Name: When I'm with you everything stops by The Soft City in bloimm bloimm clang clang // rock :: blues :: folk :: acoustic
Duration: 2 min 35 s
Description: A demo of a song we'll be recording later...

bloimm bloimm clang clang // rock :: blues :: folk :: acoustic

Live 13th Apr 1984 at the Napier Arms Gillingham

The Dentists - She comes in colours.mp3

So Famous I'm Fucked

Lead-off track from our EP Things Too Obvious to Sing, out March 29 on My Little Owl Records.

Wond'ring

Released on LP and download  25 May 2014 
Recorded and mixed Summer / Fall 2013, at Marlborough Farms, by Gary Olson 
Mastered by Ron Harrity at Peapod Recordings 
Keyboards by Kyle Forester. Backing vocals by Suzanne Nienaber and Gary Olson 
Additional percussion by Gary Olson. Keyboards on Boy Of Your Dreams by Brooke Watkins 

Pale Lights on this recording are: 

Andrew Adler, guitar 
Lisa Goldstein, drums, vocals 
Maria Pace, bass 
Philip Sutton, guitar, vocals 

All songs by Philip Sutton 

© Calico Cat (CAL004) 

Another album that I’ve been listening a lot this week is that of New York’s own Pale Lights. […] But what an album this is. It’s only 30 minutes long and opens with a cracker of a song called “Another Broken Heart”. You already know what to expect in the other 9 songs. Just heartfelt jangly indiepop crafted in perfection. Highlights are “Port of Shadows” that reminds me of The Bats, their previous single “Boy of Your Dreams” that has that Felt-ish guitar, or The Chills inspired “Only an Ocean”. I don’t know what will happen in 2014, but this might be a serious contender for your next year list! 

Roque Ruiz, Cloudberry Cake Proselytism: www.cloudberryrecords.com/blog/?p=2321

These Things Happen

VIDEO: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kly5_YX3Kkw



Line Up on the Solstice

A new (weird) folk and obscure indie pop project with members of Friedrich Sunlight, The Golden Eaves/The Fairways and Steve Train & His Bad Habits. "Bluebells and Marigold/A Secret Place" 7" KUS 008 released in a edition of 122 copies. Sold out at our label! A few copies are available here: https://shop.tapeterecords.com/eccentric-blabla-7-bluebells-and-marigold-a-secret-place.html and here: http://www.handsandarms.com/fr/indie-pop/11562-eccentric-blabla-bluebells-and-marigold.html?search_query=eccentric+blabla&results=1

Eccentric Blabla - A Secret Place

Jetstream Pony are born out of a common love for power-pop, post punk and indie-pop. The band feature Beth Arzy (Trembling Blue Stars/The Luxembourg Signal/Lightning in a Twilight Hour/Aberdeen) on vocals, Shaun Charman (The Wedding Present/The Popguns/The Fireworks) on guitar, Kerry Boettcher on bass and Sara Boyle on drums.
"Like You Less" 7" KUS 010 was released on September 4th. Sold out at our label! A few copies are available here: http://www.handsandarms.com/fr/indie-pop/11563-jetstream-pony-like-you-less.html?search_query=jetstream+pony&results=1

Jetstream Pony - Like You Less

Pale Lights are fronted by Phil Sutton on vocals & guitar(ex-Comet Gain/Velocette/Kicker)with Andy Adler on lead guitar(Crystal Stilts),Lisa Goldstein on drums(Knight School),Maria Pace on bass guitar & Suzanne Nienaber on vocals(Great Lakes).Recorded with Gary Olson at his Marlborough Farms studio. Organ on this song by Kyle Forester(The Ladybug Transistor/Crystal Stilts)and tambourine by Hamish Kilgour(The Clean/The Mad Scene). Taken from their 2nd LP "The Stars Seemed Brighter" (KUS 011)was released on December 15th. First press is SOLD OUT! 2nd press is available here: https://www.discogs.com/de/seller/KUS-2015/profile or send a message to: kus-mail@gmx.de

Pale Lights - Mother Cries

A demo of a song we'll be recording later...

