The Indie Haul - Indietrack 2013 [IT1345]
26 June, 2013
Ah, yes. So there's this huge Indietracks festival in the UK, which starts this year on 26 July and carries on for three days. And, to commemorate this great gathering, the blokes that organize the festival build an extensive (and inexpensive!) compilation that covers all the artists in the lineup. Last year I plugged the Indietracks comp with much enthusiasm, and I’ll plug this one just as vigorously. Mind, as you might expect from a massive collection of indie artists, not every artist is noteworthy – it IS saturated in pop, after all – but I did stumble upon more than a few exciting acts.
Of course, Tunabunny’s appearance in this album pleases me to no end – and I’m also happy to report that their labelmates, Cars Can Be Blue, offer some of the most vigorous pop in the set. However, if you ask me, the best damn track here – without contest – is Fever Dream’s “Glue”. Cancel the pajama party for this one – this is post-punk of the brooding yet noisy variety, with cosmic levels of meaty guitar grounded by a pulsing bass line. The tempo change halfway through sends this to the stratosphere.
You can also expect some solid hits from a handful of indie vets. The delightful bis return with the infectious, Rapture-esque anthem “The Rulers and the States”; the beloved Scots from The Wake hand in a blissful track with a mellow bass line called “Stockport”; The Lovely Eggs contribute their belter “Food”, which placed in last year’s Festive 50 on Dandelion. The Wave Pictures are here, too, but the slow, all-too-Darren-Hayman-like “I Love You” didn’t impress me much. Fear of Men, on the other hand, graced college radios earlier this year with the wistful “Mosaic”, and it still sounds beautiful and warm on this comp.
Other notable upcomers? The Understudies really knocked me out with the viola-tinted “Jackie” – it’s more mature and earnest than much of the other tracks on here, and the grumbling guitar solo is certainly astonishing. Also, since I am indeed a sucker for electropop, The Ballet’s lush “Is Anybody Out There?” was also a treat (albeit a sugary one) – but not nearly as exciting as the quirky techno-disco of Woog Riot’s devious “Astronaut”. Sing it with me – “How’d you make love with an astro-nawt…” I also dig the massive “Sycamore” from Martha, with its brazen power chords and the effortless rhythm shift. Jupiter in Jars present the curious “Always Thought”, an intimate little ensemble of fiddles, ukulele, and flute. Finally, the McTells earn a enthusiastic thumbs-up from me for their “Secret Wish”, a raucous and lo-fi number that evokes the spirit of Swell Maps, but dissolved into a garage rock format.
As for the rest, you can expect varying shades of indie pop and twee, which can be genuinely charming. Indeed, there are really only two tracks on this entire compilation that I absolutely could not bear to listen to: “Let’s Go Surfing” by Helen Love and “Summer, You and Me” by When Nalda Became Punk (probably doesn’t help either track that they’re back-to-back, either). Of all the bright and bubblegum tunes, these two push that pop factor to an extreme that’s simply obnoxious for me. I mean, “Let’s Go Surfing” wouldn’t be out of place on a “Now That’s What I Call Music” compilation, for crying out loud. But, alas. 45 out of 47 is still an A in my book.
So, to conclude – this year’s comp is a good ‘un. Maaaaybe better than last year. Although, let’s face it – 2012 featured Veronica Falls, Mikrofisch, Echo Lake, Trembling Blue Stars, the Jasmine Minks, White Town, and even the Monochrome Set. Tough acts to follow. Still, for just two quid (or a little more, if you so desire), you get 47 tracks, of which only two are duds, and which include some actual gems. And, furthermore, all proceeds go toward the Midland Railway Trust, the hosts of the festival. Go for it, I say - jump on the Bandcamp page and give it a whirl. And attend the big show for me, if you can.
Of course, Tunabunny’s appearance in this album pleases me to no end – and I’m also happy to report that their labelmates, Cars Can Be Blue, offer some of the most vigorous pop in the set. However, if you ask me, the best damn track here – without contest – is Fever Dream’s “Glue”. Cancel the pajama party for this one – this is post-punk of the brooding yet noisy variety, with cosmic levels of meaty guitar grounded by a pulsing bass line. The tempo change halfway through sends this to the stratosphere.
You can also expect some solid hits from a handful of indie vets. The delightful bis return with the infectious, Rapture-esque anthem “The Rulers and the States”; the beloved Scots from The Wake hand in a blissful track with a mellow bass line called “Stockport”; The Lovely Eggs contribute their belter “Food”, which placed in last year’s Festive 50 on Dandelion. The Wave Pictures are here, too, but the slow, all-too-Darren-Hayman-like “I Love You” didn’t impress me much. Fear of Men, on the other hand, graced college radios earlier this year with the wistful “Mosaic”, and it still sounds beautiful and warm on this comp.
Other notable upcomers? The Understudies really knocked me out with the viola-tinted “Jackie” – it’s more mature and earnest than much of the other tracks on here, and the grumbling guitar solo is certainly astonishing. Also, since I am indeed a sucker for electropop, The Ballet’s lush “Is Anybody Out There?” was also a treat (albeit a sugary one) – but not nearly as exciting as the quirky techno-disco of Woog Riot’s devious “Astronaut”. Sing it with me – “How’d you make love with an astro-nawt…” I also dig the massive “Sycamore” from Martha, with its brazen power chords and the effortless rhythm shift. Jupiter in Jars present the curious “Always Thought”, an intimate little ensemble of fiddles, ukulele, and flute. Finally, the McTells earn a enthusiastic thumbs-up from me for their “Secret Wish”, a raucous and lo-fi number that evokes the spirit of Swell Maps, but dissolved into a garage rock format.
As for the rest, you can expect varying shades of indie pop and twee, which can be genuinely charming. Indeed, there are really only two tracks on this entire compilation that I absolutely could not bear to listen to: “Let’s Go Surfing” by Helen Love and “Summer, You and Me” by When Nalda Became Punk (probably doesn’t help either track that they’re back-to-back, either). Of all the bright and bubblegum tunes, these two push that pop factor to an extreme that’s simply obnoxious for me. I mean, “Let’s Go Surfing” wouldn’t be out of place on a “Now That’s What I Call Music” compilation, for crying out loud. But, alas. 45 out of 47 is still an A in my book.
So, to conclude – this year’s comp is a good ‘un. Maaaaybe better than last year. Although, let’s face it – 2012 featured Veronica Falls, Mikrofisch, Echo Lake, Trembling Blue Stars, the Jasmine Minks, White Town, and even the Monochrome Set. Tough acts to follow. Still, for just two quid (or a little more, if you so desire), you get 47 tracks, of which only two are duds, and which include some actual gems. And, furthermore, all proceeds go toward the Midland Railway Trust, the hosts of the festival. Go for it, I say - jump on the Bandcamp page and give it a whirl. And attend the big show for me, if you can.