Blog: Like Sugar

Ah, after a few days of poor offerings from RCRDLBL I have found something worth sharing. I'd skip ahead to "Geri" on the player above.

The debut single from Connecticut electro-pop group Cosmic Watercolors is "Eskimo Kisses". The video is of the lyric type, but it's fine, as the song is lovely in its simplicity. Find them on Facebook .

I was instantly attracted to dreampop of Edinburgh's The Machine Room . They collect all the elements of the early 90's shoegaze and dreampop and mix them with the revived synths and vocal styles of today. I can continue to gush about these four songs or you can just listen for yourself! Love from a Distance by The Machine Room

Hooverphonic announced the tracklisting of their concept album "Hooverphonic With Orchestra". There will be 17 songs on the album including a new song called "Happiness". The album will be available in all stores as from March 9th, 2012. Didn't they already do this with the " Sit Down and Listen To " album? I guess that one was just a more slowed-down or nearly acoustic album. 1. Happiness 2. One Two Three 3. The Night Before 4. Heartbroken 5. The Last Thing 6. 2Wicky 7. Anger Never Dies 8. Unfinished Sympathy 9. Expedition Impossible 10. George's Café [...]

Click here to download 'Give It Up' or listen to it at musicfromthebigpink.com . I strongly recommend the new album " Future This ".

• here » giveitup.mp3

Once in a while, I get an outstanding synthpop submission to share. I felt this one was a true stand-out. Lyrics that sound personal, a mid-tempo beat throughout, and that smooth voice. This polished effort is worth your time, trust me. Here's just one example. Find more on the Some Desperate Glory SoundCloud page or download the whole album "Redo From Start" for free over at Bandcamp . The Only Way Out is Through by somedesperateglory

In less than one second, I thought "Goldfrapp", at least musically. The voice: I thought of a Hooverphonic vocalist or even closer: Puracane ... still, I can't say I do not like this track from Canada's Ariane Moffat. Check out " In Your Body ", a single from "MA", written, performed and produced completely by Ariane herself; in her creative space, at studio Planet and at Montrealʼs Hotel2tango studio (Arcade Fire, Barr Brothers, Handsome Furs). iTunes Pre Order Link Canal Pop sent me a fun, [...]

"Their second full-length album, "Extinctions", will be released in February 21st, 2012. If the debut was a collection of early songs that were not intended to end up on an album, "Extinctions" was written as a consequence of many tragic stories that touched the band. Most of the songs are dedicated to persons or creatures that no longer exist . Finnish indie pop stalwarts Jessika Rapo (vocalist for Le Futur Pompiste) and Henry Ojala (ex-drummer for Cats on Fire) teamed up to form the shambly, synthy duo Burning Hearts in 2006. Burning Hearts' debut full-length, Aboa Sleeping, [...]

"Love's Taking Strange Ways" is taken from the brand new four track EP "Love Forever". It's out on digital and vinyl (limited edition 1000 copies) on February 28th. "The Mary Onettes have worked with an outside producer, Dan Lissvik, for the first time. Gone are the echoing reverbs, the 80's guitars and the big, splashing drums." Wasn't that exactly why I listened and played their work? Let's see where this goes. Labrador Records is offering a free .mp3 taken from the new ep.

"Christian Celaya (Benzos) and Woody Ranere (Lake Trout) make up the group known as With Lions and November 1st, 2011 marked the kick-off of an ambitious four-EPs-a-year cycle with the release of, Touch the Sound . Epic and cinematic, With Lions' EPs are broken into mini scores. Dark, saturated harmony, their music can only be described in film terms. "We try to score life," says Celaya." The next EP is "Equipo", Spanish for 'team' and will be released in Spring 2012.

Synthie pop heroes Mirrors offer a selection of demos and new material over at their bandcamp page . You know I find German synthpop to be the cream of the crop, and here we have a wunderbar example from The Flood . Latest tracks by TheFlood While we are on the subject of electro-pop, we head back to the U.S. (Texas, in fact) and arrive at Fanfic's page for a good dose of the "the newest [...]

Started the afternoon listening to Philadelphia's Potpourri of Pearls over on Soundcloud . I quite enjoyed the morning music of "Ronnie's Shells" and I found "Birds Of Luther" to be even more to my taste. Ending with the synthpop sound of "Chickadee" and "Wake Up, Tom", I am pleased to share Potpourri of Pearls with my readers. I don't have much in the way of a bio, so let that mystery be part of the package. Our first AND last EP. It's all singles & celebrity [...]

New track from Saint Etienne . Download it free for a limited time here . Thanks to DJ Narcolept for the tip on this one. Saint Etienne - Tonight by Saint Etienne

• DJ Talbot - Like Sugar - Podcast 39

If you haven't caught this one yet, here's your chance. I need to post about The Horrors at least once a month.

Vacant Kiss just released a new video for the track "Killing Me". Readers / listeners know I have been a fan of Insect Guide (be sure to check out "Reason to Exist", a fine single released 06-06-2011). Vacant Kiss is a related act, perhaps a wilder version of Insect Guide. Vacant Kiss on Soundcloud .

Like Sugar PopCast #39 is live here . When that link goes dead, I'll have it up permanently on the right column of this blog. I have gathered enough new material to create two podcasts, so I expect to publish #40 on the heels of #39. I mean, I have the music lined-up, but the lame talking part, by me, well... that takes effort and alcohol and I hate that. I wish I could get myself back on iTunes... just can't figure it all out. iTunes says I have to start all over, but can't I keep my [...]

NPR hosts yet another early listen to an upcoming release by a band you care about! Here's what the nice link looks like: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/15/ 144962428/first-listen-nada-su rf-the-stars-are-indifferent-t o-astronomy

Wandering through some music blogs tonight. Came across some great stuff, but this one really appealed to me. It combines a lot of what a friend recently told me I was looking for: familiar. Not the next thing... familiar. Wise words.

I tried to post this as close to eleven a.m. as possible. It's a perfect indie pop track that uplifts on this gloomy (the weather, I should mention) holiday (Martin Luther King Day, here in America). It's track 1 from the upcoming album, Greater Lakes, to be released on February 14, 2012 via Misra Records. Available on clear vinyl LP, CD and digitally. Check out Bears at www.bearspop.com . Eleven a.m. by Bears Tracks: 1. Eleven a.m. 2. You're Going 3. [...]

I am looking forward to more indie pop sounds from Eux Autres . On February 28, they release a new 6 track ep titled "Sun Is Sunk" (Bons Mots Records). Darla Records has the audio previews here .