Sophie's Floorboard: pop

Wednesday, 25 January 2023

Korea Girl

Korea Girl were a four-piece indie pop/emo band from San Jose, California that formed in 1996 and broke up in 1999. In that time, they released one 7" and one album, both of which were put out by Asian Man Records. Though they didn't last long, they did leave this fantastic and incredibly underrated LP behind. These songs are distinct and varied, ranging from melancholic slow burns to catchy choruses to dissonant alt. rock. They play with mostly clean, chord-driven guitars, though do dabble in light bouts of distortion. The band also featured two vocalists, who could both hold their own independently, but also come together for some incredibly elevated harmonies. Not to make direct comparisons here, but it wouldn't be surprising to find out this band was influenced by the likes of Mazzy Star, Velocity Girl, Pavement, and Superchunk, so if that's up your alley, do not miss this often overlooked album. Enjoy.

Reunion (1997)

1. Reunion

2. Launched

Korea Girl (1997)

1. B-Side

2. Under The Sun

3. Reunion

4. Upside Down

5. Peon

6. Pariah

7. Li'l Bunch

8. Serpentine

9. Conversations

10. Atomic Skies

11. Wile E.

12. Prozac

13. Democracy & Kings

14. Hey Akane!

15. Prozac (Drummed) (Bonus Track)

16. Li'l Bullhorn (Bonus Track)

17. Upside Down (Bonus Track)

18. Peon (Bonus Track)

19. Wile E. (Bonus Track)

Note: Bonus demos included on the 1999 reissue

Kill Them With Kindness (2003)

Saturday, 12 March 2022

The Jealous Sound

The Jealous Sound were a four-piece emo/indie band from Los Angeles, California that began in 2000, were briefly on hiatus in the latter half of the 2000's, and disbanded in 2017, They were formed by vocalist/guitarist Blair Shehan following the break-up of his former band Knapsack, an absolute staple of emo in the 90's. He was joined by other members previously active in other notable band (including Sunday's Best) to form The Jealous Sound. Over the years together, they only recently two full-length albums (both of which are fantastic though) and a few EP's. Sonically, they are much more polished and subdued than their previous projects, maintaining melancholy but with a slightly more mature and melodic edge. In a way they are the Hey Mercedes to Knapsack's Braid, with a linear development in sound, even with the change in bands. Following The Jealous Sound, members formed Racquet Club, who put out one album in 2017. Below is their full discography, with deluxe versions included of their two studio albums. If you grab those, you have virtually all their material. It's criminal that it took nearly 1000 posts to finally get around to doing this band, and if you haven't heard them back and cannot suggest checking them out enough. Enjoy.

The Jealous Sound (2000)

1. What's Wrong Is Everywhere

2. Priceless

3. Bitter Strings

4. Quiet Life

5. Anxious Arms

1. Hope For Us

2. Naive

3. Anxious Arms

4. The Fold Out

5. The Gift Horse

6. Does That Make Sense

7. Guard It Closely

8. For Once in Your Life

9. Abandon! Abandon!

10. Troublesome

11. Recovery Room

12. Above the Waves

13. What's Wrong Is Everywhere (Bonus Track)

14. Priceless (Bonus Track)

15. Bitter Strings (Bonus Track)

16. Quiet Life (Bonus Track)

17. Anxious Arms (Bonus Track)

18. Troublesome (Demo) (Bonus Track)

19. For Once in Your Life (Demo) (Bonus Track)

20. Abandon! Abandon! (Demo) (Bonus Track)

21. Does That Make Sense (Demo) (Bonus Track)

22. (Please Don't Be So) Naive (Demo) (Bonus Track)

23. Above the Waves (Demo) (Bonus Track)

24. Already Gone (Recovery Room) (Demo) (Bonus Track)

Note: Deluxe version includes the self-titled EP and demos

Got Friends (2008)

1. Got Friends

2. Turning Around

3. Broad Shoulders

4. Got Friends (Figurine Remix)

5. Got Friends (J. McGinnis Remix)

A Gentle Reminder (2012)

1. Beautiful Morning

2. Change You

3. Promise of the West

4. Your Eyes Were Shining

5. This Is Where It Starts

6. Here Comes the Ride

7. Equilibrium

8. Perfect Timing

9. A Gentle Reminder

10. Waiting for Your Arrival

11. Full Rewind (Bonus Track)

12. Got Friends (Bonus Track)

13. Broad Shoulders (Bonus Track)

14. Turning Around (Bonus Track)

Note: Deluxe version includes tracks from Got Friends

The Jealous Sound/Daytrader (2012)

