none more twee

our new digs....

2010-08-17T08:48:00.000-04:00

To see more of the thrilling adventures of None More Twee, go to our new home...

the long hot summer mixtape

2010-07-14T23:56:00.005-04:00

Summer isn't all fun and games. Just as many hearts are broken in the sunshine as in the gloom of winter, just as many dreams are dashed poolside as they are under leafless tree branches, the heat of the sun and the heaviness of the air can conspire to make you as filled with melancholy as bitter cold and knee trembling winds can for sure. Hitting the beach is hard with a heavy heart, I know. Actually I don't. I've been hitting the pool like a maniac all summer; riding bikes with no hands, frolicking in the fields, and generally running wild. I can't really relate to all this melancholy I just mixed up! But for those of you who are being weighed down by summertime and need to disappear somewhere a little sad for awhile....here are some songs that know how you feel. The synths, slowly pulsing drum machines, achingly sad vocals and downbeat words are cold comfort to help beat the heat. Get the mix here.

The Style Council - "Long Hot Summer"

The Gist - "Love at First Sight"

Altered Images - "Love To Stay"

Roxy Music - "Same Old Scene"

Prefab Sprout - "We Let The Stars Go"

The Orchids - "Welcome to My Curious Heart"

The Go-Betweens - "Dive For Your Memory" (Live Radio Session)

It's a Musical - "Take Off Your T-Shirt"

the none more surf mixtape

2010-06-21T22:43:00.001-04:00

Why are you fooling around reading this? Grab your board and hit the waves. I don't care how landlocked you are, I don't care how non-surfery you might be...oh, wait.....is that a girl in a bikini over there......uh, like I was saying....hit the damn beach or at least pretend! It's summer, you're young, and the waves are breaking somewhere, right? Here's some hot instros, laid back jams, and harmonious crooners to get you in the right state of mind for an endless summer.

The Sunrays - "I Live For The Sun"

The Safaris - "Kick Out"

The City Surfers - "Beach Ball"

The Rip Chords - "Big Wednesday"

The Bobby Fuller Four - "Stringer"

Ronny & The Daytonas - "Beach Boy"

The Fantastic Baggies - "When Surfer's Rule"

Lloyd Thaxton - "Image Of A Surfer"

The Pyramids - "Pyramid's Stomp"

The Beach Boys - "Stoked"

The Irridescents - "Swamp Surfer"

The Sunsets - "My Little Beach Bunnie"

The Honeys - "Shoot The Curl"

The Galaxies - "On The Beach"

The Rotations - "Heavies"

Catch a WAVE!

crush band - the sonnets

2010-06-17T22:31:00.003-04:00

Advice to the Sonnets. You wanna be a yacht rock band, get a yacht! Film a video in which you play tennis and are photographed on said yacht. So far, so good. Don't write tunes that sound like Style Council minus the jazzy meandering. Don't come over like a less-tricky Prefab Sprout. Don't incorporate the bouncing beat of Northern Soul and the energy of early Dexy's onto your excellent new single. For heaven's sake, don't sound like Orlando!! You'll end up far too interesting to be considered a snoozy yacht rock revival band.

Here's the band's first single:

Here's their new single:

a break in the clouds: nmt's mixtape for june

2010-06-03T23:26:00.000-04:00

Ever since the final notes of the NYC Popfest faded, I've been feeling kind of blue. Happy because I saw a bunch of great bands, met some great people and generally felt about as at home in a crowd as I ever will. I even think the NMT DJ set went pretty well. Dropping in "Xanadu" was the highlight for me, you can't get much twee-er than that!

The only thing that's made me feel better is tracking down new music and discovering old stuff I slept on. Coming back to work and finding the excellent new Tender Trap album on my desk helped, so did listening to the Santa Maria (Maria from the Concretes solo project from a few years ago) disc I scored for a couple bucks at Other Music. Otherwise a bunch of reverb-y stuff, a great deep cut from the Allo Darlin' album (they were bonkers good at Popfest) and what might be White Shoes & the Couples Co.'s new single. If you're feeling it too, I hope this mix is like a little bit of sunshine or at least a break in the clouds...

Tender Trap - "Dansette, Dansette"

Allo Darlin'- "Woody Allen"

Zipper - "Visions"

Santa Maria - "Every Time"

The Young Sinclairs - "Up Against The Wall"

Wild Nothing - "O, Lilac"

Beach Fossils - "Vacation"

Spectrals - "Keep Your Magic Out of My House"

Blackhawks - "Indigo"

The Proper Ornaments - "Are You Going Blind?"

White Shoes & The Couples Company - "Kampus Kemarau"

Action Biker -" Smashing Time"

Get it HERE!

my teenage stride!

2010-05-29T12:42:00.001-04:00

Gee, these guys are pretty great. They were the surprise hit of Popfest for me. Sure they've been around for ages but that just makes me bummed for having slept on them. Sleeper, arise!!

gettin' ready, teen wolf style!!

2010-05-17T00:08:00.018-04:00

Here's a bunch of May jams presented in the ever popular mixtape format. New tracks, upcoming jams, a hott remix...a nice little batch that's sorta like what you might hear if you come to the NYC Popfest and catch me, Lil Tweezy, on the decks. I'm on Sunday for about an hour or so. Should be the highlight of everyone's weekend, right? Get the mix here!

Best Coast - "Far Away"
Tender Trap - "Girls With Guns"
Chin Chin - "Love Song"
Male Bonding - "Franklin"
*Memphis - "You Supply The Roses"
Onward Chariots - "Seven Miles Away"
Club 8 - "Shape Up!"
Au Revoir Simone - "Only You Can Make You Happy (PUNCHES Remix)"
Operator Please - "Back And Forth"
The Books - "Beautiful People"
Marsmobil - "Jane"
The Liminanas - "I'm Dead"
The Loves - "Sweet Sister Delia"
Mittens - "Deer Park Mirage"

*Memphis is James Kirk's post-Orange Juice band. I just dug up this song recently and it's such a lovely bit of pop music I just had to add it.

good times, great oldies: shoegaze edition

2010-04-28T22:20:00.003-04:00

Heavens above! The Charlottes were totally awesome. I totally forgot. Check "Liar" for proof and then see if you can track down the EP for maximum gazeage. (You can...)

Next up, Slowdive with "Alison." This song breaks my heart within the first 30 seconds, by the end I'm usually reduced to a puddle. These guys need to get on the reunion train, just so I can see them do this song super loud. I'll be the guy in the stripey shirt weeping...

We'll end this installment of GTGO with Moose and their total knock-out jam "Jack". These guys never got much respect from the gazers and I think it was because of their name. Not the best choice, lads. Anyway, they weren't this loud or drop dead brilliant for long. Their first couple EPs though, they could tear you to pieces. The guitar sound they get at the end of this song rivals anything K-Shields ever did.

march tweeness minimix

2010-03-30T00:20:00.033-04:00

I made this mix last week but forgot to post it. It's just a bunch of cool slamma jammas from March. Here's the 30-second breakdown on each team before the action starts:

Free Energy - "Light Love" (Total good time, half-shirt Rock & Roll swagger fronted by SM's little brah.)

The Apples In Stereo - "Dance Floor" (After 32 years in the biz, the Apples finally got around to updating Xanadu. Their upcoming album is going to surprise some people.)

Club 8 - "My Pessimistic Heart" (Club 8 records always sound about the same. The People's Record sounds different. Very different, very West African and percussive. I think I like it alot.)

