General Articles: Bands at Madrid Popfest 2018

The doctrine of certain religions compels followers to embark upon pilgrimages to their respective 'holy lands'. For old indie/jangle pop devotees like myself, the Madrid Popfest is rapidly earning the right to be considered 'our' holy land.

Starting with humble beginnings in 2011, the weekend of 02/03 March sees the start of a new era for the festival, with a much larger venue secured to cope with an ever increasing popularity and arguably the best line up that the indie-pop public of Madrid has ever seen.

Introduction - Hello from janglepophub !!!

Hello all

Thanks for visiting the janglepophub blog. It is out pleasure to provide you our take on all things janglepop.

The blog is used for lengthier articles regarding anything we recommend or at the very least find interesting in and around the fringes of janglepop. If you have anything you feel our readers may enjoy please do not hesitate to contact us at janglepophub@gmail.com.

We also have further social media presence at the following which are used for more abbreviated comment and include our #dailyjanglepop series which gives daily janglepop tracks from what we have recently been listening to. So whatever your preferred source of social media is we have something for you.

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Janglepophub on TWITTER (@janglepophub)


If you have any recommendations for the #dailyjanglepop series please e-mail the link to me on janglepophub@gmail.com or put it in the comments of this section and I will give it considerations for inclusion.

All tracks referenced in our articles and the various #dailyjanglepop series are published in the monthly jangle jukebox playlists at the end of each month (commencing January 2018) and full accreditation will be given for any referrals.

Once again thanks for visiting the site and we hope you enjoy your stay.

Regards...Darrin (Editor)

EP Reviews - Whitewash the Tidemarks by Alaska (2018) (Marsh Marigold)

Alaska are a beguiling band. Not beguiling in the sense of the word that the fifty something lothario character in an old black and white movie might refer to the young subject of his affections, but more specifically in the manner that they are weirdly dynamic and ultimately extremely modish.

Compilation Review - Say Sue Me by Say Sue Me (2017) (Damnably Records)

I was first alerted to the brilliance of Korean surf rock four piece Say Sue Me, when a brilliant track from this compilation, My Problem (see below), was seemingly played on loop on a little known indie music podcast that I listen to. It is truly a fantastic track mixing surf rock jangle, incidental vocals and the faintest semblance of the Field Mice's Lets Kiss and Make Up riff oozing persistently in the background.

Album Review - The Corn Dollies by The Corn Dollies (1988) (Compilation) (Midnight Music)

As a late teen I lived in Peterborough (a railway town situated in the middle of the UK). The passion that 'my lot' had for music was easily satiated by the fact that we were 1-2.5 hours away from most of the main gig towns of the country such as London, Leeds, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester and Liverpool. Most of our Friday and Saturdays were spent travelling to these destinations to jump about to the latest subjects of our affection.

EP Review: Perfect Harmony by Evening Glow (2017) (Self Released)

It is plain to see that Evening Glow are in total thrall. Initially to all things that were considered relevant to indie-heads in the 80's UK and to a somewhat lesser extent to the Dunedin sound from New Zealand, that was adding a definitive vibe to the scene from the mid 80's to early 90's.

Album Review - The Greatest Living Englishman by Martin Newell (1993) (Humbug)

I started this blog on the 2nd of December 2017. I have been lucky enough to get a surprising number of regular followers, some of whom might recall that I am something of a 'fanboy' of Martin Newell, both in his solo capacity and his The Cleaners From Venus output. So forgive me another Newell indulgence !

Album Review - Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds (1965) (Columbia Records)

As a twenty something I was the definitive music snob. If one of my favourite 'unknown' bands dared to even consider courting a bit of critical acclaim, I could, and often would, devote my attention elsewhere. Similarly if the same band even momentarily considered leaving my current favourite little known 'tiny records' label and sign for a major...well they were literally dead to me.

Album Review - 45 Revolutions Per Minute by Candy Opera (2018) (Firestation Records)

A Victorian propensity to invade less affluent countries coupled with an 'island race' mentality that means over half the population voted to leave Europe and face economic ruin rather than have 'Johnny Foreigner' continue to dictate how bendy our bananas must be, ensures the British remain the most culturally insular of races.

