Ex-Crush

Like an affair, a side project can be a pretty dangerous thing. And like an affair, it seldom begets satisfactory results. There are exceptions(Frank Blake, Some Girls etc.), but a side project is usually an ill conceived show of vanity(Bowie goes drum & bass anyone?) at best to a poor car-crash(hello Peter Hooks' Monaco)at its worst. Its with a hearty 'PHEW!' , then, that we welcome Ex-Crush into our little lives. Ex-Crush are a side project of The Just Joans' Chris and Katie. Don't worry though, JJ fans are in for a treat that wont ruin your appetite. The songs are positive, altered, focused and refreshing. Everything a side project could and should be.

Still founded on the Just Joans vision of crap chat up lines, pissed snogs and regret, they(perhaps bored with the 'indie ghetto', maybe blase with the twee-er than thou, maybe just plain bored) have ditched the strum and plink plonks for a fresher, hookier, beatier sound. Its a electro for people who cant afford their electricity bill.

If you imagine meeting Saint Etienne at 3am in a bar bemoaning the loss of a lover and sporting an unexplainable love bite, then you can get a sense not only of their sound, but also of their attitude.
'All boys break hearts' is a crisp, clean slice of charty dance pop. its gives Katie's voice lots of room to stretch and make its mark. Its a story of lost love. Real love. Its one of those songs you can dance and cry to at the same time. It may make you feel a bit guilty for having a penis.
'Wasted weekends' sound like Kenicke via a mid 90's remix, and an ambitious one at that. A sad little tale of regret delivered with typical brutal honesty. If it was sung with just an acoustic guitar it could snap a heart string, but as it is, its an odd curio. A Pet Shop Boys for the permanently pessimistic.

Ex-Crush, crying in a nightclub toilet near you.

http://www.myspace.com/excrushband

The San Marinos

From Sweden, The San Marinos are Anna are Daniel, and they write yer usual tweepop but with a (probably unsurprisingly) European slant. Their D.I.Y recordings wave off such dinosaur stuff as 'Feel' and 'Riffs' but search lovingly and longingly for the perfect melodic pop-rush.

'Half a million' is a fizzy as cherryade and almost as tasty. A poem to parties and peace, its about love baby. Too danceable to be protest and too happy to be hippy, its a daisy chain of a song. John Lennon would love it.
'Guess how much i love you' is a bleepy electro-swirler, all snap, crackle and glitter, with a bass-line of solid teak. A song made to hold hands to, its a heart salad with a side order of self doubt.
'On our way' is sleeky, lush little song. A twinkling stare out of the window. A song to daydream too and no mistake.

The self-prophesizing 'We're beautiful' is a fuzzy dash of quirk pop. Its sheer, sheer love is self evident and strangely moving. Its a funny thing, listening to lots of music and trying to find what effects us and whats worth listening too and all that, but its really, really moving to hear people put so much effort into their craft. Its like watching football really, we don't mind signing a clogger, if they put in as much effort as possible and make the odd audacious tackle.

The San Marinos are no cloggers. They write clumsy, pretty, inspiring, music. They are a band that's hard not to love.

http://www.myspace.com/thesanmarinos

www.liao.se

New 'Allo darlin' free download

Fortuna pop love you. They must do, or why else would they let you have a download of the new 'Allo Darlin' 7" for absolutely nish?

'Polaroid' is lovely, motown-y little shindig of a single. Its a real statement of how far the lovely. Elizabeth and the crew have come. Imagine Camera Obscura's 'French Navy' but slimmer and shimmyer. "i feel like dancing on my own/ to a record i do not know/ in a place Ive never seen before". Oddly, that's the exact effect the record has.

on the flip is 'Will you please spend new years eve with me?' a sweet, shy, little pleader some of you may remember from her set in Nottingham, or indeed the demo form her last Xmas release. Very seasonal, very beautiful. Get you copy here:-

http://www.fortunapop.com/process_polaroid_free_download.php

and you can actually buy the single on 7" from here:-

http://www.fortunapop.com

The Jealous Sea

From San Fransisco, duo The Jealous Sea ( ronardo p. recacho & taylor b. crawley)are the sort of band who release their songs on super limited edition EP's on super little labels, so you may have to resort to myspace to hear their doe-eyed songs about crushes and the like. But its well worth a visit.
'Exes and Ohs' is a slinky shimmy of a song, its longing, lovelorn lyric seeks sympathy from the Suedehead-esque battle of riffs beneath it. Its boy/girl vocals melt together to give the music what-for. And the middle eight is exquisite. A charming and accomplished song.
'Past the Grey' is a delight, its Comet Gain goes Felt tips strum and jangle fits the subtle, breathy almost Sundays-esque vocals like a velvet lined glove. Its 'Bahbaddabah' backing vocal and, again, a fantastic middle eight are other treats.
'Moving Targets' is reminiscent of early Camera Obscura. Its lyrics and vocals gaze longingly at the sky for someone to 'L.O.V.E' while Lucksithsy jangle underpins the whole thing gorgeously. Here's hoping im on the ball next time they release something, and lets hope its soon.

http://www.myspace.com/thejealoussea

Manchester picture niceness

The martyrdom of Saint Tony and When Johnny met Steven by Pete McKee

As the time for presents gets ever nearer, here's a few ideas for the Manc or music fan in your life (or even a treat for yourself). Pete McKee is a Sheffield artist with a collection called 'Great moments in Manchester Music'. His quirky, cartoony paintings are both serious and silly, and train spotter friendly. And would look ace in my bedroom.

http://shop.therealmckee.co.uk/manchester-music.html

Not quite as serious, but no less sublime is the collection of Smiths/Morrissey pictures by Stephen Wright, who was the photographer responsible for the famous 'Salford lads club' picture on the gate fold of 'The Queen is Dead' and the rear of 'Strangeways...' amongst others. His work is currently beautifully displayed in Piccadilly records, and is very, very tempting.

http://www.smithsphotos.com/

John Cooper Clarke-Distant relation

Just at the point where i was getting sucked into the cliche of hating Christmas via the tedium of a war for the number one spot and the horror of 'Macca' selling his arse for two shillings to Simon bastard Cowell (WHY? he has the most accomplished back catalogue out, he needs the neither the money or publicity. You have the feeling Paul has not played Pontoon.), i borrow a mates Ipod on a train, and this was the first song on it. This is a real Xmas song, and its not even about Xmas. Its about family, all the silly little things that make our families unique. About people we love, even if we don't admit it that often. Listen to this, then give your mum a ring-

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/791193098/899827a9b5c55fe2d7180a253f49320f

Jupiter and teardrop.

Right, i SWORE i'd never post on here pissed, but here we are, and i'll try not to bore you. I was going out with a girl, a teacher no less, in London. I'd been buying a couple of CD's i thought she may like from a record shop in Camden. While i was idling in her flat in Islington i put on one i had purchesed, a Grant lee buffalo album and as the 'crunk-crunk' bit of this song played she came out of her bathroom looking just perfect and i swore this would be forever. I was as confident as i ever will be, but deep down i knew it was unlikely that anything would feel this good again. as i write, i was right, but theres always hope. Some songs fade away, but some feelings last forever.