The Wendy Darlings Review

June 22, 2009 – 8:18 pm

From Wear The Trousers Magazine:

The Wendy Darlings
We Come With Friendly Purposes EP •••••
LostMusic

Back in the early 1990s Washington DC underground band Bratmobile were creating something of a stir with their debut (and only full-length) album Pottymouth, a political twee-pop declaration that bounced from feminist propaganda to playground chants. Meanwhile, in Glasgow, the newly-formed Bis followed suit with the added charm of garage guitars and a dual girl–boy vocal. It was with the premise of this trendsetting DIY punk explosion that French trio The Wendy Darlings was conceived. With their debut release We Come With Friendly Purposes, frontwoman Saddam Suzy, bassist Dr Poppy and drummer DJ Sephia have made one hell of a racket. But it’s an encapsulating racket that takes all that was good from the Britpop and riot grrl uprising and smashes it into seven two-minute balls of radio-friendly lo-fi gone berserk. Ammo in hand, the band charge at the modern day competition with all the glamour of The Pipettes dressed up for a night of carnage.

To say that the release is fun is an understatement. Lead track ‘Get Up’ paints a telltale morning-after escapade of arty drinks, loose limbs and hungover Myspace browsing, before the EP really spreads its legs and erupts with ‘Eleasy’ – Suzy’s confession that “the Wendy D’s are too nerdy for me” and she’d prefer to be playing in an all girl-band, and would be if it weren’t for her current bandmates paying her. The childlike spite behind the lyrics is unfussy, though it can get a little lost behind the cranked guitar. Nevertheless, corkers such as “Don’t want to kiss you any more when everyone says you’re gay” (‘My Friend Ray’) and “my old boyfriend he didn’t know how to play / he told me so but he didn’t know how to play” (‘Eleasy’) are reminiscent of the technique Art Brut used to win over the crowd with their debut Bang Bang Rock & Roll.

Elements of pop culture peek through all over as The Wendy Darlings namecheck a fictional US crime detective in ‘Kojak’ and sing of bowling alley romance in ‘Bowling Shoes’, while ‘My Friend Ray’ eerily resurrects the same promiscuous character that featured in Le Tigre’s ‘Les & Ray’. Elsewhere, standout song ‘Enormous Pop’ features handclaps nicked unashamedly from Los Campesinos! and, coming in a close second, ‘Eins Zwei’ creates chaos with nonsensical German barks. The band themselves have dubbed their sound ‘naughty pop’, not dissimilar to Das Wanderlust’s self-proclaimed ‘wrong pop’, and we can only hope this twisted take on chart music survives long enough to go down in history, just like their pioneering foremothers carved their own indelible imprint. As We Come With Friendly Purposes so excellently proves, the fame would be well deserved.


May 14th - Gramaphone

April 17, 2009 – 10:57 am

revised-flyer-14_05_09

Lostmusic Presents

14th May 2009
Gramaphone
60-62 Commercial Street
Spitalfields
E1 6LT

Doors 8pm
£5 Advance http://www.wegottickets.co.uk/event/46644 or £6 Flyer £7 Doors

Northern Portrait

“This trio of Danes have been causing quite a stir amongst the Matinée Recordings fanbase with their straight out of the 80’s pop. If Sarah Records were still alive these would be the jewels in the crown without a doubt. Barely 18 months old and two top selling Matinée singles means that you should put away your Smiths best of (for now) and get a taste of Northern Portrait.” - I’D RATHER BE FAT THAN BE CONFUSED

http://www.myspace.com/northernportrait

Kate Goes

My jaw might as well be in the basement……The bestest group that’s ever existed ever. Ever ever ever ever. In the world. Times a hundred.” DROWNED IN SOUND

“Fantastically colourful with pop tunes you can quite easily fall in love with.” HUW STEPHENS

“They’re the sweetest, nuttiest, cleverest, brightest, lightest, loveliest band in the whole wide world.” THE HEARING AID

http://www.myspace.com/kategoes

The Electric Pop Group

I’m very taken with the Electric Pop Group too, ‘My Only Inspiration’ has been a favourite since seeing them at last summer’s Indietracks. Not that I saw them, I was lying on the bouncy castle; tired, emotional and thinking this is the band that Sarah Records always wanted, never found… something close to bliss. This new single is more of the same, which is no criticism, but just even more assured, more expert . Matinée are no doubt dead proud. ANORAK FORUM

http://www.myspace.com/theelectricpopgroup

The Candy Twins

‘Fantastic … beautiful … unbelievable,’ EDWYN COLLINS

‘Gliding jangle pop hooks … catchy clever lyrics … makes me want to to jump up and down,’ INDIE-MP3

