# In Dee Mail 2010, Vol. VI: Paperfangs, The Smiles, Voxhaul Broadcast, Loon Choir, Stormy Mondays, Transmission Fields

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2010/10/indee-mail-new-songs-bands/
- Published: 2010-10-23T16:00:14-04:00
- Author: Max Hammer

**In Dee Mail** is an ongoing, and wildly popular, mixtape series that focuses on
artists and bands who often fly under the radar but demonstrate remarkable talent,
skill, depth and promise, and therefore need to be heard by more DIY and indie music
lovers. Sometimes the best music is that which you have yet to hear.

Over the years, we have profiled thousands of incredibly talented artists and bands,
many of which were DIY and sent their music in for review using the submission form
on the About page. It through this submission form that millions of people have 
heard and enjoyed some of the best DIY, small label and under the radar artists 
posted on the web from 2007 to the present day. This latest mix of In Dee Mail is
a fantastic, enthralling and heartfelt playlist of songs from promising bands like
Paperfangs, Voxhaul Broadcast, The Smiles, Loon Choir, Olina, The Shape of the Earth,
Stormy Mondays, Pretty Birds That Kill, Transmission Fields and Motive for Movement.
This mix includes music that you don’t want to miss.  Let us know what you think
in the Comments section; do you have a favorite song or band? Tell us and win a 
CD or a special drawing.  We often pick our favorite comments as winners.

#### Paperfangs – Finland

**Paperfangs**, a new indie electro-pop trio from **Finland**, is shooting arrows
at our lil’ indie hearts thanks to a splendid cover of **Kiss Kiss Fantastic**‘s“
Violet,” not to mention a couple of sweet originals as well, especially the track,“
The Vastest Plains.” Paperfangs dreamy, synth-oozing sound, with its hazy vocals,
xylophonic pop infusions, jangly guitars and mysteriously comforting reverb is a
perfect fit for fans of the “chill wave” and “glo-fi” movements. But Paperfangs 
deliver a more minimalistic product that allows the brilliant simplicity of their
music to shine.

[“Violet (Kiss Kiss Fantastic)”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Paperfangs%20-%2003%20-%20Violet.mp3)–**
Paperfangs** from_ Eardrum Pop_

[“The Vastest Plains”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Paperfangs%20-%2002%20-%20The%20Vastest%20Plains.mp3)–**
Paperfangs** from_ Eardrum Pop_

[[

#### The Smiles – Los Angeles, CA

While none of the band members grew up close by the ocean, **The Smiles**, like 
to call their sound “beach rock.” Along with the chill wave craze, the more pop-
oriented ‘beach surf’ or ‘tropical’ rock movement (i.e., The Drums) is also a hopping
scene these days. So, in one sense, The Smiles are just another beach rock band,
but in reality they could be a break-through band in 2011 with the right management.

Related Post:  In Dee Mail 2010, Vol. V: People On The Moon, The KABBs, Non-Commissioned
Officers, Skytone, Kate Martin

The four band members are** Los Angeles** area college students who began performing
together last year. In a relatively short period of time, the band became the most
popular band on the campus of the University of South California. Last fall, the
band raised $2,000 on KickStarter to record their debut EP, _Hermosa_.

The Smiles have opened for Thee Oh Sees, Sherwood, and The Entrance Band, and not
surprisingly, count among their main influences, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The
Strokes and Vampire Weekend.

[“Swimming”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Swimming.mp3) – **The 
Smiles** from _Hermosa Beach_ EP – May 14th

[“Cala Cola”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Cala%20Cola1.mp3) – **
The Smiles** from _Hermosa Beach_

#### 󠀁[󠀁[Voxhaul Broadcast – Los Angeles, CA

**Voxhaul Broadcast**, a totally DIY, unsigned rock band from **Los Angeles**, have
been making waves lately beyond LA, where they are pretty dang popular. They were
featured a number of times in NME, as well as Daytrotter, KCRW and the BBC. Still
unsigned, the band stands out not just for their memorable rock and soul sound, 
but the fact that their MySpace page has almost one million views. However, we do
know that they recently hired a big agency to book gigs for them.

“Leaving on the 5th “ – **Voxhaul Broadcast**

#### The Shape of the Earth – Los Angeles, CA

From the moment we heard the track, “You Can Only Get So Lonely,”** Los Angeles**
band,** The Shape of the Earth**, founded by singer/songwriter **Gavin Bascom**,
have been candidates for this playlist series. This little slice of indie folk brilliance
is easily one of the best new indie folk songs of 2010, in a year where the whole‘
chillwave/bliss pop’ or whatever you call it thing has dominated the indie airwaves.
We’re also featuring another song from the band’s 2009 debut LP.

“You Can Only Get So Lonely” – **The Shape of the Earth** from _The Romantics_ EP

“Separate Lives” –** The Shape of the Earth** from _Do I Dare Disturb The Universe?_
⌊
loonchoir-expansionforces⌉

#### Loon Choir – Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa, Canada indie rock synth pop band **Loon Choir** released their impressive
debut album, _Expansion Forces_ in May, but have yet to be featured on a popular
blog or music site, until now.  been and have been slowly rising in the eyes of 
bloggers, critics and fans. The band blends high 0ctane snyth notes, reverb and 
percussions to create addictive power pop, especially on the track, “Bricks”.  Keep
ears and eyes out for Loon Choir.

