INTERVIEW 68. thomas mendelovits (milk teddy)

Thomas
(All photos by Carbie Warbie)

To start talking about Milk Teddy, we have to mention their debut album Zingers, released last year.
Zinger - I've learned recently - means, "a sudden shock, revelation, or turn of events". A very fitting name when applied to Milk Teddy's music.
This album was #11 on my list for best albums of 2012... but if the list had to be made today, it'd rank way, way higher. When I discovered them I thought "Wow, this is good!" but a month ago I started listening to the whole album again and it was, indeed, a revelation. A superb, warm and vivid revelation.

This 5 friends from Melbourne (Australia) make pure guitar psych pop (what is it with Australia and its insanely good number of artists playing around with psychedelia?) combined with walls of sound, reverberations and delays. But there's something special about their melodies: something that I should be able to describe - since I have a music blog. But there are cases when you simply feel and can't quite put into words what is the experience to listen to certain groups or songs. That's the case of Milk Teddy.
While you keep reading, listen to the opening and title track of the album Zingers below... you'll understand what I'm talking about.


Ok, continuing...
Maybe the difficulty to describe Milk Teddy's music comes from the the abundance of genres in the fabric of their melodies - that goes from psychedelic vibes to punk, synthpop and 60s pop - and the way they're arranged to create something effortless, catchy and breezy. Wrapping all together, is Thomas' soothing and emotional interpretation of lyrics that - as their sound - aren't answers but clues, pieces of a bigger picture that we slowly unveil.

Music to discover. Rediscover. Carry along. And feel it.

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Now we get into a train in Melbourne to talk with Thomas... origins, processes, seriousness of creating music and experimentations are some of the topics.

keep reading...

nectarine

COLOURED CLOCKS NECTARINE (independent, 2013)

Heartfelt progressive pop psychedelia. Or as the band defines it: augmented pop. From Melbourne, Australia.

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best for guests. bart cummings (bart & friends)

Bart started as a bassist for the early 90s band Girl Of The World. After that, he went on founding classic indie pop bands like The Cat's Miaow, Hydroplane and The Shapiros. Probably his best known project is Bart & Friends and its short pop songs with jangly guitars.
Bart has released music via fellow bandmate Mark Monnone's The Lost And Lonesome Recording Co. and his own Library Records.

I asked Bart for a photo of him and the band. He said there's no new photos of the band but there's this:


Here's Bart:

"2012 was a busy year for Bart & Friends. We released 2 EPs, I played 3 shows, which doesn't sound many but that's a lot for me, and given that one was at Indietracks and another was at the launch of the Sugargliders CD they were quite special. Ok here's some of my favourites for the year.



Lightships Sweetness in her spark
I could quite happily put the first 20 seconds of this on an endless loop and listen to it for days.

Veronica Falls Teenage
I much prefer Veronica falls poppier side to their gothy side. This is up there with Bad feeling, catchy chorus, lovely harmonies, chiming guitars, splendid choice of polka dot shirts.


September Girls  Wanting More

I didnt actually get to see that many bands at indietracks, i think i spent half my time in the playground with my kids. one band i did see, rather than just hearing in the distance was September girls. What puts them above other bands working a similar vein is that 4 of them have fantastic voices which make some truly lovely harmonies. this clip is from their show at indietracks and i'd like to clarify that none of the bald heads at the front are mine.

Black Tambourine  What's Your Game
It's a very rare occurrence when a band sounds better 20 years after they've broken up. i was quite envious when i first heard this, i think pam sounds even better here than on my songs. i love the layers within the recording, the melodica, and tambourine that you only really notice after you've listened a few times.

Pat Kelly How Long Will It Take
Ok, not from 2012 but i was completely unaware of Pat Kelly until this year and this has easily been the song i've listened to the most this year. Pat Kelly has such a lovely voice, when he hits those high notes it breaks my heart. The sound of his voice conveys much more emotion than the actual lyrics. The last few months i've been listening almost exclusively to 60's ska and rocksteady from Jamaica, and it's been a really enjoyable trip uncovering more and more lost gems like this.

best for guests. lachlan (the ocean party)

The Ocean Party is a band now based in Melbourne, Australia. Their music is a mixture of laid back indie pop filled with australian breezy nostalgia and cool guitar hooks. Sometimes the indie pop meets elements of post rock.

Social Clubs is their latest album and it was released last October.


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Here's The Ocean Party's frontman, Lachlan:

...I figured I would make a list of BEST AUSTRALIAN RELEASES for the past year.