When I'm with you everything stops

West Bay native Tony Molina has been following a fascinating trajectory on his recent string of releases. Early entries like the "6 Songs EP" and "Dissed And Dismissed" LP combined the best bits of Weezer/Teenage Fanclub-style power-pop with Tony's smart, touching songs, shredding guitar pyrotechnics and ironclad DIY HC roots. 2016's "Confront The Truth" EP flipped the script in a big way, leaving the guitar crunch behind in favor of mostly acoustic arrangements that owe as much to "Horizontal"-era Bee Gees and the Fanclub's mellower moments as they do to Georges Harrison and Martin. It's a masterful record, packing more melodic flair and emotional truth into 11 minutes than most bands manage in an hour.

Now Tony is back with his brilliant, long-awaited album "Kill The Lights." The ten songs on "Kill The Lights" continue in his evolution towards stripping the songs back to reveal each one's emotional and melodic core. But where "Confront The Truth" was mostly acoustic, "Kill The Lights" adds back some full band arrangements to brilliant effect. Album opener "Nothing I Can Say" is a lovely 12-string pop tune that would sit snugly in The Byrds' songbook - it's that good. "Wrong Town" is gentle and subtly wrenching, recalling prime Elliott Smith in its simple truth. "Afraid To Go Outside" expands on some of the pastoral early Bee Gees/Kaleidoscope/Tomorrow flavor revealed on "Confront," aided by some great organ lines. "Now That She's Gone" features some gorgeous guitar finger-picking, while "Jasper's Theme" is a rootsy mid-tempo groover that leans towards Gram-era Byrds. 

Everywhere on "Kill The Lights" we hear Tony synthesizing his influences with great skill and intention; these classic folk and pop styles are being employed in the service of stellar songs and universal lyrical truths rather than just as aesthetic filigree. This is why beautiful, elegant songs like "When She Leaves" and "Before You Go" aren't really so far from Molina's punk roots -- they reflect a dedication to craft combined with an intense commitment to self-expression that transcends simplistic genre boundaries. The sonic palette may be shifting, but the tunes are all Tony and we should all be grateful for that.

Kill The Lights

Pre-order

Tony Molina - Nothing I Can Say

From the new The BV's 12" EP "Interpunktion" (KUS 013). This first edition is limited to 200 copies. Pressed on clear vinyl, each copy comes with unique, handmade artwork by The BV’s guitarist/singer Frederik Jehle, consisting of handprinted monoprints on A1 tracing paper, cut into six pieces. Each artwork printed with lino and / or polystyrene.
Releasedate: 9th February 2018
Sold out at our label within 3 days!

The BV's - Be Enough

New 5 track EP, released 13th July on limited 12“ clear-marbled white vinyl by Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten in a edition of 200. Finest Noise/Indie/"Schrammel"-POP! from Brighton/UK.
KUS 015 is sold out at our label.

Jetstream Pony - Self-Destruct Reality

Releasedate: 23. November 2018 For Orders please send a message to: kus-mail@gmx.de or go to our recordshop at Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/de/seller/KUS-2015/profile
This is the solo-debut 7" by the great Gary Olson of The Ladybug Transistor. He's also famous for his work as a producer for Nick Garrie, The Essex Green, Crystal Stilts, ... just to name a few ...
His 7" "The Old Twin/All Points North" (KUS 018) includes two beautiful popsongs and is a collaboration with Ole Åleskjær and members from the norwegian Indie-Popband The Loch Ness Mouse with the help from Julia Rydholm of The Essex Green/The Ladybug Transistor and Suzanne Nienaber of Great Lakes & Pale Lights.

Gary Olson - The Old Twin

Out May 22 on Manic Pop! Records!

Visit our Kickstarter Page for advanced downloads and pre-orders! www.kickstarter.com/projects/638863…sprin?ref=email


Return to Sender

"Dark 7" Strawberry Switchblade

The Soft City started life as the song-writing side project of drummer Phil Sutton, formerly of London punk/soul legends Comet Gain and Track and Field’s best-kept secret, Kicker. Aided by former Kicker bandmates, a three-track EP, titled The Soft City, was recorded in London and released in 2007 by the Cloudberry label.      
   