Love Is All - "Never Now" (Predictably great, insightful, and lovely sounds from Love is All's predictably great, insightful and lovely new LP.)

Standard Fare - "Nuit Avec Une Ami" (These guys sound like Small Factory and Papas Fritas and the Wedding Present all mashed together. If you are old like me, these words might actually signify something amazing!)

The Go Find - "It's Automatic" (It could have gone all NPR coffeetable but somehow it doesn't. Could be the synths, maybe it's just a hella good song.)

Walter Schreifels - "Arthur Lee's Lullaby" (I could listen to good ol' Walter sing just about anything and I'd be thrilled, this is a nice folk pop tune with all the wit and warmth of a mid-period Dylan who didn't suck.)

Meow Meow! - "I Wonder What Went Wrong" (Meow Meow!? Really?!? Who signed off on that? Too bad the name dooms them to a life of being written about by losers like me because they are actually quite good. They also sound like Small Factory and Papas Fritas - what the heck is going on!?)

A Smile and a Ribbon - "Den Lille Havfrue" (Ultra-cute group with lots of ultra-cute songs. This one sounds like a lost Pet Clark single. Don't you love it when someone says "lost single"? It really makes it seem like there's something exclusive and wonderful going on. It's one of the tricks of the trade - feel free to use it sometime.)

Cults - "Most Wanted" (Actual music writers seems to think these guys are good. I threw them on here to make it seem like I knew what I was doing for a change. Their murky GG stylings are nice.)

Get the mix here!

malt shop melancholy: a 50s/60s tweepop mixtape

2010-03-16T09:40:00.012-04:00

C86 was not the beginning of twee, Stephen Pastel wasn't the first guy to mumble into a microphone, and the Shop Assistants weren't the first semi-competent girl band to cause hearts to flutter. It goes back way further than that. Probably the first time a caveman did something like throw a rock at a dinosaur thereby causing all the female cavemen to ooh and aah, there was another guy sitting around in a sweater with too-long sleeves feeling melancholy because the girls didn't notice him. There must be some cave paintings of girls in Hepburn bangs too, a version of "Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" scored for sabertooth tiger bones and coconut shells, or maybe a caveman who used his record label's name for his surname. Jumping ahead to the late 1950s and early 60s, there was a whole bunch of ultra-twee pop music around. Mistakenly derided as the lamest period of rock & roll history by a succession of music critic fools and tools, a good look at what was really going on after the first wave of rock & roll washed out and before the Beatles came around to wreck everything, reveals a ton of brilliant and ridiculous malt shop pop. Sure, a lot of it may sound pretty vanilla on the surface, (and a lot of it is truly terrible) but if you spend anytime at all digging around, you'll find some great songs buried beneath the dust, songs filled with weirdness, heartbreak, and plenty of twee soul. I mean what could be more twee than eating a sad hamburger alone, crying bitter tears into your milkshake, right? (Poor Ricky.) No date from the prom, a lonely night spent waiting for a call, a day spent under the spell of new love (doomed) with a dreamy boy preferably named Johnny...it's all pretty damn twee and pretty wonderful too. Please enjoy this small sampling of songs from the dawn of twee pop.

Malt Shop Melancholy

Earl Jean - "I'm Into Something"

The Four Coquettes - "Sparkle and Shine"

The Georgettes - "Oh Tonight"

Rick Nelson - "Fools Rush In"

Andrea Carroll - "It Hurts To Be Sixteen"

Shelley Fabares - "Telephone (Won't You Ring)"

The Starlettes - "Please Ring My Phone"

The Sensations - "Please Mr. Disc Jockey"

Carole King - "Crying In The Rain"

Del Shannon - "That's The Way Love Is"

Gloria Dennis - "Richie"

Paul Petersen - "Mama, Your Little Boy Fell"

The Paris Sisters - "Be My Boy"

The Everly Brothers - "Always It's You"

reasons to love nyc popfest: the wake

2010-03-10T20:44:00.000-05:00

What good would a festival be without a reunion? I suppose you could try but no matter how amazing the bands all were, some joker would say "yeah, but why didn't they get so and so to do a reunion show". That joker may be reading these very words. Heck, he might even be writing them. I suppose when it was all over I would have lamented the lack of a Shop Assistants or Flatmates reunion. Ooh, wait!! Jesse Garon & the Desperadoes!! SOMEONE MAKE THAT HAPPEN!! Oh well...The Wake is pretty great though, and I'm super stoked to see them. They made some really good records for Sarah, they were weird and never compromised, they recorded for Factory, they are working on a new album! Sure, Bobby Gillespie was in the band for awhile but we won't hold that against them. I liked them best just as they were outgrowing their New Order fixation and heading in a poppier, lusher direction. The four tracks below come from their finest moment as a band, 1987's Something That No-One Else Could Bring ep on Factory. Factory 178 to be precise.

If they play any one of these songs, I'll be walking on air. If not, I'll be happy anyway. Let's just thank our lucky stars it's not a Cud reunion!

reasons to love nyc popfest: amelia fletcher

2010-03-03T23:01:00.002-05:00

Reason #9 why the NYC Popfest is going to be awesmoe this year is simple. Amelia Fletcher is going to be there with the Tender Trap. For longer than many of us would care to think about, Amelia has been the voice of indie pop. Whether as part of Talulah Gosh, singing backups for the Wedding Present, the Pooh Sticks and Hefner, or leading her own bands Marine Research, the Tender Trap and Heavenly, the band who (along with the Orchids) soundtracked many of my happiest moments in the early 90s, her voice, her image, her toughness and her unerring ability to craft great pop songs has been nothing short of inspirational. I saw her about six zillion years ago with the Pooh Sticks, singing backup, throwing candy to the crowd, and writing on Hue's chest with lipstick but this is the first time I'll be able to see her singing her own songs. I'll be the guy down front in the striped shirt and the moony expression....oh wait, that's surely no help at all! We'll all be down there dressed to cuddle, right guys? To celebrate Amelia's awesmoeness, I put together a little mix of a bunch of her finest moments. Stick around for the last track to experience Amelia's alternate universe attempt to become Kylie. Call me nuts but it may be the best thing she's ever done.

None More Twee's Amelia Fletcher Mixtape

Heavenly - "Starshy"

Talulah Gosh - "I Can't Get No Satisfaction (Thank God)"

Marine Research - "Parallel Horizontal"

Tender Trap - "Oh Katrina"

Heavenly - "Modestic"

Hefner - "Good Fruit"

The Pooh Sticks - "Sweet Baby James"

Heavenly - "C Is The Heavenly Option"

Heavenly - "Over And Over"

The 6ths - "Looking for Love (in the Hall of Mirrors)"

The Tender Trap - "Talking Backwards"

Heavenly - "Nous Ne Sommes Pas Des Anges"

Amelia Fletcher - "Wrap My Arms Around Him"

As a bonus here's the 12" mix of "Can You Keep A Secret?", the other song from Amelia's spectacularly short career as a disco dolly.

nyc popfest 2010 - the embassy

2010-03-01T00:29:00.007-05:00

Okay, we are totally stoked about the NYC Popfest this year. Here's Reason #10. Though they don't get the same amount of hype other groups get, the Embassy are one of the finest Swedish synth pop bands around. They've been peddling their warmly synthetic update on the sound of the Field Mice for like a decade now and they will be a highlight of the weekend for sure! Here's a video from the their 2002 album Futile Crimes:

Here's their excellent single from 2009:
"You Tend to Forget."

none more twee winter warm up mix

2010-02-23T00:14:00.014-05:00

When we're not busy being super ultra-twee here at NMT, we like to pretend we're disc jockeys. You know, those rad individuals in nite clubs who wear headphones, spin records and make the girls and boys go all wobbly with joy when they formulate a perfect mix. Kinda like Alan Freed or Corny Collins...oh, well maybe not that cool. And really it would never work out, I mean, what club would want a dj who starts off a set with Au Revoir Simone covering Rod Stewart and ends with a Murdermore remix of Kells? Only the best club of ever, right? Well, I may not be behind the decks with the lights flashing and bass bumping (pajamas, tiny computer speakers) but I can dream about it... This is an imaginary mix for a cold as ice night - hope it warms you up some.