Scott & Charlenes Wedding / Peak Twins Split LP

Twerps Work It Out 7''
New Estate Recovery
Grand Prismatic Birds & Beasts LP
Boomgates Double Natural LP
Bitch Perfect Big Time LP
Pageants Dark Before Blonde Dawn LP
Milk Teddy Zingers
Hot Palms EP
Dick Diver Alice EP

cream

FIELD TRIP CREAM EP (Independent, 2012)

Field Trip is a band from Melbourne formed by 4 boys. It first caught my attention earlier this year with their first single 'You Make Me Sleepy'.
Last week (sooner than I imagined - and for my delight), an EP called Cream EP was released.
Four songs with a shoegaze - alternative 80's influence soaked into a languid and fresh take on surfpop and C86.
BAND TO WATCH! (That's right. In capital letters.)

Cream EP is available for free download on bandcamp.



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you make me sleepy

FIELD TRIP YOU MAKE ME SLEEPY (self released, 2012)

Blending shoegaze, lo-fi and indie pop, 4 boys from Melbourne (a.k.a. Field Trip) released a song on the first day of 2012.
'You Make Me Sleepy' has languid and mellow melodies, creating a dreamy - and far from sleepy - musical atmosphere.



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2011. BEST FOR GUESTS. 35 bart & friends

Bart & Friends is a band from Australia formed in 1998 and fronted by Bart Cummings.
I'd say the band is a super band, because it's formed by members from some of the greatest indie bands from the past 15 years. I'm talking about The Lucksmiths, The Cat's Miaow, Hydroplane, Black Tambourine, Fred Astereo, The Shapiros, The Pines, Summer Cats, The Zebras...
They make short pop songs with a breezy, early 90's feel; with a musical aesthetic and timeless melodies that sure have appeal among indiepop kids everywhere.
Their latest album 'Stories with the endings changed' was released by Lost and Lonesome (owned by band member Mark Monnone, previously from The Lucksmiths).
ps: how can one not love a musical project that has Pam Berry involved?

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"Bart & friends

Mark, Bart, Scott, Louis, James. (Pam inside at her crafting table)

BART'S MOST LISTENED TO BANDS 

THE AISLERS SET
so jealous Mark got to play with/see them last month

THE MIDDLE ONES
amazing songs, beautiful lyrics and incomprehensible vocal arrangements

THE SUNNY STREET
if my copy of their new cd had arrived sooner they would’ve easily been my most listened to band of 2011

BROADCAST
was extremely fortunate to see their second last show in Melbourne. Ive never missed someone i never met so much

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
every song i write is a bad reworking of Sunday morning

PAM BERRY'S TOP FIVE SOUNDS TO CRAFT BY IN 2011

AMOR DE DIAS STREET OF THE LOVE OF DAYS
stitching hooded corduroy cape for lulu's BFF daisy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/6386065893/

LOVE FOREVER CHANGES
making valentine's day gingham buds for ava + lulu

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/5475148000/

STEREOLAB MARGERINE ECLIPSE
printing easter cards for spring fling craft fair
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/5602901474/

LAURA CANTRELL KITTY WELLS DRESSES
embroidering the girls' drawings onto lauren's tea+cakes birthday tablecloth
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/5720114574/

GO-BETWEENS BELLAVISTA TERRACE
printing covers for second hangover lounge EP

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/5565646453/

SCOTT STEVENS' TOP 5 LP'S OF 2011

WAX IDOLS NO FUTURE
MIKAL CRONIN S/T
VERONICA FALLS S/T
WIDOWSPEAK S/T
GOLD-BEARS ARE YOU FALLING IN LOVE?


JAMES DEAN'S TOP 5 AUSTRALIAN SONGS OF 2011 NOT BY ANYONE IN BART & FRIENDS (because they would fill the top 5)

1. LOWTIDE UNDERNEATH TONIGHT

2. THE SAND PEBBLES DARK MAGIC

3. THE TWERPS BLACK EYES

4. ROYAL HEADACHE REALLY IN LOVE

5. TERRIBLE TRUTHS PATTERNS

2011. BEST FOR GUESTS. 31 lost and lonesome recording co

Lost and Lonesome is a record label based in Melbourne, Australia and was founded by Mark (also a musician and part of The Lucksmiths, Bart & Friends and Monnone Alone) in 1998, along Jane McCracken.
Today, 71 releases later, it has a catalogue featuring artists from Australia - like The Lucksmiths, (the awesome) Fred Astereo and (the amazing) Bart & Friends and from around the world like The Aislers Set, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and The Ladybug Transistor.
A great mix of bedsitter indie pop with indie rock telling a very relevant part of music history for the past 13 years.