‘Infectious indie pop from up-and-coming guitar outfit. Jangly guitars and great hook are reminiscent of The Kinks and The Wedding Present and the chanting chorus is seriously addictive.’ THE SUN

http://www.myspace.com/thecandytwins


April 17th - The Enterprise

April 14, 2009 – 4:26 pm

flyer-17_04_09

Lost Music Presents

Penny Century (Sweden)

“Demonstrating a canny knack for composing songs that combine elements of 60s girl groups and new wave pop (a la Blondie and The Pretenders) such as ‘Please Don’t Go’, they’re also smart enough to add effective brass, with an occassional touch of violin and banjo too, that helps propel their bright, infectious sound skywards.” Rock n..Reel Magazine

http://www.myspace.com/pennycentury

Rose Elinor Dougall

“Classic perfect pop. Just lovely” Guardian Guide Single of the Week

“A super slice of sassy-pop” Metro Single of the Week

“Folk-tinged psychedelia which is blindingly lovely” Wears The Trousers Single of The Week

“Hazy, introspective late night pop” Under The Radar Ones to watch 2009

http://www.myspace.com/roseelinordougallmusic

Beta Rays

“Look out for those Beta Rays, you can’t always see them coming. But North London’s next big thing are currently on the air waves all over town…” Gary Crowley

http://www.myspace.com/betarays

Candy Panic Attack

“Riotous grrrl noise”

“London’s Candy Panic Attack are an interesting proposition, popping out of the indie pop scene with a harder punk edge that’s forever cognizant of the worth of a little rattle and shimmer. Starry-eyed and subversive, managing to sound raucous yet beguiling in a way that makes me think back to John Peel favourites like Lolita Storm, which is a fantastic thing.” Squirrel Records

http://www.myspace.com/candypanicattack

The Enterprise (nearest tube - Chalk Farm)
2 Haverstock Hill
Camden,
London
NW3 2BL

Doors Open at 8pm. Guest DJ’s after the bands until late.

Tickets £4 in advance: http://www.wegottickets.co.uk/event/45968 £5 with flyer or £6 doors


All Things Must Pass

March 25, 2009 – 12:04 am

Sometimes, life is about knowing when to stop.

Over the past month or so I’ve had to question my love for doing Lostmusic. A few times I’ve found myself not enjoying it as much as I used to. These doubts made me decide that it was better to end Lostmusic rather than let it linger.  The easy option would be to continue and let it become something I do, rather than something I love.  It was when I realised this that I decided to email Tom saying that I wanted to call a halt to Lostmusic.

I have invested a lot of love, time and effort over the past 4 and 1/2 years in Lostmusic, be it the blog, the shows and records we have released.  I always said I was doing this because it was fun.  And it has been so many kinds of fun.  And I think it’s best to end while it still is fun.  Looking back it’s been an incredible thing to have been involved with and I’ve got to meet so many wonderful people and see some very special performances during the years we’ve been putting on shows.  I’ve got many great memories, far too many to mention and single out in this little messages.  But the way Lostmusic grew from a humble webzine, to a regular night with top bands fills with me pride.  That pride also burns fiercely within me when I think of the 4 7″ singles and 3 CDr releases we have released over the past 18 months (all but one are still available to buy - from our shop! - I guess it never hurts to plug your records!) - so I’d like to thank the bands we’ve released for making the great music that fires me up: so thanks Manhattan Love Suicides, The Fischers, Pete Green, Moscow Olympics, The Morning Paper, Knight School, The Candy Twins and The Wendy Darlings.

Tom and I merged Indie-mp3 and Lostmusic blogs as we were covering the same ground. Now that Lostmusic is coming to it’s end -  Indie-mp3 will be returning with Tom at the helm - I may well pop over and post about some indiepop bands or other in the future.

Our official last day comes in July when we host The Smittens, One Happy Island, The Melting Ice Caps and Standard Fare for our final hurrah just a few days before Indietracks.  I think that is a fitting way to go out – with 4 cracking bands and the excitement of Indietracks being only days away.  We still have a few more shows between now and then and we aim to make these the best shows we’ve ever put on.

A few more thank you’s at the end - it’s been a pleasure to work with Savo and Tom on Lostmusic over the past 2 years – for it was Savo and I that started putting on shows and Tom joined shortly afterwards. I’d also like to thank anyone that read the blog, came to a show or bought one of our records.

Trev


April 9th - The Gramaphone

February 22, 2009 – 7:29 pm

The Manhattan Love Suicides
http://www.myspace.com/themls

Guitars, check. Killer Tunes, check. Feedback, check. Shades, check. Fuck off attitude, check. Dressed in black, check. The best live band in the UK at the moment? Sure thing. They’re coming down from Leeds to headline this show - nearly 3 years to the day after they headlined the first Lostmusic show. They’ve played with the Pains of being Pure at heart, Raveonettes and (by the time of the gig) Crystal Stilts. We’re delighted they’re coming back to play Lostmusic.

