POPSICLE - HISTRIONICS CDEP (TELEGRAM RECORDS STOCKHOLM [YZ943CD], 1995) [SWE]

Popsicle - Histrionics CDEP 

(Telegram Records Stockholm – [YZ943CD], 1995) [SWE]

Another Swedish band, this time Popsicle, with a CDEP released in 1995. This didn't strike a chord immediately -- but after some listening it definitely has grown on me. I'm hard pressed to find many Swedish groups who sing in their native language -- but I love them just the same because their handling and mastery of the English language is to be applauded and they write and create some brilliant songs. And it's not even in their native language!!

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THE PALE FOUNTAINS - (THERE'S ALWAYS) SOMETHING ON MY MIND 7" (OPERATION TWILIGHT [OPT 009], 1982) [ENG]

The Pale Fountains - (There's Always) Something On My Mind 7"

(Operation Twilight – [OPT 009], 1982) [ENG]

The seminal first 7" single from English indie pop group The Pale Fountains released in summer of 1982 on Operation Twilight.

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THE PALE FOUNTAINS - THANK YOU 7" (VIRGIN [VS557], 1982) [ENG]

The Pale Fountains - Thank You 7"

(Virgin – [VS557], 1982) [ENG]

The second 7" single released from Liverpool, England group The Pale Fountains, released in 1982 on Virgin Records. What some would call 'indie pop' and the Japanese would call 'neo-acoustic.'

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CREEPING JENNY - THURSDAY MORNING LIFT TAPE (SELF-RELEASED, 1996) [USA]

Creeping Jenny - Thursday Morning Lift TAPE

(Self-Released, 1996) [USA]

Another self-released lo-fi cassette tape from Creeping Jenny, this one released in 1996.

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CREEPING JENNY - EN MARCHANT TAPE (SELF-RELEASED, 1995) [USA]

Creeping Jenny - En Marchant TAPE

(Self-Released, 1995) [USA]

A lo-fi self-released cassette tape from indie pop duo, Creeping Jenny. Who are originally from Missouri, USA but relocated to Japan. Released in 1995.

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CURRENT - COLISEUM LP (COUNCIL RECORDS [CR-02], 1993) [USA]

Current - Coliseum LP

(Council Records – [CR-02], 1993) [USA]

Another inspired and classic emo LP, also from 1993, is this Current album 'Coliseum' released on Council Records. Unique and classic 'Michigan/Kalamazoo' sounding mid-90s emo. Just a great listen all the way through.

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MOSS ICON - LYBURNUM WITS END LIBERATION FLY LP (VERMIFORM [VMFM 13], 1993) [USA]

Moss Icon - Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly LP

(Vermiform – [VMFM 13], 1993) [USA]

An emo classic. Moss Icon with their LP from 1993 on Vermiform. Pioneers of the genre, and reaching an apex here with this album. Truly great stuff. Recorded in the 1980s, but not released until later. In true pioneering emo fashion, the original pressing came with a silkscreened dust sleeve. Luckily, for us who don't own the original, this was re-released around 2023 and is more readily available now-a-days.

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VA - LEMONED SINCE 1996～ 12" (LEMONED [MVJD-1], 1996) [JP]

VA - Lemoned Since 1996～ 12"

(Lemoned – [MVJD-1], 1996) [JP]

A Japanese compilation from 1996 with some mostly unknown [in the USA] artists from Japan. The group that really sticks out for me on this release is Zeppet Store, who play a brand of Japanese shoegaze that I really enjoy. Pretty much all of Zeppet Store's releases are only on CD, this is the only? instance of their tracks appearing on vinyl. There's a wide variety of genre on this compilation between the groups, Zeppet Store and hide each have two tracks each. Hide, who appears on this compilation, is also the founder of the label 'Lemoned" which was very short-lived due to hide's passing in 1998.

01. Zeppet Store - Flake

02. hide - Bacteria

03. Vinyl - Be

04. Trees of Life - Oneday For Maria

05. hide - 限界破裂

06. Zeppet Store - Angel Will Come

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VELOCITY GIRL - I DON'T CARE IF YOU GO 7" [AUS] (SUMMERSHINE [SHINE 006], 1991) [USA]

Velocity Girl - I Don't Care If You Go 7" [AUS]

(Summershine – [shine 006], 1991) [USA]

Here's the second released version of the 7" single from Maryland/DC group Velocity Girl. This one released on Australian label Summershine about a year later in 1991. Featuring two tracks on the B-Side, though it goes unmentioned anywhere on the sleeve or label, there is an acoustic version of the title track that closes out the single.

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VELOCITY GIRL - I DON'T CARE IF YOU GO 7" [USA] (SLUMBERLAND RECORDS [DRYL 004], 1990) [USA]

Velocity Girl - I Don't Care If You Go 7" [USA]

(Slumberland Records – [Dryl 004], 1990) [USA]

I'm going to be uploading two versions of this Velocity Girl 7" single release today -- one version, this version, released as a proper single with one B-Side song in the USA on American label Slumberland Records -- and the next upload is the Australian version with 2 tracks on the B-Side different than this American version.