Au Revoir Simone - "Young Turks" (The Disco Pusher Remix)

Cloetta Paris - "Already Missing You"

PNAU - "Baby" (Breakbot vs. PNAU)

Hellogoodbye - "Here (In Your Arms)" (Young Americans Remix)

Blake Lewis - "Heartbreak On Vinyl" (LA Riots Radio Edit)

The Requesters - "Step By Step" (New Kids On The Block Cover)

Tim & Jean - "Come Around"

Private - "My Secret Lover" (Lifelike Remix)

Justin Timberlake - "My Love" (Diplo Remix)

Bounce Camp = Let You Go" RMX

R. Kelly - "Bump n Grind" (Filthy Jerks Remix)

DISCOMIX

lucky soul - white russian doll

2010-02-14T21:11:00.001-05:00

nmt's winter wonderjamz on ice

2010-02-09T22:50:00.000-05:00

Who's ready for more great indie pop? I thought so. This year is picking up right where last year left off with all kinds of wonderful music. I'm particularly excited by the superduper sweetie pie sounds of the unfortunately named Allo Darlin' (pic. above), the dream-like feel of Pill Wonder's ballad, the lovely harmonies and soaring chorus of Sad Day for Puppets' (what is it with these awful names?) song, and the trio of shimmery, glittertwee dance tracks that close out the mix. The more eagle-eyed among you may recognize the one track that doesn't fit with the other fresh, new wonders. I just discovered the ramshackle goodness of Rough Bunnies very recently and wanted to toss them in there just in case you hadn't heard them yet. They're really good! Enjoy the mix and hold on tight because the rest of 2010 is going to be awesome!!

Veronica Falls - "Starry Eyes"

The Drums - "I Felt Stupid"

Allo Darlin' - "The Polaroid Song"

The Berndt - "Hurried Feathers"

Two Door Cinema Club - "Do You Want It All"

French Kissing - "Oh Suzanne"

Beach Fossils - "Daydream "

The Girls at Dawn - "I'm Not Sad"

Rough Bunnies - "Dance With Your Shadow"

Fred Thomas - "Skeletons Join Hands"

Warm Morning - "I'll Be Fine"

Pill Wonder - "Restless"

Sad Day for Puppets - "Again"

Burning Hearts - "Night Animal"

Cinnamon Chasers - "The World Is Yours"

The Tremulance - "Fall In Love With Me, and I'll Have You Dancing The Rest Of Your Life"

College feat Electric Youth - "A Real Hero (Paul Remix)"

Wonderjamz HERE!

the bubblepunksoul dance party

2010-01-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

Slumberland Records is one of our all time favorite labels here at NMT. Starting with Black Tambourine many, many years ago and going all the way up to the new groups like Pants Yell! and Brilliant Colors, they have been nothing less than a trademark of quality throughout their epic run. So imagine how cool it was when Mike asked me (well, more like said okay when I begged him) to contribute a podcast on their website. I spent months trying to get it just right and then in a fit of desperation just went wild and threw together a bunch my favorite bubblegum jams, novelty soul stompers and rockers of all stripes. (Of course, there's some Tommy Roe too.) Get the mix here!

Make sure you keep up with the label in 2010. There's all kinds of mad nonsense brewing, including a Black Tambourine reissue that looks and sounds truly beautiful. Also new records by the Lodger, Brown Recluse and a reissue of Chin Chin's Sound of the Westway album.

slept-on bands of 2009: the very most

2010-01-26T23:06:00.001-05:00

The Very Most are a group made up of six really friendly looking lads and lasses from Boise, Idaho who play some seriously catchy and sweet indie pop. Think Bicycles, Bikeride or a jumped up Ladybug Transistor for easy one-stop comparisons to get the ball rolling. They spent last year recording EPs for every season, one for spring, one for summer...you get the picture. Each one did a marvelous job of capturing the spirit and feel of the season - take a listen to this song for an instant jolt of that feeling you get on the first warm day of the spring.

"Today it Is Even Better"

The band and Irish pop label Indiecator have compiled all the EPs into a document that already looks like a serious contender for 2010 break-out status. Sleeper awaken and go pick up A Year With The Very Most for yourself!

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tim's favorite album of the 2000's

2010-01-22T00:27:00.001-05:00

Saturday Looks Good to Me - All Your Summer Songs.

Everything else was in the race for second place, because this album is far above anything else for me. I love the emotion that fills the songs like sunshine on a cool day, the Girl Group and Motown sounds that Fred (and Warren) seemingly conjured out of thin air, the range of voices and instruments that take the songs from joy to heartbreak and back. . It's really quite breathtaking and powerful. And a lot sadder than the group gets credit for. There's always the conception that they were a goodtime happy fun band and while there are elements of that going on, these songs cry real tears and spill real blood. I don't think I'm overstating it at all. Just take a listen to this tune and see if you can help getting choked up a bit.

"Typing"

Every song on the album has some meaning for me, some have even been the soundtrack to important moments in my life as corny as that sounds. And yeah, it's true that I've known Fred forever but this record stands apart from all that. It would be just as important to me as a record even if fred were the biggest asshole in town instead of the biggest sweetheart. Just to convince you, I'm going to spill a little secret. I was actually going to sing a track on the record but when the time came to do it, I fucked it up so badly that he had no choice but to ask someone else (Matthew Smith of Outrageous Cherry) to take my place. So really, I should hate Summer Songs out of spite as opposed to it being one of the records I would run back to save if my house was on fire. I wish I had a copy of me singing it because it's so bad, but here's Matt instead. He did a pretty good job...

"No Good With Secrets"

And now because you've listened to me ramble on and on, you get a little treat. Here's an alternate mix of the single most devastating track on the album

"All Our Summer Songs"

The rest of my top ten:
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent Jens
J Dilla - Donuts
Bella - No One Will Know
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
Love is All - Nine Times The Same Song
The Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic
The Legends - Up Against the Legends
Daft Punk - Discovery

this will be our year! songs by gigi, burning hearts & sambassadeur

2010-01-13T22:46:00.001-05:00

So I mentioned last time that 2010 was looking real good for us fans of indie pop, now I'd like to back that statement up with some concrete-solid proof. First of all we have Sambassadeur. Their new album European is out on Feb 24 and it's really good. Super smooth and glossy, but with a fragile tenderness underneath, I've already fallen pretty deeply in love with it. The first single "Days" has been out for awhile but thanks to Johan at Labrador, I have another song to share with you. Please listen to the lovely sounds of the band now and buy the record in a few weeks.

