Parakeet

Emerging from London in 2011, noise rock trio Parakeet began as a side project assembled by musicians drawn from the kindred groups Yuck and the History of Apple Pie. Mariko Doi of Yuck handled lead vocals and bass, James Thomas of the History of Apple Pie sat behind the drums, and guitarist Jon Jackson—once of the little-known Loverman—completed the lineup. Their material followed a comparable path of 1990s-steeped, fuzz-laden textures to that of Yuck, yet it traded heavy guitar damage for brighter emphasis on sweet pop melodies and inviting hooks. Early in 2012 the songs started circulating online, and the Tomorrow 7" arrived that April. Later the same year the band issued the EP Shonen Hearts, which first appeared in limited-edition cassette form.