“Berlin’s Hans Forster has been making incredible janglepop records all century, starting with Seaside Stars & Sealevel in the ’00s to his current project, Hanemoon; he has never failed to impress me with his songwriting brilliance – and his newest lp is every bit as stunning!
I know that janglepop has become a bit trendy lately (which, for the record, I am actually quite happy about), so I thought I’d clarify that Hans’ songs are less in the rough & shambling Aussie style, and more in the easy-going & melodic Scottish vein, a la Dropkick, Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness and of course, the last several Teenage Fanclub albums (with a bit of Ducks Ltd & Massage mixed in, as well). His songs are filled with wonderful melodies and rich harmonies, and always seem to have a warm & friendly air that gives you a positive feeling while listening – I guess that’s why they call it ‘feel-good music’!”
The words of Chris MacFarlane, Jigsaw Records.
First time I read Chris’ name, it was written below a wonderful review on the Seaside Stars’ debut “The Magic Of Stereo”. That was in 2002 on Indiepages, Chris being the founder and mastermind of that pioneering website, which bumkin me would learn only much much later. In 2019, when I had put together the songs for a first Hanemoon record looking around for labels to get it published, I was amazed to find a promt reply from Jigsaw Records – great label from Portland, Oregon, doing the jangly stuff I liked so very much! From then on it only took a couple of Emails back and forth to get the pieces together.
Jigsaw Records released the debut “Mammals” in 2000 and the follow-up “Last Thing I Heard” in 2021. Both albums have been among Janglepophub’s best off albums of 2020 and 2021.
“Rain or Shine” was written and recorded 2022/23 in Berlin, mixed by Simon Frontzek and mastered by Kai Blankenberg.
I recently came across a delightful piece of the press release about a band and its label, which I am eagerly sharing with my blog readers. The story is about an album that caught my attention recently. Lately, I have developed a strong liking for jangle pop or jangle rock – a genre that exudes a lot of positive energy. This particular album from a Berlin-based band stood out to me with its great guitar riffs, dreamy vocals, and an overall atmosphere that is simply captivating. The album comprises of 12 tracks, each with a distinct feel and a catchy tune that will undoubtedly hook you in. I am confident that you will find your favorite track among them. My favorite one was definitely Deeper Than Down.
You can follow the band on: