Force Field PR Sept / Oct / Nov / Dec 2019 Playlist

East Village are one of the great lost bands, a group whose music has only grown in stature since their premature demise in the spring of 1991. Along with other legendary bands like Big Star and The Action, who also failed to fully stamp their mark whilst active, East Village made pop music that was timeless, but out of step with the musical environment around them.

Originally named Episode Four, the band was formed in the mid-1980s by brothers Martin and Paul Kelly in the sleepy Buckinghamshire market town of Princes Risborough just forty miles to the west of London. They were soon joined by Johnny Wood (guitar/vocals) and Spencer Smith (drums) and by 1986 they had forged their brilliant, classic pop sound and recorded their first release, the "Strike Up Matches" EP, which has gone on to become one of the most sought after releases of the C86 era. 

By 1987 they had renamed themselves East Village and relocated to London where they recorded two EPs for Jeff Barrett's Sub Aqua label. The band gigged extensively through 1988 and 1989, including tours with The House Of Love and McCarthy. The 1989 collapse of Sub Aqua left the band without a label, but they recorded their debut album using money loaned by Bob Stanley, and were soon re-united with Jeff Barrett on his new Heavenly label, releasing their classic single "Circles." Just as interest in the band was building East Village played a sold out show at the New Cross Venue in South London only to end the set by splitting up on stage.

The album that followed, "Drop Out" (1993), was mixed and released posthumously on Heavenly and has gone on to be hailed as a classic of its genre. The years that followed saw East Village gain a cult status amongst fans of indie music and prices of original pressings rose rapidly as demand outweighed supply. A singles compilation, "Hotrod Hotel," was released to great acclaim by Summershine in 1994, and now we're very happy to facilitate its first, long overdue, vinyl release.

Hotrod Hotel

East Village - Violin

Kal Marks' latest release is the incredible "Let The Shit House Burn Down" EP, due out 9/27 via Exploding In Sound Records

Kal Marks - Science Is Science

Kal Marks - Heads Been Ringing

Kal Marks - Kimmy

When it comes to indiepop, few names are as respected as Ric Menck and Paul Chastain. Through years of collaboration in groups such as Velvet Crush, Bag O' Shells, Choo Choo Train and The Big Maybe they just about *were* the entire US indiepop scene, but it's as The Springfields that they made perhaps their best, most beloved records. Taking their cues from influences like The Byrds and The Hollies they created a sound that was as jangly and melodic as their inspirations, but marked by a unique songwriting voice, excellent tunes, and sterling arrangements. "Singles 1986-1991" collects the 5 singles they released on Sarah, Picture Book, Summershine and Seminal Twang and adds one extra tune, here on vinyl for the first time. From the Paisley Underground-aligned opener "This Perfect Day" through the perfect pop of songs like "Sunflower" and a clutch of savvy covers, The Springfields created a compact, flawless catalog that more than justifies its legendary status and this timely reissue.


Ric Menck: Lead Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Drums
Paul Chastain: Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Jeffrey Underhill: Electric Guitar
Eric Peterson: Electric Guitar
Wes Lachot: Bass Guitar
Buddy Judge: Electric Guitar
Michael Hausman: Drums

Recorded 1985-1991 by Wes Lachot, Willie Wells, Teddy Vosnos & Michael Hausman 
Thanks to Clare Wadd, Matt Haynes, Brian Kirk, Fred Anderson & Jason Reynolds

All songs written by Ric Menck except:
Clown: Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash
Are We Gonna Be Alright?: Matthew Sweet
Tomorrow Ends Today: James Beattie, Bobby Gillespie
Million Tears: Stephen McRobbie, Brian Taylor
Tranquil: John Charnley, Bill Charnley

Singles 1986-1991

The Springfields - Wonder

The Springfields - Sunflower

Candy Cigarettes

Happy Half Lives

Las Ramblas

Formed by friends in 2014 during a summer spent obsessing about the Sarah Records catalog, Michigan band Failed Flowers quickly developed into a shadowy, high speed pop vehicle. Drawing at first from the wistful sighs of Sarah, the group grew more of an edge as they progressed, evoking elements of C86 granularity and shoegaze blur. The original lineup of bassist Erin Davis, drummer Miles Haney, and dual guitarist/singers Fred Thomas and Autumn Wetli played around the midwest for about a year, releasing an eight song demo before Wetli left the band. Close friend and collaborator Anna Burch stepped in during the spring of 2015, amplifying both the harmonies and the disquiet. This new lineup recorded a nine-song mini album of sharper material that saw release on the 25 Diamonds label before Thomas left Michigan for Montreal and Burch began a solo career with her own pristine indiepop tunes. The band remained sporadically active, playing the occasional gig, doing a short run of shows with Protomartyr in 2017 and getting together to write and record in the increasingly rare moments when all parties were available. The two songs on this 7" are the fruits of Failed Flowers' most recent sessions and represent some of their most evolved work.

"Faces" is the first song Anna brought to the band, a wash of guitars and vocal harmonies that are somehow both quick and ambling. More melodic than most of the band's recorded output, it walks in the same remarkably catchy territory as Anna's always glowing solo work, though swimming through more waves of distortion.

"Broken Screen" was described as "The Strokes in a bar fight" seconds after the lead vocals were put to tape, and the song zips along nervously with just that energy. One half jumpy, self-conscious punk and one half Flying Nun grey skies pop.

Faces

Failed Flowers - Broken Screen

For more info about the SLR30 Singles Series:
https://slumberlandrecords.com/slr30singles

Formed by friends in 2014 during a summer spent obsessing about the Sarah Records catalog, Michigan band Failed Flowers quickly developed into a shadowy, high speed pop vehicle. Drawing at first from the wistful sighs of Sarah, the group grew more of an edge as they progressed, evoking elements of C86 granularity and shoegaze blur. The original lineup of bassist Erin Davis, drummer Miles Haney, and dual guitarist/singers Fred Thomas and Autumn Wetli played around the midwest for about a year, releasing an eight song demo before Wetli left the band. Close friend and collaborator Anna Burch stepped in during the spring of 2015, amplifying both the harmonies and the disquiet. This new lineup recorded a nine-song mini album of sharper material that saw release on the 25 Diamonds label before Thomas left Michigan for Montreal and Burch began a solo career with her own pristine indiepop tunes. The band remained sporadically active, playing the occasional gig, doing a short run of shows with Protomartyr in 2017 and getting together to write and record in the increasingly rare moments when all parties were available. The two songs on this 7" are the fruits of Failed Flowers' most recent sessions and represent some of their most evolved work.

"Faces" is the first song Anna brought to the band, a wash of guitars and vocal harmonies that are somehow both quick and ambling. More melodic than most of the band's recorded output, it walks in the same remarkably catchy territory as Anna's always glowing solo work, though swimming through more waves of distortion.

"Broken Screen" was described as "The Strokes in a bar fight" seconds after the lead vocals were put to tape, and the song zips along nervously with just that energy. One half jumpy, self-conscious punk and one half Flying Nun grey skies pop.

Failed Flowers - Faces

Lake Ruth was formed in 2015 by multi-instrumentalist Hewson Chen of The New Lines, drummer Matt Schulz (Holy Fuck, Enon, SAVAK) and vocalist Allison Brice (The Eighteenth Day of May, The Silver Abduction). Their expanded live line-up includes René Dennis (The New Lines), James Canty (The Make-up, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists), and David Mason (Listening Center).
 
Inspired by 1960's sonic experimentation, baroque psychedelia, library obscurities, vintage pop noir, Giallo soundtracks, kraut and jazz, Lake Ruth creates intriguing and unique music rich with multilayered instrumentation, propulsive rhythms and atmospheric vocals.

Following up two excellent albums and several singles, "Extended Leave" is their latest music and perhaps the sharpest, most incisive example of their deep, thought-provoking pop yet. Mysterious and melodic, both sides of this double-A side single ably demonstrate why Lake Ruth are one of the most interesting bands out there today. Part of the SLR30 Singles Series.

Extended Leave

Lake Ruth - Strange Interiors

For more info about the SLR30 Singles Series:
https://slumberlandrecords.com/slr30singles

Lake Ruth was formed in 2015 by multi-instrumentalist Hewson Chen of The New Lines, drummer Matt Schulz (Holy Fuck, Enon, SAVAK) and vocalist Allison Brice (The Eighteenth Day of May, The Silver Abduction). Their expanded live line-up includes René Dennis (The New Lines), James Canty (The Make-up, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists), and David Mason (Listening Center).
 
Inspired by 1960's sonic experimentation, baroque psychedelia, library obscurities, vintage pop noir, Giallo soundtracks, kraut and jazz, Lake Ruth creates intriguing and unique music rich with multilayered instrumentation, propulsive rhythms and atmospheric vocals.

Following up two excellent albums and several singles, "Extended Leave" is their latest music and perhaps the sharpest, most incisive example of their deep, thought-provoking pop yet. Mysterious and melodic, both sides of this double-A side single ably demonstrate why Lake Ruth are one of the most interesting bands out there today.

Lake Ruth - Extended Leave

Crisps & Crackers

Hold Me is the first single from wished bone's EP, sap season

Hold Me - Single

"I Can't Dance" – The first single off "Nostalgia", out November 8th, 2019

Preorder the Vinyl: http://bit.ly/Nostalgia_Vinyl

TWITTER : https://twitter.com/MichaelSeyer
INSTAGRAM : https://www.instagram.com/michaelseyer/
SOUNDCLOUD : https://soundcloud.com/michaelseyer
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/michaelseyer
BANDCAMP : https://michaelseyer.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics:
He don’t pay no mind
To the little voice that he hears inside
Brushes it to the side
All he wants is to feel alive

I aint fancy no, when I’m dancing no lie
I’m just wilding one step at a time and it’s
So damn right

So, I got a glimpse of god
In the form of a living beat
It goes like,
I can’t dance no, I can’t dance no
I can’t dance no, no, no, oh!

She moves and catches his eye
They had little choice, they knew to jive
Swings her hips to the side
Dance floor seemed so dim in light

I’m so antsy oh, when I’m prancing no lie
I’ll just boogie one toe at a time and it’s
So damn right

Cause I know just what you want
Aint the same with what you need
It goes like,
I can’t dance no, I can’t dance no
I can’t dance no, no, no, oh!

I Can't Dance

03 Thunder

follow me on spotify for frequent releases:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/13Vun...

follow me on instagram for daily updates:
https://www.instagram.com/youknowlimbo

follow me on twitter for my weird thoughts:
https://www.twitter.com/youknowlimbo

follow your heart: always 

lyrics:

oh today
is gonna be great
i got invited to a little partay
and i think
the guy i like
is gonna be there 
so i might try

my luck with him
say what’s up to him
maybe get drunk with him
what rhymes with duck him 
um 

when we met 
i could bet
i could get 
you to my bed

when we met 
i could bet
i could get 
you to my bed

i don’t mean to be so forward 
but your so cute i could be your baby’s mother
swear to god all we need is each other
we could dip outta here and go under cover

or under blankets, whichever is better
im like the ocean can’t get much wetter
i know what you’re thinking 
don’t go any further
get your head out of the gutter  

when we met 
i could bet
i could get 
you to my bed

when we met 
i could bet
i could get 
you to my bed

Force Field PR Sept / Oct / Nov / Dec 2019 Playlist

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