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SINGLES

THE MILLIPEDES COLD SNAP

THE HARPOONS KEEP YOU AROUND

PERSONAL & THE PIZZAS DIET, CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

THE ZEBRAS / THE MOTIFS SPLIT 7''

TWERPS BLACK EYES

EPs

THE ICYPOLES PROMISE TO STAY

THE SOFT CITY FOUR STORIES

CINEMA RED & BLUE BUTTERBEAN CRYPT

CRYSTAL STILTS RADIANT DOOR

RADIATOR HOSPITAL I WANT TO BELIEVE

ALBUMS

MASTERS OF THE HEMISPHERE MAYBE THESE ARE THE BREAKS

SHELLEY SHORT THEN CAME THE AFTER

SONNY & THE SUNSETS HIT AFTER HIT

THE BEETS LET THE POISON OUT

GOLD-BEARS ARE YOU FALLING IN LOVE?

holograms

Founds ~ Holograms (single) (Independent, 2011)

Rich sounds are coming from Brisbane, Australia. Founds is a six piece band and they have just released they're second song.
'Holograms' is dreamy (as in dream pop) with a raw and 'from-the-guts' energy.
I love songs that have a progression and add little by little instruments and /or intensity. 'Holograms' has hypnotic guitar lines, fast (almost tribal) drums and strong - yet tender - girl vocals. In fact, if this song was sang a capella would be as great as the original version.
When's the full lenght coming out?

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cellophane rain

cellophane rain ~ cellophane rain (independent, 2007)

sensitive mixture of bedroom pop and shoegaze made by diy musicians brendan and laura, from australia.

"don't expect a blizzard of feedback or rumbling bass, but strings, glockenspiels, accordions, pianos, organs, and clarinet are woven into the feather bed on which these gossamer voices float. there are those who will find cellophane rain a little lightweight or saccharine even and i'll take a punt that they're probably a couple of real romantics - but it's a cold hard world out there and I can certainly make room for a bit of dreaming and doting. if the swoonsome twosome come close to rocking out - there are what i assume to be programmed beats throughout, which stay away from dreaded lazy looping - it's on "orchid". got room for a little idealism, a little romanticism and a sojourn in comfort and care in your record collection? as a work in process there's such promise here and there are a number of directions in which cellophane rain could now travel". (written by colin ricketts)

an album full of breeze... beautiful and heartfelt from the sunny start to the rainy end.



01. good morning light
02. second song
03. orchid
04. sunshower
05. autumn
06. fallen
07. blue
08. 16
09. oyster love
10. my place
11. sweet little flower
12. pale in june
13. post script

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into the light again

her name in lights ~ into the light again (laughing outlaw records, 2005)

melodic pop-folk...moody...unashamedly 'girly'...
mary wyer - member of the classic sarah records act even as we speak - with her fiancé almond cafarella, simon holds from the hummingbirds (the should-have-been band from the 90's) and simon gibson from sneeze got together to record some songs wyer had written.

"... with the merest flicker of vengeance in her winsome voice, wyer's pink confessions save themselves with a refreshing honesty and manage to document with charm and insight the many ways love seduces, then ruins, then rebuilds and redeems us. buried in the middle of all this heartache is a strummy acoustic lament which turns out to be a breathtaking version of the otherwise completely execrable 'sex bomb '..."
(inspired review from the site americana-uk.com)





01. prelude
02. here she comes
03. dream
04. you know i really loved that boy
05. headstrong
06. waiting
07. key (part 1)
08. wicked girl
09. key (part 2)
10. car
11. mess
12. sex bomb
13. first kiss last kiss
14. against the blue
15. deep water
16. she said

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the foots

the foots ~ the foots (the lost and lonesome recording co, 1998)

unpretentious pop songs created by three girls in the underground scene of melbourne. they started making music in 1996 and as far as i know are no longer together... in fact, little is known about them.
guitar, bass and drums were enough for them to play around with melody and harmony and create classic warm pop songs. sometimes a keyboard is used to give an even more poppy feeling.
this album was the first release of the lost and lonesome recording co. and contains dreamy, sparse and introspective tunes that probably will make you think about another all-girl band from down under: dead famous people. the keyboard on the beginning of the first song is very similar with the beginning of dead famous people classic 'little flashes of yesterday'. but the foots use slightly harder and unpolished arrangements.
funny fact: they were known in melbourne scene for holding dance contests playing songs that were very hard to dance to.
great on saturday sunny afternoons outside.




01. it's about time
02. fickle
03. saturday
04. december
05. another world
06. happened again
07. all smiles
08. the new you
09. only just
10. liar
11. angelo
12. darling

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i was lonely 'til i found you

bart & friends ~ i was lonely 'til i found you (library records, 2000)

it's hard to find some information about bart & friends... all i know is that's another project of bart cummings also in the cat's miaow, pencil tin, hydroplane and the shapiros. to make this album he invited andrew from the cat's miaow, mark from the lucksmiths and mia from sleepy township. it features four songs taken from his other projects and three cover-gems (buzzcocks' boredom; magazine's a song from under the floorboards and kate bush's hounds of love).
jangly, heartfelt, calm and oddly conforting. (and extremely short... 10 minutes or so but worthing every second).
the covers are awesome! a song from under the floorboards and boredom deserve some attention.



01. how can you tell me you love me?
02. tokyo
03. boredom (buzzcocks cover)
04. lax
05. rumors
06. hounds of love (kate bush cover)
07. a song from under the floorboards (magazine cover)

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