Sambassadeur - I Can Try

Next up, we have Burning Hearts. They were responsible for one of my favorite albums of last year Aboa Sleeping. I loved their mix of icy synth pop, warmly detached vocals and heartbreakingly sincere melodies, and listened to the record non-stop for about a month. I'm super stoked that they aren't just some fly-by-night project and have committed themselves to releasing more jams, especially when they are as nice as this one. I'm hardly one to advocate hard work and dedication but in this case, I make an exception. I want these guys to gut it out and get another album out this year. Forget your lives and loves, just make me happy!

Burning Hearts - Night Animal

This last song is almost too awesmoe to write about. See, Nick of No Kids along with producer Colin Stewart started up this project called Gigi (as in GG, short for Girl Group?) because they got ahold of an old reverb plate thinger and decided it would make sense to make an authentic sounding girl group-style record. They roped in a bunch of interesting people to sing like Owen Pallett, Mirah and Karl Blau, sort of like the 6ths but with no synthesizers and on a shoestring potato budget. So far so good, right? Well, hold on to something because I left off a name. There's no way to prepare you for the shock so I'll just spill it....ROSE MELBERG SINGING A GIRL GROUP SONG!!! This has been a dream of mine ever since Tiger Trap days and it's finally come true. I think it worked out really well too; great song, great performance. Rose is just a total sweetheart as usual and this time gives it a little more soul than you might expect! I'm going to be a pal and give you the song now, please do yourself a favor and get the whole record when it comes out on Jan 26. It's really good....

Gigi w/Rose Melberg - Alone at the Pier

the twee pop soul of 2009, pt. III

2010-01-10T00:56:00.001-05:00

Hey gang! Hope you're ready for one last mix of 2009 jams before we get cracking on what promises to be another brilliant year for indie pop. I've heard some stuff already that is going to knock your socks off! Though there's plenty of super twee stuff like Sea Lions (pic above - I hope they're doing a cover of "King Tut".) included, this mix is a little more wide-ranging than the last two, dipping into some noisier stuff as well as some disco-y jams, mostly from Sweden. I somehow managed to resist the urge to throw on a track from The-Dream's amazing album Love vs. Money. I mean, you should totally check it out if you love slick and smooth R&B with lots of weird harmonies and hooks, but it's not really very indie pop. Maybe I need to start an R&B blog I rarely post to....nah, one blog I rarely post to is enough, right? Anyway, please enoy this mix and stick around all year for the indie pop goodness.

The Crêpes - "What Else?"
Title Tracks - "Every Little Bit Hurts"
The Bicycles - "It's A Good Thing"
Sea Lions - "Good Feeling"
The Fresh & Onlys - "I'm Gonna Be Your Elevator"
Fergus & Geronimo - "Powerful Lovin'"
Spectrals - "Leave Me Be"
Strawberry Whiplash - Picture Perfect"
Cloetta Paris - "Cry Just A Little Bit"
jj - From Africa to Málaga
Au Revoir Simone - "Another Likely Story (Aeroplane Remix)"
We & Lisa - "I Am You"
The Sound Of Arrows - Into The Clouds
Air France - "GBG Belongs To Us"
Delorean - "Deli"
In Interview - "I Confess"

mix it up here!

crush bands of 2009 - arthur and martha

2010-01-05T19:38:00.003-05:00

Arthur and Martha were a nice find this year. Their album Navigation is a poppy, synthtastic delight that probably should have made my 2009 Top 20 list. It definitely makes the hindsight Top 20. Arthur (not his real name) used to be in this band called Saloon, maybe you remember them. They were pretty good but stuck a little too close to the Stereolab formula of synth pop. With A&M, he and Martha (not her real name either) toss all the warmth and groove out the nearest window and turn up the AC full blast. The melodies are wrapped in chilly synths, the vocals are delivered with calm precision, and the beats are nicely robotic. More Human League, less Neu. More pop, less experimental. And though the surfaces are frozen, there is a robot heart beating underneath. Mine skipped a beat or two the first time I heard the album. Well, not really but kinda sorta. Buy the album at Happy Robots after you check out this excellent track: "Turn to Dust"

the twee pop soul of 2009, pt. 2: the more none more twee mixtape

2009-12-31T23:00:00.002-05:00

Part two of the NMT's looking back at 2009 mixtape is filled with the same kind of sweet goodness that reminds me of why I like pop music, indie pop of this nature specifically. Every song here has the kind of hooks, tunes and melodies that make for great pop, but there is an underlying warmth and soul to them that you might not find quite so easily elsewhere. I don't say this to be some kind of indie pop elitist, I mean Drake's So Far Gone is probably my favortite record of the year, for pete's sake. I really just say it because when I listened to each one of these songs for the first (and tenth) time I was both flooded with nostalgia and overwhelmed with that new love feeling all at once. It's a weird but totally awesmoe sensation, and it's something I'll keep chasing until the end. I hope you find something here that gives you that same kind of feeling. If not, maybe you'll like something on Vol. 3.....

The Brunettes - "Red Rollerskates"
Lake Heartbeat - "Mystery"
Fitness Forever - "Monica"
Pants Yell! -"Someone Loves You"
Tender Trap - "Fireworks"
The Pocketbooks - "Footsteps"
The Drums - "Let's Go Surfing"
Veronica Falls - "Found Love in a Graveyard"
Lacrosse - "We Are Kids"
The Blanche Hudson Weekend - "Crying Shame"
The Voluntary Butler Scheme - "FFFoolish"
Internet Forever - "Break Bones"
The Pastels & Tenniscoats - "Boats"
The Crayon Fields - "All the Pleasures of the World"
The Online Romance - "Ladybug, Don't Smile"

Pants Yell! are so excited that you can DL it here!

the twee pop soul of 2009, pt. 1: the none more twee mixtape

2009-11-18T22:01:00.008-05:00

It's getting near the end of the year and looking back, I realize it's been a very good year for indie pop. AGAIN! Seems like a good time to put a playlist together of some of the songs that made me catch my breath, lose my shit, and totally go crushy like a silly kid. From the smoothed out sounds of the Clientele and Giorgio Tuma to the fuzzed sugar of Big Troubles, the precisely arranged loveliness of Lucky Soul to the ramshackle preciousness of Get Back Guinozzi!, these songs are the soundtrack to my 2009. Well, part one of it anyway.

The Magic Kids - "Hey Boy"
Afternoon Naps - "Catholic School"
Lucky Soul - "Whoa Billy
Al, Marc & Sandy - "Mike"
Cola Jet Set - "El Sueño de mi Vida"
Giorgio Tuma - "Let's Make the Stevens Cake!!!
Summer Cats - "In June"
Burning Hearts - "I Lost My Colour Vision"
Big Troubles - "Freudian Slips"
Bricolage - "Turn U Over"
The Clientele - "I Wonder Who We Are"
Sambassadeur - "Days"
Camera Obscura - "French Navy" (live on BBC 6 Music)
Get Back Guinozzi - "Where Are You"
Liechtenstein - "Postcard"

Get the mix HERE!

second summer jamz: cineplexx - mejor (copacabana mix)

2009-11-08T15:08:00.003-05:00

The temp is balmy today and I'm in the mood for some laid back and lovely la la las's. Thanks to Spain's excellent Cineplexx, I was able to find exactly the right thing. This track comes from a recent collection of tracks released by Cherry Red called Nuevahola. I need to track it down ASAP!

warding off the cold with sweetheart autumn jams

2009-10-14T19:55:00.009-04:00

I don't know about you but round here the leaves are turned all shades of red and seem about ready to plunge to earth. The nights are getting colder, the wind is starting to bite and the sun isn't doing much of that warming thing we like so well. I guess once the leaves fall and we can go crunching through them hand in hand, then we'll have something good to report. Until then how about some perfectly autumnal songs to warm our hearts and extremities.

