Good news! Tomorrow the Baby Lemonade CDs will be finally arriving! I’ll try to post a first batch on Friday and the remaining orders on Monday. I am beyond happy and looking forward to these compilations! Have you ordered yours yet?

In the meantime why not listen some of these very good new indiepop bits!

Cristina Quesada: I have really enjoyed Cristina’s album and was happy to know that one of my favourite songs from the album has just got the video treatment. Do check the new video for “Think I Heard a Rumour”!

Single: the other news on Elefant Records is a new two track single by the legendary ex-member of Le Mans. The opening track “El Roce” is truly beautiful, and the B side, “Un Roce al Paso” features Javier Aramburú from another legendary band, Family! The 7″ single will be limited to 500 copies so do get this one. The artwork is really cool too.

The Suncharms: Rich from the band told me this new track, “Monster Club”, might be a bit of a departure in their sound. I wonder. The sound is very nice. Though true, it is not the classic Suncharms sound! But it is totally enjoyable anyways! The song is sort of a tribute to The Limit nightclub in Sheffield which The Suncharms used to go in the late 80s and early 90s.

Small Planets: this Los Angeles band sounds really really good! The vocals are terrific and the melodies too. Chiming guitars, dreamy melodies, all things I like. They have a self-titled album out now on CD through their Bandcamp. There are 11 songs in total. The band is formed by Jessica Hernandez on vocals, Josh Spincic on bass, Phil Drazic on drums, Ryan Silo on guitar and Jeff Love on guitar and keyboards.

Arctic Circle:  some time ago I interviewed this great Bristol band. They have uploaded their 7″ single on Stitch-Stitch Records and you can actually get a copy of it! I think included in this 7″ is one of their best songs, “Mothers Ruin”, which is truly fantastic! Pop like this is not made anymore. The other track is pretty good too, “Prancing Pearl”!

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Some years ago I interviewed The Divorce Brothers from Dundee, Scotland. That was a great interview… and I was remembering when I asked about bands they were recommend from Dundee, from around their time, they mentioned a few. One of them was Sweden Thrü the Ages, which was led by Stephen Knight. Only now, after all this time, I am checking them out!

The band were around in the mid 80s, releasing their only release in 1986 on Snappy Records (SW 001). It may have been their own label, it is the only release listed for it on Discogs. It was a 12″ maxi single with 3 songs. The A side had the wonderful “It Helps To Cry” while the B side had “The Sweetest Sound” and “Each Day”. Jingle jangly for everyone.

The whole single was produced by Billy MacKenzie from The Associates. The engineer was Allan McGlone. The songs being recorded at Dundee’s Inner City Sound and mastered at The Penthouse.

The band was formed by Steve Knight (who wrote all the songs), Lloyd Anderson, Chris Marra and Brian McDermot. The sleeve doesn’t specify what each of them played. Maybe I’ll find that? Let’s keep digging.

No compilation appearances either are listed. Another wall I hit.

I find a blog called Retro Dundee where it mentions that Steve Knight (bass) used to play in a band called Parades between 1981 and 82. A comment by a user called Hoops says that Steve was also in a band called The Rainmates.

But there are no other mentions on the web! Strange as there is a connection with The Associates! Hmm… what a shame….

I’d definitely would love to hear more by them, they must have more than three songs. Which years were they active? Did they play live a lot? Why did they split? What did they do after? Who remembers them?

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Listen
Sweden Thrü the Ages – It Helps to Cry