phédre

Daniel Woodhead of Snakes + Ladders just sent me Phédre's debut EP - free download here. Phédre are estranged cousins that make charming, wooden pop with memorable lines, weirdo vox and clapping, cluttering sounds dug out of a dusty, suspicious chest of a dead relative's attic. Occasionally spacey, mostly grainy, each song displays its fundementals through the red gaze of a botched disposable snap. There's a pleasant whiff of Graffiti Island in places - it's witty without commiting itself.

'Glitter on her Face' is a standout for me, with its Mayfair Set vocal playoff of sweet and creep and its mixture of stodgy, grotty textures.

Phédre - Glitter on her Face

pens

oh hello PENS! do you happen to be the cutest band this side of the pond??? you do??!!! aces!!!!

the DIY scene in the u.k. has been pretty lacking with all the cascades of cool in america -- blank dogs, times new viking (i don't have to link this, if you don't adore t.n.v. by now then there's basically no hope for you, go and listen to kings of leon you cum drinker), vivian girls, wavves, christmas island, meth teeth, blah de blah.. but now we have our own shit! it's awesome -- sexy-arse (not ass in this case) bands like Male Bonding and the yankee doodle vocalisted Graffiti Island, and freakin Pens! all on our doorstep... things are looking gooooodddd.....

there's something immediately likeable about Pens. everything from their goofy URL -- myspace.com/penspenspenis, is pure, subtle fun, anti-credit crunch "i honestly didn't even think about giving a fuck" cool cool crap! "yeah baby i'll take you to bagel town" is an excellent song, as is the totally hummable whilst you make tea "high in the cinema", as played on DJ Rick's outstanding radio show in california, Art for Spastics. they are, as you can see, sweet as 3 shiny buttons. sooooo, basically go see them.

S