Safe Home - "Me & the Bees"
I know of no song more qualified to raise lowered temperatures just enough to gently melt the oncoming frost than the Softies' "Me & the Bees" and this cover by Safe Home (who used to be half of the Nightblooms) almost, almost, almost tops the original.

The Young Tradition - "California Morning"
This stunningly rich and toasty warm song is heated up by liberal use of 12-string guitars and the sweet vocals of Brent Kenji (who was in the much-missed Fairways.) Dude could sing just about anything and make it sound like birds and angels and stuff, when he has a tune this good it's pretty magical.

The Orange Peels - "California Blue"
I guess the cold has me longing for someplace warm like California. Or at least a track that sounds like the early 2000's US equivalent of Prefab Sprout or the Trashcan Sinatras. This record it comes from (Circling the Sun) is probably the highlight of Allen Clapp's long career as an indie popper. He's done plenty of cool stuff so that means it's a good, good record.

The Autumn Defense - "The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)"
The best defense against autumn is a good offense. Try swelling strings, the drums from "Everybody's Talking", a voice as inviting as that dude out of America who didn't sound like Neil Young, and heartstring-plucking vocal harmonies. (Man, you have to have vocal harmonies! Don't forget!!) If you do it all just right like these guys did, you just might make it, Cookie.

Richard Davies - "Stars"
He was one half of Cardinal, leader of the Moles, made some really fine solo albums for Sub Pop and Kindercore and now he's doing nothing as far as i can tell. Sucks big time - I miss you RD! This lovely song has the kind of chorus that makes your throat swell up a little the first time you hear it, so simple (just the word "stars" repeated over and over) but so powerful. Most of his stuff was a little off-kilter and for lack of a better word "psychedelic" (geez, I feel like a tool for having just said that...) but this cuts through the weirdness and kicks you in the heart.

Note: Songs not sold separately - Must be DL'd in a bunch here.

#1 none more summer jam

2009-09-15T19:52:00.001-04:00

more summer jams of summer

2009-09-02T22:14:00.008-04:00

Summer is feeling pretty over. For example, saw my breath last night when I was out walking around. Dammit! I'm not ready for autumn jams of the autumn yet. Are you? Let's pretend the summer will never end. Let's pretend the sun will warm our golden skin and bleach our hair blond all year round. Let's pretend the jangle and chirp of summer jams will ring in our ears forever. Let's rock it out (gently) one last time for the sun, the heat and the carefree nonsense of summer before the chill of autumn turns our blood to icy tears.

The Crêpes - "What Else"

Jim Reid & Sister Vanilla - "Song for a Secret"

Toro Y Moi - "Blessa"

Rubies - "Diamonds on Fire" (Pyramid Dub Version by Sorcerer)

beauty jamz

2009-08-28T13:20:00.003-04:00

(cross-posted from start small)

Summer is ending and it is wonderful. Hop in a canoe and fly a kite...but before you do, strap this nifty tune by Strega to your lugs.

Strega are a sweet little indie pop group from New York. Naturally! I mean, really, would I post anything other than pop perfection?

(A: No, I would not.)

They sound like candy flowers and circus peanuts and teenage anticipation. Summer is ending and we are all about it, yes!

mp3: Strega: You Will Kiss Her

none more summer playlist

2009-08-24T21:52:00.012-04:00

Summer has been a non-stop blast around NMT headquarters this year. I just haven't felt the need to break up the fun by posting anything. Until now, I guess. See, I've been collecting a decent sized archive of summer jams of the pop variety this year and I think it's only fair to make sure both of you have heard the best of them. Plz mix and match with your favorite cool beverage while partaking in a friendly game of croquet.

Lake Heartbeat - "Mystery"

Al, Marc & Sandy - "Mike"

The Crayon Fields - "All the Pleasures of the World"

Computer Perfection - "Able Archer"

The Online Romance - "Ladybug, Don't Smile"

The Magic Kids - "Good to Me"

Lacrosse - "We Are Kids"

summer jams of 1989: flipper's guitar - "happy like a honeybee"

2009-07-11T18:59:00.002-04:00

juniper moon - sólo una sonrisa

2009-07-01T21:45:00.002-04:00

old skool Elefant is teh titz!

fitness forever - mondo fitness

2009-06-20T12:14:00.003-04:00

ELEFANT!!! VALDERRAMA!!! FITNESS!!! It's all coming together this summer in a big way!!!

ever heard of los fresones rebeldes?

2009-06-12T17:52:00.004-04:00

I hadn't! (Margaret had though. She made the thrilling initial discovery!) They are really good. I guess their guitar player is now in Cola Jet Set, which is probably why that band is so good! Here's a couple videos by this lost and lamented Spanish pop band:

Hear more here!

the lodger - i think i need you

2009-05-27T21:13:00.003-04:00

smart looking lads and lass making smart pop jams. what could be better?

from new single on Elefant.

cola jet set - el sueño de mi vida

2009-05-15T07:39:00.003-04:00

beach party?

2009-04-05T22:22:00.004-04:00

Every time I get to thinking that there could never be a girl group-y sounding song I couldn't love, I remember Donna Loren's cringe-inducing "It Only Hurts When I Cry" from that cinematic masterpiece Beach Blanket Bingo. Sheesh, it's so bad it even made Deadhead cry..oh, wait, he's chopping onions! Hilarious....

Can it please be summer soon?

weekend - summerdays & woman's eyes

2009-03-26T14:26:00.003-04:00

Alison Statton! So good, so sweet. Listening to "Summerdays" is like drinking a tall glass of sunshine. No, it's more like taking an orange, slicing it in half and squeezing it directly into your face. Hmm, would that even be pleasurable?

Go here for more on Alison.

camera obscura - let's get out of this country

2009-03-17T21:23:00.006-04:00

Now this is how you make a video! No make-up, no models, no locales. Just the band being sweet and simple. Nice shots of their gear, Tracyanne looks great, lovely luggage too. I want to be in this band!!

Of course, I'm still super stoked for the new album. Despite the not awesome nature of the "French Navy" video, it's still a beautiful song. That part where she sings"ooh" in the middle makes my knees all weak.

friday night giddy as ducks quick mix

2009-03-06T21:39:00.004-05:00

Big Audio Dynamite - "Rush"
YMCK - "Starlight"
La Casa Azul - "Cerca De Shibuya"
Air France - "Collapsing at Your Doorstep"
The Avalanches - "A Different Feeling" (Paperclip People Remix)
Checkmate - "Disco Groove"
Exile - "Your Summer Song"
Rubies - "I Feel Electric"

or here.

sunday night deep cutz dance party

2009-03-01T21:41:00.009-05:00

It may not be the best night of the week for a dance party but sometimes you have to just say funkit up, junkit up, and dance, girl!

Alvin Stardust - "My Coo Ca Choo"
Hacienda - "She's Got a Hold on Me"
The Voluntary Butler Scheme - "FFFoolish"
The Nitty Sextette - "Nitty Boo Boo"
Higamos Hogamos - "B'aby"
Thieves Like Us - "Drugs In My Body"
Jens Lekman - "Sipping On The Sweet Nectar (Bogdan Irkük's Love Nectar Mix)"
Glass Candy - "Geto Boys"

Or junkit .

my little pony - skipping down the street

2009-02-23T18:09:00.003-05:00

glock rockers unite!

