Bridgetown's Summer Batch

Summer just got even better. Bridgetown Records has announced the releases for their Summer Batch, comprising seven awesome home-recorded/lo-fi CD's. This package also contains the first two pro-manufactured albums the label has put out. Judging by the mp3's the label is sharing on their site (also see below), this could easily be the best and most diverse batch the label has put out so far.

One of my favourites among these releases is definitely the Carry On + Sweater Kids combo CD by Weed Diamond. Carry On is an EP with all new material, Sweater Kids is a re-release of their long sold out cassette that has been remixed and re-mastered for this CD release. Weed Diamond probably writes some of the most carefree songs that are out there. On this release you'll also get a view on how the production skills have progressed since their first release.

Take a look at the video for Mint In My Mouth, which is featured on the Carry On EP:

Our Groovy Little World from LAND O' GOSHEN on Vimeo.

Another release that really stands out for me is Kindest Lines' self-titled CDr, sounding like a very upbeat version of Sleep ∞ Over (imagine that...). This trio hailing from New Orleans creates very warm new-wave/post-punk with grand synths and drums. Their album is also one of the releases sounding a bit more professionally recorded, giving the batch a very diverse range in sound as well as genres.


Other releases that I'm really looking forward to on hearing are Changer by Vehicle Blues (on which I wrote something here) and Heavy by Junior Low, a solo album by JT from Weed Diamond. All titles included in the Summer Batch are:
- Kindest Lines Kindest Lines CDr
- Weed Diamond Carry On + Sweater Kids combo CD
- Ancient Crux Stage Fright + Live in LA combo CDr
- David Jaberi Out CDr
- R. Sawyer I Burn CDr
- Junior Low Heavy CDr
- Vehicle Blues Changer CD

You can order all 7 releases right now from the Bridgetown website (38 dollars postage paid internationally). Listen to some songs from the albums right here:

Weed Diamond - Mint In My Mouth
Weed Diamond - All Of Denver Is Wasted
Vehicle Blues - Changer
Kindest Lines - Hazy Haze
R. Sawyer - Constricting Realities part I
Junior Low - Smokes

Vehicle Blues - Changer

Business is going pretty well for Bridgetown Records, so it seems. This week sees the release of their first “pro-manufactured” release: Changer by Vehicle Blues. The band creates beautiful nostalgic shoegaze and garagepop songs, describing the move from Kansas to Chicago in the winter of 2008. The same-titled song really is promising. Although the album was recorded at home, the band sounds overpowering and ambitious, with anthems that get lodged in your head after listening. Vehicle Blues fits perfectly amongst bands like No Age, Gauntlet Hair and Best Coast, which of course have been creating a lot of attention lately. Next up is Vehicle Blues.

MP3: Vehicle Blues - Changer

Order the album from Bridgetown for just a couple of dollars.