This is Pop - Show 003 - February 22nd 2013 - The High Llamas (Sean O'Hagan)

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The High Llamas are a London-based musical group, formed by Irish guitarist and songwriter Sean O'Hagan after the demise of his group Microdisney. Their output showed influences including pre-1950s American pop and folk, Brazilian, jazz and bossa nova, film composers of the 1960s, and 1990s Europeans electronic music. O'Hagans work most frequently included references to Brian Wilson's psychedelic period and / or kitsch lounge revival. Although O'Hagan sometimes expresses discomfort at reviewers' claims of derivative works, he generally wears his influences on his sleeve, having named several songs after the artists that inspired them. The Beach Boys influence on O'Hagan is most obvious on the expansive, cinematic 1996 album Hawaii, a musical spaghetti western on themes of tourism and colonialism. It blended elements of the Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds', 'Smile', and 'Wild Honey' such that O'Hagan was recommended by Bruce Johnston (Beach Boys) to produce a Beach Boys comeback LP that had the backing of Virgin honcho Richard Branson in the mid 90's. Branson wanted to sign the Beach Boys (with a post Dr. Landy, Brian Wilson in toe) and attempt to revist their heyday from '64 to '67.

The High Llamas' own musical arrangements vary according to album, but marimbas, nylon-string guitars, and hevil reverbed pouding tack pianos are often featured, For a period in the late 1990s, O'Hagan's work was often marked by distinctive vintage synthesizer "gurgling" or "bouncing" effects, first explored and developedin 'Turn-On', his experimental collaboration record with members of Stereolab. 

The High Llamas infrequently tour and only release an album every few years, Since the group was dropped by V2 Records they have made it clear that their records are personal projects that do not support them financially, O'Hagan frequently does arranging and production work for artists like Doves, Super Furry Animals, Sondre Lerche among others. The High Llamas work for V2 is anthologized on the compilation 'Retrospective, Rarities and Instrumentals, and they continue to record for Duophonic Records (UK) and Drag City (US). Their critically acclaimed latest album 'Talahomi Way' was released in April 2011.

Sean's thoughts on Radiohead...
"I don't believe them (Radiohead) for a second. I'm not vehemently down on them, as I am say Oasis, but I hate the way that that record ( O.K. Computer ) is supposed to be the greatest record of all time and so radical. I don't think there's anything radical about what they do. They're careful, well-honed cliches. The perfect marketing tool and I think those things need to be exposed. I mean I hate to sound so bitchy about it, but I think it's incumbent upon people to make that point". 

This is Pop - Show 002 - February 08th 2013 - Maria Minerva

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Maria Minerva is the new pop model gone strikingly off-road and deep into your subconscious. Having grown up in Tallinn, Estonia and now relocating to New York after spells in London and Lisbon, this 23 year old straddles hi-end academic viral pop modes and delicious bas(s)e cultural modes and has released a hypnotic stream of tracks, remixes and videos via the Not Not Fun and 100% SILK labels.

The images, sounds and shapes she conjures through her recorded and live work is feverish, filtering disco diva dirty talk, Eastern European-pop grooves, UK bass culture and smudged Californian lo-fi dub aesthetics through her own unique sound world. From day dreams to night flights Maria's bedroom techno-ballads seem to exist in a narcotically adjusted parallel dimension with delay-drenched vocals floating strangely detached above propulsive drum loops and submerged melodies.
http://alteredzones.com/tags/maria-minerva/

Reviews:
"Her music is a place where academia and pop culture, tastefulness and excess, dominance and submission, and yes, Héléne Cixous and Britney Spears, all commune in a hazy, libidinous swirl".

"What makes this record special is its longing for undefined freedom, for means of self-expression, and Easterner questioning the latest Western devices. Who in female pop is still even asking such questions today?"

This Is Pop - Show 001 - February 01st 2013 - Martin Newell & The Cleaners From Venus

Basically, he's a pop poet and rock musician. The genius behind the wonderful 'Cleaners From Venus' and the man responsible for creating some of the best British pop songs you've probably never heard. But it's a little more complicated than that. He'll tell you that he doesn't have a career though - just a series of jobs and engagements which take together have added up to some sort of a living this past few decades. He plays various guitars, bass, keyboards, mandolin and he can sing. He makes rather English-sounding pop records, he writes poems and articles in national newspapers. He does spoken word performances and less-frequently, live music gigs. He occasionally presents TV programmes. He has been on national radio quite a bit over the years. He has a number of books and records out. He doesn't have management, an agent or anyone 'looking after' him. Mostly, he works. Mostly, it's writing, and most of you, should probably know about him.