very truly yours

I am almost too excited to see the Pains of Being Pure at Heart tonight. I know at some point, I am going to have to stop listening to their album so I don't get too burned out before the show. And, while that time may not quite have come (I mean, the show's not until 9pm...), I can gear up in a different way—by listening to the wonderful openers, Very Truly Yours.

I don't know too much about the band, and what I do know is all second-hand from friends, including my best friend, the Internet. But Chicago pop is hard to come by, which is why I feel it is necessary to say some kind words. Very Truly Yours strike a pure pop beauty that isn't overly saccharine or precious. It is sincere and beautiful with just the right amount of distortion in the background to make it a little messy. I guess think of the Softies fronted by Amelia Fletcher, or Strawberry Story when Hayley Beckman is at her most calm. Made up from three-fourths of contributors to the Chicago band the Lorimer Sound, Very Truly Yours is the perfect simple pop band Chicago has never had.

They just released a great split EP on Cloudberry on January 1st with the Understudies from the UK. They were also just on a WeePOP! comp and are releasing a new song on an upcoming Series Two comp! Wow! Certainly a pop band to watch, and one of the few we've had from Chicago in a long time. And they're only a few months old!!

And don't forget to come to tonight's show! The Pains of Being Pure at Heart with the Depreciation Guild and Very Truly Yours @ Schuba's, 9pm. Tickets are only $8! The show will be put on by my good friends Colour Me Pop!

Download:
Very Truly Yours - "Popsong '91"

I would also like to take this time to ask: WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THE TWEE.NET POLL/SERIES TWO RECORDS DRAMA?! For a bit of background, Series Two swept the Best Record Label of 2008 category with around 60 more votes than any other record label, and about 60 more votes than were even present in any other category... Slumberland came in a far second, and I don't think anyone was arguing that the label that put out so many solid indie pop releases of 2008 deserved to be #1. But some are taking quite a bit of offense to this drama. Cloudberry went as far as saying that Series Two owner, Chris B, was causing "terrible damage" to the twee pop scene. His response? "Better luck next year!" Ouch!

THE OTHER NIGHT: lykke li

Lykke Li at the Metro, Chicago, IL (February 7, 2009)

It's a little hard for me to believe how quickly Lykke Li blew up, but maybe I just like to think that I can keep all the music I like to myself. I know that even with her roots singing on the streets in Södermalm with her toy piano, Lykke Li was always going to be a pop star. It’s just that now I just start to wonder if what I once saw as precious, well-produced, intelligent pop is meant to go the way of iPod commercials.

Lykke Li once felt intimate to me—the slight dirtiness of “Little Bit,” the heart wrenching power of “Tonight”—but I guess that is always how pop music is supposed to feel. I just can’t shake the feeling that I've been duped somehow. Maybe I am responding to the absolute pleasure seeing her open for El Perro Del Mar at Schuba’s last spring brought me, a show that no sold-out Metro show could ever live up to. Or maybe I am just being selfish. But maybe I've let my love of all things Swedish cloud my judgment…

That’s not to say there was anything disappointing about the show: she delivered in all ways expected of her. She danced, looked cute, and got us to dance sometimes by playing her hits like “Little Bit” and “I’m Good, I’m Gone” and even an extra klub version of “Complaint Department.” Then there were some incongruous moments: a cover of the Kings of Leon? I didn’t even know they were still making music. Her attempts at straddling a line closer to American R&B were hinted at throughout the night, but it became almost transparent in (an admittedly well-done) cover of A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?” And it was all well and good until Lykke Li started getting a little pissed off with the photographers in the front row, interjecting, "Why you gotta photo all the time?" into the song. At this point, Lykke Li threw the microphone across the stage and walked out.

I can’t say there’s anything precious about that.

I think maybe she just needs to start wearing that cute bun again.

Watch:

Lykke Li - "Tonight" (live acoustic take)
via This Difficulty

ethical dilemma in re: tullycraft

As I am preparing for tomorrow's radio show, I am having a bit of an ethical dilemma.

