EP Review - Pretty Sad by Pretty Sad (2014) (Shelflife Records)

Sometimes things just drift away from you in life. I was certain I would play for England at football and probably would have done if a pesky severe lack of ability had scuppered my ambitions. 

Equally I wanted to start a record label and probably would have if my fertility had not defied all medical notions advice about nicotine/alcohol excess to sire three beautiful children, who despite being cherubic in most other ways, somehow manage to suck the financial vitality out of my wallet like a trio of malevolent vacuum cleaners with no obvious off button.

Album Review: International Breeze by Postal Blue (2004) (Shelflife Records)

Twee pop fans love this album. Adorned in polka-dot cardigans, anxiously slicking strands of hair  behind their ears, they contemplate the beautiful melancholy whilst mentally apologizing for having the temerity to tag it as twee in various on-line review sites.

This need for 'twee ownership' has probably seen numerous tracks being recorded to cassette mix tapes (a tweester format of choice) before being posted to the love interest who lives in the next street, who will call the sender 'cute' assigning them strictly to the 'friend zone', as they wonder what this 'cassette thing' is?!

Album Review: Holding Pattern by The Treasures of Mexico (2015) (Shelflife Records)

The Treasures of Mexico are the latest band arising from the embers of The Dentists that have been glowing in various guises  since their late 90's demise(Coax, Words Beginning with X, The Claim, Fortress Madonna etc). In this incarnation founder members, Mark Matthews and Bob Collins, re-acquaint artistically to bring some of the most concentrated modern jangle-pop for many years.

However fans of The Dentists may well be disappointed if they are hoping that the sound produced by previous personnel has remained constant, as this album is altogether different, as you would expect after a 20 year hiatus.