A little story about luck

Today's track is Your Love Is by Christine's Cat (Sarah 13)

This little flexi is the most expensive record I own. You would be disgusted if you knew how much I paid for it.

Note that the record is number 13 (baby). I won this on eBay a few years ago, and it became lost in the mail for a short time! It was returned to sender because Canadian Customs rejected the parcel for whatever asinine reason. Panic, panic! Thankfully, the fabulous auction seller was kind enough to send it again free of charge, and the record arrived at my door safely after about 2 months (and in perfect condition).

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

All the best to you and yours.

Love always,

Claudia and Bunny from Twee Time

Twee Time's Farewell 2010

Here are some of my favourites from 2010. Tune into "Twee Time" every Friday at 20:00 on CJLO.com 1690 AM in Montreal; Concordia University's underground radio.

Fave Releases

Twee Time's favourite albums of 2010 (in order of release), with selected tracks.

01. Magnetic Fields - Realism

Listen to: Better Things; You Must Be Out of Your Mind

02. The Strange Boys - Be Brave

Listen to: Be Brave; Night Might

03. Black Tambourine - Black Tambourine

Listen to: Dream Baby Dream (cover song, originally by Suicide)

04. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

Listen to: Jail La La

05. MGMT - Congratulations

Listen to: Song for Dan Treacy

06. Woods - At Echo Lake

Listen to: Blood Dries Darker

07. The Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time

Listen to: It's All Right

08. The Black Keys - Brothers

Listen to: Howlin' for You

09. Best Coast - Crazy for You

Listen to: Our Deal; Goodbye

10. Play Guitar - Shields / Don't Worry About Death

Listen to: Celebration

11. Magic Kids - Memphis

Listen to: Good to Be

12. Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart

Listen to: Old Fangs; Wilderness Heart

13. The Vaselines - Sex with an X

Listen to: Ruined; I Hate the 80s; Exit the Vaselines

14. Various Artists - No More of Your Fairy Stories (an indiepop loveletter to the Ramones)

Listen to: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Don't Go; The Just Joans, Questioningly; Horowitz, Judy is a Punk

15. Belle & Sebastian - Belle & Sebastian Write About Love

Listen to: I Can See Your Future; Write About Love; I Want the World to Stop

16. Stereolab - Not Music

Listen to: So is Cardboard Clouds

17. Girl Talk - All Day (internet release)

Listen to: All of it, all day.

Fave Singles

Twee Time's favourite 7" singles of 2010.

01. The Nymphets - Slow Song

02. Bearsuit - Please Don't Take Him Back

03. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Heart in Your Heartbreak

04. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Say No to Love

05. Veronica Falls - Beachy Head

06. Seapony - Dreaming

07. La Sera - Never Come Around

Fave Old Releases

On repeat in 2010.

01. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

02. Gorilla - Rock Our Souls

03. Plumtree - Predicts the Future

04. Television - Marquee Moon

05. The Slits - Cut

06. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams

Fave Independent Labels

01. Fortuna Pop!

02. Darla

03. In the Red

04. Slumberland

05. Happy Happy Birthday to Me

Best Live Show of the Year

It's a tie!

01. Devo @ Osheaga

02. The Strange Boys @ Casa del Popolo

Most Memorable Moment

Stephen Malkmus of Pavement getting hit in the face with a beer at Osheaga.

Most Annoying Moment

When the guest list for the Magnetic Fields was pulled at the last minute, causing me to miss the show at the Corona Theatre on February 6th 'cause I didn't have a damn ticket.

Live Shows to Remember

01. The Nymphets @ Divan l'Orange

02. Red Mass @ Café Campus

03. Devo, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Owen Pallett, Black Keys, Japandroids, Snoop Dog, Seu Jorge & Almaz, Arcade Fire @ Osheaga

04. Superchunk @ Le National

05. The Vaselines @ Sala Rosa

06. Asexuals @ Cabaret

On the Internet

Because I'm modern that way.