My Little Pony - Skipping Down the Street

yeah, I got busted...

sunday morning disco jamz

2009-02-22T11:57:00.006-05:00

How about some laid-back sunday morning disco jamz for the whole crew?

Donny Osmond - I Can't Put My Finger On It
Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Double On Back
Universal Robot Band - Dance and Shake Your Tamborine
The Cansecos - Raised by Wolves
Lou Courtney - What Do You Want Me to Do
Rainbow Team - Dreaming
Weldon Irvine - We Gettin' Down
Diego Bernal - Velcro Flow

the shop assistants - i don't want to be friends with you

2009-02-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

Hey Vivian Girls - call me when you have a song this awesmoe.

pastel collision - wherever you go, take me with you

2009-02-12T22:27:00.004-05:00

This long distance dedication goes out to my sweetheart. Save a valentine kiss for me!

I totally forgot about Pastel Collision. They aren't half bad.

quick mix - sisters are forever

2009-01-27T17:40:00.017-05:00

This quick mix goes out to all the ladies here tonight! We've been batting some pretty heavy theory around today at NMT (like kittens and a ball of yarn we are) but when it comes down to it, it's all about the music for me. Not the branding, the genre-fication or the marketing plan. None of that silly junk! It only matters that the singer and song join together perfectly in that amazing way that can melt you from a mile away. These singers and these songs do the trick quite nicely. I can almost feel my fingers for the first time all day even!

Bobby Baby - "Bobby"
Camera Obscura - "Last Song"
Aislers Set - "Long Division (Peel Session)"
Wendy & Bonnie - "You Keep Hanging Up on My Mind"
The Nightblooms - "Never Dream At All"
The Royalettes - "Blue Summer"
A Sunny Day In Glasgow - "Hugs & Kisses (Theme From A Sunny Day In Glasgow)"
El Perro Del Mar - "Somebody's Baby"

the songs that made me twee: nrbq - i want you bad

2009-01-20T00:30:00.008-05:00

NRBQ is a very weird band and my feelings about them are complicated. Sometimes they bug me because they are so jazz-y and out to lunch, sometimes they leave me cold because they have chops. Geez, chops are the worst! Once in a great while though, they pull the most amazing sweetheart pop songs out of their wigs and it makes me think that they could have been one of the great pop bands ever if they had been content to stay away from the outer space jazz and down home boogie. "I Want You Bad" is the song that makes me love them, misgivings and all. The melody is so warm, the vocals so yearning and heartbreakingly open-hearted that even the very clever guitar solos don't spoil the party. I wish there was a video of them doing the song in their hairy, scary heyday of the mid-70's. The best I can do is to ask you to please listen to this song, it'll put a smile on your face and calm your midnight fever. It's working wonders for me right now...

sweetheart mp3's: the motifs, mapc

2009-01-13T10:28:00.001-05:00

(cross-posted from start small)

Please become a fan of the Motifs. I have a feeling that they need more listeners stateside. They sound like a gentle mish-mash of the Pastels, Birdie, the Owls, and the Charade. Something like that. Breezy Australian pop for frosty nights and summertime hearts:

(mp3) Diagonal -- The Motifs

(mp3) Tell Me More -- The Motifs

(mp3) Backwards -- The Motifs

My love for the Math and Physics Club is as pure as the driven snow. It is my contention that "April Showers" is one of their best songs ever. You'll have to visit the band's MySpace profile in order to hear it, however. Enjoy this stuff in the meantime:

(mp3) Darling Please Come Home -- Math and Physics Club

(mp3) Baby I'm Yours -- Math and Physics Club

betty and the werewolves - euston station

2009-01-06T15:04:00.010-05:00

Betty and the Werewolves have got a lot going for them
Great band name. Great fashion sense. Great record label. Great song that makes me think of a cuddly Comet Gain or a brasher Lung Leg. In other words...pure awesmoeness! The video is pretty hott stuff too.

jamz of 2008: the lodger - good old days

2008-12-24T10:52:00.002-05:00

"Good Old Days" has the kind of sprightly and angular sound that Orange Juice pretty much invented back in 1980. The bright and peppy sound of the song is at direct odds with the sentiments of the lyrics which makes it perfect for dancing with tears in your eyes. It's one of the few OJ-inspired songs I would actually want to hear Edwyn sing, one of the few that doesn't make me want to instantly switch to listening to "Blue Boy" instead. The Lodger's album Life is Sweet is pretty good too.

Speaking of Edwyn this was one of the more heartwarming things I saw all year. The man himself and Roddy Frame performing "Blue Boy" in front of a crowd that sadly didn't include me.

jamz of 2008: the school - let it slip

2008-12-23T18:22:00.005-05:00

The School take the whole girl group revival thing and don't stink it up by pretending to actually be a girl group (hello, Pipettes!), instead they take the GG sound and give it some guts and punky perkiness. Plus vocalist Liz has a voice with plenty of melancholy soul and absolutely no annoying look how soulfully I can sing nonsense (hello, Duffy!). "Let it Slip" is brilliantly sad yet still perfectly danceable and reminds me of the Comet Gain (yes, them again - sorry) songs that Sara would sing. Hopefully plans are afoot for a full-length album in 2009 - I'm already saving a spot on my 2009 t-ten list for it.

tim's top ten album jamz of 08

2008-12-10T13:17:00.009-05:00

Hey, how'd you like to hear one song each from my favorite albums of 2008? Totally random order, totally awesome jamz.

Times New Viking – (My Head) from Rip It Off
Koushik – "Bright and Shining" from Out My Window
Serpentina – "Descalzos Por El Parque" from Planeando en tu Azotea
Cut Copy – "Eternity One Night Only" from In Ghost Colours
Grouper – "Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping" from Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
The Ettes - "I Get Mine" from Look at Life Again Soon
Minisnap – "Innocent" from Bounce Around
Love is All - "New Beginnings" from A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night
No Age - "Sleeper Hold" from Nouns
Los Campesinos! – "Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks" from Hold On Now, Youngster…

Download them all here -
tim's tt album jamz of 2008

And come back later for Tim's TT Jamz of 08. Can't hardly wait, can you?

comet gain - love without lies

2008-12-09T17:26:00.002-05:00

Comet Gain. Are they my favorite band? Yeah, sometimes. I like to take the rough with the smooch and that's the way they prefer to deliver the goods pretty much all the time. "Love Without Lies" is their new single and it features on their new album of new songs and old stray tracks. It's called Broken Record Prayers and it's going to be my soundtrack for the first half of 2009.

the clientele - we could walk together

2008-11-14T14:45:00.003-05:00

OMG - I love the Clientele. It's gloomy and rainy today, I'm totally stressed and it's looking like a long weekend coming up with nothing to do. One listen to this song and it's all okay for 2:28. I like the sentiment in this song too. In fact, this one goes out to Margaret.

love is all - wishing well

2008-11-03T17:13:00.006-05:00

Are you as excited as I am that the new Love is All record called A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night is out next Tuesday (11/11)? I am stoked, psyched and generally all atwitter! I've heard it and it's 100% as good as Nine Tines That Same Song. A little cleaner but still as energetic and hooky. Thumbs up, five stars and hugs and kisses all around. I love this video for the bouncy as fuck "Wishing Well" - it makes me as happy as a clam.

This version of them playing the song in a train station is completely great too!

#16.1 Love Is All - Wishing Well from Handheld Shows on Vimeo

the lucksmiths are totally awesmoe!

