Jacco Gardner

Jacco Gardner is a multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire from Hoorn, Netherlands. His incredible debut LP, with Trouble In Mind, Cabinet of Curiosities, hit record stores today. Jacco’s talents shine on this record as he plays all the instruments on the album (including organs, mellotron, flutes, and harpsichords), except the drums, which were handled by Jos van Tol.

Clearly influenced by late 60’s psychedelic bands like The Zombies and The Left Banke, Gardner’s music is a magical ride back in time. Check out the sugar-sweet, harpsichord driven track “The Ballad of Little Jane” below. It’s Beatle-esque melodies and vocal delivery is so addicting, you’ll repeat the song at least 3 times. Also below, is a video of Gardner performing “The Ballad of Little Jane” live. Enjoy.

Jacco Gardner – The Ballad of Little Jane from Cabinet of Curiosities (2013)

Jacco Gardner

Trouble In Mind

The Limiñanas

The Limiñanas | Crystal Anis | 3hive.com

The psychedelic/pop revival continues on with The Limiñanas. This French pop duo, consisting of Marie Limiñana on drums, and Lio Limiñana playing pretty much everything else, including vocal duties (other vocals provided by guests), have their genre pegged. Wearing their Gainsbourg, Velvet Underground, and any of the ye-ye girls of the 60’s influences on their sleeves, they also sound like what I think Stereolab would’ve sounded like had they been around in the 60’s.

The Limiñanas latest album, Crystal Anis, out now on the great Hozac Records, is pop perfection. The hardest part about writing this post was deciding which of the 11 songs to share. For your listening/downloading pleasure, (below) we have the straight forward, fuzzy, and over-before-you-know-it “AF3458”, and the sing-talking, Hammond and bass driven title track “Crystal Anis”. The more I listen to these, the higher this album moves up my favorites of the year list. Give these songs a spin. I know you will enjoy them.

The Limiñanas – AF3458 from Crystal Anis (2012)

The Limiñanas – Crystal Anis from Crystal Anis (2012)

Hozac

Troubadour Dali

Troubadour Dali | Let's Make It Right | 3hive.com
Troubadour Dali | Let's Make It Right | 3hive.com

Troubadour Dali are out of St. Louis, MO. On their Facebook page they call their genre “a rhythm and groove pop hypnodeathjam explosion”. That’s a pretty good description. They released their second album Let’s Make It Right back in August. The album was recorded all over St. Louis, including apartments, and fallout shelters.

Thirty seconds into “Pale Glow” and I new that this was a band that I needed to hear more of. The smooth, haunting vocal harmonies mixed with the chug of layered guitars and percussion drew me right in, and I can’t get enough of it. “Ducks In A Row” is a little bit more upbeat musically, but still has the haunting vocals like in “Pale Glow”. Go buy this album.