Summer Cats are two girls and three boys from Melbourne, Australia. Like most people from Melbourne, they spend their time either: a) enjoying summer or b) waiting for summer to arrive. They play crash pop in an attempt to make you dance, so if you feel the urge...go right ahead! Musically they are somewhat of a cross between Stereolab and The Go-Betweens....or is that Talulah Gosh and The Left Banke?
There are at least two groups with the name The Hummingbirds. 1. Although criminally unknown outside of their native Australia, the Hummingbirds' dreamy boy-girl harmonies and refreshing jangle-pop sound positioned them among the brightest bands of their era. The group formed in 1986 from the remnants of the short-lived Bug Eyed Monsters, and originally comprised singer/guitarist Simon Holmes, bassist John Boyce and drummer Mark Temple; vocalist/guitarist Alannah Russack signed on a short time later...
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is an indie pop band which formed in 2007 in New York City. They consist of Kip Berman (vocals, guitar), Peggy Wang (vocals, keyboards), Alex Naidus (bass) and Kurt Feldman (drums). Feldman also plays guitar and sings in The Ice Choir.
Raised on the classic, guitar-ringing psychedelia of the '60s (the Zombies, the Byrds) with a lo-fi indie rock approach not unlike that of the Elephant 6 collective, Melbourne, Australia group the Crayon Fields formed in 2002 before the members graduated high school. In the following few years, the band - vocalist/guitarist Geoffrey O'Connor, bassist Brett Hudson, guitarist Chris Hung and drummer Neil Erenstrom -supported the likes of the Unicorns, New Pornographers, Stereolab, Cornelius, Dirty Three, Electrelane, Deerhoof and Architecture in Helsinki in concert.
Rainbow Chan is a young Sydney musician with a love for story-telling. Whether she is chasing romantic adventures, stitching together childhood dreams or rummaging through antique fairs, Rainbow is constantly collecting bits and pieces for her music. The result: sweet acoustic folk-pop with electronic hues. With a sugary voice and an array of instruments in her picnic basket including guitar, piano, music-boxes, saxophone, glockenspiel, loop pedal and toy-pianos, Rainbow likes to create the sound of carousels and helium balloons.
The Morrisons are from Torquay in Devon and were originally formed in 1986 by Phil and Ian who were both originally inspired to play guitar by the arrival of punk in the mid 70’s and both shared a love of 60’s music and decent tunes. Most of the original members of the band had previously played together in a band called Chapter 29 and other various locals bands. In 1987 John Peel played their debut flexi single Listen To Your Heart several times on his show.
Belle and Sebastian is a band from Glasgow. Led by guitarist/vocalist Stuart Murdoch, the seven-piece band has an intimate, majestic sound that is equal parts folk-rock and '60s pop. Murdoch has a gift not only for whimsy and surrealism, but also for odd, unsettling lyrical detail which keeps the songs grounded in a tangible reality. Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Belle and Sebastian released their first two albums in 1996: Tigermilk, recorded over three days, and If You're Feeling Sinister, recorded in a week, at the peak of the chamber pop movement.
The Cannanes have been described as 'the world's most indie band.' Despite never having a manager, agent or signing a record deal they have toured the world, produced numerous recordings, and been recognised internationally as one of Australia's best known bands. Even Kurt Cobain listed the Cannanes as a band he liked in his journals. Since the Cannanes' first release 'Bored Angry and Jealous' was named Single of the Year by UK music magazine NME in late 1986, the band has attracted an ever expanding international following.