Allo’ Darling ‘the Polaroid song’ (fortuna pop). More tigerish-ly tasty twee tuneage from those hit making hipsters over at fortuna pop this time courtesy of the ever some nimble and shy eyed creatures known as Allo, Darling. Led from the fore by Aussie born Elizabeth Morris and featuring the impeccable talents of a certain Terry Edwards this lot have already raised pulses to near popping levels by virtue of a debut single released earlier this year via Wee Pop which to much tutting and uttering of words such as blast, bugger and bollocks appeared to have mischievously escaped the gaze of our ever watchful radar. Currently putting the finishing coat on their as yet untitled debut full length ’the Polaroid song’ serves as a sneaky peak as to what to expect, gorgeously silken and traced with an immediate ear catching tanginess that’s crested by chirping chiming cheek burning riffs, shimmering shuffles of breeze swaying care freeness, loveably cute hip wiggling melodies the likes of which as though imagined by some impish cross wiring of the DNA’s of the Sundays with Derrero all fondly glazed in a stirringly affectionate bitter sweet afterglow of the Siddeleys. Irresistible. flip over for the equally appetizing porch prettiness of ’will you spend new years eve with me’ - sumptuously braided in an abundance of creaking acoustic loveliness shepherded by the dimpling of lolloping banjos and whistling aplenty n’ serviced with a homely off centre though ever so subtle South Pacific undertow - bit of a gem if you ask me.

1. Catchers - Cotton Dress

2. Ooberman - Shorley Wall

Observer Music Monthly #74 - continuing to disappoint I’m sad to say is the OMM which arrived in today’s copy of the Observer - still appearing to be suffering from its summer vacation hangover issue 74 is the most lack lustre edition to date - apart from Mr Lydon discussing his ‘soundtrack of my life’, a spot on Muse and a few brief quotes culled from Tom Waits ‘glitter and doom’ - oh and some X Factor baiting by Tony Morley and a spot on a forthcoming Lennon biopic there’s little more with which to recommend this once excellent read now somewhat sidelined.

Shindig #2/13 and psychotic reaction - we happened upon something of an early Xmas double treat when we spied and indeed picked up from the stands of our local newsagent not just the latest issue of Shindig but a bumper sized special put out by the same beat grooved dudes entitled ‘psychotic reaction’. Alas we haven’t had time to read these cover to cover so we’ll just briefly mention them in passing. Without doubt the best written and most eye catching magazine to be found on the high street news stands not counting the equally authoritative ‘Classic Prog‘ publication, #13 features Procul Harum on the cover. Inside its your usual cornucopia of strangely fried fuzzy delights among the gathered brethren features on weird folk-ists Fresh Maggots, Cob and Heron; the lost sounds of the Litter; the composer responsible for the legendary themes for Jason King and the Avengers - Laurie Johnson - who is currently the subject - if I recall rightly of a triple deluxe CD retrospective; a six page Britsploitation special with an additional chance to win a copy of that excellent ’psychomania’ OST unearthed by those strange sound archivists Trunk - while talking of comps International Artists usual advertisement spec on the back cover notes that the exhaustive 10 CD 13^th Floor Elevators set ’sign of the three eyed man’ has all but sold out with only one copy remaining signed by Roky himself and being offered up for grabs by logging into their website. Elsewhere there’s news of a book, EP and possible reunion show in the offing by the Fleur De Lys; volume 2 of that rather crucial Bomp book from a year or so ago and literally shed loads of reviews - not for those who get squeamish at the sight of blokes aplenty with basin hardos, wearing scarfs and floral prints. If that wasn’t enough to get your psychedelic radar all chemically frazzled there’s a corking one off special entitled ’psychotic reaction’ to be tracked down, purchased and savoured. Unsurprisingly a 60’s garage special comprised of articles salvaged from the archives of Shindig augmented by a host of new essays and interviews featuring some of the major players of this most rich and fertile scene. Inside you’ll find spots on the Standells, the Sonics, the Rationals, Count Five and We the People along with focus’ on some of the lesser known and celebrated acts working the in crowds in San Francisco - the Spyders, the Gotham City Crimefighters, the Harbinger Complex - and the Tampa Bay area - the Tropics, the Roemans and the Outsiders. Add to the mix and extended feature on the Pleasure Seekers - featuring the combined talents of the Sisters Quatro with yes - a young Suzi and a retrospective of garage in the movies featuring forgotten nuggets such as village of the giants (Beau Brummels), the Cool Ones (the Leaves), Pyche Out (the Seeds and Strawberry Alarm Clock) and It’s a bikini World (the Cataways). Priceless stuff.

Beat the Radar ‘18, 19, 20, 21, 22’ (akoustik anarchy). To the sound of much grumbling in our gaff we appear to be somewhat light on this lots debut single ‘telephone conversation’ via the same label which garnered airplay aplenty we’ll have you know via certain up to the mark in tuned folk over at BBC’s 1 and 6. Culled from their forthcoming ‘from the city to the sea’ debut full length platter - already the cause of flying sparks through our speakers and stylus ‘18.19.20.21,22.…’ is a tear arsing nugget of such chest beating anthem sized euphoria you feel almost obliged to sign up immediately to the nearest cavalry, find a decent sized hill to descend down upon en masse with this blighter as your war cry. Filleted with rapid fire drills of needling post punk riffage whose sole purpose you suspect aside sending your hi-fi into near fits of frenzy is to jab, spar, jar and sting you out of your complacent comfort zone all the time serviced with acute adrenalin popping chorus hooks the size of skyscrapers and detailed with an intent to cause your transistor to spontaneously combust - now remind me - what is there not to love.

Expect more Garagepunk pods in the coming days - mainly because we’ve been neglecting the blighters - for now though here’s a billed as re-booted, enhanced and expanded oldie from Mal Thursday - this Halloween special was originally aired in 2006 but now available as a super duper MP3 type thing via

Haunted Shack Theater #15 - the Halloween special no less - more creeping transmissions in the company of your ghoulishly genial host Uncle Wah Wah - a slight departure from the normal format this one forsaking the usual b-movie double bill chill and opting for a shrieking slice of uncanny un-holiness, blade wielding bloodbaths, grim supernatural tales from beyond - all bites, frights, Lugosi, Poe, chainsaw wielding Texans and Komeda.

Get Drunk and Play Records #82 - another Halloween hoe down albeit less on the splatter, gore and entrails and more on the beer, belching and brazened bad boogie, a toe tapping, hip wiggling popcorn double feature of tasty tuneage and teen beat turntable turn ons from the 60‘s and beyond - some unearthed nuggets here like the opening salvo from the Choir with ’it’s cold outside’ which sounds admittedly a mite like ’eve of destruction’ at times, some Byrds, some rarely heard Deep Purple groove in the shape of ’Kentucky woman’ which according to some wikipedia sources was considered at the time to be the first heavy metal record, some locomotive racing primitive rockabilly from Ray Wilson, a more than welcomed whiff of Gene Vincent meets Eddy C sounds of Wisconsin’s own Johnny Edwards and the White Caps, the Beau Brummels and Bubble Puppy’s immortal ’hot smoke and sasafrass’ a flipped and wigged out fusion of freak beat mod and psychedelic blues. www.garagepunk.com

1. Siouxsie & The Banshees "voodoo Dolly"