“a haze of violent guitar noise and the tender pop sentiments” - Pitchfork

“a shock’n’awe experience” - SoundsXP

Dirtblonde
http://www.dirtblonde.co.uk/

Returning from SXSW just in time to come and play their distorted noise pop. Dirtblonde (a female fronted duo from Liverpool) are a scuzzy guitar noise freaks who released their debut mini LP “White Noise, Rubber Heart” on Filthy Little Angels. They’ve played Death Disco, too. Sounding like The Cramps beating on 80s Mary Chain this is a band that is not to be missed.

“Dirtblonde are plying a white-noise punk rock sound that is innovative, spikey and (as their name suggests) incredibly dirty” - The Mag

“nasty, primitive garage-punk-pop…Twisted geniuses in the making” - Is This Music?

The Fnords (Scotland)
http://www.myspace.com/thefnords
A Scottish power trio (their MySpace says they’re from Edinburgh/Glasgow/Stirling, so take your pick) are another band that prowl a psych garage beat. Sharing a love of trash rock’n’roll, Kill Rock Stars and the perfect buzzsaw pop song, The Fnords play no-fi, grrrl, surf-punk with fluctuating levels of loathing and paranoia.

“on tracks such as ‘Way Out’, ‘Starstruck’ (the lyrical reply: ‘just a cheap fuck’) and a cover of punk favourite ‘(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone’, The Fnords show signs of delivery on their already considerable promise.” - The List

“an energetic three-piece specialising in messy, bouncy punk-pop” - the Scotsman

Vanilla Ride
http://www.myspace.com/vanillaride

A new London band that is causing quite a stir with their TVP’s infused pop punk. Dead pan female vocals to the fore that seem to have a fork tongue taking aim at ‘Rock Chicks’, ‘Love Affairs’ and , er, ‘Oslo’. WIth comparisons to The Ramones, The Breeders and The Mary Chain the band are set for a cracking start to 2009 having had songs played on Dandelion Radio . Their song “A Boring Day In Oslo” will be also on the 4th compilation set by Series Two Records.

“The songs are short, sharp and poppy and have a catchy garage band swagger about them” - Sounds XP

Tickets on sale - £5

It will be £6 with a flyer and £7 without.

Gramaphone
60-62 Commercial Street
Spitalfields, London
E1 6LT


March 12th - The Gramaphone

February 22, 2009 – 7:21 pm

Phil Wilson
http://www.myspace.com/philwilsonjunebride

Phil continues his resurgence after returning to making music a couple of years ago. For those that don’t know he was once in indiepop legends The June Brides. His new live band are something to behold and make all of his classic songs come to life. That’s not to mention the new songs that get an airing as well. This is top notch jangle pop. Not to be missed.

Kid Canaveral (Scotland)
http://www.myspace.com/kidcanaveral

Kid Canaveral are a classic Scottish band - They come armed with a bucket full of buzz flavoured guitar pop. They’ve been compared to The Delgados, Teenage Fanclub and The Buzzcocks. They’ve released 3 singles on Straight to Video Records and are due to release their debut LP in 2009.

“Juicy, chewy pop-kids to savour, proving that life still twitches in this indie guitar-pop business.” Paul Whitelaw, The Scotsman

“Kid Canaveral’s debut single, Smash Hits, is the kind of joyous buzzsaw racket that’s so simple and so very effective you wonder why people don’t make it more often…” Fire Escape Talking

Spencer McGarry Season (Wales)
http://www.myspace.com/spencermcgarry

Tip top Welsh pop from Cardiff, Spencer McGarry Season make deft pop tones - sounding like a heady mix of classic Brisish pop with nods to The Kinks, Talking Heads and XTC.

“There’s good news, though, in the shape of The Spencer McGarry Season - awesome Jam-esque livewires, Shaggs admirers, and all-round good guys. Catch ‘em live if you can - their gigs are the best New Wave dance party you’ll ever attend.” diskant.net

The Fallen Leaves
http://www.thefallenleaves.net/

Their long-held belief that a good idea played badly is better than a bad idea played well, which spurred them into action. “That’s right”, they confirm. Rob Symmons (guitar) was the founding member of the original Subway Sect. The Fallen Leaves hatred of one another is intense. But it is out of this creative conflict that pop music played with passion rather than precision is born.

