New Releases from yesboyicecream

Soda Fountain Rag, "Are Philosophers Lonely?" (DOWNLOAD)
The Positions, "The Real Thing" (DOWNLOAD)

Last week Emmet from yesboyicecream sent me an e-mail about two new releases, both 10"s, which was really exciting for me because I have a particular fondness for 10" records & they seem all too rare. Though both Soda Fountain Rag & The Positions have been around for some time, they're new to me & these releases were my first exposure to them.

Reel Around Me collects 9 new songs from Norway's Soda Fountain Rag, a one-woman show run by Ragnhild Hogstad Jordahl. Reel Around Me widens Soda Fountain Rag from just Jordhal, to feature the touring line-up of guitarist Anders Kaasen and bassist Princess Niko. It's a brief release, clocking in at just under 20 minutes with no song lasting longer than 2 minutes and 46 seconds, but the brevity is definitely part of its charm. Everything about this 10" is upbeat (see the opening track, "Dogwalkin' Shoes") -- and if not upbeat, at least a little cheeky (see the baroque pop ditty "You Are Not Invited to My Wedding.") My favorite song is definitely "Are Philosophers Lonely?" It's a sunny pop jam with a sprinkling of horns & it's been lodged in my brain all day. You can get Reel Around Me direct from yesboyicecream here. Soda Fountain Rag is also on MySpace & there's a SoundCloud page for the album, you can stream tracks on both. Reel Around Me will become officially available on July 5th!

The second 10" release, also available on July 5th, is a 6-song mini-album by The Positions. It's been almost four years since The Positions released their debut album, so their sound has had time to shift and settle and I like where they've landed. The Positions strike me as sounding distinctly international, though they're from Washington, D.C. "The Real Thing" is the standout track for me on this -- the horns just sound so bright, it reminds me of a great combination of Beulah and Free Loan Investments. The Positions have a very polished sound, which is a real change of pace from what I've been listening to lately (a lot of hazy, distorted pop) -- these songs are glossy, bright, and bold. Again, the physical release is available on July 5th, but for the month of June you can get Tonight! as a free download on The Positions' bandcamp page (where you can also stream the release.)

Again, both of these are coming out as 10"s on yesboyicecream next month, so if you like what you hear, be sure to support both groups & pick up their releases!

Soda Fountain Rag, "Are Philosophers Lonely?" (DOWNLOAD)
The Positions, "The Real Thing" (DOWNLOAD)