Last week, someone called in to my show threatening to report me to the FCC because of the word "fuck" appearing in QWEE!'s themesong, Tullycraft's "Twee." The word appears three times throughout the song, in the ever-classic "You can keep the punk rock, ska, rap beats, and house, fuck me I'm twee!" My last show marked the three year anniversary of QWEE!, at least two and a half of those years have started with "Twee" at least bi-weekly. And no one, not once, has ever called in to complain.

So now I am faced with this dilemma, and I'm sure the answer to it is obvious. I've edited "Twee" to remove those three obscenities, leaving it squeaky clean in its references to the indie pop greats, but now I can't help but feel dirty. Am I destroying this song? Is this wrong of me? I certainly don't want to get WHPK in $21,000 worth of trouble (apparently the price at $7,000 an offense), but it just seems wrong... I am pretty sure, however, that would be the first obscenity fine in twee's history.

So to that asshole who called in: fuck you.

Good thing I can say that here.

parenthetical girls - new video, album out

Parenthetical Girls - A Song for Ellie Greenwich

It took me a lot of googling to remember that I first saw the Parenthetical Girls in 2004 opening for Mt. Eerie at what was formerly the Open End Gallery. I must have been a junior in high school, perhaps just learning about indie pop in the form that I know it now. But when I saw the Parenthetical Girls, who had just released their (((GRRRLS))) double-sided vinyl EP released on their own Slender Means Society, something about their brand of off-center, melodramatic, queer pop music struck a chord with me.

The band followed up with the critical acclaimed (and excellent) Safe as Houses LP and maybe even found a bit more notoriety after Casiotone for the Painfully Alone covered their brilliant "Love Connection" on his album Etiquette.

When their new album, Entanglements, came out, people saw it as an entirely different direction for the band. And sure, it IS different, but frontman Zac Pennington still has the same wonderful lyrics with the same awkward pop sense. The quirky instrumentation is abandoned for orchestration. It may not have the same lo-fi qualities as their debut, but just watch the video and somehow all the charms of the band come back.

Download:
The Parenthetical Girls - A Song for Ellie Greenwich

skwbn - #4!!! new single!

There are few bands who better embody the spirit of Swedish pop better than Suburban Kids With Biblical Names. Their music combines a joyous mix of electronics, fun melodies, and maybe occasional tendencies toward the tropical. It's already been three years since the release of their only full-length, #3, but now we have been blessed with #4, set to be released on February 4th on Labrador. How did we ever survive? Well, luckily the duo had other projects in the meantime: Peter Gunnarson played with the wonderful Springfactory and Johan Hedberg released a great solo EP on Labrador.

Sadly, however, #4 is just an EP! Oh well, I guess having four songs is better than having none.

To celebrate this good news, I woke up this morning with an e-mail from Labrador gifting us all an early February 4: an MP3 of Suburban Kids' new single, "1999." I don't think it is anything radically different from classic SKWBN. A few more songs are also streaming on the band's Myspace, so make sure to have a listen.

Pre-order #4 now!

Download:
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - 1999

TOP 50 of 2008

This shouldn't even be a list. This is probably every song I have ever had on repeat throughout the year. It doesn't include the millions of pop songs I didn't hear, the bands who have yet to put out a release that has either leaked onto Soulseek, the blogs, or found its way into the WHPK record library. (Hey, I'm a college student, YOU buy me music.) I can already think of something I forgot...

THE 50 MOST TWEERIFIC SONGS OF 2008 as played on QWEE! on December 29, 2008:

50. The Lodger – "The Good Old Days" from Life is Sweet
49. Pelle Carlberg – "1983 (Pelle & Sebastian)" from The Lilac Time
48. Summer Cats – "Passion Pop" from Passion Pop
47. The Second Band – "No Song" from No Song single
46. The Airfields – "Yr So Wonderful" from Up All Night
45. Northern Portrait – "Crazy" from The Fallen Aristocracy EP
44. All Girl Summer Fun Band – "Oh No" from Looking Into It
43. Moofish Catfish – "Half My Size" from On A Sunbeam to Your Heart
42. Vampire Weekend – "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" from S/T
41. Je Suis Animal – "The Mystery of Marie Roget" from Self Taught Magic From a Book
40. The Just Joans – "Hey Boy... You're Oh So Sensitive!" from Hey Boy... You're Oh So Sensitive! EP
39. Slow Down Tallahassee – "Never Be Lonely Again" from The Beautiful Light
38. The Radio Dept. – Freddie and the Trojan Horse from Freddie and the Trojan Horse single
37. Cloetta Paris – "Secret Eyes" from Secret Eyes
36. The Organ – "Fire in the Ocean" from Thieves EP
35. Liechtenstein – "Security By Design" from Apathy 7"
34. Tafra – "Why Do You Have To Be So Complicated Baby?" from Why Even Bother
33. Retro Stefson – "Luna" from Montaña
32. Sexy Kids – "Sisters Are Forever" from Sisters Are Forever 7"
31. No Kids – "I Love the Weekend" from Come Into My House
30. The Smittens – "The Interstate" from The Coolest Thing About Love
29. Little My – "All But the Beeps Meep" from Little My's Sixth
28. The Sound of Arrows – "Danger" from Danger EP
27. The LK – "The Private Life of a Cat" from The LK vs. the Snow
26. The Parallelograms – "Without You" from 1–2–3 Go!
25. Crystal Stilts – "Prismatic Room" from Alight of Night
24. The Social Services – "The Baltic Sea" from It's Nothing Personal, It's National Security
23. The Magnetic Fields – California Girls from Distortion
22. Parker Lewis – "Bash the Cynicals" from Parker Lewis
21. Air France – "No Excuses" from No Way Down
20. Strawberry Fair – "I Can't Do Anything" from I Can't Do Anything EP
19. Hari and Aino – "Gold (Or Something Just as Nice)" from Hari and Aino
18. The Legends – "Seconds Away" from Seconds Away single
17. The Carrots – "Beverly" from Beverly 7"
16. The Manhattan Love Suicides – "Never Far From You" from Burnt Out Landscapes
15. Love Is All – "Wishing Well" from A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night
14. Utah Rangers – "March"
13. Slow Club – "Summer Shakedown" from Let's Fall Back in Love EP
12. El Perro Del Mar – "Somebody's Baby" from From the Valley to the Stars
11. The School – "Let It Slip" from Let It Slip 7"
10. Cars Can Be Blue – "Sun Blows Up" from Doubly Unbeatable
9. Comet Gain – "Love Without Lies" from Broken Record Prayers
8. Erik Halldén – "If I Ever Get Married"
7. Those Dancing Days – "Home Sweet Home" from In Our Space Hero Suits
6. Lykke Li – "Little Bit" from Youth Novels
5. Strawberry Story – "Boys (From the Story)" from Sci-Fi Guy EP
4. Johan Hedberg – "Var Dig Själv" from 5 Spårs EP
3. Vivian Girls – "Where Do You Run To" from Vivian Girls
2. Hello Saferide – "Anna" from More Modern Short Stories from Hello Saferide
1. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – "Everything With You" from Everything With You 7"

There you have it.

I should note that there are very few of these songs not available on the internet. I would post links, but that would take days.

the sound of arrows - 'm.a.g.i.c.' single out 1/28

The Sound of Arrows - M.A.G.I.C. (Mini-video)

Christmas is over, and I must say, I didn't feel in much of the holiday spirit this year. Maybe it's been the bitter cold and icy wintry mix that kept me inside for 92 hours straight, the uncomfortable return to my parents' house, or maybe just my usual pessimism, but despite all that, I can't really refute the magic of the Sound of Arrows new song and mini-video.

The Sound of Arrows (from good ole Stockholm City) put out a great EP for "Danger" earlier this year on Labrador with some really great songs and even a few remixes of "Danger" that I enjoyed. This new single for "M.A.G.I.C." (out January 28 on Labrador), promises to be a great preview of what we'll see on their forthcoming album.

"M.A.G.I.C." is full of the electronic swells and school child chants referenced in "Danger," but with something distinctly more magical. Maybe the video, with all of its reappropriated Disney footage (not to mention the unicorn), influences my opinion somewhat. But, as a firm believer in the Icelandic huldufólk (hidden people), I wonder if maybe Sweden, too, is influenced by some magical älvdanser (elf dances). Some magic to ponder for this holiday season.