1. The Jealous Sound - This Is Where It Starts

2. Daytrader - Rita

By Surprise/Hightide Hotel (2009)

Friday, 18 June 2021

By Surprise

By Surprise are a four-piece emo/indie band from Haddon Heights, New Jersey that began in 2006. They are one of many bands I always figured I had posted early on, but have since discovered to be missing completely. They were one of the best of the early "revival" bands, which culminated in a fantastic LP put out in 2011 on Topshelf. Though their first album and their early work got tons of love, I'll admit I kind of lost track of them after that. Turns out they put out another album two years ago, along with a handful of other releases which I'm looking forward to finally checking out. But to start, I cannot recommend Mountain Smashers enough, that is quintessential listening for fans of emo of that era. Also, if anyone happens to have more of their earliest material please send it to me. I know I'm missing some stuff but cannot track any of it down, would be great to share it as well. Thank you, and enjoy!

478 (2007)

1. Ode To Pollard

2. I Liked You Better

3. Terra Cotta Army

4. Circuit Breaker (Blow Minds)

1. Hightide Hotel - Shuttle

2. Hightide Hotel - Elementary Biology

3. Hightide Hotel - Apartment Buildings

4. By Surprise - Invisible Ink

5. By Surprise - CB Radio

6. By Surprise - I Miss You etc.

Mountain Smashers (2011)

1. Books By Thoreau

2. Realometer

3. Mostly Harmless

4. Last Chance To See

5. Photoshoot

6. Fountain Splashers

7. $600 Exorcism

8. So Long And Thanks For All The Shark Jaws

9. Daggermouth Is Playing At My House

10. Hanging Out With Wendy In Sulkiland

11. Direct Loans

Criteria (2012)

1. Criteria

2. Wear That Crown

3. Way To Be Tall

Merry Retrospectivus (2014)

1. Battle of Snowmeng Mountain Pt. 2

2. Always Ruining Everything

3. Who's To Say This Year Will Be Any Different?

4. Shovel

5. Worst Christmas Ever

6. Snow Angel

7. No Mistletoe

Broadcaster/By Surprise (2015)

1. Broadcaster - Bottle Rockets

2. Broadcaster - Hornet's Nest

3. By Surprise - Photosludge

4. By Surprise -Point Set Match

5. By Surprise - Postmodern Laziness

6. By Surprise - Photonova

Aspiga/By Surprise (2016)

1. Aspiga - Fading Into Summer

2. Aspiga - Eucalyptus Nights

3. By Surprise - Teton Range

4. By Surprise - Amateur Status

Cosmic Latte (2019)

1. Ribald

2. Be Composed

3. Honeydew List

4. Pretend

5. Low Hanging Wire

6. Basement

7. Be Minor

8. Summer Is Now

9. Marry Me

10. Anarchyville

11. I Can See The Sun

12. Be Alright

13. Your Time Will Come

Disastrous (Acoustic Version) (2019)

Thursday, 17 June 2021

Expert Timing

Expert Timing are a three-piece emo pop band from Orlando, Florida that began in 2016. They're a relatively new addition to CYLS with the release of their EP Whichever, Whatever last year, and were pretty prolific up until then. The band have made life easy with the self-assigned "bubblegrunge power pop", which really encapsulates their sound. They bring high energy, dual vocals, earworm choruses, and bright chords with the occasional blast of distorted guitars to each song, making for some unforgettable tracks. Fans of Weezer, The Format, Dowsing, and Camp Cope should check this band out, though those are some pretty loose comparisons. Enjoy.