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TRICYCLE POPSTAR - I LIKE CURRY RICE. FLEXI (BEHAVIOR SAVIOUR [BS 005], 1993) [JP]

Tricycle Popstar - I Like Curry Rice. FLEXI

(Behavior Saviour – [BS 005], 1993) [JP]

A 7" Flexi-Disc single release from Japanese indie pop artists, Tricycle Popstar [a.k.a. Masahiro Kodama]. Released in 1993. Two little lo-fi fast-paced tracks!

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DIE TIME TWISTERS - UNGLAUBLICHES MÄDCHEN 7" (FAST WELTWEIT [FW KDD-T-II B], 1989) [DE]

Die Time Twisters - Unglaubliches Mädchen 7"

(Fast Weltweit – [fw KDD-T-II B], 1989) [DE]

The first single released by this mid-80s German indie pop group, Die Time Twisters. Released on German indie label Fast Weltweit in 1989. Pretty prolific in the cassette tape world, having released about 5 albums as tape only releases.

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PROTEX - I CAN ONLY DREAM 7" (POLYDOR [2059 167], 1981) [IRE]

Protex - I Can Only Dream 7"

(Polydor – [2059 167], 1981) [IRE]

The third single release from Northern Ireland's power pop punk group Protex. Hard to follow up that debut single of theirs -- the B-Side still rips!

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NASTY FACTS - DRIVE MY CAR 7" (JIMBOCO RECORDS [UBIK 3], 1981) [USA]

Nasty Facts - Drive My Car 7"

(Jimboco Records – [UBIK 3], 1981) [USA]

The first and only proper release from NYC based power pop punk group Nasty Facts [Nastyfacts]. Released in limited quantities in 1981 on Jimboco Records. Fast paced and kinda snotty! and a rare example of female fronted power pop!

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TELEVISION PERSONALITIES - YOU, ME AND LOU REED 12" (FANTASTIC PLASTIC [FP 003], 1993) [ENG]

Television Personalities - You, Me and Lou Reed 12"

(Fantastic Plastic – [FP 003], 1993) [ENG]

A mid-career 12" single release from Dan Treacy and Television Personalities from 1993 on Irish label Fantastic Plastic. The songs were recorded in 1987, despite this singles release date of 1993.

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LIQUID LIQUID - SUCCESSIVE REFLEXES 12" (99 RECORDS [99-09 EP], 1981) [USA]

Liquid Liquid - Successive Reflexes 12"

(99 Records – [99-09 EP], 1981) [USA]

The second single release from New York art house / no wave dance? group Liquid Liquid, released in 1981 on 99 Records. 

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KEIICHI SOKABE - GUITAR 7" (READYMADE INTERNATIONAL [RMEP-0003], 2001) [JP]

Keiichi Sokabe - Guitar 7"

(Readymade International – [RMEP-0003], 2001) [JP]

The first single release from Japanese indie artist Keiichi Sokabe released in 2001 on Readymade International (the label of Pizzicato Five). Also, the first release from the label -- well actually the CD version of this was first. 

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ALPACA SPORTS - AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU 7" (CLOUDBERRY RECORDS [CLOUDBERRY 1029], 2013) [SWE]

Alpaca Sports - As Long As I Have You 7"

(Cloudberry Records – [Cloudberry 1029], 2013) [SWE]

Maybe because it's the wintertime, but I find myself listening to a ton of indie pop from Sweden this week. The indie pop that comes out of that Scandanavian country somehow is always bright and sunny to me -- not cold. This Alpaca Sports 7" single is no exception! Released on Cloudberry Records [USA] in 2013.

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THE TIDY UPS - BEEN WAITING FOR A MILLION YEARS FOR THE BUS TO GET ME OUT OF HERE 7" (FABULOUS FRIENDS RECORDS [FAB005], 2003) [SWE]

The Tidy Ups - Been Waiting For A Million Years For The Bus To Get Me Out Of Here 7"

(Fabulous Friends Records – [FAB005], 2003) [SWE]

Another Swedish release, this time by The Tidy Ups, also released on a Swedish record label. From 2003. Cutesy, twee, indie pop! I love Swedish indie pop!!

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THE PERSUADERS - FIRST DATE 3P 7" (CEILIDH PRODUCTIONS [CEI 011], 1989) [SWE]

The Persuaders - First Date 3P 7"

(Ceilidh Productions – [CEI 011], 1989) [SWE]

A cool 80s Swedish indie pop group The Persuaders with a classic sounding 7" single from 1989 that sounds very poppy and radio friendly that could have been a hit -- if it were not released in Sweden on a Swedish label and perhaps had been released in England.

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