The Judes - All That Is.

I often think how great it is writing a music blog and hearing music that I may not have otherwise heard if bands didn't send me their music.  Sometimes I get this worrying feeling that there is some absolutely amazing music out there that I will never hear, but, can you miss something you haven't heard?

Fortunately, for me (and you), this is one such album that we won't be missing, thanks to The Judes and I am so pleased that I get to share this one with you, this is absolutely sublime.

I have had this album spinning since it dropped through the door yesterday, I had heard one track previously and knew I was in for something special, but I didn't realise quite how special this album would be.

"All That Is" has flavours of Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Lovin' Spoonful, The Turtles, Beach Boys, Teenage Fanclub, The Byrds, but most importantly, it has plenty of The Judes too.  If this was a food, I would eat contentedly for the rest of my life.

The Judes are from Winnipeg, Canada and consists of Cory Pritchard, bass, vocals, Jim Anderson, Guitar, vocals and Michael Dickson, drums, percussion and vocals.

This 15 track album flows perfectly from track opener, the Lennonesque, "Bide Your Time" to album closer, "Sunday's Well" with its magnificent vocal harmony arrangement.  This is all killers and no fillers, to have an album of 15 tracks like this says a lot about the standards and quality of a band.

With the leanings towards the 1950's and 60's on this album, it feels like I should be listening to this from a vintage radiogram, instead, I am loading it all up onto every single media device I have, this is one album I don't want to be without.....and you shouldn't either!

Physical copies of the album can be purchased here: Kunaki

Digital download available here: itunes

More information on The Judes here: Wiki

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Judes here: Facebook

Super Tuesday with The Fadeout, Mooner and The Starkins.

I received an e mail with an introduction to The Fadeout and their new video, which, was so good, it immediately drew me towards their Bandcamp page and the album they released last year, "Shapes Of Animals."

This debut album from the band is as close to summer in music as you are ever likely to experience with strong 60's styled harmonies, uptempo, happy, melodic tunes, fine lyrics and songs constructed to wrap you in the warmth of the sounds emerging from within them.  I kind of wish that I had found this band, or rather, they had found me at the start of the summer, so I could bathe in the sun rays whilst awash with the glorious vibes, but hey, things don't always work out the way you hope, but the colours of Autumn will be glowing brighter this year listening to this album, whilst aiding the inner warmth that only some music can conjure up.

The Fadeout hail from Montreal, where they have garnered a healthy following, along with on the East coast of the US.  I can imagine that this is a band with a sound that will travel well from coast to coast in the US and into Europe, right before they take on the rest of the world, go immerse yourself into the beauty, that is The Fadeout, now.

Stream and buy the CD of "Shapes Of Animals" here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Fadeout here: Facebook

Official Website: www.thefadeout.com

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Mooner, whose EP's we have featured on the blog are back with a new offering in the form of a Name Your Price/Free download called "Making Americans."

The Elvis Costello indebted single was recorded by Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, Mekons) at his studio, King Size Soundlabs, in Chicago, recorded live with minimal overdubs and the result is a fantastic piece of Power Pop tinged Americana.

Download the single here and don't forget to check out the bands previous EP releases: Bandcamp

(Check out their awesome limited edition T-Shirt too!)

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Mooner here: Facebook

All other links to Mooner:

http://www.moonerband.com
http://www.twitter.com/moonerband
http://new.myspace.com/moonerband
http://www.reverbnation.com/mooner
http://www.last.fm/music/Mooner
http://www.youtube.com/user/MoonerBand/v...

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I don't usually feature bands with no releases for punters to go grab but these young men from Sheffield have a great sound which you can hear on Soundcloud (link at bottom) and I would like to share them here with you, they certainly bring a smile to my face with their songs and hopefully they will do the same for you.

Currently unsigned and concentrating on writing more of their own material, I have a feeling that their brand of uptempo, indie pop will be very popular once they are out there amongst the masses.

The band are gigging more and more frequently and say that they "aren't fussy where we play," so if you want to hear the guys in your area, then drop them a line.

Listen to more tunes here: Soundcloud

Contact, befriend, follow, like, love and book a gig here: Facebook

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The Young Sinclairs - You Know Where To Find Me EP and Death Valley Rally - The Stars Shine Brighter After Midnight

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

Check out the band previous releases on Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Young Sinclairs here: Facebook

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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

More links:

Bandcamp - http://deathvalleyrally.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/death-valley-rally
Tumblr - http://deathvalleyrally.tumblr.com/

Phenomenal Cat - Nowhere Town OUT NOW!