Pre-order the single for "M.A.G.I.C." from Labrador now!

Download:
The Sound of Arrows - M.A.G.I.C.

the housemartins - take jesus—take marx—take hope

The Housemartins - Caravan of Love

I told myself I wasn't going to post an entry for Christmas songs, but these aren't even Christmas songs! (Speaking of Christmas songs, the School have a great song up on their Myspace.) And plus, how could I almost forgot about everyone's FAVO(U)RITE Jesus-loving 80s British pop band: the Housemartins!!

The Housemartins formed in 1983 in Hull, England. After some line-up changes, the band put out a good number of popular singles with their new bassist, the future Fatboy Slim (REALLY). Lead singer Paul Heaton (also of the Beautiful South) wrote lyrics to reflect his, er, unique blend of Christianity and Marxism, followed through by SUPERB choreographed dance routines (check those out for the "Happy Hour" and "Sheep" videos and a little in the video posted above).

"Caravan of Love," a cover of an Isley Jasper Isley song, reached #1 on the Christmas charts of 1986. "Heaven Help Us All," composed by Ron Miller and most famously performed by Stevie Wonder, never saw any official Housemartins release but was recorded for a BBC Peel Session. This version is from the collection of rarities limited to 110 copies called Raise the Flag.

I think the Housemartins are totally cheesy, but also pretty great. Their songs are sappy but not overly Jesus-y. Instead they adopt a sense of optimism, hope and caring for the common man. What a lovely Christmas message.

Download:
The Housemartins - Heaven Help Us All
The Housemartins - Caravan of Love

komon - punk ep re-release

Komon - Give Me Speed

"Give me twee!" It's something I say every day, but hearing Lund, Sweden's Komon say it is so much more charming. I heard Komon a while ago with her free download from Cloudberry off of her Punk EP, but I have been searching for more songs ever since. Now that I've found them, I just can't take them off repeat. Fortunately for us who want even more, a ton of songs are streaming on her Myspace and on her Last.fm page.

Komon is Antonia Pehrson who started this solo project after purchasing an electric organ. Her music is a refreshing combination of witty lyrics, drum beats, organ and classic indie-pop melodies. I can understand the comparisons to Amelia Fletcher and like-minded twee-pop ladies, but who can resist the addition of sped-up drum machine beats and analog synth?

Her Myspace promises a new album soon, but she's just re-released the Punk EP with an extra song. You can order it by contacting her from her Myspace page.

Download:
Komon - I Made New Friends
Komon - Poetry for the Winter
(What would this post be without including her totally cute free holiday pop song download?)

LAST NIGHT: love is all & the crystal stilts

Love is All with the Crystal Stilts and Bird Names at the Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL (December 14, 2008)


I'll admit that it had been a while since I had last listened to Love Is All. But their new album A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night, released last month on What's Your Rupture, is the same spastic pop music that made them early favorites of the Swedish pop scene. The funny thing was, until they reminded me last night that they hailed from Gothenburg, I had almost forgotten they were Swedish. So sharply different from the pop that has come out of Gothenburg in the last few years, Love is All seems less polished and less sincere than the rest of the Swedish pop I love and more a part of the What's Your Rupture scene.

Nonetheless, Love Is All played one of the best shows I had seen in a while, certainly reminding me why the world fell in love with them in the first place. Full of energy and completely enjoyable, the band played songs from both albums, a new song and an enjoyable cover of "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls. I had forgotten what a great touch the saxophone is in the band, and how delightfully spastic pop music could be when it wants.

Download:
Love is All - Wishing Well

A favorite of mine for the past few months, Crystal Stilts, provided support. Having seen them open for the Vivian Girls early in the summer, tonight they sounded even better than last time–a little less fuzzed out, rooted more in the dark dream pop of yesteryear, I couldn't shake some Joy Division comparisons tonight. I still can't understand the singer at all, but for me that's part of the charm of such moody pop music. Their new album, Alight of Night, out now on Slumberland, is pretty great, too.

Download:
Crystal Stilts - Prismatic Room

Local favorites Bird Names opened the show. I know people who follow this band all over the city, so I was glad to see their slightly off-kilter pop with loud guitars and lots of percussion.