News, updated June 28, 2009
On this page: read about recent releases from Liechtenstein, Bricolage, Crystal Stilts, Cause Co-Motion! and The Pains of Being Pure At Heart.
Liechtenstein seek survival strategies
Liechtenstein are about to become the band that every indie kid's younger sister wishes she had started. Making a splash on the international indie pop scene with two singles, the Swedish trio of Renée, Naemi and Elin are poised to really make waves with their own unique girl-group post-punk sound. We are thrilled to team up with the band's hometown label, Gothenburg's Fraction Discs, in order to bring their subversive pop to a larger audience in the form of their new mini-LP, Survival Strategies In A Modern World.
With the nine song Survival Strategies, Liechtenstein not only deliver the spooky harmonies and loping basslines that earned their singles such critical attention, but also stretch out into realms they only hinted at before. Here, the band prove that not only can they give Love is All a run for their money in the Swedish post-punk revival department, but that they can fit right in alongside labelmates The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (not to mention "lost" bands of the C-86 era like Swiss buzzsaw-pop girl group Chin Chin) in delivering manic pop thrills.
Mixing its '80s influences with a very fresh and contemporary enthusiasm, there's so much excitement packed into less than 23 minutes that you'll discover a new favorite song with every spin. For more info and preview MP3s check out the album info page, and please note that the 10" is pressed on lovely yellow vinyl comes with a code for a free download.
| Listen: "Roses In The Park" | add to my cart » | 10" | CD |
Bits & pieces…
- For a limited time we are offering The Pains of Being Pure At Heart album on fabulous white vinyl! These won't last, so get yours now. And if you prefer black vinyl, please include a note when ordering.
- The second pressing of Crystal Stilts' Love Is A Wave 7" is now in stock, pressed on white/black swirl vinyl. We found one last box of first pressing singles on snow white vinyl and will ship those with mail orders unless you specify you want the second pressing.
- Stewie Racer drops an ace new podcast on us, crammed to bursting with rare and awesome DIY punk and pop oddities. Narrated by Stew, you're bound to hear something new and find out something you didn't know. Check out Kitchen Sounds #2 and be prepared to hit eBay to track down some long-lost 7" treats.
- We know how hard it can be sometimes to find new releases, especially on vinyl, so we are launching a new section of the site to showcase stuff we well that is not on Slumberland. For the most part it's records by Slumberland bands on other labels, but we may expand it to include more releases from labels we like. Keep an eye on this page!
- Have you checked out our blog lately? We've been posting lots of news about Slumberland bands on tour. Look for more MP3s to be posted soon.
- The Henry's Dress self-titled EP is now SOLD-OUT.
Cause Co-Motion! release new 12" EP
Hot on the heels of their critically-lauded singles compilation, It's Time!, Cause Co-Motion! have hit the studio to bring you their latest installment of earnest DIY pop, this time in the form of this fab six song 12" EP entitled Because Because Because.
Over the last few years Cause Co-Motion! have made quite a name for themselves as purveyors of crash-pop of the finest quality, blending 60s garage-pop impulses with Messthetic-inflected post-punk and the scrappy end of the 80s indie scene, as exemplified by groups like Television Personalities, Beat Happening and The Pastels. Committed to tape in the course of a day spent with Gary Olson of the Ladybug Transistor at his Marlborough Farms studio, this EP balances the band’s frenetic attack with a more open approach to arrangements and space.
The songs are all top-drawer, and we fully expect the driving "Leave It All" and the Buddy Holly-esque "You Lose" to take their places in the Cause Co-Motion! pantheon of future classics. You can go to the album info page for more info and a preview MP3. All copies come in really nice jacket: hand-painted with silkscreen overlay. Each one totally unique!
| Listen: "You Lose" | add to my cart » | 12" |
Bricolage's debut album out now!
The symbiotic relationship between Glasgow and an indefinable, distinct breed of extraordinary pop is a subject of limitless fascination. From the early-’80s explosion that begat Orange Juice, Altered Images, The Pastels and many others, to latter-day heirs such as Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand, the city is as synonymous with the abstract notion of 'indie' as Detroit is with the Motown sound or New York with early punk.
Following on from a string of immaculate singles, Bricolage is the latest installment in Glasgow's rich pop history. Produced with sparkling economy by former Altered Images guitarist Stephen Lironi, its dozen tracks brilliantly combine swooning romanticism with all the melody, verve and wit the city is famous for. Bricolage have crafted a bold album packed with striking tunes and classic pop moments, bringing The Sound of Young Scotland bang up to date and squarely into the 21st century.
