HMHB presents... The Smittens, One Happy Island and more

The Smittens

We're very excited to announce the next of our Half My Heart Beats popshows. It's not for a while yet, but on Monday 20th July we will be hosting The Smittens and One Happy Island at The Captain's Rest in Glasgow.

The name 'Half My Heart Beats' comes from a Smittens song, so that should give you an idea of how we feel about this band. The Smittens are a five-piece band from Burlington, Vermont and they play pop music that is guaranteed to make you smile.

I've been fortunate enough to see The Smittens play a few times now, in Glasgow last year, shortly afterwards at the Indietracks festival, and again at London Popfest in February '09. Each time they've lit up the place, and as well as being great songwriters and performers, they're among the nicest people you could hope to meet.


One Happy Island (photo B. Dizak)

If it's possible, I'm even more excited about the fact that The Smittens will be joined by One Happy Island from Boston, MA. Their EP, Secret Party That The Other Party Doesn't Know About, was one of my favourite releases of 2008, released on gorgeous translucent blue vinyl on the WeePOP! label.

It may only have been a tantalising four songs long, but I'd go as far as to call opening song Temporary Tattoo an instant twee-pop classic, and the other three ain't half bad either. I happen to know there's a copy floating about the singles rack at Monorail, for the Glaswegians among you.

If you've been to a Half My Heart Beats club night, chances are you've heard at least a bit of this great band. You can read a great interview with them on our friend Dennis's blog, All That Ever Mattered.

We're hoping to add at least one local band to the bill between now and then, but I just wanted to get the word out now. Keep an eye on the blog for information about times and prices nearer the date.

Facebook event page
last.fm event page

Download: The Smittens - Doomed, Lo-fi and In Love
Download: One Happy Island - Temporary Tattoo

Photos from HMHB 7 - Saturday 14th March

Francis MacDonald


Speedmarket Avenue


Speedmarket Avenue


Speedmarket Avenue


Speedmarket Avenue


Speedmarket Avenue

Playlist from HMHB 7 - Saturday 14th March

Thanks to everyone who came to Half My Heart Beats last night and made it such a good night. Photos will be up tomorrow, but for now here's what we played:

Lynsey
Kirsty MacColl - They Don't Know
The Just Joans - If You Don't Pull
The Smittens - Gin and Platonic
Strawberry Whiplash - It Rains on Other Planets
The Marcels - Blue Moon
Tiger Trap - My Broken Heart
Irene - Baby I Love Your Way

Colin
Crayon Fields - Mirror Ball
The Smittens - Sapphire
All Girl Summer Fun Band - Later Operator
Celestial - Crystal Heights
Eux Autres - When I'm Up

Lynsey
The Essex Green - The Late Great Cassiopeia

Colin
McCarthy - I Worked Myself Up From Nothing
Pocketbooks - Footsteps
The Cinderellas - Baby Baby (I Still Love You)
Dolly Mixture - How Come You're Such A Hit With The Boys, Jane?
Belle & Sebastian - Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie

Lynsey
Heavenly - It's You
The Four Pennies - When The Boy's Happy (The Girl's Happy Too)
The Magnetic Fields - The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side
Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo
Skeeter Davis - Let Me Get Close To You

Colin
Felt - I Will Die With My Head In Flames
Frank Wilson - My Sugar Baby
Zoey Van Goey - Foxtrot Vandals
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
Belle & Sebastian - Women's Realm
Darlene Love - A Fine, Fine Boy
Mint Royale - Don't Falter
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - This Love Is Fucking Right!
The Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress
The Smiths - This Charming Man

Lynsey
The Angels - I Adore Him
Camera Obscura - French Navy
The Ramones - Rockaway Beach
Girls Aloud - Love Machine
The Pipettes - Pull Shapes
Talulah Gosh - Steaming Train
Belle & Sebastian - String Bean Jean
Go Sailor - Last Year
The B52s - Rock Lobster

Colin
Buzzcocks - Promises
Felt - Grey Streets
The Smiths - Ask
The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron
The Ronettes - Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love?
Eddie and the Hot Rods - Do Anything You Want To Do
The Go-Betweens - That Way
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel - Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile)
The Sea Urchins - Pristine Christine
Belle & Sebastian - Judy and the Dream of Horses

Lynsey
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
Speedmarket Avenue - Way Better Now
The Flatmates - Shimmer
Elastica - Connection
The Housemartins - We're Not Deep
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
The Chiffons - Sweet Talkin' Guy
Camera Obscura - The False Contender
The Sapphires - Slow Fizz
Blondie - The Tide Is High

Speedmarket Avenue and Francis MacDonald tomorrow!

Just a quick reminder that we'll be hosting the brilliant Speedmarket Avenue from Sweden and the lovely Francis MacDonald at My Heart Beats tomorrow night (Saturday 14th March) at The Flying Duck.

We'll also be playing indiepop and girl group classics straight after the bands until 3am. Hope you can make it!

HMHB 7 is coming!

We're now less than a week away from Half My Heart Beats 7, where we get to welcome Speedmarket Avenue and Francis MacDonald to The Flying Duck. I feel terribly sorry for Speedmarket Avenue, since they have to drive six and a half hours from Cardiff to Glasgow to play at our night, then get up the next morning to drive another seven or so to play a show in London that evening. Talk about commitment to indiepop! Buy those poor souls a drink after the show, because they deserve it.

As far as the club itself goes, I'm really excited to play some of the great stuff I've been hearing this month. More than anything else, I've been getting so into the new Pocketbooks album on the How Does It Feel? label. It's called Flight Paths, and its 11 perfect pop songs will fill your heart with joy. I'd be very surprised if I hear a better album in 2009.

At the janglier end of the spectrum, McCarthy have been getting repeated listens around these parts and are sure to make an appearance at some point on Saturday. I also picked up a 2-CD Northern Soul comp at Fopp on Byres Road for the unfathomable price of £2, and I can guarantee that will be getting a spin too. Other than that, look out for Zipper, Felt, Dolly Mixtures and whatever you want to hear!

I was going to post a Speedmarket Avenue mp3 to get you in the mood, but instead, why not download this ace Skatterbrain summer compilation from last year? It may not be summer yet (in fact it's still baltic in Glasgow), but this comp features a load of jangly goodness (including the aforementioned McCarthy), as well as the title track from Speedmarket Avenue's album, Way Better Now. Brilliant stuff.

Keep checking back for more posts between now and the weekend. If you're planning on coming along, please let us know on the Facebook or last.fm event pages!