13 October 2015

Hello again. I've got the most annoying tickly cough, so less of the chatter tonight.

Asian Dub Foundation - Stand Up
Another track from the brilliant album More Signal More Noise which came out in July.

Orphan Boy - Money To Money
Don't think I've played any bands from Grimsby/Cleethorpes way before, so consider that rectified. Coastal Tones is the album and it's out now.

Du Blonde - Raw Honey
Another one from Welcome Back To Milk which is, as you should know by now, ace. What a voice.

Featured Album
The Durutti Column - Beginning
The Durutti Column - Katharine
Our featured album this week is The Return Of The Durutti Column, the bands 1980 debut. Physically, it's most arresting feature was the sandpaper sleeve, a Situationist prank nicked from Jacques Derrida whose Memoirs was similarly fashioned. The thing then is that every time you take the book off or put it back on the shelf, it destroys the books next to it. That's Factory for you. Anyway, it's a masterpiece and worth revisiting.

Heavyball - Unhappy Now
A long-awaited LP, Black Eye Diaries, is now available to order and I cannot wait to hear it in it's entirety.

Ex Hex - All Kindsa Girls
A first track since debut LP Rips came out, a cover of a The Real Kids track.

Warm Brains - Pink Blackpool Rock
Another long-awaited album, this time coming next month. Big Wow is the title and this is the lead single from it.

Owiny Sigoma Band - (Nairobi) Too Hot
This is ace. I love what these guys do, mixing London and Nairobi sounds. This is off the new album Nyanza which came out at the back end of August.

Stolen Haven - Used
Off the EP Three Stripe Blues which is out now-ish. It's got just enough about it to stand out from the crowd.

Sea Creature - Songbird
Something a bit older now, from 2013. These are from Bury St Edmunds and the album is called Electric Dreams. Don't know how it passed me by, but glad I've caught up with it now.

Featured Album
The Durutti Column - Requiem For A Father

Air Formation - The Wasted Days
Off the EP Were We Ever There, which came out last month.

Shunkan - Paleontologist
To New Zealand now for this which appears on The Pink Noise which comes out on November 20.

LV - Balance Spring
Brilliant slice of electronica from the new LP Ancient Mechanisms which came out last Friday.

Tom Furse - Run To Me pt 3
Also out last Friday, an EP from Horrors keyboardist Furse titled Run To Me Suite. Four tracks, here's part three. Brilliant.

Here's that on YouTube:



and Soundcloud:



No show next week - Town are playing a made-up football club from Buckinghamshire - so back in a fortnight.

19 August 2014

I seem to have picked out an awful lot of very similar things this week. I guess that's what I've been listening to in the previous week, so that's what you're getting. To business:

Allo Darlin' - Romance And Adventure
Can't believe that it's taken 85 shows for me to get round to these. They've a new album on the way, We Come From The Same Place, due in October and that's the first release from it. Delightful.

Trust Fund - Reading The Wrappers
A while ago, I played the latest from Joanna Gruesome which was a split 12" with Trust Fund. So I figured it was about time I played the Trust Fund contribution to that release. So here you are.

Dark Train - Battles
Don't know a lot about these. Just that they're from Brighton and I like this.

Cover Version Corner
Nancy Sinatra/Elastic Sleep - You Only Live Twice
Oft-covered Bond theme from 1967. But Cork's Elastic Sleep make it sort of other-wordly. Sheer delight.

Heavyball - Hands Up
More from London-based Nottingham ska merchants and show favourites. This, I suggest, is possibly their best yet, showing as it does a bit more range than previous stompers. Intelligent, lyrically and musically.

Los Angeles Police Department - She Came Through (Again)
From LA, unsurprisingly. That's so gentle and lovely.

Tyrannosaurus Dead - Post Holiday Dead Song
From Brighton, and with a debut album coming later in the year, that's a lot jollier than the rather morbid title suggests.

Virgin Kids - Life Support
I know virtually nothing about these other than this is great and is out on Art Is Hard records.

Abbatoir Blues - Blinded
Named, presumably, for the Nick Cave song. That's on a compilation by their record company, Beech Coma volume 2.

Slaves - Hey
Rocking Tonbridge to it's core. This is available as a free download from their record company, Fonthill Records.

Napolleon - Erasable Eraser
We've definitely not had anything from Indonesia before, so consider that rectified. I've no idea how much traction bands like Neu! or Mogwai have on the archipelago, but this is remarkable anyway.

One Degree of Separation
XTC - Dear God
The Vaselines - Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam
The link is great characters from ancient fiction. First, from 1987's Skylarking, then from the 1988 EP Dying For It.

Perfume Genius - Queen
Brilliant. Mike Hadreas is Perfume Genius. He's from Seattle and the album Too Bright is out no September 23.

Mega Emotion - B R A I N S
The EP Fake Feelings that this is on came out on April 21, but I've only just got round to it. Glad that I have. That's outstanding.

LV and Josh Idehen - Shake
Reconvening three years on from their debut collaboration, they're back with a new long player. Islands is out on September 15. Big, bassy, brilliant.

Here's that via a combination of YouTube:


and Soundcloud:


Back next week.

12 August 2014

Unceremoniously bumped for pre-season football last week, this week's show is what I'd have played last week had Town not had Premier League opposition. Remember last week? Town even had a manager back then. Halcyon days, those... Anyway, back to it.

The Horrors - In And Out Of Sight
Great opener to any show. Off their album Luminous which came out in May, that's the latest single. They're a band I feel I probably ought not to like, but every now and then they put out something really good like this. It's almost infuriating.

Heavyball - Another Country
Love these to bits. This is their latest. When we getting an LP, fellers?

Honeyblood - Super Rat
Off the album Honeyblood, that's glorious. They're a two-piece from Glasgow.

Cover Version Corner
Marvin Gaye/Gil Scott Heron - Inner City Blues
Released ten years apart, but no less relevant in 1981 when Gil Scott Heron recorded it as it was in 1971. Suppose it's no less relevant now as well, another 33 years on.

Kindred Shins - The Smoker Never Quits
From last year's Yes To Rioting Notoriety, that's some splendid bluesy rock.

Naomi Punk - Television Man
Looking way into the future now. The album this is off, also called Television Man, isn't out until October. Wishing my life away...

Even As We Speak - Falling Down The Stairs
Going back a bit with this one, to 1993. From Sydney, this came out on an LP called Feral Pop Frenzy.

Kult Country - Trembling Moon
These are from Manchester. I missed this when it came out in June. Happy to have it on my radar now.

Owl John - Red Hand
Based in Mull and LA it says here, which I suppose is nice work if you can get it. Really like that though. Not sure what it reminds me of.

Pow! - 66
I know pretty much nothing about these, just that that's off an album called Hi-Tech Boom which came out in July and that I like it.

One Degree of Separation
Bedlam - Harvest Moon
Harry Nilsson - Coconut
Supreme silliness from Harry Nilsson, off the 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson. Before that, Cozy Powell and Bedlam from their self-titled 1973 long player. The link? Reservoir Dogs.

Teleman - Skeleton Dance
This is the latest release from the critically-acclaimed album Breakfast, which is ace. A complete joy.

Grimes ft. Blood Diamond - Go
A bit more commercial than her previous stuff, moreso than what got me interested in the first place anyway, but not completely terrible.

Eat Lights, Become Lights - Velocet Vir Nesat
Still not sure if that's a decent name for a band or not. Still, pretty decent stuff. From the album Into Forever which came out in May.

All that in a combination of YouTube and Soundcloud below:




Should be back next week as normal.

18 February 2014

A week off last week (for some) due to live football taking over the airwaves, so lots to catch up on this week.

Malachai - I Deserve To No
Fusing Asian influences to create a thoroughly modern record. Malachai are a 2-piece from Bristol and that's off 'Beyond Ugly' which is out on March 31.

Neneh Cherry - Everything
It's been ages since we had a solo effort from Neneh Cherry. With Four Tet in the producers chair, she's created something a bit special. First time I heard this track, it took me a couple of minutes to get into it, but glad I stuck with it. The album is 'Blank Project' and it's out next week.

The Bohicas - Swarm
Some good old-fashioned rock and roll. These are from Essex and that's out now on a double-A single.

Cover Version Corner
Bronski Beat/Heavyball - Smalltown Boy
That's what we want to achieve with this section. Heavyball take a thoroughly familiar track and give it a whole new spin in their ska-influenced fashion. Lovely stuff. Before them, of course it was Bronski Beat, from 1984 and from the album 'The Age Of Consent'.

Cheatahs - Geographic
The long-awaited, self-titled album is out now. I like this track a lot, but I've not yet had chance to peruse the rest of the record. Fingers crossed.

Au Revoir Simone - More Than
From Brooklyn, that is quite lovely. I missed the album at the time - 'Move In Spectrums' came out last autumn - so I'm just getting to it now.