After moving to New York in 2008 Sutton was joined by singer Dora Lubin, formerly of Washington DC band Black Max, and guitarist Jason Corace, who had released singles and an album as A Boy Named Thor. The group made their live debut at the 2009 New York Popfest, playing at the Cake Shop with, amongst others, Knight School and My Teenage Stride. Shows with The Legends and The Drums followed before the group went into Gary Olson’s Marlborough Farm studio to record The Soft City LP. New York’s hardest working musician Ladybug Transistor and Crystal Stilts keyboard ace Kyle Forester joined them for these live shows and recordings. Since the LP was finished The Soft City have recruited bassist Turner Stough and plan to record a mini album/EP for release in 2010

Reviews for The Soft City

Heaven is Above Your Head:
Band of the month at Don't Die On My Doorstep last month was The Soft City, a British band started by Phil Sutton of Kicker (and Comet Gain). They sound similar to Kicker (but even better!) and it seems my previous confusion of them with The Soft Set seems justified aurally as well as literally. Their first album is out now on Plastilina and includes ten fantastic songs, and my favourites are the jangly "Cold Hearts" and the almost Velocette-sounding "Capital Soul".

Eardrum:
The small Peruvian indiepop-label Plastilina records was the label behind one of my favourite releases from last year, The Hi-Life Companion’s “Say Yes!”, and now another goodie is released by this label.

I guess you can call The Soft City an “indiepop supergroup” with former members of bands like Comet Gain, Kicker, Ladybug Transistor, A Boy Named Thor and Crystal Stilts. The band started as the solo project of Phil Sutton (Comet Gain, Kicker), and with the help of some friends, he recorded a 3 track ep for Cloudberry Records in 2007. On the Cloudberry-single, Sutton did the vocals himself, but on the new album, Dora Lubin sings on all songs. The Soft City is no longer a solo-project, but a full band.
Dora Lubin’s strong vocals remind me of someone, but I really can’t tell who. It’s someone good, I know that much.
The Soft City’s self-titled debut-album is full of lovely pop songs with great melodies and jangly guitars. When I listen to these songs, I get the same feeling as I do when I listen to songs by The Go-Betweens and especially the ones Grant McLennan wrote. They may be upbeat and happy, but there’s always some kind of thoughtful melancholy beneath the happy melodies. I like that a lot.

My favourites on the album are many, but “Falling Star”, with its lovely, lovely chorus and layered guitars is one of the stronger songs here. “Young and dumb” is also especially good. It’s a bouncy pop-song with great organs and a wonderful chorus. It’s one of those songs that’s not easy to get out of your head.

Frigopop:
Il nome di Phil Sutton, buttato così, potrebbe non dirvi nulla, a meno che non siate dei fan sfegatati dei Comet Gain. Sì perchè il nostro è proprio il batterista della suddetta band inglese, che un bel giorno ha deciso di dar vita ad una nuova carriera solista. Ma il buon Phil però dopo un po' si è reso conto che non poteva fare tutto da solo, e così dopo aver reclutato una serie d'amici, tra cui membri di Ladybug Transistor e Crystal Stilts, ha deciso di formare i Soft City. Ed ecco che dopo vari ep pubblicati per Cloudberry e Plastilina Records la band è finalmente giunta all'omonimo disco d'esordio, e il risultato è stato semplicemente fantastico.
Dieci canzoni, poco più di mezzora, una voce femminile che ti mette in pace con il mondo e con te stesso, più un'ondata di chitarre jingle jangle che ti fanno fare tic tac con le scarpe hanno fatto in modo d'annoverare quest'album tra le cose più interessanti in ambito indiepop/twee di questo periodo, e poi se ci sono di mezzo i Comet Gain, allora tanto di cappello.



When I'm with you everything stops

The Soft City

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