If you like sugar sweet indie pop, you really should check out the Icicles. They’re from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they’ve just released a second album called Arrivals & Departures (13 April 2007), which I don’t have yet.

I did check out their e-card and the samples are pretty good. I believe, judging from the new pictures, that they did gain a new member in the band. (It’s hard to tell because they don’t have a wikipedia page – someone please get on this!)

You can download “La Ti Da” (a song from the new album Arrivals & Departures) on their website, as well as some other songs they’ve released for free. The radio live song is very low quality – so I don’t recommend listening to it.

According to the band’s biography page, they’ve mentioned that they sound/influenced by The Concretes, Camera Obscura, Heavenly, The Softies and Tiger Trap.

PS, because you’re buying almost directly from the band (via Microindie Records), the cost for a full length is pretty cheap at $10 per album. I’ve bought stuff from microindie in the past, they usually ship right away and you get your package in two or three days depending on where you live.