The past year saw plenty of worthwhile releases from Japanese artists, from the sort of stuff highlighted at major music stores in Japan to free albums posted on Bandcamp with little fanfare. Yet all 30 albums on this list were special to us here at Make Believe Melodies in some way or another – whether…
Dorian Studio Vacation The Patrick-Nagel-referencing artwork above should clue you in – Dorian LOVES the 80s. But not in a Michael Ian Black sort of way, where jokes about Alf stretch into the three-minute range. Dorian is neither combing the depths of that neon-splashed era for ironic yucks…though he has a sense of humor about…
Need another reason to stay strong during the last month-and-something of winter besides the hope of not having to wear a peacoat inside anymore? Indie-poppers Sloppy Joe got one for you – they will drop a new album called With Kisses Four on March 9, and if that seems far off they’ve posted a quartet…
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9fetf6Hkfc”] Sloppy Joe’s “Portrait” doesn’t require much dissection. It’s pretty straightforward indie-pop with a bit of a Smith’s swagger to it courtesy of the guitars. Plus its loaded up with trumpet. Just because “Portrait” carries all the hallmarks of twee past, though, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Sloppy Joe clearly studied up on how to create…