Snooping the Bandcamp

(Copying the name and style of my favorite and former music site: Bandcamp Hunter in Australia) No talent to do reviews. No time to do reviews. Simply bands on Bandcamp. Snooping around the Bandcamp like Scooby Doo (or my dog Vinca, RIP).  I will try to post daily, so please return. Please feel free to make recommendations by clicking the "Ask Me Anything" link below.

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7/7/26.

Spectralate were a band formed in the early 2010s by Alan Holmes and Annie Muriel on the island of Anglesey in Northern Wales. Holmes has been in many bands, most notably Fflaps (1987-1992) and Ectogram (1996-2012).

Spectralate is beautifully orchestrated and hues closer to Would-Be-Goods, Tele Novella, and Jens Lekman than either of the above mentioned bands. And while both Holmes and Muriel are Welsh musicians, I can't say that this has the classic signs of Welsh indie music. In other words, while Holmes may have played with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, this doesn't necessarily tend to that sound.

And I don't know enough - or anything - about Anglesey, to know if this music is informed by the culture or landscape of the area. All I know is it's beautifully consistent throughout. The band released several full lengths in a 3 year period.

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7/6/26.

My "in" to The Thermals was the album "The Body, The Blood, The Machine". I fell in love with Hutch Harris' vocal style, his melodies and of course the accompanying music courtesy of Kathy Foster and Jordan Hudson.

It looks like we are getting a new Thermals (Portland, Oregon) record. While I'm pretty stoked, I'm tempering expectations as from the sound of it, this is mostly a Hutch Harris solo effort. Kathy Foster helped play, but it doesn't really seem like she had a hand in writing any of the songs. But, in one "interview" Hutch assured us that "SHE'S RIGHT HERE, sitting next to me working hard on the layout for the LP, as I write this. Not only did I have Kathy’s blessing to make a Thermals LP, I had her help as well."

"Good Morning Fellow Scavengers" certainly sounds like The Thermals, who disbanded back in 2018. But apparently Harris missed, "the noise, the nerves and the chaos that the band always embodied. The exuberance, the raw power, and the punctuality!"

We posted "The Body, The Blood, The Machine" back in 2020. I mentioned Ted Leo & The Pharmacists back then as a band that put me in a similar mood. I might add Titus Andronicus to that.

This is being issued by Hutch's own label - Catsup Aspic. The CD version is limited to 50 with handmade covers/signature by Hutch.

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7/5/26.

I can't believe a release as good as Deadbeat Beat "How Far" has led to only 4 total mentions since 2019. Seems odd for how much I've listened to that release. But, it's true.

"From Here to Ohio" is the follow up, seven years in the making. The sound is similar, although the Bandcamp write up mentions that vocally, Deadbeat Beat (Detroit, Michigan), owes a debt to Turtles, the Beach Boys, and the Cowsills. Musically, there is still a Flying Nun feel, but on the notes for this release the band doesn't name drop The Clean like they did on the last release.

This was mastered by Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive) and was released by Canadian label We Are Time, but if you're in the US, you can get it through Revolver/Midheaven.

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7/4/26.

I recently learned of the Floating Eels project. It's made up of three people: David Mitchell, Paul Jones, Björn Magnusson and is described as an album of improvised music that "was recorded live to 4 tracks during a couple of long sessions in London [where Mitchell currently lives] late summer 2025".

I got pretty excited by the name David Mitchell - yes, it is THAT David Mitchell: The Exploding Budgies, Plagal Grind, Goblin Mix, 3Ds, and Ghost Club are just some of the bands he's been a key member of.

There is no physical release of "Get Down With the Floating Eels" yet, but David Mitchell is all over the release-iverse so I hardly feel like I'm breaking my "release-must-exist" rule. If you want to hear David Mitchell on vinyl, cassette or CD, you have many options (including Leather Apron, another Mitchell band I'd never heard of).

As far as sound goes, this does sound like David Mitchell, and it does sound improvised. It also sounds amazing.

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7/3/26.

About 3 weeks ago, I said that angels should have announced the release of The Clog's debut LP. Break the angelic chorus out again - Charlie Ivan Band are back with their 2nd LP, "Of Nothing".

"Where The Dogs Go To Die" was my #2 album of 2024 (#1 was CPNPC "XLEP"), and it has continued to shine in my record collection. So, I was pretty excited to hear about the new album, even if it's only two songs (for now). Currently "Of Nothing" is the more upbeat while "I'm Tired" lives up to its name. Both songs build upon the sound established on "Where The Dogs Go To Die".