Gramaphone
60-62 Commercial Street
Spitalfields, London
E1 6LT

Tickets on sale - £5

Door prices: £6 with flyer/£7 without


LMC003 - The Wendy Darlings - We Come With Friendly Purposes

February 15, 2009 – 1:20 pm

The Wendy Darlings are a three piece band from France: Saddam Suzy handles guitar and vocals,  Dr Poppy takes on bass and back up vocals while DJ Sépia bashes the drums.  ‘We Come With Friendly Purposes’ is a seven song EP that takes it cues from the early 90s indiepop sound.  Think Breeders, Pixies, Bratmobile and Sebadoh.   The band describe their sounds as ‘Naughty Pop’ and who are we to argue.  They’ve already started to pick up attention in blog land with Scatterbrain declaring the band ‘have stolen my heart’.  The Wendy Darlings will capture you heart too in seven songs.  These seven songs.

The band are over in the UK this week to promote their début release.  They play our next Lostmusic show on 20th February at The Enterprise in Camden (with Ten Tigers, Marlovers and The Hillfields) and then they move onto Big Pink Cake in Bristol on the 21st February. The EP is up for pre-order now from the shop and is limited to 200 numbered copies.  All orders placed now will be shipped in week commencing 23rd February. The EP will also be available at the up coming UK shows.


LMC002 - The Candy Twins - Sad Glad Songs EP

February 15, 2009 – 12:51 pm

The second release on our CDR arm is a 4 song EP - ‘Sad Glad Songs’ by The Candy Twins.

Their self released first EP picked up some national press attention with The Sun saying of their EP - “Infectious indie pop from up-and-coming guitar outfit. Jangly guitars and great hooks are reminiscent of The Kinks and The Wedding Present and the chanting chorus is seriously addictive.”

The new EP is another belter that is sure to win the band many more friends - as the band continue to combine 60s powerpop with an 80s indiepop feel - all coupled with some cracking songs that are all written by singer/guitarist, David Young.  The lead song showcases a mellower side to The Candy Twins and ‘Sad-Glad Song’ is one of those songs that gets stronger with each listen.

The single is available to order now from our shop now.  Limited to just 200 copies.


February 20th - The Enterprise

January 24, 2009 – 11:21 am

Lostmusic Presents: An indiepop night with a distinct international flavour!

The Hillfields
http://www.myspace.com/thehillfields

A trio from London - who delight in making some seriously shimmery indiepop noise - the band have beefed up their sound over the past year and they’ve become something just a little bit special in the process. Their song ‘Spoon’ made number 9 in the 2008 Festive 50. With a 7″ release on Cloudberry Records the band are set to have a cracking 2009.

“Musically, they’re pure Spirit-of-C86 but they pull it off well” - SoundsXP

The Wendy Darlings (France)
http://www.myspace.com/thewendydarlings

Hopping over the la Manche (that’s the English Channel to you and me) are The Wendy Darlings. A trio that make a gorgeous indiepop racket - bringing together influences like Urusei Yatsura and The Vaselines to devastating effect.

They will also be launching their 7 song CDr EP ‘We Come With Friendly Purposes’ on our very own Lostmusic Records at the night.

“It always amazes me that everyday there’s still an opportunity to lift up a metaphorical rock on the internet and stumble upon something fantastic. Case in point, The Wendy Darlings – most likely named after Peter Pan’s Wendy Moira Angela Darling and clearly influenced by early 90s indiepop, but sounding more like a janglier Bratmobile – (they) have stolen my heart.” SCATTERBRAIN

Marlovers (Spain)
http://www.myspace.com/marlovers

Born in a Spanish bedroom in 2005 with four little pop songs, that mixed up happiness and melancholy, emphasizing vocal harmonies and catchy melodies - the band have built on these early recordings to become something of a hidden treasure out in the Indiepop underground. With killer melodies this friendly female fronted indiepop band are one of our favourites. We hope you love them as much as we do!

“A Shimmering pop band” - IndieMP3

Ten Tigers
http://www.myspace.com/tentigers

They describe themselves as four fun loving non conformists who are still learning how to write songs properly. A real conundrum of a band - their sound veers from punky riot grrrl to 80s new wave pop sounds - never giving the listener a chance to pin them down. Be sure to get in early to catch the ever changing Ten Tigers sound!

“Superlucky is a simple, crunchy, yelpy, sharply-female buzzfest” - A New Band A Day

Tickets will be on sale shortly from We Got Tickets for £4. It will be £6 on the door.

The Enterprise (nearest tube - Chalk Farm)
2 Haverstock Hill
Camden,
London
NW3 2BL


LMR004 - The Morning Paper / Moscow Olympics - An update

January 22, 2009 – 11:19 pm

The records are on there way back from the pressing plant.   Thanks to all those that pre-ordered the single.   There is one piece of bad news - the sleeves that were being home printed haven’t worked out on this occasion - so we’re slap bang in the middle of getting them professionally printed instead.   All of this means we should be ready to ship all the pre orders over the weekend of 31st Jan and 1st Feb.   So a slight delay - but all those ordered will be out as soon as the sleeves arrive back from the printers.