Indie-MP3Twig were one of the many bands to release a delicious 3" CDr single on
Cloudberry Records last year and it's no surprise that they hail from Sweden as a lot of the Cloudberry releases have come from bands based in the land of indiepop. Their 3 track EP was a nice affair (but a long way from my favourite Cloudberry release) and it had now led to this 7" single. Which is the first ever vinyl release on Cloudberry Records.
I love what Cloudberry Records have been doing by putting out so many wonderful little EPs and to see the label come of age with a 7" is wonderful. And I have to say this single by Twig is a great release - surpassing my expectations as it really is a step up from their CDr release. As it's a 7" single we are only treated to two songs. But what songs they are. 'Wentworth' sounds like a haunting cross between Orange Juice and The Smiths. It's a cracking little song and sure to feature on my stereo a lot over the coming weeks. 'Ciao Ciao Bomb' is just as a thrilling a pop song. Guitars chime and the Orange Juice/Smiths comparison still rings true. This is a lovely little 7" record. Twig have made a record that is worth cherishing. (
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It's a TrapThis is indiepop music for indiepop people. Chances are high that if you're in the target audience for this record, you probably already know about it and have made up your mind about whether or not it will become part of your collection. For the rest of us, here's the scoop: this is the first vinyl 7" released by prolific singles-only label Cloudberry Records out of Florida. They've been putting out a small, but successful run of twee/C86-focused 3" CDRs (and other stuff) for awhile now, so it's only natural that they try their hand at something bigger. Does it succeed? Well sure, I guess so. That is, if you like the idea of Swedish boys crooning like
Morrissey over shimmering guitars and drum machine beats. As for me, let me just say that I prefer
"Wentworth" over the flipside and leave it at that. (
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Rough Trade Shopstwig were formed in stockholm and their first single, 'life in a swedish town' was released on 3" cd single on miami based indie pop label cloudberry records. 'ciao ciao bomb' is their second single and first on 7" vinyl - it's also the first vinyl release for cloudberry. their debut album will be released this spring by the lima based label plastilina records. twig aim to create pop music, putting the song in focus rather than a specific sound. think the timeless quality of major label era orange juice, aztec camera and the wake. limited 7" only. (
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Fraction DiscsExcellent two-track single from Stockholm guitar pop trio Twig. Listening to these lovely produced tracks is like opening a time capsule, sealed somewhere in UK around the first years of the 80's, with a young Edwyn Collins singing over an unknown Wild Swans track… Or The Lotus Eaters covering Felt. This is the very first 7" vinyl single on Miami based Cloudberry records, known for releasing lots of great jangly pop on 3" CDR. Tracklist: "Ciao Ciao Bomb" and "Wentworth". Highly recommended! (
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Twang ToneStockholm ist die Heimatstadt dieses Trios, das Twee Pop und klingelnde Gitarren mit stürmischen Beats und lieblichem Gesang verbindet. Orange Juice standen da ebenso Pate wie The Associates oder The Divine Comedy. Etwas irritierend ist die Tatsache, dass sich A und B-Seite dieser Single schon sehr ähneln. Erschienen ist die Vampire WeekendPlatte übrigens in Florida in strikt limitierter Auflage. Eine kleine Bildergeschichte liegt auch noch bei. Feine Sache! (
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IndiepagesWith a very successful and prolific year of releasing 3" cd-rs in limited quantities, Cloudberry Records quickly became the finest bedroom pop label in recent years. Now, with this inaugural vinyl release, they become a bonafide label, and finally release a record that more than a lucky few pop fans can enjoy! This is the second release from this Swedish band (having already appeared on one of the label's earlier 3" cds), and it contains a fine pair of pop tunes. They're both fairly similar in style, with a sound that reminds me of a somewhat modern Orange Juice or the early St. Christopher records (had they been remastered), with shades of Echo And The Bunnymen and the Bluebells, as well. The music is jangly with an obvious romantic feel, perfectly exemplified by Henrik's Morrissey-esque tenor. As for the packaging, it's blatantly obvious that Cloudberry is taking its cues from Sarah Records, with the insert modeled after that label's inserts, complete with a half page manifesto and duplicate catalog layout. There is one major exception, though: Sarah never individually numbered its records.
MTQ=2/2 (
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Bristol Rocks For those of you who remember when Bristol was the universal mecca of indie-pop, halcyon days of the late 80's and early 90's when Clifton based Sarah Records championed the tweecore underground, a time when DIY ethics and fanzine culture meant that 'indie' music was controlled by 'the kids' rather than the big label corporations of today, then maybe newly founded Cloudberry Records is a label for you. Since it's launch in February 2007, the Miami based label has notched up over seventy releases in it's first year, a prolific start that any label would be proud to have achieved. Specialising in unusual 3" size CD singles, all of them lovingly packaged by designers worldwide, the label is aimed at bringing together aspiring indie-pop bands from around the world. Now in it's second year, Cloudberry Records have expanded their release schedule to include 7" vinyl singles, the first of which is by wonderful Swedish pop sensations Twig.
Twig's uplifting opener 'Ciao Ciao Bomb' boasts a glorious wash of bright sparkling, jangly guitars and subtle post-Smiths irony akin to 80's luminaries such as The Bodines and One Thousand Violins. The flipside 'Wentworth' is equally dazzling. Much like Bristol's legendary Sarah Records imprint, Cloudberry Records is a label of love - you can fall in love as much with the label as with the bands themselves - something that the imperialistic detachment of big corporate labels simply cannot offer. In the same way that 'C86' indie and it's 70's punk predecessor were fashioned by a fierce spirit of independence and a sense of collective belonging, Cloudberry Records look set to spearhead a whole new generation of international indie-pop. This stunning offering by Twig looks set to be just the beginning of something rather special.
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