Album Review - Tuning By Mauno (2017) (Tin Angel Records)

This band are frequently described as belonging to the 'experimental pop' genre. Whatever that means as opinions vary. In my mind the genre conjures up images of Radiohead disappearing up their southernmost orifices in the aural assault of assorted laptop noises that signaled their Kid A album. As such I was surprised at a Twitter followers glowing recommendation of this release.

EP Review - Interpunktion by The BV's (2018) (Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten)

Certain bloggers talk. It usually starts with Twitter recommendations. Then you realize you have a mutual passion for different circles of bands and before you know it you are having long trans-Atlantic Whatsapp conversations about you favourite bands / music in general.

Album Review: The Wonderful Shapes of Back Door Keys by The Prophet Hens (2016) (Fishrider Records)

I tried, but ultimately failed, to get into University in Nottingham (UK) in the very early 1990's. My devastation was palpable. For this was a town with an 8:1 female to male ratio where even an A-grade munter of my calibre had to have, at the very least, the numerical edge in matters of 'loves'.

In the absence of any other explanation for this genetic disparity 'they' used to laughingly proffer 'there must be something in the water' and a testosterone laden teen, I was fully prepared to drink from such liquid nectar.

EP Review - The Downer (EP) by Lewsberg (2017) (Self Released)

Lewsberg are a band from the commercial Port Town of Rotterdam in the Netheralnds which is rapidly gaining something of a reputation, due to its underground indie music scene, as being the Dutch equivalent of the UK's Sheffield, Manchester or Liverpool...not the country's biggest town but possibly the 'coolest' for all those types that find capital cities so passe.

Album Review - Native Place by the Railway Children (1990)

 

Gary Newby, the front man of The Railway Children had a voice you wanted to eat strawberries from. It was the beauty of a crystalline note perfect nature. This clean essence was also accentuated by the sheer clarity of the accompanying jangled chiming hooks and melodies, that effectively made them the favourite band of discerning youngsters who appreciated musical substance over the era's rapacious attention to vogue...it was music for those who let themselves enjoy all that could be pure and sweet.

Readers Choice Playlist (January 2018)

January 2018 saw janglepophub feature 75 tracks in our album reviews / #dailyjanglepop features on our various social media sites. These covered a vast array of janglepop nuanced tracks from the 1960's - 2018, including releases from unsigned acts that are denoted in yellow.

The top 20 is decided purely by the 7 day engagement post rates of the janglepophub readership on our Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on the blog links (highest to lowest).

The remaining 55 'other featured tracks' are listed purely in alphabetical order.

Album review: Just Dandy by Gentle Brent (2017) (Jigsaw Records) (You Are The Cosmos)

Gentle Brent is the solo moniker of  Brent Randall, who you may know from Brent Randall and Those Magnificent Pinecones and although this solo work still sees him performing the majority of the instrumentation and delivering his vocals in his inimitable 60's / twee crossover style, the overall stylistic has now changed dramatically.

Album Review: The Stanleys Debut Album by The Stanleys (2017) (Label: Off The Hip)

Although I emigrated to South Africa over a decade ago, I am very much still a Pom (a British person). I have an Australian friend at work who also emigrated around the same time. We both love cricket and enjoy each others company when the two teams play each other in the Ashes series between our two countries. It is a very big deal to us and many of our countrymen.

Album Review: The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years by The Wild Swans (2011) (Occultation Recordings)

My Dad died last year aged 76. He was a good man. Or so I thought, until I reached pub age, where alcohol would loosen his tongue to reveal a character that was only 'saved' by meeting my mother. I used to love his stories though. It was precious male bonding time, the sort that only alcohol can truly secure.

Album Review - This Is Glue by Salad Boys (2018) (Trouble in Mind Records)

It has been a while...in fact a bloody long time...exactly two years and four months to be precise...since the Salad Boys released their last album, Metalmania in September 2015. Normally my existence would be unfettered by such a delay, but with these jangling kiwis it has bugged me somewhat. In fact more than it probably should.

The Fake Compilations Series Vol.2 - The Complete Works of Bag O Shells (1988-1990)

Age does not diminish the ability to spot a good single. However, like an old car you can only really afford it classic status if it still serves you decades later. Once such single for me is Markers by Bag O Shells (see below) which has always been my record of choice when trying to explain the concept of jangle-pop to the musical retards that still walk among us.

                                                                       Markers