Cater(er)ing For Shorts In Berlin Circa '71

New York-based-Aussie Mikael Caterer AKA Shorts is back with another single. ‘Berlin 1971’ isn’t exactly new new – it’s a track that has been around the traps in demo form for a few months (I even posted up when I first mentioned the band), but the it’s been glossed up to within an inch of its life, its heart beating faster than a hummingbird’s, professing love in a score to a faded Super 8 of a fledgling relationship. The sunniness of the track doesn’t fit the titular German city – yet – but it’s easy to imagine yourself in this world, forever sepia toned in the park where the sun is always at half mast, never beating down, drinking cool drink and eating antipasto nibbles... Jarvis Taveniere from Woods recorded this at his new Rear House studio in Brooklyn, so it’s in more than able hands.

‘Berlin 1971’ will be on a 7” EP of the same name (put out through Bad Paintings and Aloe Music) soon - preorder it here (awesome cover art btw). Can't wait to hear the other tracks if this is anything to go by - especially seeing as his backing band consists of Jonah Maurer (Real Estate, Free Time, Titus Andronicus) on bass, Dylan Shumaker (Woodsman, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks) on drums, and fellow Aussie Adrian Tregonning on guitar and keys. Clearly he's learnt a lot from his Scott & Charlene's Wedding brother in arms, Craig Dermody - albeit with a much stronger Dunedin twist of sunshine.

Joey Fourr Beats Reality

It can be hard to keep up with English skewed punk leprechaun Joey Fourr (I don't know how big he is, I'm pretty much writing what pops into my head for this one). He has an EP out now called Luv Is In The Mornin, which is pretty awesome wonky pop (the title track is pretty awesome to be fair, an 80s weird pop wigout), but I've been digging the split he's done with London grunged out crawlers H.Grimace a couple months ago, Nothing Beats Reality on Bad Paintings (this wont be the last split release I talk about this week).  Its all pretty straight up indie rock fare, albeit a little heavier on the guitar crunch, but just as liberal with the garish sugar rush. The charm is that he doesn't really feel awkward about being so overtly cartoonish, and that's where the genius lies. You can't deny that - a guy that isn't earnest, but isn't taking the piss either. Lots of words shortened and spelt with z's will do that to you. It's frenetic, its reckless, it's fun. What the doctor ordered.

You can buy Nothing Beats Reality here.