Various Artists - ‘Blue Skies Up' (Dogbox) Released 15/05/06

An album of that comes with a mission statement:  “Pop music has been treated appallingly over the last few years… enough is enough; we have decided to save pop or die trying.”  Admirable sentiments, but often overused by crap alternative groups chasing chap copy by rubbishing the mainstream and announcing they’re hear to ‘save music.’ Thing is, it’s no good bemoaning the kids fondness for Westhite etc if you’re your own forte is experimental jazz with lyrics inspired by the Cold War. So…...it’s very pleasing to find on this compilation of indie bands affiliated to the label an overflowing bountiful sea of…… tunes! And witty and insightful lyrics. This is full of stuff they should play on the radio. Maybe they won’t; but it’s a fantastic listen, with a pleasing old-fashioned, C86 quality to it.

It gets off to a great start with Swimmer One’s – ‘We Just Make Music for Ourselves,’ enjoyable electro pop. The title of course references a music press skit on average indie bands and the lyrics are equally wry: “But we don’t this to be different / We don’t do it to be cool/ Although it is, obviously.”  Amazingly they’re out-done in the clever – clever electro pop stakes by the fantastically named Jonny Cola’s ‘Suburban Voyager’.  Cola sings, in a drawl that’s as English as cups of tea, of some bizarre journey which imbues drab boroughs with strange wonder: “I’d never been to Hornchurch since last Sunday and Barking was a mystery... I like to spend the summer out in Ealing when winter comes its back to Acton town” before revealing his mode of transport  “I ride around the city on  my spaceship”. Weird and wonderful. 

Elsewhere Leeds’ The Lodger provide an indie essential: wistful, northern romantic miserablism with ‘Not So Fast’, a Las style marriage of jangly guitar heaven, sighed backing vocals and glum lyrics. The Schla La Las mix of girl group sassy harmonies and Ramones dumb pop punk is familiar from The Donnas, but still sounds fresh.  Luxembourg ‘Not My Number’ is the best indie-pop song, its lyricical musing on romantic betrayal by a girlfriend who doesn’t call reminding off the The Wedding Present and possessing some of Dave Gedge’s wit: “I know your hours are unsociable/ but not as unsociable as the fact that you never call!”

Despite some twee moments, harder political matters are tackled, most noticeably BIB’s  ‘Jobs on Line ’06: which lyrically is unintentionally comic – “Don’t get a coffee break / just say ’oh for ****s sake!’. Better is The Bridge Gang’s ‘Sarah’s Brothers,’ not political as such but certainly charged its oblique lyrics seemingly about racial violence.  It’s repeated, catchy sand-paper riff + deep booming vocals equalling catchy as **** 70 punk.

The best is saved for track 14 and Nakeru’s ‘Long Walks on the Beach’ which a touching and self conscious tale of a man reduced to selling himself in a lonely hearts ads and looking for a girl with a “warm Christmas glow.” It combines Weezerish quirky American geek rock with bookish British indie into seven minutes of multiple mood, volume and tempo changes and is fantastic. 

The album even has a perfect end with Morton Valence’s ‘The Kiss: gorgeous, swooning ambient pop, with shimmering keys and female and male vocals trading verses beautifully.  There are no bad songs here, indeed there are a few gigwise feels guilty for not having mentioning, and they would shine elsewhere. It will undoubtedly make you want to welcome the bands featured and Dogbox in to your hearts. At the risk of sounding gushing this album is amazing.