Really rather pleased with this week's selection. Let's dive in.
The Big Moon - Cupid
Kicking off with a four-piece from that there London. Recently signed to Fiction, this single comes out on May 13. They're touring. Be sure and catch their sunshiney indie pop.
Burnt Palms - Over
From what sounds like a lovely place - Seaside, California - this was on the LP Back On My Wall which came out in February. Gets better with repeat listenings.
CTMF - Escape To Argentina
The B-side to their February single You Lied. Better song for mine. Consistently brilliant.
Featured Album: Words And Music By Saint Etienne Tonight I've Got Your Music
There just isn't a band or artist that purveys a more perfect pop sound. This is the album from 2012, their eighth studio LP and last to date. Joyous. They just keep ploughing this furrow that no-one else seems capable of. Yes it's pure pop, but it's far more intelligent than standard talent show fare.
Kassassin Street - Hand In My Pocket
Speaking of disco-infused pop, here's the new single from Portsmouth's Kassassin Street, a band we like a lot round here.
Charles Bradley - Ain't It A Sin
A man who made his name as a James Brown impersonator, but now a soul legend in his own right. The LP Changes came out on April 1 and it's no laughing matter. Brilliant stuff. Got to dance.
Palehound - Molly
A bit older, this one. Off the LP Dry Food which came out last summer. Love the driving bassline, powering it along.
Dead Belles - This Machine's Electric
Another one with a tremendous bassline. A debut single from this London group with an EP due next month.
John Grant - Voodoo Doll
We like the big feller a lot. This is the new single from last year's Grey Tickles, Black Pressure LP.
Massive Attack - Voodoo In My Blood
Keeping the voodoo theme going... Nobody expected new stuff from these when this landed. Young Fathers feature.
Featured Album: Words And Music By Saint Etienne DJ
There is nothing about this track or this band that I dislike or think could be improved upon. This album is probably their best yet.
The Mouse Outfit - Step Steadier feat. Fox
Really good stuff from Manchester. Soulful beats underpin this track off last year's Step Steadier LP.
Alex Banks - Paraffin feat. Joel Dawes
A free download from the Brighton producer. Check the Soundcloud playlist below for details.
Explosions In The Sky - Infinite Orbit
From Texas, the LP The Wilderness has the feel of an ambient experiment. Except for this track, that is. Those drums draw you in.
Gordon - Coelacanthe (Vessels remix)
French producer Gordon has his track remixed by Leeds electro-geniuses Vessels with outstanding results.
Leftfield - Head And Shoulders ft Jason Williamson
And now I defy you to get the phrase 'chicken in a basket' out of your head. The latest single off the album Alternative Light Source.
Luca Afrobeat - Barse
The first of two tracks from Canterbury bands. First, this magnificent horn-laced funk from an 8-piece band from the EP Heard. And Barse is a great name for a single.
Origami Horses - Slates
And then this, off the LP Artful/Artless? which came out in June. A bit New Ordery, a bit Charlatansy and with a Foalsy vocal. Two out of three ain't bad.
Featured Album Neu! - Isi
This week, we feature Neu! 75, the third album from Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother's band post-Kraftwerk. It was something of an end point for the band. Tonight, I'll play the opening and closing tracks from it. This is the opener and picks up where Neu! 2 left off. By the time we get to the final track, it's clear that the two of them are going in different directions. Later in 1975, Bowie was in Hamburg and asked to record with Neu! Rother said no. What might have been...
John Grant - Disappointing ft Tracey Thorn
Magnificent. Lovely juxtaposition of Grant's booming baritone and Thorn's delicate vocals. Grant's new LP is Grey Tickles, Black Pressure and is out on October 2.
Kassassin Street - Radio Silence
Record of the week. I adore this. The synths really lift it. These are from Portsmouth and their debut EP is out next month.
The Crookes - Before The Night Falls
Show favourites from Sheffield. This is the latest single from the album Soapbox which came out last year. It's still splendid.
Pocket Gods - In Search Of The Divine
The title track from last month's album. From St Albans, something of a lost mark on Britain's musical map.
Lusts - Waves
Brothers Andy and James Stone of Leicester are Lusts. This is superb and if the rest of the album Illuminations, out on October 23, is anything like, we're in for a treat.
Dead Hope - Swordz
To Glasgow now for something pretty raw, but no less appealing for that.
Jim Johnston - Officer Paranoid
This is off an album that came out in March which has somehow passed me by until now. After All The Wishing... is Johnston's second album. More of that please.
Featured Album Neu! - After Eight
Like I say. Very different at the end to the start. And it progresses like that through the album.
The Ska Vengers - Frank Brazil
Indian ska now. These are from New Delhi and this is a tribute of sorts to Udham Singh, Indian revolutionary, executed 75 years ago for assassinating Frank O'Dwyer, orchestrator of the Amritsar massacre. Frank Brazil was one of Singh's aliases. History lesson this show as well... There's an album due in October.