We think that this album is one of the most exciting, vital pop albums we've heard in ages and are dead pleased to be able to bring it to you. For more info and preview MP3s check out the album info page, and please note that the vinyl LP comes with a code for a free download. You asked, we delivered!
| Listen: "Bayonets" | add to my cart » | LP | CD |
Crystal Stilts release two all-new songs on limited 7"
Crystal Stilts burst out of Brooklyn in 2008 to become one of the most talked about bands in years. Perfecting a sound that ably mixes post-punk gloom with classic 60s pop & garage, Suicide-ish 50s buzz/twang and a dash of 80s jangle, Crystal Stilts capped the year with the release of their amazing debut album, Alight of Night. We’re thrilled to be able to bring you this ace single, featuring two brand-new songs not to be found on their album.
Love Is A Wave is a firm favorite of the band’s live show, a perfect two-minute pop nugget in the best punk rock tradition. Fired by an insistent fast-strummed riff, an eager beat and barely-contained feedback, Love Is A Wave is an instant classic that stands tall with tunes like “Never Understand” and “I Heard Her Call My Name” in the noise-pop pantheon. B-side Sugarbaby is no slouch either, sounding for all the world like The Clean if they had been produced by Lee Hazlewood back in Arizona in the late 50s.
You can go to the album info page for more info and a preview MP3. Limited edition first pressing on snow white vinyl is almost sold-out — do not delay.
| Listen: "Love Is A Wave" | add to my cart » | 7" |
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart drop limited 7" for Young Adult Friction
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are a certified pop phenomenon. They've taken the indie world by storm with their infectious brand of noisy indie-pop, releasing a string of eagerly awaited singles that culminated in February 2009 with the release of their smashing self-titled debut album.
Taken from that album, Young Adult Friction is a saucy tale of teenage lust in the library that bops along to an updated 80s groove that marries the classic strum of The Pastels with a bit of late Smiths polish. On the flip, Ramona slows the pace for a slice of shoegazey dreaminess that could sit comfortably next to Black Tambourine or My Bloody Valentine on any quality mixtape. It's an essential single from one of the most crucial pop bands around right now.
You can go to the album info page for more info and a preview MP3. Also, note that this record is a co-release with Fortuna Pop! (Europe) — please support your local independent record label.
| Listen: "Young Adult Friction" | add to my cart » | 7" |
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart album out now!
Since forming in early 2007, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart have become one of the most talked about pop bands in years. Their distinctive brand of noisy pop is a tidy distillation of all the great noise-pop precedents - early MBV, House of Love, Pale Saints, Rocketship - but with that incredible exuberance and energy that the Pains bring to every song.
Now, we are delighted to bring you their self-titled debut album. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart is an instant classic, packed with brilliantly-executed pop gems that blend the rush of youthful enthusiasm with crafty arrangements, well-honed tunes and buckets of guitar racket. Drawing on the sparkling legacy of the best of 80s and 90s pop, POBPAH update the timeless noisy pop template with a thoroughly modern viewpoint and a very distinctive, playful personality.
All orders will receive a poster and/or badge, while supplies last and depending on what the class of postage you select allows (Economy Postage in the US does NOT allow badges). You can go to the album info page for more info and preview MP3s. Also, note that this record is a co-release with Fortuna Pop! (Europe), Fastcut (Japan) and Lost & Lonesome (Australia). Please support your local independent record label.
| Listen: "Everything With You" | add to my cart » | LP | CD |
Coming soon
Coming in July we will be releasing the long-awaited Summer Cats album (they will be touring the US as well), plus an amazing single from The Champagne Socialists, an amazing new group featuring members of The Royal We and Bricolage. Later this summer look for more Searching For The Now splits, singles from Greg Webster, Dum Dum Girls and Sic Alps and a remarkable 12" EP from Brown Recluse Sings.
A look back at 2008
Normally we're all about looking ahead here at Slumberland, but please allow us a moment to appreciate 2008. Surely one of the biggest years for Slumberland yet, 2008 saw the release of ten 7" singles and four albums, covering everything from the classic guitar pop of The Lodger to the tough, angular post-punk of Sarandon and an awful lot in-between. Check out these crucial releases:
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Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night 50s/early 60 rock thump meets Suicide buzz and post-punk chill. Essential garage-pop for these troubled times. | add to my cart » | LP | CD |
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Cause Co-Motion! - It's Time! Compiling the first 4.5 singles of this Brooklyn combo's immaculate crash-pop. DIY pop doesn't get any better than this! | add to my cart » | CD |
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Sexy Kids - Sisters Are Forever Brilliant post-punk pop from the ashes of The Royal We. Superb tunes and a unique Girls At Our Best-meets-Messthetics vibe made this one the best singles of 2008. | add to my cart » | 7" |
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The Lodger - Life Is Sweet Perfectly-executed second album from this Leeds pop band garnered rave reviews and comparisons to everyone from Aztec Camera to Belle & Sebastian. | add to my cart » | LP | CD |
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Sarandon - Kill Twee Pop! Bruising post-punk crunch that slots in nicely next to Big Flame and The Membranes. Uncompromising, but still sporting some sly pop tunes beneath the racket. | add to my cart » | 10" | CD |