2008-10-31T17:29:00.003-04:00

Yeah, they are! The Lucksmiths are one of my favorite pop bands these days. I love their sincerity, their peaceful sound, the mellow sound of Tali White's voice and the amazingly strong songcrafting abilities all members of the group possess. They have a new record out on 11/4 called First Frost and I think it's one of their best. Check the Matinée site for more info on that. Here's a video of them rocking (gently, of course)"Great Lengths" from their truly lovely Warmer Corners album in GRapids during their 2006 tour. Goldarn, I wish I had been there!!

bearsuit - more soul than a wigan casino

2008-10-23T14:33:00.003-04:00

We saw Bearsuit in Ypsilanti recently and they were pretty amazing. Ask the 5 other people there and they'll tell you. The band didn't wear the cute little caps and I don't remember them playing this song, instead they were decked out in capes and face paint and spent the 30 mins allotted to them (more! more! more! we wanted more!) making a bunch of seriously unfettered racket. Like I said, awesmoe!

They have records out on Microindie and Happy Happy Birthday to Me, both of which we think you should run out and buy immediately!

indie pop dance party with the summer cats

2008-09-19T18:44:00.004-04:00

This is what Margaret and I did all summer. What did you guys do? (I ask that as if there are actually people out there! Whatta riot!!)

this my jam - new zealand

2008-06-25T14:03:00.004-04:00

The sound of the Clean in 1981/82 is the sound in my head when I think of what the perfect band might sound like. Maybe they could use a bit more bubble and shine but really, couldn't we all. Still between these two songs the Clean invented and perfected the New Zealand sound. Nore NZ love to follow!
the Clean - Tally Ho!

the Clean - Anything Could Happen

days: downhill

2008-06-11T16:53:00.000-04:00

Beautiful video from Sweden's Days. mp3 soon, if all goes right. Enjoy.

this my jam! walter meego and cof cof

2008-05-30T13:20:00.008-04:00

Posting on a regular basis is for chumps. Here are some summer jamz!

Cof Cof are an fun duo from Valencia. They sound a little like CSS, a little like Architecture in Helsinki, a little like a virgin pina colada. Caliente! Caliente! Sounds like Yelle in a coconut bra!

mp3: Caribbean Boy

Walter Meego have a new album out this summer. Vocoder! Vocoder! Sounds like summer!

mp3: Girls

love is all - busy doing nothing

2008-05-08T20:54:00.003-04:00

We are busy doing something close to nothing but really kind of like everything. Hold on to this like a life ring. We'll be back....

speedmarket avenue - way better now

2008-05-02T12:27:00.002-04:00

Dang it, Margaret, your post killed the blog!! Let's bring it back to life with something Swedish, energetic and dramatic from Speedmarket Avenue. Is it just me or is this a really, really good song?

Check this to hear more songs from their upcoming album.

the brunettes: B-A-B-Y (a video, a song, and a mad lib)

2008-04-06T20:23:00.007-04:00

I got sick and tired of grading papers and doing heel-cord stretches! So, naturally I found myself trolling the complex tangle of tubes that is the intertron. And what did I find? Well, for starters I found a nice video for B-A-B-Y, a song by our friends the Brunettes. I've also included an .mp3 of the tune for your listening pleasure. Because I'm good like that. That's why they call me Mr. Sugar.

Also, here's a Brunettes Mad Lib I just made. It's fun and educational! (I would like to thank Heather for providing the text. Thank you, Heather.)

The Brunettes feature the core duo of (occupation), vocalist, and (occupation) Jonathan Bree and (occupation) and vocalist Heather Mansfield, along with as many as eight (adjective) (plural noun) who help create the group's (adjective) wall of sound. The band's rotating membership includes (celebrity), (historical figure), and (historical figure).In 1998, Bree and Mansfield were (verb, infinitive) in different groups and (verb) when they (verb, past tense) a (noun) together; the Brunettes were born when the pair decided they'd like to (verb, present tense) on (adjective) but (adjective) pop inspired by (musical genre) and (musical genre). Later that year, the Brunettes' debut EP, (male name) Loves (female name), arrived. Though the band's first release arrived quickly, it took another four years for the band's (adjective) full-length, Holding (plural noun), Feeding (plural noun), to appear on (adjective) Chief Records. The charm of this (noun) and the Boy(occupation) EP, also (verb, past tense) in 2002, won the Brunettes a (adjective) (noun) in (country).

mp3: ~~B-A-B-Y (Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth)~~

miracle fortress: have you seen in your dreams

2008-04-06T16:03:00.004-04:00

Came across an awesome video from the awesome dude known as Miracle Awesome, who comes from Awesome City, Awesomia and plays in the band Think About Being Awesome. I have included an .mp3 for another awesome track from his album Five Awesomes and it is guaranteed to be awesome.

Okay, back to grading and having a foot injury.

mp3: ~~Maybe Lately~~

carl newman: failsafe

2008-04-03T14:44:00.006-04:00

"Failsafe" is a song by Carl Newman, and it has been recorded at least three times. It was recently covered by Vancouver's big-little-supergroup The Choir Practice, which is where I first heard it. And the New Pornographers recently put out a synth-tastic version of it (available, if I'm not mistaken, on their newest album). But my favorite version by a long shot is Carl's original version, recorded by CBC Radio 3 in 2004. It has a vulnerability and honesty the other versions can't quite match. I wasn't able to get a hold of an .mp3 (yet!), but I was lucky enough to find a copy of it (albeit in embedded player form) on CBC's site. And here it is.

los campesinos! - death to los campesinos!

2008-03-31T14:42:00.002-04:00

OMG! I am obsessed with how awesome this band is. I can't get enough. It's driving me crazy. I feel like I'm puking flowers and being gored by unicorns when I listen to this song. I guess they did too.

montt mardié - highschool drama

2008-03-26T13:44:00.004-04:00

Hey dudes - did you miss this amazing bit of twee soul from Montt Mardié when it came out a couple years ago? I love the insane falsetto and the huge hooks. Reminds me in a strange way of Dexy's but with one of the Chipmunks (maybe Theodore or Simon, but certainly not Alvin) on vocals.

And this simply has to be the twee-est Motown cover ever. I mean, Smokey Robinson is pretty darn precious but Mardié mows him down like a marshmallow shot from a cannon on this solo rendition of "I Second That Emotion".

these are songs we like right now

2008-03-18T22:37:00.012-04:00

This is a post by Tim and Margaret. Both of us. These are songs we like right now.

mp3: ~~California Snow Story: Suddenly Everything Happens~~

mp3: ~~Vapnet: Håll Ihop (Med Jens Lekman)~~

mp3: ~~Alzo & Udine: Something Going~~

mp3: ~~Lullatone: The Bedtime Beatbox~~

no kids on the block

2008-03-08T20:29:00.008-05:00

We of None More Twee agree that No Kids are pretty darn cool, no kidding. No Kids sound like a bunch of funky, anthropomorphic owls. Well, at least that's what they sound like on this track. They sound like a walk through Stanley Park on a sunny day. They sound smart and cute and good.

mp3: ~~No Kids -- For Halloween~~

tesco chainstore mascara

2008-03-07T16:37:00.006-05:00

Tesco Chainstore Mascara have provided me with the soundtrack for my writers' blocky woes. This is yippee-skippy, "tongue-in-cheek powerpop" -- the kind of stuff that makes NMT's thoughts turn to springtime and love. Wait a second...is powerpop ever not tongue-in-cheek? Hmmm...well, screw it. So what if this is nothing new? I dig it. All their songs are available for free on their MySpace site, including this little ditty.

those dancing days - those dancing days

2008-03-07T13:15:00.007-05:00

This band has caused some dissent here at NMT headquarters. Are the Swedish teens too pretty & contrived (Margaret) or just the right amount of pretty & contrived (Tim)? Actually, I'm not really convinced that they are great but this song hits all the right notes of interesting production (dig that roller rink organ!!), icy cool vocals, and hooky Northern Soul meets twee pop songcraft. I bet it would sound amazing blasting out of huge speakers on indie pop dance night. What do the loyal None More Twee faithful (both of you) have to say?

hey - we forgot to wish everyone a happy new year!