Dylan Young (Way Dynamic) produced most of this (and he played on quite a bit), but Michael Beach produced and played on the last song. The Charlie Ivan Band is made up of same three regulars as the first LP and then an extensive list of collaborators.

This time around, Bedroom Suck Records is releasing this. The Charlie Ivan Band is based in Alice Springs, Australia. This is a relatively small town that is basically smack in the middle of the country. If you're looking for a party band, you can book Alice Springs' legends Wolfpack Amadeus.

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7/2/26.

Thanks to Maximum Rock N' Roll for bringing this band to my attention. I usually look at the online music review "magazine" once or twice a month. I don't share their tastes on 80% of the reviews - I'm not a big hardcore guy, but I do love me some melodic punk, power pop, or post-punk, which they will review from time to time.

Fashion Bathers are a Manitoba, Canada based band. But as one of the MRNR reviews says, this sounds more like a cross of Tony Molina and Aussie punk. I actually think it sounds like Tony Molina crossed with The Ramones. Tony Molina for the short song bursts of melody, and Ramones for type of melody.

This is released by Knuckles on Stun, a Nashville based cassette label (the label also released another cassette by the band, "III"). With a name like that you pretty much know what you're getting. Maximum Rock N' Roll covers a lot of their releases.

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7/1/26.

The Phone Call are yet another London, England based band. The great thing about this release is that it name drops all sorts of bands, and I haven't heard of one of them. So great. I'm not totally surprised, since this isn't my normal indie pop, but this is pop. So members of The Phone Call have previously been in the following bands: David Cronenberg’s Wife, The Awkward Silences, and Slushy Guts (the previous band was apparently "electro indie legends").

I do know some of the influenced or "sounds-like" comparisons given on the Bandcamp page: The Cool Greenhouse, XTC and Pulp. I would add that it reminds me a bit of both Art Brut and Sleaford Mods (a much less gritty and angry version of Sleaford Mods).

This is released by British label Blang Records.

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6/30/26.

I honestly don't recall another independent label that keeps such a regular/frenetic release pace as Subjangle. I've been following the label since it's inception and early on, I bought a lot of the releases. But after the first couple of years, I couldn't keep pace with the releases and now I only post/buy every now and then.

This is one of those "every now and then" moments. According to the email release announcement, Liberty Belle's Francois Cantot and Darrin Lee were chatting on Instagram, "about our mutual love for a certain release [The Go-Betweens "Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express"], when he mentioned that he has his own music. Intrigued I request he sent it to me and it just happened to be the most beautifully fragile indie-pop you can imagine. This is definitely going to appeal to those who prefer the McLennan end of The Go-Betweens repertoire!"

Maybe the band name hints at this, but this also recalls the work of Belle and Sebastian. Cantot's songwriting reminds me a bit of Martin Phillips (The Chills). The Bandcamp page also mentions The Bush Tetras and Sarah Records as touchstones.

Subjangle has a 15% off code - belle15 - that will work until July 2nd.

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6/29/26.

Charlie Forrest is a London, England based musician who became more "known" when he opened for Paul Simonon (The Clash). This landed him with Lewis Recordings. This is his second 5 song EP for the label (the first was 2025's "Moon Is Bright"). This second EP, "Golden Wisdom" has a more consistent psych-folk feel to it than "Moon Is Bright". Both are great, and I hope Lewis Recordings issues both as one release much like pictureframes did their two wonderful EPs that we posted about at the end of April.

On the Bandcamp release page for "Golden Wisdom", Forrest throws out the following band names as influences: Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, M. Ward, Devendra Banhart, and Elliot Smith. I would add Neil Young and the Velvet Underground as comps.

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6/28/26.

12XU has brought us many great releases over the years. I'm partial to the Lewsberg release from 2023. Lewsberg hasn't been heard from much lately, and I'm guessing that might be partially due to the fact that Lewsberg guitarist Arie van Vliet is playing/releasing music with The Hobknobs. He is joined by Yaël Dekker, formerly of The Kittens.

The Hobknobs (Rotterdam, Netherlands) sound is less Lewsberg-esque rock n' roll and more Japanese styled indie pop. But let's not deny a certain underlying Velvet Underground quality here.

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6/27/26.

I know I've said that this has happened before, but I want to mention it again because (1) it highlights the sheer amount of music I listen to on Bandcamp, and (2) how shoddy my memory can be.

I clicked play on "Dirge Technique" by Le Pain and was met by the dreaded, "The time has come to open thy heart/wallet", meaning I'd been here before and listened to this several times. A quick search of the blog showed it had never been posted. How did something this good get listened to, and not posted. Unfortunately, this happens a lot more than I'd like to think.

