saint Etienne’s fourth studio album, Good Humor, which was released in 1998. Known for their blend of indie pop, dance, and electronic music, the band had already released three successful albums prior to Good Humor, including Foxbase Alpha (1991), So Tough (1993), and Tiger Bay (1994). However, Good Humor…
The Anniversary | All Right For Now | 7-Inch Single Review
The Anniversary was a five-piece band from Lawrence, Kansas, that formed in 1997 and consisted of Josh Berwanger on vocals and guitar, Justin Roelofs also on vocals and guitar, Adrianne Verhoeven on keyboards and vocals, James David on bass, and Christian Jankowski on drums. After a handful of split 7-inch singles, they released this: a…
Mercury Rev | Deserter’s Songs | Album Review
For those not in the know, Mercury Rev is an American indie rock band that formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1989. Their fourth album, Deserter’s Songs, released in 1998, is considered their breakthrough album and has become a classic in more modern indie rock. The album features lush orchestration, soaring vocals, and haunting melodies…
Angel Olsen Plays Karen Dalton | Something On Your Mind | 7-Inch Single
“Something on Your Mind” is a song written by singer-songwriter Dino Valenti in the 1960s. However, it is Karen Dalton’s haunting and emotive interpretation of the song that has made it a classic. In 2022, Light In The Attic released a split 7-inch as part of their Covers Series featuring Dalton’s famed rendition and a…
Club 8 | Self-Titled LP | Album Review
Club 8‘s self-titled LP is essentially quintessential Swedish indie pop of the early 2000s. The band was formed in 1995 by Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, both of whom had previously been in the Swedish indie pop band Poprace. Their self-titled album, Club 8, was released in 2001 predominantly on Labrador Records in their home…
B-Movie | Remembrance Day | 1987 Maxi Single Review
B-Movie was a post-punk band from Mansfield, England that formed in 1978. They gained popularity in the early 1980s with their catchy and danceable synth-driven tracks, creating memorable pop melodies with deep emotional resonance. “Remembrance Day” was one such track. Originally released in 1981 as a single, it appeared on their debut album Forever Running…