Flyying Colours - Wavygravy
To Australia now. These are from Melbourne and this, their debut single, is out on April 12. There a pun in being two Ys, but I'm not sure what it is.

The Crookes - Play Dumb
I like these. From Sheffield - named for a Sheffield suburb - the much-anticipated album 'Soapbox' is due out on April 14.

One Degree of Separation
The Stranglers - Toiler On The Sea
A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran
Any excuse to play The Stranglers. One of my favourites of theirs, off the 'Black and White' album of 1978 and followed by some classic '80s electro-pop from a band who took their name from a line in Toiler On The Sea. That track is taken from their debut, self-titled album from 1981.

Tropical Contact - Bagsy Shotgun
Local band who I like a lot. This didn't make their EP which is out now, but that doesn't mean it's terrible.

Illum Sphere - Sleeprunner
Ryan Hunn is Illum Spehere and this is from 'Ghosts Of Then And Now' which came out last week. Mean, dark, moody. Like it.

Black Submarine - Here So Rain
Formerly Black Ships - don't know what happened there - these are from Liverpool. 'New Shores' is the album which came out two weeks ago.

Beats For Beginners - Baby What's Your Sound
Something I only heard last week, but came out in 2007. 'Lazer Beams For Eyes' is the EP. Sounds every bit as current as anything else in the same vain I've heard lately.

Phantogram - Nothing but Trouble
We finish with the lead track from the new album 'Voices' which is out today. A frankly stunning track from an album which is a superior work of art.

Here's all that via the magic of YouTube:


and Soundcloud:


Back next week.

4 February 2014

More of the usual for your listening pleasure.

Heavyball - Black Eye Friday
Out last Friday, this is the new one from these Nottingham lads now based out of London. Terrific stuff. More please.

Container - Glaze
This fair blew my socks off when I first heard it. Stunning stuff from Ren Schofield off the new EP 'Adhesive'.

Toy - It's Been So Long
Been a while since we played these. Off their second album 'Join The Dots', it's another winner.

Cover Version Corner
Chris Isaak/London Grammar - Wicked Game
London Grammar were last year's big thing, but largely by-passed me. She's got a hell of a voice. The original before that from 1990 and the album 'Heart-Shaped World'.

Deadwall - Eyes-White-Shut
We saw these supporting Hookworms at Hebden Trades Club and this track, off the new album 'Bukimi No Tani', really made my ears prick up. The album is great and it's out as of yesterday. The unusual name comes from a book by roboticist Masahiro Mori in which he espouses the theory that we shouldn't make robots to human-like. Presumably that's how Skynet starts.



Balthazar - Leipzig
To Belgium now. These had a lovely album out last year called 'Rats'. This is a new single, out now.

Mogwai - Remurdered
A new album, 'Rave Tapes', is out now and ticks all the Mogwai boxes.

One Degree of Separation
Half Man Half Biscuit - Paradise Lost (You're The Reason Why)
Calvin Party - 8 Days
Label-mates and regular touring compadres is your link. The venerable Probe Plus put out both of these bands and Calvin Party are regular support for HMHB. The Biscuits are playing Holmfirth in April. Bit of luck, so will Calvin Party.

Pete Seeger - Rye Whiskey
The news of Pete Seeger's death came too late for last week's show. I could have picked out anything from his back-catalogue, but this old Scottish drinking song stands out. Off the 1954 album 'Frontier Ballads'.

Eight Rounds Rapid - Talent
That's traduced a popular TV show. It's a fair point. Britain has lots of talent, but most of us don't. New single from these. I think they're ace.

Smog - In The Pines
I should probably have put this after Pete Seeger. It's another old song, done here by Bill Callahan in 2005, most famously recorded by Leadbelly back in the day. It's had various names, various lyrics, various numbers of verses, but this is lovely. Gives the impression of a stream babbling by. Off Smog's 'A River Ain't Too Much Love' album.

Pizzicato Five - Baby Love Child
To Japan, now. These are from Hokkaido and this came out in 1991 on the 'Last Year's Girl' album. It's been used in many films and TV shows; Futurama and the Adam Curtis documentary All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace for two.

TCTS - Lose Control
Tuesday night banger. Sam O'Neill from Manchester is TCTS and that's off an EP called 'These Heights'.

The Fall - Hey! Luciani
And to finish, The Fall. A song about the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Pope John Paul I after just 33 days in office. That's from 1986 and couldn't possibly be any other band.