At least I get to remedy the oversight with respect to Le Pain (Los Angeles, California). While the band have the sound of a French pop band, there are indeed from Los Angeles, and in fact, one member is getting quite a bit of notice lately. Madeline Babuka-Black is the main creative force behind Slippers whose release "Slippers 08" recently came out on Perennial. Olivia Babuka-Black played with Peel Dream Magazine.

The music here has a definite Stereolab or Watoo Watoo sound. This was released by Slouch Records (Los Angeles).

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6/26/26.

I'm sure something like this has happened to someone besides me. You kind of forget about a band you like. I mean, a band you like so much you actually own three releases. I posted about Bloomington, Indiana based band The Cowboys in 2018 and 2019, bought 3 releases, listened a lot, and then barely mentioned them again.

I'm at a loss of words. The Cowboys' sound combines The Kinks, The Who, Marshall Crenshaw and The Toms. Feel It Records (my entry into the label WAS The Cowboys) has just released "Captain Easy's Downfall" and all of the above comps still work. However, I think this release leans more to Sparks than anything that's come before.

Band member Keith Harman has also released work as Good Looking Son. Other members have played in Slushy (great 7" on Randy Records) and Heavy Mother.

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6/25/26.

I really genuinely cherish memories of live music. Michael Beach live at the White Horse Inn (reportedly the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the United States) is one of those shows. It wasn't the first time I'd seen Beach, but I was with Micah (music is always better with friends) and Utrillo Kushner was on the drum set.

Yesterday, I got an email announcing the release of "Live at Phoenix Central Park", a private performing arts venue in Melbourne (Naarm). Only one song is streaming and it has Beach on piano - great. I can't wait to hear the rest of the set. I've been touting the Charlie Ivan Band as having a similar feel to the piano-Beach. The closest approximation to guitar-Beach is Ben Seretan or David Nance.

This is being released by Melbourne based label Poison City Records.

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6/24/26.

The first few songs I heard from The Standby Connection (Valencia, Spain) didn't actually prepare me for what was to come. The first few songs made me think of a more indie Lemon Twigs or even The Chills ("Visions"). But then, this album turned into full-on Galaxie 500/Luna worship. Well done worship at that. I listened all the way through and then looked at the credits.

Surprise! On track 6, "MB", none other than Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips make guest appearances.

Members of The Standby Connection have also played in Polar. This is released by Spanish label No Aloha Records.

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6/23/26.

P. Noid is one of two bands currently releasing music for Pocket Rocket Records (Chicago, Illinois). The other band, Answering Machines, have already sold out their tape. Both bands have embraced a 90s lo-fi aesthetic.

It's been noted all over the place that Chicago is quite the indie scene right now. P. Noid does have a song on the great "Red Xerox" compilation (Eli Schmitt) on New Now that documents the current group Chicago punk rockers.

P. Noid and Answering Machines make me think of a louder/more rocking version of The Capstan Shafts, which is a comparison that goes back a ways. Other times they recall Blue Suede Platforms.

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6/22/26.

I'm not at all sure how I ran across Berlin-based band The Fulmars self-titled debut the other day. My immediate impression was Blue Suede Platforms - a cassette I bought about 8 years ago.

But, that's a pretty deep cut comparison. The Fulmars themselves (or Static Age Musik, the label releasing the LP) uses the following comparisons - Young Marble Giants, Dead Moon, and The Velvet Underground. They actually have their own deep cut comparison - Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan! (at least for me...I'd never heard of this band). I'd also throw in a Barbara Manning comparison as well.

The only other time we've mentioned this label is back in 2023 when discussing the physical release of Yfory.

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6/21/26.

I'm pretty sure most of you know that the primary purpose of this blog is to serve as a kind of listening diary. I just wanted a way to catalogue the things I loved that I was listening to on Bandcamp. If anyone wanted to ride along, great.

Every once in a while, I want to catalogue something that is outside my normal lane. People Like Us (Vicki Bennett - London, England) has been making audio collages since the early 1990s, and while that doesn't sound like something I would normally like, I found myself listening to the newest People Like Us album, "Copia" over and over. In ways it reminds me of a similar feeling I get when I listen to The Caretaker or Foxi Euler Sydikat (Frischluft! Tonträger - if you want to listen to a great compilation from 2020, here you are).

For this album, Bennett collaborated "with the voices, instruments and editing timelines of Matmos, Hearty White, Gwilly Edmondez, Lottie Bowater, Buttress O’Kneel, Douglas Benford, Irene Moon, Jon Leidecker, and Matt Warwick."

"Copia" was released last year by British label Discrepant.