2016 Demo (2016)

1. Cement

2. Speak

3. Nervous Wreck

4. Sad Enough

Selective Hearing (2017)

1. Sleep

2. Act Your Age

3. Nervous Wreck

4. Swimming

5. Slow

Glare (2018)

1. Don't Look Back

2. Classic Case of Narcissism

3. Disastrous

4. Never See Me Again

5. Smother

6. Alone

7. Sever Your Ties

8. Cement

9. I Just Might Surprise You

10. Littlest Amount

11. Glare

2019 Demos (2019)

1. Complain.gif (Acoustic Demo)

2. Elevator (Acoustic Demo)

3. Cruis'n USA (Demo)

1. Disastrous (Acoustic Version)

Whichever, Whatever (2020)

1. Gravity

2. Good Things

3. Constant Melody

4. Luckin' Out

5. My Body

Live In Stereo (2021)

1. Cement (Live At Shards)

2. Never See Me Again

3. Classic Case Of Narcissism

4. Sleep

5. Wait, Wait, Wait (The Format cover)

Stargazing (2022)

1. Special Hell

2. Super Ordinary Unimpressed

3. Autonomy

4. The Bigger Picture

5. Life In Pictures

6. New Queen

7. Short & Sweet

8. Hey Friend

9. Homesick Hearts

10. I Can See You Dancing

11. Kick Rocks

Count Your Lucky Stars

LimitedRun

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

Your Arms Are My Cocoon

You Arms Are My Cocoon is a one-piece screamo band created by Tyler Odom, which released its debut EP last year. I hadn't previously heard this, but thanks to a suggestion in the chatbox I figured I'd give it a shot, and am very glad I did. This project meshes lo-fi bedroom pop with twinkly screamo. Its a hybrid that probably shouldn't work, but in this case it undoubtedly does. This sound is incredibly unique, with the math rock twinkly guitar sound of midwest emo against shrill vocal screams, with some electronic pattering to fill in the rhythm. Every song delivers something new, thanks to a lot of instrumental variety and ideas, with the acoustic and despondent "Metamorphosis" being a highlight. Enjoy.

Your Arms Are My Cocoon (2020)

1. Foster Nosferatu

2. Clifford The Big Red Stab Wound

3. In October Of 2019 I Called A Suicide Hotline For The First Time In My Life

4. Illinois//Alberta

5. Metamorphosis

6. Snowy!

death of a rabbit (2024)

1. let's get married

2. muffled beneath the sound of the ocean

3. city on fire (closeness)

4. portraits

5. runner duck

6. moon price in waning

7. through the brighter eyes of hazel

8. city in ashes

9. houston

10. swandive

11. death of a rabbit

12. husk

Tuesday, 15 December 2020

Black Tambourine

Black Tambourine were a four-piece indie pop band from Washington, DC that were initially around from 1989 to 1992. They took influence from bands such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, Beat Happening, The Vaselines, and My Bloody Valentine. Black Tambourine crafted simple, cheery songs with 60's pop sensibilities and added twangy guitars slathered in reverb and distortion. During their initial incarnation, they only put out two singles and a few compilation tracks. That small output would prove to be immensely influential, as their noisy, lo-fi sound, and sweet, airy vocals became staples of twee, dream and indie pop as a whole.

Their legacy was cemented on a compilation released in 1999, titled Complete Recordings. This was a widely-circulated discography, as their actual 7"'s had become hard to find. The title is slightly misleading, as it didn't include all of their recordings. In 2010, another discography was put out to replace the previous one. This new one ncluded the same tracklist as Complete Recordings, in addition to six additional songs. The band reconvened in 2009 to record four new tracks that they used to play live but never recorded. The new songs included two originals and covers of "Heartbeat" by Buddy Holly and the classic "Dream Baby Dream" by Suicide. These four songs were included on the 2010 discography, along with two previously unreleased demos. Two years after that, they released a newly-recorded EP of Ramones covers in celebration of the 20th anniversary of singer Pam Berry's magazine Chickfactor.

It's been a few years since I've listened to this band. Revisiting them is a fantastic reminder of how irresistibly charming these songs are, and how clear their influence can be heard in so many bands from the past decade or so. Enjoy.

Complete Recordings (1999)

1. For Ex-Lovers Only

2. Black Car

3. Pack You Up

4. Can't Explain

5. I Was Wrong

6. Throw Aggi Off The Bridge

7. Drown

8. We Can't Be Friends

9. By Tomorrow

10. Pam's Tan

Black Tambourine (2010)

1. For Ex-Lovers Only

2. Black Car

3. Pack You Up

4. Can't Explain

5. I Was Wrong

6. Throw Aggi Off The Bridge

7. Drown

8. We Can't Be Friends

9. By Tomorrow

10. Pam's Tan

11. For Ex-Lovers Only (demo)

12. Throw Aggi Off The Bridge (demo)

13. Heartbeat (Buddy Holly cover)

14. Lazy Heart

15. Tears Of Joy

16. Dream Baby Dream (Suicide cover)

OneTwoThreeFour (2012)