Carter Tutti Void - f(2.6.2)
New from these, of the new album f(x) which is out on Friday. File under E for experimental.
Four Tet - Back 2 The Start
New track from Kieran Hebden. Bit more clubby than we're used to, perhaps, but none the worse for that.
V.I.P.N - I Am V.I.P.N
And to finish, something from a 17-year old kid from Germany called Viktor. I don't know anything more than that, just that I wasn't doing anything like this at 17.
Here's that on YouTube:
and Soundcloud, which for some reason doesn't seem to want to embed this week. Get it here anyway.
In the absence of any air time until January 7, I've put together a selection of some of my favourite tracks from 2013. It's not definitive, I'm not claiming any authority and neither is it in any particular order. It's simply 21 tracks I've enjoyed this last year.
I haven't only enjoyed 21 tracks all year, obviously, but I had to stop somewhere and that just happens to be the number at which I stopped. Anyway, here you go:
Listen, enjoy, share if you like. Tell me what I'm missing, if you really want.
Merry festivities.
An extra half hour today, you lucky people. Instrumentals, prog and prog instrumentals all on today's agenda.
Future Of The Left - Failed Olympic Bid John: Great track, great video. From the album 'The Plot Against Common Sense' which came out late in 2011. Obviously railing against the nonsense of some of the companies that sponsored the Olympics and the abandonment of large swathes of the country so that London can prosper. Carolyn: Yeah, I got the McDonalds bit. Other burger chains are available.
John Grant - Sensitive New Age Guy John: We played the title track to the album 'Pale Green Ghosts' a few weeks ago and it's still the best thing I've heard this year. This is another track off the album which came out last week. The ex-Czars man from Denver is now based in Reykjavik and the album is quite brilliant.
Neon Neon - Mid-Century Modern Nightmare John: New one from these, this is off the album 'Praxis Makes Perfect' which is out on April 29. Gloriously 8-bit. Carolyn: Like the computer games of our youth. Manic Miner... And under two minutes. Very retro.
Cover Version Corner George Martin/Van Der Graaf Generator - Theme One John: Originally made as a theme for Radio 1 back in 1967. Manchester prog rockers Van Der Graaf Generator recorded that in 1972 and it's off the album 'Pawn Hearts'. That's just one of a number of covers - I could have gone for Schizo Fun Addict, Cozy Powell... Carolyn: The instrumental possibly gives you even more freedom to put your own stamp on things. Is there a kazoo version? John: Something to do over Easter, perhaps.
Phoenix - Entertainment John: That's jaunty. From Versailles, that's off the album 'Bankrupt!' - with an exclamation point - which is out on April 5. Carolyn: Very jaunty indeed. I liked that.
Ultraista - Smalltalk John: That's the new single from these which comes out on the 31st off the album 'Ultraista'. That's Nigel Godrich's - Radiohead's long-time producer - project. Carolyn: Who is on vocals? John: I don't know. Good though, ain't it. Works well with the melodies to create something quite beautiful.
Yacht - Second Summer John: This came out last December. We've played these before; they're based in Portland, Oregon. Carolyn: That's really good.
Younghusband - Dromes John: That's how you end a record... Carolyn: I liked it up to that point. John: The new single is 'Comets Crossed' from the album of the same name which this also comes from. Worth keeping an eye on these in the future. Carolyn: As long as they learn to end a track.
The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist John: One purely for Carolyn. Carolyn: What happened to Dexter? I got caught up in the narrative. Really like it though. John: Those samples are from the John Waters film 'Polyester'. The track was The Avalanches' biggest hit and came out in 2000 from the album 'Since I Left You'.
One Degree of Separation The Stranglers - Waltzinblack Jean-Jacques Burnel - Waltz In Blue John: I promised you more instrumentals. And a double link for a bonus. First was The Stranglers from the 1981 album 'The Gospel According To The Men In Black', their fifth. Then you heard Jean-Jacques Burnel - bassist in The Stranglers with a track from the soundtrack to the 2005 film 'Gankutsuou'. And you've got the waltz link there as well. Burnel studied history at what was then Huddersfield Poly back in the day. Carolyn: Our alma mater. Good to have a local element. John: Ain't no glory like reflected glory.
Wooden Shjips - Black Smoke Rise John: I've been after playing these for ages. Wooden Shjips, with a J... Carolyn: I... Why? John: That's a couple of years old now. They're from San Francisco and the album is 'West'. We've played a lot of things like Toy and Hookworms over the weeks and months and these came a bit before, maybe a gateway to those early Can and Neu! records for the newer generation.
Wire - Love Bends John: The 13th studio album from the London post-punk veterans is 'Change Becomes Us' and it's out on March 25.