2008-02-28T00:41:00.002-05:00

headlights - cherry tulips

2008-02-26T01:17:00.003-05:00

this one's for you, ducks.

rose melberg

2008-02-25T20:56:00.004-05:00

This song goes out to my guy. <3

And this one's just for fun.

warm voices for summertime hearts

2008-02-23T15:48:00.007-05:00

Here are two bands with that'll defrost your windshield (oh, yeah!):

REMINGTON SUPER 60: Sweet and easy Norwegian indie pop. Sounds like: a creamsicle, the smell of freshly-mown grass, Birdie (kind of). Listen to them via their pop-up player, or visit their myspace site.

IVY LEAGUE: Sweet and easy Brooklyn indie pop. Sounds like: the smell of library books, a bike ride down a shady street, Kings of Convenience, Math and Physics Club. New album out soon, excellent video for "London Bridges" out now:

double dose of canadian goodness!

2008-02-22T01:13:00.007-05:00

Okay, so I'm a big fan of the Golden Dogs, and I feel like one of the best songs from their last album is "Construction Worker", but the first single off the album was "Never Meant Any Harm", which is fine, a little disappointing for me, personally, but fine, I got over it, after all, I'm not the boss, I'm just their biggest fan in the world, that's all, sheez. BUT! Lo and behold! What did I find this very evening but...THE VIDEO FOR MY FAVOURITE SONG!!!

And as a bonus, here's a super-cute video from our friends the Bicycles:

fishboy

2008-02-20T12:39:00.005-05:00

Tim came back from CMJ and was all like, "I saw this amazing band! They're called Fishboy!" And I was all like, "Fishboy? I have heard of this Fishboy!" I ran across this video a little over a year ago...it's Fishboy performing (lip-synching?) live on Chic-A-Go-Go, a Chicago-based kids' show that's all about awesome music. (I'm actually not clear on that part...anyone ever heard of this show?) Anyway, Fishboy play jumbly, melodica-tastic pop music. I would call it glock rock, but there is no glock involved. Oh, well. Enjoy!

never miss a chance to kiss me

2008-02-19T22:53:00.005-05:00

So there's this amazing song that I play over and over all the time because it makes me feel like a million bucks every time I hear it. Mint Royale is the band, a middling Brit hop group who struck gold with this song. It's called Don't Falter and it's sung by the singer out of Kenickie, Lauren Laverne. The lyrics are pretty much about being saved by love, something I truly think is possible, and also hold one of my favorite pop lines ever; "when you're with me it's always summer." Simple, not really profound or amazing, but really, what else could you want from being in love. Here's the video. It's pretty darn cute and Laverne is a sweetie.

Big ups to Mike at Slumberland for hipping me to the video. Check his blog for random goodness: http://perfect.slumberlandrecords.com/

post-valentine's day playlist

2008-02-17T18:32:00.004-05:00

This took about twenty years to make, and it'll only take about twenty minutes to listen to it. Go figure. This is for all you star-crossed lovers, love-crossed stars, and cross star-lovers out there in dreamland.

Gotta figure out a better way to post music. Over and out.

the pastels - worlds of possibility

2008-02-14T00:48:00.003-05:00

This beautiful song from the Pastels' best album Mobile Safari is where NMT all started. I believe in possibility. I believe in tweequals.
Happy Valentine's Day

heartbroken party music continued!

2008-02-13T09:37:00.005-05:00

That Camera Obscura song got me to thinking about my favorite heartbroken party songs. Yeah, it's El Perro del Mar's "Party". Not very original, I know, I know.

Speaking of El Perro del Mar, I got me a hold of a track from her newest album, From the Valley to the Stars. I guess this track is being officially released as a single...um...today! The album will be out in Scandinavia at the end of the month. Here's "How Did We Forget?", in all its imeemey glory:

camera obscura - lloyd, i'm ready to be heartbroken

2008-02-13T02:20:00.003-05:00

This one's for Jacob. He's not the twee-est little kid in the world but he has been known to whip out the Puss-n-Boots' eyes when he wants to watch more Spongebob. He also loves this song almost as much as I do. I love it because Traceyanne has the sweetest, warmest voice in all the world, he loves it because of the majestic organ sections. Hey, I'll take it. Sure beats listening to much of the junk that passes for kid's music. (Not you, Elizabeth. Don't worry, you're twee as heck.)

secret mommy - kool aid river

2008-02-12T01:57:00.001-05:00

Okay, Margaret - Is this twee? I call it electronic tweemo. And yes, I came up with that all myself. D'ya think it'll make us rich? Then we can Frankie & Annette ourselves out of this freezing Mid-western nightmare.

If you can believe it this song (and the entire Plays album the song in the video is taken from) is made up of nothing but acoustic instruments which were fed into a computer and turned into a beautifully emotional mess of glitches and bleeps. Check the link for more awesomeness: http://www.myspace.com/secretmommymusic

hot lava!

2008-02-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

Is this twee? I don't know. I kinda like it, though. Hot Lava are from Virginia. They make robotic computer-age beach party pop. A couple tracks I like:

taken by trees: julia

2008-02-11T12:36:00.001-05:00

Live on Swedish TV. So good.

plamo

2008-02-11T11:15:00.000-05:00

I think I came across Plamo (also known as Plamo MILLION SELLERS; real name: Shuji Suzuki) during a random Myspace-surfing stint a couple months ago. He makes cute clay figures of video game characters for a living. He also makes whimsical, eclectic, slightly bizarre 8-bit-oriented music that reminds me of Takako Minekawa, Detektivbyran, and the games I used to play on my Commodore 64 (equipped with Mach 5: Warp Drive!). His albums are available via his Myspace site...I think. You might have to get them from Japan. I don't know. I just write about this stuff. Sheez.

A couple tracks from his newest album, Needs Work:

the besties...in iowa?

2008-02-10T17:52:00.001-05:00

Hey! The Besties are going on tour. What's more, they're coming to Iowa in April! This fills None More Twee's heart with gladness.

Holy cats, they have a new drummer, too!

Here's a track from their bitchin' self-titled second album, currently out on Hugpatch.

comet gain - strength

2008-02-09T04:34:00.000-05:00

because, because, because........I get my strength from you.

the marshmallow kisses

2008-02-08T13:55:00.000-05:00

The name says it all. Peter and Edine make puffy, fluffy, drifty tunes similar to the candy-coated elevator music made by White Shoes and the Couples Company. I'm sure other comparisons could be made, but I don't want to make them. I'm just going to visit the Marshmallow Kisses' myspace page and enjoy the sensation of being wrapped in a Jet-Puffed cocoon.

Video: "I Always Love the One Who Doesn't Love Me"

mp3: "My Dear Giant" (sadly, only a 40 second clip, but you get the idea)