The Sugargliders – We’re All Trying To Get There
Honestly, I thought there would be a lot more I’d know about the Sugargliders. Because if I did, I would offer a better introduction to this early-nineties Melbourne band, headed by brothers Josh and Joel Meadows, offering cleverly crafted indie pop, releasing ten 7″ singles through the legendary Sarah Records label, available here in this compilation, We’re All Trying To Get There.
R.I.Y.L. Aztec Camera, the Field Mice, the Beautiful South
Spain – She Haunts My Dreams
First off, Spain isn’t from Spain; they are from California. Spain also isn’t quite a band, but more or less just Josh Haden, who is son of jazz legend Charlie Haden.
Spain is most definitely not a jazz band.
But you could be fooled on first listen. It’s slow, intimate delivery could be mistaken for lounge. Until you realise that there’s a restlessness simmering beneath the music: a mix of discontent, desperation and fight that could only be rock.
“Nobody Has To Know” is possibly the most achingly beautiful song about a secret relationship ever written.
R.I.Y.L. Idaho, Red House Painters, Cowboy Junkies
Technicolor – Normal Control Range
Some time around early 1999, I received a rejection letter from a graduate school; it was the only one I cared to apply for, and I hadn’t planned for anything else. Desperate, I quickly booked a bus to San Francisco, where a major job conference would be held. Perhaps I would get a job then, I thought.
It was my first time on the Greyhound, and it wasn’t completely unpleasant. I didn’t talk to anyone nor did anyone talk to me, which was fine because I was still in a state of shock about the rejection letter. (Looking back at it now, perhaps I had been too arrogant; I hadn’t allowed for the possibility of rejection.)
I had to switch to a different Greyhound bus at an interchange midway. I switched to a wrong one and arrived four hours early in the Bay Area. I got into the hotel where the conference would be held but was driven away. Me with my headphones, hoodie, cargo pants and all around dishevelled look didn’t inspire confidence among the hotel staff.
I was forced to walk the streets of San Francisco at 4 AM. No coffee stalls were yet open. I discovered something that morning: nobody looks at the homeless (or in my case, someone who appears to be homeless). I walked past people who gave no recognition of my being there. No one gave me a smile, or even looked my way. I felt a kind of isolation I had never felt before. I began to crave the sound of my own voice, but was wary about starting a conversation–I didn’t know what to say. Still, I knew I would be incredibly warm to anyone who would talk to me. But no one did.
Eventually the sun would rise and light would trickle in. I would wash my face and clean myself up. I would bump into some of my schoolmates from Eugene, Oregon, who, too, had gotten to the conference, except they drove. We would talk, laugh and have lunch together. It was a world away from where I was just hours before, when all I had was myself, my rejection letter and my Discman.
That’s what I think about whenever I listen to Technicolor.
R.I.Y.L. Junior Varsity KM, Color Filter, Sweet Trip
Sammy – Tales Of Great Neck Glory
If Coldplay is the more accessible, less threatening version of Radiohead, then Sammy is the more accessible, less threatening version of Pavement. And this, going by how happy Chris Martin seem to be these days, is not necessarily a bad thing.
So it’s too bad this 1996 release would be the band’s last. If they had continued, they would have surely come into their own by now. No more charges for being derivative. Just as how now no one thinks Muse to sound anything like Suede.
R.I.Y.L. Pavement, Velvet Underground, the Strokes
Sammy – Tales Of Great Neck Glory
Note: This post got me thinking about other bands often accused of being too derivative. Whatever happened to Gene?
Palace of Pleasure – Emperor Norton
“Do you like Johan?” I was once asked a Norwegian girl, hoping to break the ice. “Yes, but you should check out Palace of Pleasure,” she replied. “What kind of music is it?” I asked. “Dub,” she said. I thought I’d heard wrong; I didn’t think there were any dub in Norway.
It was dub, or more like dub-electronica, and it was good; in fact, it became a staple at parties whenever friends were over. This was 1998, so the album sounds relatively dated by now (after all, dance doesn’t age so well), but some elements–like the effortless groove mixed with ethereal beats–remain timeless.
R.I.Y.L. Kruder & Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, Groove Armada
Scud Mountain Boys – Massachusetts
A lost gem in alt-country.
Joe Pernice would leave to form the unimaginatively named Pernice Brothers. And later, the oddly titled Chappaquiddick Skyline. But it’s with Scud Mountain Boys that he first found his ardent cult following; largely thanks to Massachusetts, its third album, which received such critical acclaim the label would later re-release the earlier two albums.
Special mention to “Grudge Fuck,” which occupied me for days as I strummed and sang the song over and over again–only to be able to reach the part of the bridge that goes, “I really missed the ship where you’re concerned.”
R.I.Y.L. American Music Club, Golden Smog, Tarnation
La Buena Vida – Los Mejores Momentos
Best enjoyed with the La Buena Vida album I posted earlier.
Although the band is certainly not underrated–they are the indisputed indie champions in Spain–I thought more should hear their music. The world would be richer for it, I think.
Let me know if you agree.
Note: I discovered the band from a mixtape mailed to me by an ex-girlfriend. The mixtape (really a CD) included selections from the band’s first two albums. I couldn’t decide which of the two to upload as each contain songs I thought were essential. That’s why I‘m sharing both.
R.I.Y.L. the Cardigans, BMX Bandits, Club 8
La Buena Vida – La Buena Vida
In the spring of ’98, I had one favourite band in the world, and it was La Buena Vida. I knew little about them, except that there were from Spain, released under the terrific Siesta label, and that they produced the most sublime music.
It reminded me of the time I first listened to the Cardigan’s debut album, Life. It felt that the world was already a more beautiful place because such a piece of work exists–and if more enjoyed such music, then there couldn’t possibly be anything awful ever in the world.