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Nnamdi Ogbonnaya, The Teenage Lesbians, Is Shepherd

“Bricks” – **Loon Choir** from _Expansion Forces_

“New Forewarnings” – **Loon Choir** from _Expansion Forces_

![olina](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/olina-584x584.jpg "
olina")

#### Olina – Portland, OR

Why this **Portland**, Oregon band, **Olina**, are not more well-known is a bit 
of a head-scratcher. After listening to a number of songs from Olina, we are definitely
impressed. The lead track here, “Madness and Methods,” is the one that we’ve been
listening to the most. It starts out with a mysterious gloom accomplished with a
few guitar and violin notes and then paces into a verse-heavy, melodic stage that
eventually builds up and breaks out into an almost spooky chorus, followed by a 
slow down, and then, to finish it off, a 20 second little jam.

The next track, “As If You Cared” is essentially a love song of the broken heart
sort, accented with minimal instrumentation, allowing the band’s fine vocals, and
the lyrics, to stand out. By the end of the song, you’d swear you were listening
to a hybrid of **Pearl Jam** and **Radiohead**.

“Madness and Methods” – **Olina** from _Olina_

“As if You Cared” – **Olina** from _Olina_

Stormy Mondays – Oviedo, Spain
 From **Oviedo, Spain**, singer/songwriter and guitarist**
Jorge Otero** is the heart of the band **Stormy Mondays**. The band released their
newest album, _Nothing On My Radio_, on June 17th. The title track is uptempo pop
rock song about the frustrations of not being able to find anything good to listen
to on the radio. It’s not really as relevant a song that it would have been 15 years
ago before the Internet, iPods and 99-cent downloads changed everything. The second
track, “Weathermen,” is a whimsical story about a weatherman with a catchy, syrupy
hook and a full horn section – whether true flesh and blood performers or a horn
tracking created by a synthesizer.

Otero’s biggest musical moment, he told IRC, was playing on stage with **Bruce Springsteen**
at **New Jersey’s** 2006 **Light of Day Festival**, and what turned out to be a 
disaster (rioting, food shortages, vandalism, violence) of a 30th anniversary for
the original 1969 **Woodstock ** music festival – the seminal outdoor music festival
of a generation lost in space. Stormy Mondays entered a fan-voting competition for
AMP3.com’s Emerging Artists Stage at **Woodstock ’99**, and won. Stormy Mondays 
has also toured Europe with Elliott Murphy, Willie Nile, Cindy Bullens, and Joe 
Grushecky.

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“An indie band with a record released on a tiny label was the first Spanish band
to ever play [the] Woodstock festival,” Otero said. “We went on right before **John
Entwistle **[**The Who’**s bassist] and we killed. We had the time of our lives!”

[“Nothing On My Radio”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/01%20Nothing%20On%20My%20Radio-stormy%20mondays.mp3)–**
Stormy Mondays** from _Nothing On My Radio_ – June 17th

[“Weatherman”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/05%20Weatherman-stormy-mondays.mp3)–**
Stormy Mondays** from _Nothing On My Radio_

![](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2066/10/prettybirdsthatkill.jpg"
prettybirdsthatkill")

#### Pretty Birds That Kill – Anchorage, AK

From **Anchorage**, the biggest city in the American tundra of **Alaska**, the recently
emerging musical duo known as **Pretty Birds That Kill**, serve up a sweet blend
of electro pop and new wave mixed with garage rock and blues. On the track, “Anarchy
in the AK”, the band unleash an organ-infused bluesy rock jam with spoken vocals
and raunchy guitar rthyms.

“Telephone” has a spacey 1960’s psychedelic lo-fi vibe that floats along for the
entirety. Not many bands can pull off an instrumental with so few instruments, and
hardly any note variations, but PBTK nails it with “Telephone.”   The duo are currently
on their first cross-country tour. PBTK’s latest EP, _Freedom For Freaks_, features
six tracks with an eight-page lyrical booklet.

“Anarchy in the AK” –** Pretty Birds That Kill **from _Freedom for Freaks_ – released
June 18th

“Telephone” – **Pretty Birds That Kill **from _Freedom for Freaks_

#### Transmission Fields – Charlotte, NC

Indie rock band** Transmission Fields** is a rock/powerpop collective of musicians
from **Charlotte **with members from Chicago, Atlanta, and St. Louis. The band released
their debut self-titled album on August 10th. The band has opened for Athenaeum,
The Verve Pipe, and Marcy Playground, and include among their biggest influences
Radiohead, Wilco, REM, and Ben Kweller.

“Did It Wrong” – **Transmission Fields** from _Transmission Fields_

“Air/Lungs” – **Transmission Fields** from _Transmission Fields_

#### Motion for Movement – Tulsa, OK

**Motion for Movement** is a Britpop, shoegaze, ambient and progressive indie band
from **Tulsa**, Oklahoma who have opened for bands like Copeland, Eagles of Death
Metal, Sparta, and The Ataris. Motion for Movement are completely DIY, unsigned,
and were named one of the best hard rock bands in Oklahoma by _The Tulsa World_.

“Cast” – **Motion For Movement** from _Our Concrete Neighbors_ – July 13th

“Of Priests And Presidents” – **Motion For Movement** from _Our Concrete Neighbors_
