Hang around in the more underground sections of London’s music/art/ whatever scene for long enough and two things are almost guaranteed. Firstly, you’ll know at least one person who played a zombie in ‘Shaun Of The Dead.’ Secondly you’ll know at least one person who is in/ was in/ slept with/ fell out with They [...]

When I first heard Lio’s ‘Housewife of the Year’ I thought about a future where robots would do all of our menial chores and decided this would be the listening of choice for your AI-enhanced Domestibot XR4. It’s a rushing piece of 1980s electro-pop, with truly deluded vocals from a cute, but unreliable narrator. And [...]

Last week I was blindsided by the kind of vision-shaking migraine that leads only to lying prone on the sofa, and not, as I’d wanted to, going to see Elle S’Appelle and Ipso Facto at the Buffalo Bar in Islington. Londoners Ipso Facto I can see pretty much any time, but I might have to [...]

July 15th 2.00pm Andrew Bird, The National Obelisk Arena
It takes a while to get up on Sunday. Emma makes it to Ra Ra Riot and raves about them, but, pathetically, I fall asleep again. Charlie comes round to the tent about two and wakes me up with more cider and we head off to [...]

A welcome weekend for new arrivals, with a host of standouts.

Can you picture mouse-like aliens, made of pink wool, calling to one another with swannee whistle voices? If you grew up in the United Kingdom the above will have you swooning with nostalgia; if you didn’t I’ve probably lost you by now. I grew up in the UK and know these aliens as The Clangers. [...]

An indie-pop surprise, and some great old-school hip-hop classics.

Today is National the National Day, and we couldn’t be prouder to host it. It’s an essential for the indie rock set. But there’s lots more to recommend today, including a great compilation of New Zealand rock, Tim Armstrong, Parts & Labor, Wheat and the Gourds discography.

Today’s ridiculous new arrivals include a whopping 28 recommended titles, including new ones from the Clientele, Elliott Smith, Electrelane, Arcade Fire, Sea and Cake and a shockingly great country cover of “I Wanna Be Adored.” Come for the news cycle, stay for the music.

New Animal Collective and a comp of forgotten King Tubby classics…

So just so you know, there’s a mixtape at the end of all this. It’s like dessert.
My first deep dalliances with indiepop dovetailed perfectly with the early days of the internet. I spent insane amounts of money on magazines like Option and Alternative Press (which was really, really good in the early 90s) and tried [...]