minty fresh records

The School: Let It Slip [Video]

Andy Fenstermaker
April 9, 2010April 9, 2010

The School is the latest band to debut on the beloved Minty Fresh label, and it’s easy to hear what attracted them to this band. Their style of pop is extremely uplifting, with tempestuously quick beats and the luscious beauty of 60s girl pop with back-up singers and instrumentation that’s as pleasant as a cool breeze in summer. The School takes the harmony vocals of The Pipettes and smooths out the rough edges, combining it with the melodic instrumentation of masters like Belle And Sebastian. “Let It Slip” is the title track off the band’s debut EP and the first single off their forthcoming LP Loveless Unbeliever. Their video for “Let It Slip” is a testament to the band’s dreamy pop. Read More »The School: Let It Slip [Video]

Drew Andrews: Suitcases, Bandages [mp3]

Andy Fenstermaker
December 7, 2009December 7, 2009

Drew Andrews comes from The Album Leaf fame, assisting Jimmy LaValle with dreamy pop that sifts between instrumentals and soft vocal melodies. You can hear select traces of that influence in the music Drew Andrews creates solo, albeit less dreamy and filled with more folk sensibilities. “Suitcases, Bandages” capitalizes on these traits yet finds Andrews pulling influence from his other group for a sound that is entirely pleasant, leading one to proclaim his ability to craft a genre that can only be dubbed as dream folk. Read More »Drew Andrews: Suitcases, Bandages [mp3]

The Orange Peels: We’re Gonna Make It [mp3]

Andy Fenstermaker
November 19, 2009November 17, 2009

In their extensive career, The Orange Peels have had many incarnations. Allen Clapp and Jill Pries have been the constants.… Read More »The Orange Peels: We’re Gonna Make It [mp3]

Chimes & Bells: Into Pieces Of Wood [Track Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 1, 2009October 19, 2009

If you listen closely, you’ll hear it. You may need to turn up the volume a trite, though. Throughout “Into Pieces Of Wood”, Danish solo project of Caecilie Trier (Choir Of Young Believers), Chimes & Bells is poised to explode. The tension is grating; it pulls at the soul. At the halfway point, the song begins its true build, and that’s where you hear it: a hint of experimental pop. It’s subtle, draped behind the epic powerful notes that are the basis of the song’s emotional anxiety, but it’s there. Read More »Chimes & Bells: Into Pieces Of Wood [Track Review]

Cocoon [Show Preview]

Andy Fenstermaker
August 31, 2009August 28, 2009

Cocoon

Typical show previews on FensePost list upcoming shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, often centered around Seattle. But this one is a bit different, as France’s Cocoon is playing two shows in the states, starting this week. Read More »Cocoon [Show Preview]

SOLDOUT: The Last Ride [pReview]

Andy Fenstermaker
April 15, 2009April 14, 2009

SOLDOUT

I’ve never been one to regret. Anything. To me, it’s pointless; after all, the compounding experiences of my past have all led me to become the person I am today. And I like me. Before I start sounding like a cheesy self-help novel, it should be noted that SOLDOUT, from Brussels, Belgium, often uses regret as inspiration, whether being a forsaken action or a future opportunity soon to be lost. Read More »SOLDOUT: The Last Ride [pReview]

Cocoon: On My Way [Video]

Andy Fenstermaker
March 13, 2009April 11, 2009

Cocoon

In true Minty Fresh fashion, Cocoon is a lovable pop group with folk leanings that writes incredibly catchy tunes. With the lyrical prowess of Elliott Smith and the blues-y vocal styling of an indie-pop rendition of Ben Harper, Cocoon is sure to win over a diverse crowd with their upcoming depressingly titled My Friends All Died In A Plane Crash. Read More »Cocoon: On My Way [Video]

Soy Un Caballo: Robin [Video]

Andy Fenstermaker
February 6, 2009April 11, 2009

I’ve been planning to write about La Blogoteque’s Take Away Show series, of which I’ve been familiar with for quite some time, since their early days. But I had a plan. It was this: cover the release of The Lovely Sparrows’ spin-off Take Away Show, filmed in Seattle. You see, I was present and thus there may be a Fense cameo. Cool. But then I stumbled upon Soy Un Caballo (MySpace) playing “Robin” and I just couldn’t resist. Read More »Soy Un Caballo: Robin [Video]

Beangrowers: Not In A Million Lovers [Video]

Andy Fenstermaker
January 25, 2009April 11, 2009

The video for â€œNot In A Million Loversâ€ is apparently an intimate portrait of Beangrowers (MySpace) frontwoman Alison Galea. The title itself marks a potential heartbreak and evokes an ellipsis: Not in a million loversâ€¦ what? It could go either way, but ultimately the romantic in me concludes the phrase as follows: Not in a million lovers will I find someone as great as you. Read More »Beangrowers: Not In A Million Lovers [Video]

Fugu: As Found [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
December 5, 2008April 13, 2009

Fugu

Written by Fense

I didn’t check out Fugu 1, the debut LP by Fugu, until well after its release. Featuring an impressive lineup of French and European pop artists, Fugu’s music is a blend of pop styles, from the upbeat to the softly melancholy. And, to continue the trend, I’m just now checking out Fugu’s latest. Read More »Fugu: As Found [Album Review]