Album: The Capstan Shafts

As long as there are "cool-hunters" seeking ever more obscure heroes, there will always be indie singer-songwriters putting out lo-fi home recordings and distributing them, first to friends and then to 'Pitchfork'-reading pop fans. Step forward Dean Wells, aka The Capstan Shafts, whose bedroom recordings make up this debut release proper. Comprising 29 songs, all under two minutes, this is raw roots pop that will appeal to anyone who enjoys the straighter side of Daniel Johnston. Fragments they may be, but there is enough here to put an end to Wells's claim that he has never performed in front of anyone.

Download this: 'The Origin of Rain' is 35 seconds of pop perfection