The Yearning "Do You Remember?"

The Yearning is a group who could have been designed by focus group to appeal to Not Unloved's sensibilities. Take "Do You Remember" from their latest 10" for Elefant, its catchiness is undeniable, its production as classy as anything around just now and Maddie Dobie's voice is as beautiful a sound as I've heard in 2018. It wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack to any number of Nouvelle Vague movies. I worry that they'll slip under the radar and not get the acclaim they deserve. Here's hoping the new 10" succeeds in finding the right ears. Now, where did I put all those elegant looking and sounding Siesta CDs I bought in the '90s? 

Alegria!

A trip to a record shop just isn't complete without at least one 7" sneaking into your bag is it?  The other week it was a new Vampisoul release which pairs a Colombian original by Elia Y Elizabeth with a cover another of their songs by Elefant Records' Single.  'Alegria' by Elia Y Elizabeth is beautifully constructed: verses of gentle, sunny day funkiness that slip with ease into a chorus of brassy exuberance.  It's just so endearing!  Vampisoul's parent label, Munster Records, has released this fine looking item by the sisters which, should it find its way into, say, Monorail's racks (hint!) will find a willing purchaser...

Single's take on 'Soy Una Nube' on the reverse is a more beat-driven affair that skulks somewhere between the brilliant bri-nylon pop of Saint Etienne circa "Nothing Can Stop Us" and a US 70s cop show theme.  An unexpected ESG sample seeps in around halfway through and pops up again at the end by which point you've already reached for the modern tools of evangelism.

Single is a duo (ha!), both of whom - Ibon Errazkin and Teresa Iturrioz - were in the eternally elegant Le Mans whose 90s records for Elefant were things of gentle wonder, especially their double 10" "Saudade" which still gets semi-regular spins on the Not Unloved turntable.  It's great to be reminded of their music and good to hear that they're still making lovely records (which sometimes have freaky covers!).

Glaswegians: As of 2 days ago Monorail had at least one copy of this essential 7" left.  Get on it!

If I Can't Have You

Remember when Rhino followed their boxset version of the "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968" compilation with "Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995"?  Should they ever do likewise with their comprehensive overview of the girl group era, "One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost And Found", they would be duty-bound to include The Yearning's sweet dream-inducing "If I Can't Have You":

In a fair world it will be clutched lovingly to the hearts of the legion of vintage clothes-wearing Camera Obscura obsessives.  Tests have shown that it sounds best at twilight and in the movies, heartbroken teenage girls would play it to their friends on portable record players. It's a shame, therefore, that (thus far?) it's only available as a digital download.  Thanks to this and the singles by Parcel Post and The Luxembourg Signal, I've well and truly fallen back in love with indiepop; for much of 2014 we were on a break.  

Los Bonsais "Ultramarinos"

Musical diversity be damned!  The third in Not Unloved's triptych of recently released fuzz-muddied guitar pop tunes comes courtesy of Elefant Records' Los Bonsais.  If their single "Ultramarinos" is any guide, these Spaniards are a little less giddy and maybe add a little less sugar to their cooking than The Garlands and Obedient Wives Club.  There's a pleasing base hum to "Ultramarinos" and it earns considerable plus points for repeating the least pretentious, least ostentatious guitar solo imaginable.  Again, it may not be novel but it'll slake my thirst for fuzz for a wee while at least.  I don't think I've enjoyed a record of Spanish origin this much since Aias's lp for Captured Tracks.