Royksopp - Happy Up Here John: And happy down here in our bunker. I like that a lot - very uplifting. Carolyn: Yes, jolly pleasant indeed. John: They're from Tromso in Norway and that's off the 2009 album 'Junior'.
Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us John: I promised you more prog as well, so have some Sparks. From the 1974 album 'Kimono My House'. I don't know. Carolyn: I guess prog puns were different back then. John: I realised a few weeks ago that I'm now of an age where I get Sparks. It's worrying.
Woody Guthrie - Worried Man Blues John: I've been meaning to play some Woody for ages. It's a traditional old song which he recorded in 1940. He's a bit of a hero. Carolyn: And it's good to play some different things.
Wolf People - All Returns John: Psych-folk, I think they call it. The new album is 'Fain' and comes out on April 30. They're based in London. And Bedford, and North Yorkshire.
Willy Mason - I Got Gold John: A modern twist on country, which is good. That's off the album 'Carry On' which came out late last year and I've just not got round to playing. I like that track - the rest of the album... Not so much.
Teenage Fanclub - Baby Lee John: Purely selfish. I adore that track. From the 2010 album Shadows. Carolyn: No, it can't be selfish when you share something that nice. That's a beautiful record.
Petula Clark - Cut Copy Me John: A wonderful record and I had no idea who it was by on first hearing it. Carolyn: If you'd not told me who it was before we got here, I'd not have known. How old is she now? John: 80. And sounds as good as ever. Carolyn: Sounds better than McCartney and he's not that old... My dad was kissed on the cheek by Petula. In Bradford. He was a big fan. He won't know she's got new stuff out.
John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts John: Six minutes and I make no apology for it. That is quite astonishing. There is a shorter radio edit, but I prefer this - it's stark, bleak and interesting. Carolyn: Quite like you then. John: Cheeky. Grant is from Denver, formerly of The Czars, but based in Reykjavik now and if I hear a better record this year, I'm in for a treat. This is out on March 11.
Concrete Knives - Greyhound Racing Carolyn: I like that one. John: These are from Caen in northern France and it's off the forthcoming album 'Be Your Own King'.
Cover Version Corner Etienne Daho - Weekend A Rome St Etienne - He's On The Phone John: I'm cheating here - it's not strictly speaking a cover, rather two records that share the same melody, but Etienne Daho did work with St Etienne on their 'version'. Carolyn: You've undermined the whole concept! Just to get a St Etienne record in there somehow. John: Daho is from Algeria and that was out in 1984 on the album 'La Notte, La Notte'. The St Etienne one reached number 11 in 1995.
On An On - The Hunter John: From Chicago, that's out tomorrow, off the album 'Give In'. Carolyn: Didn't like it. John: I thought you'd go for those big swoopy late '80s/early '90s bits. Carolyn: Yeah, that bit was OK. The auto-tuney bits might get a bit annoying on repeat listening though.
Suede - Barriers John: Their first stuff for ten years, that's the new single off the forthcoming album 'Bloodsports'. Carolyn: It might be new, but it's instantly familiar. They've not changed much. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Dutch Uncles - Flexxin' John: From Marple, near Stockport, I reckon these are going to be huge in 2013. That's Flexxin', the new single off the debut album 'Out Of touch In The Wild'. Two Xs, no G. Carolyn: Bloomin' spelling again! What do they teach these kids?
Virals - Summer Girls John: From Worcester, that's off an EP called 'Strange Fruit'. Carolyn: I like that. Sounds like The Vaccines a bit, and I like them.
Jacco Gardner - Clear The Air John: That's out on February 19 and he's from Zwaag in The Netherlands. It reminds me a bit of the Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) theme tune. Carolyn: I see where you're coming from.
One Degree Of Separation The Specials - Why? Fun Boy Three - Tunnel Of Love Carolyn: So have you subverted this format idea as well? John: You know I haven't. It's a simple one this one. I played some Fun Boy Three as you've previously expressed an interest, and before that it was The Specials with Why? which was the B-side to Ghost Town. Carolyn: The link being..?? John: Terry Hall, Neville Staples and Lynval Golding formed the latter from the remnants of the former.
Peace - Wraith John: Bringing it bang up to date, the new one from these. Another band of whom great things are expected.
Jagwar Ma - The Throw John: A 7-minuter, but again I don't apologise. I really like that. Carolyn: Yeah, me too. I'm getting a bit of Happy Mondays from it, if you see what I mean. John: Aye, a bit. And something else I can't put my finger on. Jagwar Ma are Jono Ma and Gabriel Winterfield from Sydney. In Australia, that is, in case you were thinking of a different Sydney.
Wave Machines - I Hold Loneliness John: New one from these who are from Liverpool off the album 'Pollen' which is out now.
Sweet Baboo - Let's Go Swimming Wild John: Sweet Baboo is Stephen Black from north Wales and that came out at the back end of last year.
