The multicoloured octagon sleeve is the one hundredth release on Great Pop Supplement and contains a 7" featuring tracks by Spectrum, Spacemen 3 and MGMT. It's beautiful. Apparently it has now been 'officially' postponed until later this year due to... Continue reading

Yes, it's the latest two releases on the WIAIWYA series of seven inch singles for 2013. Complete with plectrum and letterpress beer mat. Quality. But you grabbed the recent Unpoular mix so you already knew that, right? Right. <a href="http://wiaiwya.bandcamp.com/album/old-man"... Continue reading

<a href="http://shop.fikarecordings.com/album/hey-sailor-boy" _mce_href="http://shop.fikarecordings.com/album/hey-sailor-boy">Hey Sailor Boy! by Cosines</a> <a href="http://reverieme.bandcamp.com/album/with-up-so-floating" _mce_href="http://reverieme.bandcamp.com/album/with-up-so-floating">With Up So Floating by Reverieme</a> Continue reading

The third and final instalment of The Indelicates' 'Diseases of England' arrived recently. You may also have been one of the backers of the project, in which case you will also have received your three CD EPs and cardboard slip... Continue reading

It is just over two years since TV Girl first cropped up on an Unpopular mix. I would have to admit that in the intervening months TV Girl have become firmly ensconced as one of my very favourite Pop acts.... Continue reading

This was the sorry state of my bicycle yesterday, after a week of commuting. To be fair, most of the filth was collected on Friday's ride home in a thunderstorm. At least I only had to ride 18km... and I... Continue reading

I read this excellent article about MIT's famous Building 20 a few weeks ago. The thing that struck me most was the fact that the (bad) architecture of the building caused people to frequently get lost. This in turn led to people ending up in unexpected places, meeting unexpected people working on unconnected projects giving rise to unanticipated conversations and unforeseen collaborations. All of which led to progress. So here's the thing: How do we capture the essence of that experience in learning? How do we replicate that in schools? For students and for staff. I don't have an answer... Continue reading

If I can't be perfect at least make me good.<Download link for the whole mix. Right there. Right now. Available until it isn't. Just A Ghost - I Am A Man With A St Tropez Tan (from 'Just A Ghost')... Continue reading

I am not sure if I have shared this information in the past, but here is a snippet you may find amusing: In my days at the Glasgow School of Art my friends in the studio called me 'Shambles Al'.... Continue reading

This past week I have been photographing the colour yellow. The obvious song of choice for this post therefore would have been Spearmint's very excellent 'Song For The Colour Yellow'. Except it's not on Spotify and it's not on YouTube... Continue reading

Bicycles and coffee. What could be finer? Perhaps bicycles and coffee and the Bodines... Continue reading

Here's a neat new arrival: two tasty casquettes courtesy of Ragpickers. Order two and you get a free musette. I'll be wearing these on a ride in the sunshine sometime soon for sure. Continue reading

Everyone likes those moments of coincidence when connections slot into place. It is like some proof of a higher power that thrills us even if (or perhaps especially if) we don’t believe in any kind of higher power at all.... Continue reading

Don’t believe a word he says... <If you'd been quicker you could've downloaded the entire mix using that there link. Kys - Tusindfald (Bandcamp) Reliever - Capitals (YouTube) Bright Lights - Just Handshakes (from 'Say It'. Bandcamp) In the night... Continue reading

I know, I know, "never say never" and all that malarky, but for argument's sake here is the latest tape I will never play. It's by Pet Cat who are, I am assured, a "rock/dream pop band from Reading". But... Continue reading

Yes! There is a new Paul Messis album! Yes! It is packaged in a delicious retro style front-laminated, flipback sleeve! Yes! It sounds like a scuffed up garage punk treasure that I'm filing next to '1,2,3,4,5,6,7 All Good Preachers Go... Continue reading

I got grumpy on Record Store Day. Again. Called it an urban conspiracy against record lovers who live in the countryside. Still hold by that. And even if our village had an independent record store you can bet that the... Continue reading

A new 7" from September Girls dropped through the letterbox the other day/week. I lose track of time so easily... 'Some For Me' featured on the last Unpopular mix and if you are quick you might just catch the download... Continue reading

Saturday morning saw the arrival of this lovely package from the very wonderful Boy Least Likely To. A signed copy of their new album 'The Great Perhaps' and a tasty tote bag. Result! The album doesn't disappoint (not that I... Continue reading

I may not have a local record store of note, but thanks to Pebble Records I was able to snag these new Aplaca Sports discs this week. The CD collects all the singles tracks from the past year or so... Continue reading

Two excellent records arrived this week. Tullycraft's 'Lost In Light Rotation' single is just one standout of many on the new album of the same name. The video, I am sure you will agree, is a magic Pop artefact too.... Continue reading

Hey, there's a new single from Alpaca Sports. I guess you probably pretty much missed out on the vinyl though... Here's the lovely video. For some reason it reminds me a lot of Sophie and Peter Johnston. But with better... Continue reading

Dance and sing all night... <tricky to miss download link for the whole mix. And don't forget to support the artists you like by paying for their music. It doesn't grow on trees you know. Concrete - Breathe Out (from... Continue reading

If I had heard Makthaverskan's eponymous debut album when it was released back in 2009 I think I'd have been spinning crazy in love and telling anyone who cared to listen that, hey, this is a bruising, blistering, brittle and... Continue reading

Wigan based Neil Jarvis has a pea-green cassette out on the 'On The Grind Label'. The PR suggests links to groups like Felt, Pavement and The Pastels but what I'm most reminded of is the no-fi shimmery psych of Orange... Continue reading