1. I Want You Around

2. What's Your Game

3. I Remember You

4. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend

5. I Remember You (Violens Remix)

Slumberland Records

Lights Ascending Out of Gloom: a Collection of Short Fictions and Poetry (2016)

Thursday, 26 March 2020

Frances Quinlan

Frances Quinlan is an indie rock singer/songwriter best known as being the founding member and primary songwriter of Hop Along. Earlier this year they released their debut solo LP on Saddle Creek Records. As expected, their powerhouse voice and incredible lyrical abilities are on full display, while the guitar-heavy sound of Hop Along are put on the backburner in favour of some more varied instrumentals. They have an incredible knack for crafting pop songs that teeter the line of simplicity and intricacy, and any new material from them is more than welcome. It's unique enough to set itself apart from their previous work, though I would still highly recommend any Hop Along fan give this a listen if you haven't heard it yet. Enjoy.

Likewise (2020)

1. Piltdown Man

2. Your Reply

3. Rare Thing

4. Detroit Lake

5. A Secret

6. Went To LA
7. Lean

8. Now That I'm Back

9. Carry The Zero (Built to Spill cover)

Website

Saddle Creek

Twitter

Wednesday, 5 February 2020

Short Fictions

Short Fictions are a four-piece emo/indie/punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began in 2015. This is admittedly an entire new band for me, as I just got done listening to their latest LP, Fates Worse Than Death and felt an immediate post on them was obligatory. This was an incredible listen that features this energetic, melodic noodly midwest emo sound with the expansive catchy epics of early TWIABP. Plus you've got some fantastic vocal layerings and screamy undertones to boot. They change it up enough to keep it engaging, with each song hitting as hard as the last, with some strong lyric/songwriting and impressive musicianship to boot. This is guaranteed to be getting a lot more listens, followed by the inevitable delving into their back catalogue. Fates Worse Than Death is available on their Bandcamp for only $1, so if you are able to send some love their way, please do. Enjoy.

Demo (2015)

1. the buick is a deathtrap

2. year of the boar

1. My Somber Vacation

2. The Buick is a Deathtrap

3. Abject of Your Affection

4. Year of the Boar

5. I'm Not Depressed

6. The Disappeared

7. Teeth Falling Out of Nightmares

The Heart Is A Kaleidoscope (2017)

1. Mercury

2. Ellen (a Song About a Book)

3. The Heart Never Stops Beating

4. I'm Not Depressed

5. against all this, Youth (Song for Matthew)

There's a Dark Shadow on the Flames of the Burning Sun Pt. I (2018)

1. I Hate Everything in My Life and I Never Won't

2. In an Airplane Crash at the Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro

Fates Worse Than Death (2019)

1. Fates Worse Than Death Pt I: I Don't Want to Wait Out the Apocalypse with Anyone but You

2. Fates Worse Than Death Pt II: Anthropocene

3. Cities Under Water

4. Nothingness Lies Coiled at the Heart of Being (It’s Such a Good Feeling)

5. Really Like You

6. I’m Proud to Know You, You Are Special (Goodbye, Ryan)

7. Living In Places Like These Can Be Bad For Your Health (Can’t Live Here Anymore)

8. Property of Pigeons

Every Moment Of Every Day (2022)

1. You Will Never Be The Best At Anything You Try (Surely Not)

2. Don't Start A Band

3. Forever Endeavor

4. Heather

5. The Great Unwashed

6. To Leave Forever Or Die Alone In South Oakland

7. Crushed Cigarettes (A Herculean Effort For Naught)

8. Don't Pinch Me I'm Dreaming

Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler) (2023)

1. Self Betterment in a Time of Loneliness

2. Reno Nevada, January 2020

3. I Cannot Possibly Perceive the Least Kinship Now Between the Dead Girl and Myself Which Makes Most of My Days Inevitably DrearyTYER

4. Wasting

5. I'm Going to Kill Myself with a Gun

6. To Loved Ones Lost in Pursuit of Foolish Passions

7. Max

8. Anymore

9. Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me

10. Pittsburgh (interlude)

11. (Don't Let Me) Love You