01. Arcade Fire @ Madison Square Garden Webcast (streamed on Youtube August 5th)

02. Belle & Sebastian @ Barrowland Webcast (streamed on NPR Music December 21st)

Those Who Will Be Missed

01. Ari Up (The Slits)

02. Jay Reatard (The Reatards, Lost Sounds, etc.)

03. Alex Chilton (Big Star)

04. Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse)

05. Peter Steele (Type O Negative)

06. Malcolm McLaren (manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls)

07. Sergio Vega (seriously, look him up)

08. Captain Beefheart (The Magic Band)

09. Miep Gies (shelterer of the Frank family, preserved Anne Frank's diary)

10. J.D. Salinger (author of The Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, etc.)

11. Alexander McQueen (fashion designer)

12. Andrew Koenig (actor on Growing Pains, and son of Walter Koenig "Chekov" from Star Trek)

13. Chris Haney (inventor of Trivial Pursuit)

14. Corey Haim (actor, The Lost Boys, Goonies, and the better half of the two Coreys)

15. Gary Coleman (actor, Diff'rent Strokes)

16. Tom Bosley (actor, Mr. C on Happy Days)

17. Tony Curtis (actor, Some Like It Hot)

18. Leslie Nielsen (actor, Airplane! and The Naked Gun series)

19. Blake Edwards (director, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Pink Panther)

20. Harvey Pekar (American Splendor)

Songs about crushes

For a few months now I've had a serious secret crush on an amazing heavily-tattooed man, so here are some songs for those who are crushing too.

"Laurie" by Daniel Johnston

I can't explain such love aflame

I overcame victorious

Filled my heart with such desire

So grand and so glorious

"Boyfriend" by Best Coast

There's nothing worse than sitting all alone at home

And waiting waiting waiting waiting by the phone

I hope that he's at home

Waiting by his phone

I wonder if he knows

That I want him

I wish he was my boyfriend

I wish he was my boyfriend

I'd love him to the very end but instead he's just a friend

I wish he was my boyfriend

"Cool Guitar Boy" by Heavenly

He looks so neat with his hair which is tousled up long mess and

He acts all coy, smiles and hides. Could he like me? I have to guess

He looks so cool in this shades, hide his eyes, might be looking my way

Never speaks, which I like, doesn't have much to say

I love him lots and I wish he'd see me: the Cool Guitar Boy

He looks so brilliant when he plays his twelve-string and smiles

Oh pure joy!

And I wish he's see me

And I want him to love me

Cos I know there's heaven, heaven in his arms

"I'm in Love with a Girl Who Doesn't Know I Exist" by Another Sunny Day

So many times this has happened before

But I never knew love could make you feel this sore

I could speak to you

You could speak to me

Oh but it will never happen

What will be will be

So I'll just lie and dream of the chance I have missed

I'm in love with a girl who doesn't know I exist

"Youth" by Beat Happening

When I was young

I sought to win a young girl's heart

I chased the girl around a cherry tree

All I ended up winning was a couple of skinned knees

"Prettiest Boy" by Tiger Trap

I have a pineapple crush on a boy 

I don't know where he came from 

Or how he got skin just like snow

He's the angel I asked for in my prayers last night

He's the only one who can make my wrong life right

'Cause I know he was sent here just for me

beautiful vision is stuck in my heart

I wish I could tell him but don't know where to start

"The Way I Feel Inside" by The Zombies

But till I can see

That you'd really care for me

I'll keep trying to hide

The way I feel inside

What are your favourite songs about crushes and unrequited love?

Happy Holidays from Belle & Sebastian

Hey pop kids, great news! On Tuesday December 21 4PM EST, Belle and Sebastian's pre-Christmas "Holiday Spectacular" show in their home town will webcast live and for free with the help of NPR and The Guardian. Get the details here and here.

New Pains

Just a quick note to say that you can download the B-side track "The One" from the Pains of Being Pure at Heart's upcoming 7" release at Fortuna Pop!

The single "Heart in your Heartbreak" will be available December 14, 2010 from Slumberland records.

Another obscure indie band

The Happydeadmen

Described as "The Swedish Smiths", this jangle pop band formed in 1988 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Today's Quote is from founding members Thomas and Jan:

Swedish music sucks, let's save it.

Today's Track is "Silent Sigh City" (their first single, 1988-89)

Check out their MySpace page for information and more Happydeadmen tracks!

NME C81 Cassette

Today's History Lesson Cassette Culture

Selected tracks from the New Musical Express compilation C81, released in 1981.