Here's a YouTube playlist, missing Deadwall:


And a bit less of it all on Soundcloud:

4 March 2013

Lots of short records, records by sibling duos, and a tribute to a Rentaghost actor.

Rodriguez - Sugar Man
John: It was the Oscars last week, but this featured on the 2012 best documentary winner, Searching For Sugar Man, in which two South Africans try to track down their favourite musician. Out originally in 1977, this also got a re-release in 2002.
Carolyn: It's all a bit swooshy.
John: Of it's time, methinks.

Bleached - Next Stop
John: They've got three chords and they're not afraid to use them. Like that a lot - very retro feel. That's Bleached who are Jessica and Jennifer Clavin from LA. That's off the album 'Ride Your Heart Out' which is out on April 2.
Carolyn: Fresh, yet immediately familiar. I like it when we play new stuff.

Django Django - Wor
John: For a record-breaking 10th time, they feature on the show. This is the new single off the acclaimed debut album, 'Django Django'.
Carolyn: I like these so much, they're pretty much on a loop in the car.
John: Bonus points for Klaxon usage.
Carolyn: Yeah, when that comes on, I'm checking around for blue lights in my mirrors.


Cover Version Corner
The Vaselines/Nirvana - Molly's Lips
John: 25 shows in before we play Nirvana. Ludicrous. As is Nirvana covering a Scottish band's tribute to Molly Weir who was Hazel McWitch in Rentaghost.
Carolyn: Was she in Supergran as well?
John: No. Or was she? I'm going to have to find out now... This section can normally take us 10 or 15 minutes, but this is less than five all in. Bosh, done, out. The Vaselines version is from 1988 off the EP 'Dying For It', Nirvana's was four years later and featured on the album 'Incesticide'.

Phenomenal Handclap Band - The Unknown Faces
John: Not much clapping of hands there, but pretty fine nonetheless. That's from the album 'Form and Control' which came out in February last year.

Masters In France - Flexin
John: Very much in the Hot Chip/Dutch Uncles envelope, I heard that the other day and have basically had it on a loop since. Layered. I like that. They're from Bangor in Wales.

Julia Kent - Transportation
John: From Vancouver, but based in New York, Julia Kent is a classical cellist who has put together a pop album.
Carolyn: Well, I wouldn't call it pop. It's a lovely piece of music, but I'm not calling it pop.
John: Well, no perhaps not. Haunting, I'd call it. The album is called 'Character' and is out later this month.

Heavyball - Small Town Hero
John: Hat tip to my chum Chris whose mate is in this band. That's off last year's EP 'Small Town Hero', but recently they've gone from playing back rooms of South London pubs to supporting the Kaiser Chiefs on tour.
Carolyn: That's a big leg up for a young band. Obvious ska influence, and pretty good.

Low - Just Make It Stop
John: From Duluth in Minnesota, that's off the album 'The Invisible Way' which comes out on March 19.

Drenge - Bloodsports
John: We had sisters earlier, and here's a pair of brothers. Eoin and Rory Loveless are from up-country Derbyshire, but very much part of the Sheffield music scene, and there have been a fair few successes from there down the years.
Carolyn: Again, it's all pretty stripped back and raw. Not that that's a bad thing.
John: Reminds me of The White Stripes a bit. That's their debut single which is out today. Drenge means 'boys' in Danish and is the name of an avant-garde 1977 Danish film of which they're big fans, apparently, and is ace to say.

One Degree of Separation
Tricky - Black Steel
Portishead - Glory Box
John: Almost 20 years old that Portishead track - unbelievable. Off their debut album 'Dummy' from 1994 which I've got on vinyl somewhere. Haven't listened to it in ages, but always worth reminding oneself of it. Tricky's anti-war Black Steel is off his 1995 breakthrough album 'Maxinquaye'.
Carolyn: And the link?
John: Both Bristolian, both part of that trip-hop scene down there in the mid-'90s and both excellent records.

Hidden Orchestra - Fourth Wall
John: From Edinburgh, that's off the album 'Archipelago' which came out last October.
Carolyn: Another more orchestral piece.
John: Oh yes. I don't just throw this together, y'know.

The King Blues - Five Bottles Of Shampoo
John: From 'Punk and Poetry' from a couple of years ago.

The Vanity Project - I Fear Nothing
John: End on a happy one, yeah?
Carolyn: Hmm, not exactly uplifting.
John: No, but very worthy. From the EP 'What Really Matters'.

Granville - Polaroid
John: From Caen, that was out last month on the album 'Les Voiles'.

And here's all that packaged up in a YouTube playlist.