Ceiling With Knives

You have to be really quick to catch on to things these days before they sell out. So before you read any further go to the Captured Tracks myspace and order this 7"! You may have seen some new records just popped up on my list of records to buy - this happened after seeing the announcement that the first 10 releases from Captured Tracks are now available!

Captured Tracks is a Brooklyn label run by Mike aka Blank Dogs. Now, Blank Dogs is a name I've seen for quite a long time without bothering to check them out (Bad Name syndrome again). He's already released 13 records, many of which are sold out, but thanks to blogs it relatively easy to catch up. The things to look out for are the Year One tape on Fuck It Tapes (compilation of singles and eps), On Two Sides (an album now re-released by Troubleman and Sacred Bones) and the brand new 12" Seconds on his own label. I'm far from getting through all of it, but it definitely seems he has refined his art over the last two years, arriving at a fantastic sound on the new 12". A new album is due out on In the Red this year as well.

If you were a music journalist it'd be easy to dismiss the new releases on Captured Tracks as a wave of Vivian Girls/Crystal Stilts/Wavves wannabes but there's some amazing pop in there, as Dum Dum Girls fans will already know. Her first two vinyl releases are out now and already on the verge of selling out: a 12" on Captured Tracks and a 7" on HoZac (part of their singles club).

And now Mike and Dee Dee (from opposite ends of the US) have started collaborating as The Mayfair Set, with their first 7" out on CT now! Housed in the classic indiepop style sleeve you can see above, it really is as good as it looks. There's a 12" coming out on Troubleman soon also, so keep an eye out.

The other wow experience is San Fransico-based Brilliant Colors, who I immediately checked out because of their fantastic name. Their first 7" came out on Make a Mess last month and judging by the punky pop of those four tracks, the new 7" on CT is a must-have! Definitely the best all-female group I've heard since Vivian Girls.