Once again the Phenomenal Cat steams into town with another fantastic, sugar baked slice of  delectable power pop, this time in the form of the latest single in the conceptual "Pop Wasteland" graphic novel for which these songs are the rock 'n' roll soundtrack to. 

"Nowhere Town" if taken as a single, without the graphic novel to read along with, bolsters the fact, that, this band is one hell of a band, deserving to take a place in rock 'n' roll history, with their songwriting being compared to The Kinks and Blur with quintessential Englishness.

Get the songs and the graphic novel and you soon realise that this band have embarked on an original concept.  Sure we have had the rock opera and other bands may have attempted this style of scenario, but none of late and none with such style and panache as Phenomenal Cat.

For a very limited 48 hours, you can grab this track for free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, including your new favourite band.

Read more about the graphic novel and soundtrack concept here: Pop Wasteland ICM

Stream and download the Nowhere Town single free for a limited period here: Phenomenal Cat 

Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Phenomenal Cat here: Facebook

Be sure to check out last years single a month collection, also on bandcamp.

French Boutik - ICI Paris. 2 Disc 45rpm release

French Boutik are back with another glorious offering of modern French pop in the form of a double vinyl 45rpm release, ticking all the right boxes in order for you to dance the night away to their glorious sounds of poppy, buzzing, powerful guitar, blended with the finest percolating organ which represents the timely marriage between English and French pop.

 

The new single is available for pre order now via the bands facebook page along with their fantastic back catologue.

Photo: Fred Eagle

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love French Boutik here: Facebook

The Penelopes - Sweet Amazer

This arrived with me last week from Japan and it is both sweet and amazing and therefore is very aptly named, in my humble opinion.

Having only heard a couple of tracks by this band before, I was not really sure what to expect, but I was absolutely bowled over by opening track and album title track, "Sweet Amazer" which has an almost Northern Soul feel to it with a steady 4/4 beat which you simply can't resist tapping your feet along to, a similar feel is carried along on the 2nd track, "Heartache Close" before things change a little and become more poppy on the rest of the album, but with equally impressive sounds and main man Tatsuhiko Watanabe, has a really distinctive voice, sometimes haunting, sometimes poppy, but always keeping you hanging on every word he sings, it has been a long time since I heard a voice that stands out so distinctively and so thoroughly charming.  The 7 track mini album also includes a great cover of XTC's "The Dissapointed."

Sadly, I am unable to find a link to post up any of the complete track from the album, the band does have a reverbnation page with some of their back catologue on, which I will link to at the end of this post, but rest assured, if you want to take a chance on this mini album, I would be very surprised if you were dissapointed!

The Penelopes was essentially the work of singer/songwriter Tatsuhiko, the group debuted in 1993 with the album "Big Golden Cage", followed a year later by "Touch The Ground," although by this time the band was basically a solo project of Tatsuhiko, he maintained the Penelopes name for 1997's "Kiss Of Life" and "APlace In the Sun." Issued the same year was the bands first long player, issued on his own label, Vaudeville Park Records.

Several albums have followed and the band have also contributed to many compilation albums.

Listen to more music by The Penelopes here: Reverbnation

Buy Sweet Amazer (and hear longer samples) here: itunes and amazon

Website for Vaudeville Records and The Penelopes: Official

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Penelopes here: Facebook

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The Kimballs - The Kimballs

Drummer Michael Mark and singer Tom Burns started making music together before they were even old enough to drive.  In college they met up indie rock guitar slinger Alan Tepper, and after a twenty year audition, they finally asked him to join the band.

The Kimballs instinctively tap into 70's - 80's AM radio pop, which they then update and abbreviate in their stripped down post-punk DIY ethic.

I have had this album, along with the bands debut album for just over a week and I have been playing them continuously, immersed in them, without skipping a single track, there are no filler tracks here, just  full on, quality power pop, real classic power pop.

It comes as no surprise that their blend of music has been included in award winning films and is also on constant rotation on college radio.  Is this a power pop masterpiece?  Yes, I do believe it is.  If you only buy one record this year, buy this one and then buy the bands debut album "Number One," which is also another prime cut in the world of power pop.  I know that is two albums, but seriously, do it! 

Stream and buy the album (Name Your Price) here: Bandcamp

You can have both the bands albums and the 5 track "Great Face For Radio" for a mere 15 dollars!!

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Kimballs here: Facebook