R.I.Y.L. the Cardigans, BMX Bandits, Club 8
Jonny Polonsky – Hi, My Name Is Jonny
In 1996, one album arrived on the scene from an artist bursting with potential. The collection of songs were pop but with a slight quirk so they never quite sit comfortably on the radio. Critics were lauding the then-22-year-old singer-songwriter as a prodigy. Many agreed. Including Frank Black, who gave Jonny Polonsky his break after hearing his demo tape.
Some albums get me excited about the album to follow. Pavement’s Slanted & Enchanted made me think that a more produced album would allow the songs to shine, and they did with Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Same with Hi, My Name Is Jonny. I was looking forward to the sophomore effort, when the potential laid out in the first will finally have the chance to be realised.
That album would not arrive until eight years later, and by then, no one cared.
R.I.Y.L. the Pixies, Adam Green, Elvis Costello
Jonny Polonsky – Hi, My Name Is Jonny
Jonny Polonsky – Love Lovely Love
Bonus Download: Before the album was the single “Love Lovely Love,” which created a buzz on U.S. college radio. On this release were b-sides that were just as good as the single, including an inspired, re-imagining of Nirvana’s “In Bloom,” and an open-hearted ditty wonderfully titled “In The Centre Of My Heart There Is A Force That Is Commonly Known As Love.”
Arnold – Hillside
Alan McGee of Creation Records swore in 1996 that he was done signing bands–until he heard Arnold.
This triumphant 1998 debut opens hauntingly with “Fleas Don’t Fly,” which creates an atmosphere reminiscent of Pink Floyd. But this band from Kent isn’t prog-rock. Far from it. It’s good old power pop in the vein of Big Star, except with a lot more experimenting with sound, a lot more exploring with musical genre. Absolute favourite track? It’s got to be the mighty “Windsor Park.”
R.I.Y.L. Luna, Beta Band, Badly Drawn Boy
Johan – Johan
Remarkable 1998 debut. Beatlesque in melody and sometimes arrangement. Kind of like the Boo Radleys, except these guys are Dutch. But like the aforementioned band, perhaps too good for their own good. (A friend of mine used to say that’s why the “Boo’s” never got to be bigger.)
Too many noteworthy tracks on this album. So I’ll just highlight those that deviate somewhat from the mostly catchy, accessible, hook-laded pop numbers: “Life On Mars,” which reminds me of Mott the Hoople’s version of “All The Young Dudes.” Also a lesser track “Porneaux,” where honestly nothing much goes on–it’s just not as well written as the others–that is, until you arrive at the bridge. Fuck.
R.I.Y.L. the Boo Radleys, the Wannadies, Rialto
Stephen Duffy – Duffy
Can one write the perfect pop song? Stephen Duffy definitely tries. He is founding member and one-time lead singer of Duran Duran; he is also known as Tin Tin, but is probably most famous as Stephen from Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time. But this I reckon, is still not famous enough.
Yet another musician in the annals of pop music history, relegated to curious footnotes and reminiscences. Which is a pity, because good pop lifts, and very few do it as well as Stephen Duffy–a true pop original.
R.I.Y.L. New Radicals, Soft Cell, Julian Lennon
Trivia: A lot of these pure pop folks are often screamingly good songwriters. Stephen Duffy co-wrote with Robbie Williams the No. 1 hit single “Radio,” and would go on to co-write and co-produce the former Take That member’s 2005 Intensive Care album. Gregg Alexander of the New Radicals got tired and retired from the limelight after the massive hit single “You Get What You Give.” He declared that behind the scenes is where he would be most comfortable. Soon enough, he gave Ronan Keating his worldwide mega-smash “Life Is A Rollercoaster.”
theaudience – I Got The Wherewithal EP
Sometimes you buy an album because of its cover. First, the name of the band was intriguing: “the” and “audience” were deliberately spelt as one word. Also, the title had “wherewithal,” which instantly made it seem not of this time. Finally, the girl on the cover and the way she posed, forlorn and pensive; I would later learn that she is Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
This was back in 1998. Pre-Murder on the Dancefloor. Pre-Groovejet. Pre-famous.
The album wasn’t a dud. In fact, it was very good–so good that it contained songs that would remain superior to the band’s following full-length debut.
You could call the band “indie,” although they do sound markedly different from anyone then–and perhaps anyone since. A heady mix of musical theatre and Serge Gainsbourg wrapped in new wave guitar.
R.I.Y.L. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Serge Gainsbourg, Rufus Wainwright
theaudience – I Got The Wherewithal EP
Note: If you have heard of theaudience, you might know of their biggest single, A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed. It exists here in its original version, Ne Jamais Decu, which is sung in French.
I Am Robot And Proud – The Catch
“I Am Robot And Proud” is the cry of Osamu Tezuka’s most famous creation, Astro Boy; it’s also Ontario, Canada’s Shaw-Han Liem, a one-man band of electronic pop brilliance. I’m surprised “The Satellite Kids” never got to be bigger. A bona fide pop gem.
R.I.Y.L. Isan, Telepopmusik, Ulrich Schnauss
Phantom Planet – The Guest
Somewhat embarrassing to post this one up. 1) They are kind of a pretty boy band, with the vocalist a GAP model; 2) The drummer a film star, Jason Schwartzman (of Rushmore); 3) The first song of the album also the theme song of the hit TV show, The O.C. (which I actually like.)
But it’s a good album, and if you haven’t heard anything beyond “California,” you’re in for a power pop treat.
R.I.Y.L. OK Go, Ben Kweller, The Killers
R.I.Y.L. MUSIC 
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