"Blue Boy" by Orange Juice

"Endless Soul" by Josef K

"Shouting Out Loud" by The Raincoats

"We Could Send Letters" by Aztec Camera

My Favorite

Today's Track "Burning Hearts" by My Favorite

The songs we sung and then forgot

The hearts that would burn and the hearts that would not

This Long Island, New York band were "musicians on the verge" in 1998. What happened to you, My Favorite?

Another Ramones tribute

Underneath those leather jackets, behind the raw tireless sound and in-your-face attitude, beyond "Punk", lies some of the best pop music that has ever graced this sad and beautiful world.

Well kids, there's an indiepop tribute!

No More of Your Fairy Stories - An indiepop loveletter to the Ramones (various artists) from Precordial Catch Records.

Friday on Twee Time, I will be playing selected tracks from this sold-out compilation. For now, how about a little taste of what's to come?

Today's Track "Don't Go" by The Ramones (composed by Joey Ramone, from the album Pleasant Dreams 1981)

Today's Download a cover by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Thanks to Taylor for the heads up!

Twee Things

Today's Quote is from my friend Sam:

You know you're an old washed up indie pop scenester when you listen to some new band and it sounds like Aislers Set or Talulah Gosh to you but all the reviews compare it to Best Coast and Vivian Girls.

Today's Track "Dream Baby Dream" by Black Tambourine. From the compilation Black Tambourine (Slumberland), released in 2010, which has their complete recordings and six new songs.

Today's Tweevia "Dream Baby Dream" is a cover, originally recorded by the protopunk band Suicide.

CJLO DJ of the Week!

Today I was named DJ of the Week at CJLO, 1690 AM in Montreal.

Here is the write-up from the CJLO website:

A five-year veteran of the CJLO set, Twee Time host Stephanie Dee characterizes her CJLO stint as "the only thing that makes me cool." Her hour-long show from 8 to 9 on Friday nights is a fun and charming, as well as charismatic program.

From her humble beginnings, where she specifically remembers the date of her first broadcast (5 p.m. on August 29, 2005) and the first song she ever played ("Son Of A Gun" by the Vaselines) until now, her quiet storm of all things twee (and C-86 and anorak and any other of indie rock subgenres).

"I play under-appreciated music for the part time punks who play their records very loud, and pogo in the bedroom in front of the mirror, but only when their mums gone out," explains Miss Dee, "And for the kids who know which band I nicked that description from."

Always ready to help out and ensuring that her Friday night slot is always great, Steph is this week's DJ of the week!

On Repeat

The Watercolor Paintings

Sister and Brother duo Rebecca and Josh "Hoshwa" Redman, lo-fi and twee :)

I first discovered them when I bought the With the Light On 7" off of the Yay! label.

They recently released the CD Open Your Mouth (2009):

You can pick up all their releases at Lost Sound Tapes.

Check out their myspace page for info!

Here's a little youtube to make you happy:

On Repeat

The Pastels

Today's Quote comes from Stephen McRobbie:

Please don't think of us as an "indie band" as it was never meant to be a genre, and anyway we are far too outward looking for that sad tag.

Oh if I can't have you

I don't want nobody else

And if can't have you

I won't take nobody else

I tear myself apart

And cry a million tears

Break the walls of pain

And fall into the hard dead sea

Oh if I can't have you

I don't want nobody else

And if can't have you

I'll be certainly depressed

I tear myself apart

And cry a million tears

Break the walls of pain

And fall into the hard dead sea

Oh if I can't have you

I don't want nobody else

And if can't have you

I won't take nobody else

I tear myself apart

And cry a million tears

Break the walls of pain

And fall into the hard dead sea

A million tears

A million tears

A million tears

Take my hand and take my heart, I shiver when you're near

Deliver me from everything and drive me home my dear

Accelerated pain, white nothings on the wheel again

Shut your mouth, let's move on out of here

Just try and keep this light or someone may get hurt tonight

Don't talk that way don't talk that way don't talk that way

Hold it there a second let me dump this stupid pride

I'm ready for you sweetheart now my mind is open wide

Shut up and make it count, your concentration's paramount

Remember what was meant to be this year

The past is a disaster and the future's coming faster now

What you say we go and get a beer

Simply nothing to be done oh tell me I'm the only one

Simply nothing to be done oh tell me I'm the only one

Simply nothing to be done tell me I'm the only one

Simply nothing to be done tell me I'm the only one

When I was young I used to say

I didn't care for anything

When I was young I used to say

I didn't care for anything

Sometimes I get this feeling

That the sun is shining

And the birds are singing

All because of you

And I'm living my whole life because of you

And everything I tried is because of you, it's true

Cos all I see is you, oh yeah

Sometimes I think about you and the funny things you do

When I'm saving all my time to be with you

And I'm living in this world because of you

Cos everything I tried is because of you, it's true

Cos all I see is you, oh yeah

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost without you

Sometimes I'd be lost, without you

On Repeat

69 Love Songs by the Magnetic Fields

I don't want to get over you

I guess I could take a sleeping pill

And sleep at will

And not have to go through what I go through

I guess I should take Prozac, right

And just smile all night

At somebody new

Somebody not too bright but sweet and kind

Who would try to get you off my mind

I could leave this agony behind

Which is just what I'd do if I wanted to

But I don't want to get over you

'cause I don't want to get over love

I could listen to my therapist

Pretend you don't exist

And not have to dream of what I dream of

I could listen to all my friends

And go out again

And pretend it's enough

Or I could make a career of being blue

I could dress in black and read Camus

Smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth

Like I was 17

That would be a scream

But I don't want to get over you

Twee Time's 2008 in Review

Favourite CD

Every Scene Needs a Center by Tullycraft (Magic Marker)

OK, so what if this came out in late 2007? MY year began with the fifth full-length indie-pop release from Seattle's Tullycraft, recorded entirely on analog tape. With tracks like "Georgette Plays a Goth" and "Bored to Hear Your Heart Still Breaks", Tullycraft continues to craft the best twee anthems. The album comes complete with inside jokes, name dropping, and their usual catchy guitar riffs. Every Scene Needs A Center is a celebration of love-lorn punks, goth waitresses, and "heavy metal heartbreak." I was immediately hooked. The album solidified my obsessive attachment to this band and its love for all thing Twee.

Happiest discovery

Me, Myself, and the Empty Soul EP - Sunny Summer Day (Letterbox Records UK)

Twee! From INDONESIA! Sunny Summer Day has been around for quite a while, but I only heard about them recently when I saw their video for "Emma's House" (The Field Mice cover) on YouTube and immediately fell in love. Their brand of pure perfect pop makes me so happy. Fans of Sarah Records and C86 will like this band and their jangle-pop sound.

Most thankful for

The Gruesomes CD reissues of Tyrants of Teen Trash and Gruesomania (on Ricochet Sound) because the needle on my old record player wore away, then my stereo tuner died and I can't listen to my vinyl right now.

Here's a video I took at their show at Café Campus on May 29, 2008:

Most memorable tune

"Homecoming" from the album Reality Check by The Teenagers (Beggars Xl Recording)

Even though the guys in this band aren't hot enough to completely get away with the lyrics to "Homecoming", the song is totally 1980s and damn catchy, so the Teenagers have made the list this year.

Favourite EP of 2007 that I only started listening to in 2008

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Painbow)

Take one cup of the Pastels, a dash of Black Tambourine, and two cubes of the Jesus and Mary Chain. Blend on low for one minute, heat it up and pour it all in a big bowl, then sprinkle a little My Bloody Valentine on top for flavour. Follow these cooking instructions and you've got New York's best indie-pop band right now.

Other stuff I listened to this year

Feels Like Mother Fuckers/Bekki-Anne 7" - The Nymphets (Psychic Handshake Recordings)

Distortion - Magnetic Fields (Nonesuch Records)

Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls (Mauled by Tigers/In the Red)

Spectrum, 14th Century EP - Final Fantasy (Blocks Recording Club)

First Frost - The Lucksmiths (Matinée)

In the Future - Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar)

Real Emotional Trash - Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks (Matador)

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - Sigur Rós (EMI/XL Recordings)

Looking Into It - All Girl Summer Fun Band (AGSFB Music)

Longstanding - Belleisle (Ships at Night)

On repeat: old favourites that stand the test of time

The Pastels - Sittin' Pretty

Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

Velvet Underground - Loaded

Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde