"We Spoke Our Minds" EP. By guest contributor Interplanet Janet
Hal David once wrote “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of”. Sure, I won’t disagree that the world could use more love, but that’s not the only thing. Listening to The Young Sinclairs I am reminded that the world can always use more Sixties-inspired pop songs with jangly guitars. What? It matters too. When done right, it’s as vibrant and soul-lifting as anything that originally came out of that delicious era and I’m here to inform you The Young Sinclairs do it right.
Starting with the Byrdsesque and ultra-jangly “We Spoke Our Minds”, The Young Sinclairs take us through the cream of Sixites pop without ever having to change the record over. The tracks “You Can Have Her” and “Girl, I’m For Real” are what would be produced if The Beatles and The Kinks had musical lovechildren. Catchy and Clever. A winning combo. “Have A Home” and “Forever After” still carry the Sixties vibe but are also reflective of the early Nineties pre-britpop bands who were also heavily influenced by the Sixties. The under-rated UK indie band, Ride, especially comes to mind. This is evident in the selective lo-fi production on the vocals and the from-the-past-but-oh-so-now psychedelic riffs. If it’s true that one can be judged solely by one’s influences, then The Young Sinclairs can sleep easy.
The debate about bands who are clearly heavily influenced by other bands has been done before and I’m not going to take up precious web space outlining the argument for or against bands wearing their musical influences on their sleeve. Let’s just say I’m in the “wear it with pride” camp. It’s as clear as the day is long who some of the bands are that The Young Sinclairs might call their musical influences, but therein also lies the bands strength. The Byrds, The Kinks and The Beatles are all the obvious ones, and with superb production as well, but the way the band interprets them in each song is what’s striking about The Young Sinclairs. Anyone can replicate a bands sound, but to do it and still somehow retain their own unique sound is the difference between being great or being a tribute band. The Young Sinclairs, who hail from Roanoke, Virginia, are then no laughing matter. On the Roanoke City website it reads “In Roanoke you’ll find something unique: unexpected balance”. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t meant to describe the band that calls the city home, but it is just as fitting. They perfectly balance the best of the Sixties and Nineties and make it fresh for my retro-loving-but-not-completely-living-in-the-past ears.
I won’t name names, but you have bands that ride on the coattails of their influences and it just falls flat. Therefore, it seems to me then that taking the music of your heroes and making it good in it’s own right should be considered a fine art. The Scottish indie bands Lenzie Moss and The Wellgreen are other excellent examples of bands who excel at wearing their influences on their sleeve without compromising their originality. Just think of your favourite band and you will probably say they are superb at this as well. If you can’t, then The Young Sinclairs may deserve to be your new favourite band. Now, time to give them some love, sweet love.
Review by Interplanet Janet
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Young Sinclairs here: Facebook
Stream and purchase the "We Spoke Our Minds" EP here: Bandcamp
You can find several releases at the bandcamp page including a "Name Your price" download album of covers, B'sides and demos.
Physical copies of the bands records can be found at the excellent:Planting Seeds Records
This sparkling piece of 60's styled power pop in the vein of The Who and Powder, is being released on 7" vinyl, strictly limited to 300 copies in a cool hand numbered picture sleeve.
Regular readers may recall our favourite guest contributor "Interplanet Janet" raving about the bands previous EP, "We Spoke Our Minds," suggesting that The Young Sinclairs would have been the produce if The Beatles and The Kinks had love children, calling the songs catchy and clever.
Well, I am happy to say that the 2 songs on this EP are also catchy and clever and certainly go to the top of my favourite singles list for this year so far, as I am sure that it will yours too!
The single is being released on the "Market Square Records" label, a small DIY label, which is coincidently run from the Ice Cream Mans own home county, West Sussex in England in a small market town called Billingshurst and run by underground musician Paul Messis, whose latest album I will be featuring in the next few days.
The aim of "Market Square Records" is to release a succession of cool 45's for many bands over a period of time, whilst keeping true to their musical integrity and their original aims. Keep an eye out here for new releases from the label in the future.
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Young Sinclairs here: Facebook
Two brilliant releases from "Planting Seeds Records" and I will kick things off with "The Young Sinclairs" who we have featured here on the blog a couple of times. What more I can add to what we have written about them previously I don't really know? Guest contributor to the blog Interplanet Janet puts the case forward for this superb outfit from Roanoke, VA far more eloquently than I ever could, so I shall direct you to read her views on this band HERE.
All I shall add is that, if you haven't yet discovered this band, then you are in for an absolute treat, think, Buddy Holly meets The Zombies and jamming with The Byrds and you just start to scratch the surface of this bands unbelievable talents, 60's pop psyche, garage at its absolute best, yes, we absolutely, completely and utterly adore The Young Sinclairs here at Ice Cream Man and are as happy as Larry to share them with you.
This single will be available to purchase from September 17th from Planting Seeds Records HERE
Death Valley Rally are a new band to me but as soon as this CD fired up and the track "Come On" started playing, I was instantly reminded of early "My Bloody Valentine" and the same wave of excitement washed over me that I had when I first heard "Sunny Sundae Smile" way back further than I care to recall in term of years.
The sound is cleaner than that of their shoegazing, wall of sound peers, but, the elements are all there.
Track 2, "Your Frequency Doesn't Matter" is more melodic, once again reminding me of of another band, this time it was "Ride." Now, don't get me wrong, this band aren't simply copying bands that have gone by prior to their existence, but they have taken the cogs and wheels and reinvented the sound making it all their own, this is shoegaze, this is grunge, this is pop but more importantly it is a new and refreshing twist on a sterling genre of music, now with an extra shine.
The six tracks here will satisfy your every whim in all the afore mentioned genres and whims you didn't even know you had, and, this is their debut, I for one can't wait to hear what this band have to offer us in the future.
Death Valley Rally.
This CD wil be released on Planting Seeds Records August 27th, order your copy HERE
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Death Valley Rally here: Facebook
Once again, I am way behind with my mail, so many e-mails come through from great bands playing great music that I simply don't have time to get them all out there, so I am going to continue with my "round ups" in order to get them all out to you and what a blinding album to start with. Nick Piunti, who you may know as one of the Respectables (Detroit) or member of Chris Richards and the Subtractions, apparently, he is the cutest member of the band, but we are not able to confirm or deny this here at ICM headquarters, but, we do know that he has made a blinding power pop album with "13 In My Head" and that you should bag yourself a copy of this album with immediate effect!
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Nick Piunti here: Facebook
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Brooklyn based garage punk band The Mad Doctors have just released an EP of surf rock, garage punk and psychedelic sludge and it contains exactly that, if The Black Lips had a slimy kid with The Ghastly ones, then this is what it would sound like and we like this, it kicks in all the right spots and hits the parts that other music just can't reach.
Join in with the madness, contact, follow, befriend, like and love (at your own peril) here: Facebook
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The Joy Of Painting have been a favourite of mine since I first stumbled across them on Bandcamp with their album "Asterix" and now a few singles later they have unleashed another mini album which once again reminds me why I fell in love with them in the first place, 7 songs of complete and utter joy, no pun intended, this is top quality pop craftsmanship direct from Nashville, check it out, seriously, check it out!
The Joy of Painting get the thumbs up from me too!
Stream and buy the album here with many different colouful packages available, including vinyl, T shirts etc here: Bandcamp
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Joy Of Painting here: Facebook
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Ballard started working on this album immediately after releasing his previous album "Little Rockets" (which we featured on the blog earlier in the year), it began with the track "Everybody Knows" which was a departure from the punky/mod sounds of "Little Rockets" with the visions of a more epic Phil Spector type sound, whilst still retaining the lo-fi qualities of the previous Ballard recordings.
"Bucky" is more varied album in styles of music with Nilsson, The Kinks and Working Boys as inspiration.
The album is a short affair with 9 songs clocking in at just over twenty minutes which leave you wanting for more and I am quite sure that there will be more this year.
There are rumours abound that Ballard are to be recording with Dana Myza of Cotton Mather in the future and we'll certainly keep you abreast of any developments there as that promises to be something very special indeed. For now, enjoy this great album.
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Ballard here: Facebook
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From Southampton, vocalist/lead guitarist John Waghorn, vocalist/guitarist Josh Butcher, bassist Daniel Manuel, and (session) drummer John Martin are causing a bit of a stir on the music scene. Supporting The Dexters, The Moons, Chris Helme, Steve Craddock and Mark Morriss; landing an interview with the Huffington Post, and debuting their latest single, ‘Neither Here Nor There’ at This Feeling… Say hello to Welcome Pariah.
On my first listen to the band I was reminded a little of "Cast" but on subsequent listens I discovered many other influences, albeit subtle, but this band brings something else to the table, great tunes, excellent musicianship and well crafted lyrics. These guys are just what the British music scene needs right now (and many places beyond) this is a really refreshing and very tasty outfit and I can't wait to hear some more from them, welcome Welcome Pariah and enjoy!
Contact, befriend, follow, find more tunes (be sure to check out the excellent "Liberty Pill" on Youtube) like and love Welcome Pariah here: Facebook
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I discovered Paul Messis via a large selection of CDs sent to me by his label "State Records" last year and immediately his music resonated with me, full of chiming guitars and licks that could have come straight from the sixties garage scene.
I spent a large part of my youth seeking out 60's garage records and collecting the Rubbles, Pebbles, Texas Flashbacks etc records and I absolutely loved the bands I was discovering, I would guess that Paul was doing the same as he encompasses many of those sounds but in his own original way bringing the folk rock, psychedelic, punk and garage elements of the sixties together beautifully, this has to be one of my records of the year so far, I love it!
Keeping with the sixties garage scene, here is another band that are currently getting plenty of air time in our "office." This band from Munich, Germany obviously share my passion and love for the sixties garage scene too and we also love them!
The Royal Flares are dedicated to the raw, wild, frantic and driving sound of 60s garage rock’n’roll as epitomized by the legendary „Back From The Grave“ series. Drumsticks flying through the room, the Farfisa organ grinding the sole off your shoes, the singer snarling and screaming out his anger, angst and longing, the bass like a heavy maelstrom underneath and guitars like rusty blades slashing through mountains of fuzz and twang. „Tales Of Sound & Fury“ was recorded in an old building of the German Federal Railway, which makes for an authentic, almost archaic sound (the secret being high ceilings, like the studios in the sixties used to have them). It’s live, including the vocals, and it’s wild. This is not a clean and neat simulation of long gone garage punk greatness, this is the real thing. Forceful, massive like an old steam engine, rolling downhill! „Bad Part Of Town“, the original already being a top-notch rocker- the Flares turn it into a downright „punk juggernaut“ as a US collector of sixties garage 45s has put it. Their rendition of the all-time garage favourite „Going All The Way“ is a blasting ’66 jangle ride on a ’77 punk engine. And another reputable expert of 60s garage rock’n’roll has only one word for their version of the hard-core garage anthem „Last Time Around“: „killer“! Their original material doesn’t lack behind. If you think „Signifying Nothing“ with its biting blasts of fuzz is right off a Back From The Grave comp, you could be right, only that it’s the Royal Flares’ very own creation. „The Stalker“, another 60s punk smasher, has been described as „the Great Scots blended with the Ramones (Blitzkrieg Bop)“. With tunes like „This Is Why I“ the Royal Flares even prove to be competent on Beau Brummels territory and „Mavis“ is a beautifully haunting and moody 60s garage ballad.„Tales Of Sound & Fury“ is like a massive rock in a sea of plastic. It’s raw, it’s wild, it’s pulsating with the blood of original rock’n’roll. Welcome to the Stone Age!
"Last Time Around" from "Tales of Sound and Fury" Live.
Listen to more from this outstanding outfit here: Soundcloud
Buy the album from the excellent label CopaseDisques here: Copasetic
(Release date 28/6/13)
Contact, befriend, follow like and love The Royal Flares here: Facebook
Oh! Gunquit - Voodoo Meat Shake (Eat Yuppies and Dance LP) Fezz - Ladyland Batswingers (Single) Three Four Teens - Gonna Make You Mine (Single) The Revellions - Sighs (Give It Time LP) Rob Hoeke R&B Group - Margio (Havoc From Holland LP) Knee-jerk Reactions - Want You To Love Me (The Indestructible Sounds Of......LP) Blondie - (I'm always touched by your) Presence Dear (Atomic, Best Of Blondie LP) Green - Radio Caroline (Power Pop Vol.5 LP) Beulah - A Good Man Is Easy To Kill (The Coast Is Never Clear LP) The Forty Nineteens - She Just Moved On (No Expiration Date LP) Big Star - O My Soul (#1 Record LP) The Deal - Hopi (Single) The Stoneage Hearts - First Kiss (Hung Up(On You) LP) Braddock Station Garrison - Any Day, Any Way (A Hint Of Recognotion LP) Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little MoreTime (Single) Paula Durante - Baby You're Not My Kind (Single) The Glories - I worship You Baby (Single) The Mandates - Katie, Katie, Katie (In The Back Of Your Heart LP) Nervous Talk - Sasha (Nervous Talk LP) Mark and The Spies - Everything I Need (Mark And The Spies LP
#84
The Surfaris - Wipeout (The Surfaris LP) The Beatles - Please Mister Postman (With The Beatles LP) Rolling Stones - Come On (Single) RAF - Want You To Know (Single The Shining Stars - Day After Day (Single) Teenage Fanclub - Sometimes I don't Need To believe in Anything (Manmade LP) The Ramones - Pet Sematary (Anthology LP) The Unswept - Super Sad (The Unswept Today LP) The Manics - From A Distance (Single) Phenomenal Cat - Satelites (Single) Best Coast - Heaven Sent (California Nights LP) Caroline And The Treats - Bad Boyfriend (Saturday Night, Rock & Roll LP) Billy Thompson - Black Eyed Girl (Single) Bitch Boys - Rat Pfink Theme (Ride The First Wave LP) Second Saturday - What You Get (Heres The Deal LP) The Unswept - (You Can) Do The Math (The Unswept Today LP) Attic Lights - Known Outsider (Orbison Single) Broken Family Band - I See How You Are (Balls LP) Phil Yates And The Afilliates - Burn It Down Bernadette (No Need To Beg LP) Adam Marsland - Something Someone For Nothing (Single) Katie Hallam - How Could It Be (Young But Wise LP) King Jartur And His Lords - La Criatura (Single)
#85
Terry and Jerry - Mama Julie (Forever Mod LP) Little Clara and Les Chacalas - Tu Es ma Seule Idole (Un Pas Apres L'Autre LP) The Stairs - Squashed Tomato Stomp (Single) The Ethiopians - Train To Skaville (Single) Farrah - Hopelessly Devoted (Me Too LP) Finkers - Girls Are Comin' Down (Fresh Set-O-Prints LP) The Corner Laughers - Queen Of The Meadow (Matilda Effect LP) Adam Dennis - Your So Mean (PB100 LP) Yellowstone UK - We Justt Dun The Caff (Single) Tennis - Marathon (Cape Dory LP) Sancho - Cooler (What If EP Miles Over Matter - Official Paradise (The Anthology 80 - 82) Ken Stringfellow - Find Yourself Alone (Touched LP) Red Temples - Intrepid (Queen/Spring/Intrepid LP) Kelly's Heels - Popboomerang (PB100 LP) The Cavaliers - Hold On To My Baby (Single) The Who - Doctor Doctor (A Quick One While He's Away LP) Blasting Fondas - I'm Not In Love (Slightly Bruised LP) Green Circles - Turned To Stone (Single) Long Tall Shorty - Win Or Lose (The Unsung Heroes 1978 - 81 LP)
#86
The Jam - Art School (In The City LP) Best Coast - Feeling OK (California Nights LP) Ramma Lamma - Ice Cream (Single) The Playmates - If (Listen! LP) New York Dolls - Trash (New York Dolls LP) Brand New Sinclairs - Don't Call Again (This is Brand New Sinclairs And Other Chronicles LP) The Manics - Everybody Knows (Please Panic....It's The Manics LP) The Beatpack - Where The Water Runs Deep (Single) The Baron Four - Walking Out (Single) Caravelles - Lovin' Just My Style (Boulders Vol.1 Comp. LP) The Specials - A Message To You Rudy (The Specials LP) Phil Ajjarapu - Talk (Sing Along Until You Feel Better LP) Wade Jackson - Carolina (Whisky Alpha Delta Echo LP) Rocket Bureau - Something Wrong (Low Times High Anxiety LP) Tina & The Total Babes - That's The Way I Want It (It's Tina Time LP) The Pictures - Leave Me Alone (Better Than Words LP) Os Noctambulos - Outsider (Single) Outsiders - Do You feel Alright (Havoc From Holland LP) The Lambrettas - Another Day, Another Girl (Page 3) (Beat Boys In The Jet Age LP) Pseudonym - Art School Lady (Revolving Door LP) Wade jackson - If You Change Your Mind (Whisky Alpha Delta Echo LP) The Running Jumps - If You Want My Love (Never Surrender - Cheap Trick Tribute LP)
Hanky Panky - Precious Bitch, The Zags - Red Eye'd Dawn, The Young Sinclairs - We Spoke Our Minds, The Cool Whips - Pink Lemonade, Lorraine Silver - Lost Summer Love, The Parasites - What Kind Of Love, Orgone Box - Judy Over The Rainbow, Vegas With Randolph - Salt Water Taffy, The Judes - Let's Fall In Love Again, Silver Factory - All The Love In The World, The Smoggers - Join The Riot, Mikey And The Drags - Evil One, Ken Simpson - When You Talk to Me, The Exports - Envy Of The Dreamers, Silver Factory - Tomorrows Today, The High Nines - Rainman, The Dukes Of Kent - Lay My Burden Down, Trolley - Out Of Love, Phenomenal Cat - Nowhere Town, The Smoggers - On Our Side, The Singles - I want you back now.
The cool folks at Planting Seeds Records have very kindly given "Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More" 3 copies of The Young Sinclairs EP, which is due for release next week, to give away to exclusively to our readers.
All you have to do is send an e mail to me HERE (icecreammanpowerpop@hotmail.com)with your name and an e-mail address and like Planting Seeds record on Facebook HERE and next Wednesday September 18th we will choose 3 names from the hat and send them a copy of this fantastic EP.
