20 May 2014

In which I break my Sisters Of Mercy duck...

Morrissey - World Peace Is None Of Your Business
Always nice to hear from Morrissey. This is off a new album of the same name due out on July 15. While he may raise some salient points, I'm not sure he's thought things through. If there are things that require change, I'm not sure that disenfranchising yourself from the process - denying yourself the one vehicle you have at your disposal - is a great way to go about it. We do have elections on Thursday. The Europeans are PR and your vote will count. Do get out and use it if you can, hoof out the extremists we got lumped with last time, on the back of pitiful turnout, and let's be grown up about all this, eh?

The Modern - Industry
This was their debut single from back in 2005 and I'd pretty much forgotten it until I heard it last week. I still like it. No idea if they're even still going.

Movie -Ads
Is that a bit of Devo I can hear in there? Either way, I like it. Something a little different to anything else out there. It's out on Skelly Records and if you're trying to find it, probably best to start there than enter 'movie ads' in Ask Jeeves or whatever your favourite search engine is.

Cover Version Corner
Binary Finary - 1998
Peace - 1998 (Delicious)
First, a trance classic from, unsurprisingly, 1998. They also did a more flowery version a year later. Originality being their strong point, that was called 1999, but I'm not sure it was strictly needed. Second, a version with guitars and lyrics from Birmingham band Peace off their debut EP Delicious. Completely different in almost every way.

Kitten Pyramid - Uh Oh
These are new to me, from Burton on Trent. This came out late last year and I like it a lot. There's plenty going on and doesn't sound too much like anything else. One to keep an eye on.

Bed Rugs - Wave
We've played these before. They're from Belgium and this is another one from late last year.

Lemon Jelly - The Shouty Track
Because it's warm and sunny and Lemon Jelly works on warm, sunny days. This is not in the usual laid-back vein, though. Off the album '64-'95 from 1998.

One Degree of Separation
Teenage Fanclub - What You Do To Me
Sisters Of Mercy - This Corrosion
I warned you about Sisters Of Mercy. They were (are?) from Leeds. That's off the album Floodland from 1987. Before that, the ever-lovely Teenage Fanclub. What a splendid band they are. That's off Bandwagonesque from 1991. The link is that they both appeared on the rather splendid soundtrack to the film The World's End which I finally got round to seeing last week. Gloriously silly.

Aim - Cold Water Music
Take it down a notch from Sisters Of Mercy with this, the title track from Aim's 1999 album. Aim is Andrew Turner from Barrow.

Psychemagik - Black Noir Schwarz
I've been after this for a while. It came out in February, but I've only just got my hands on it. Consider that your Tuesday night banger.

Jamie xx - Girl
I have an inherent suspicion of people who refer to themselves by the name of the band that they're in. This is Jamie Smith of the xx with a rather lovely down tempo track. Quite different to the stripped back style of the xx, it shows there's more to him than that.

Mr Scruff ft Denis Jones - Render Me
A new album from Mr Scruff landed yesterday. Friendly Bacteria is the title and it's steering away from the sampling and beats to something more melodic and with vocals too. It's still bloody good though. This is the first release from it. Bang on.

Here's all that on YouTube:



Back with more next week. Enjoy the Bank Holiday.

15 April 2014

Lots of new stuff this week, so let's get right to it.


Peace - World Pleasure
The first release from their forthcoming second album, the tricky one so the cliché goes. They made quite a splash with their first and this is a promising start to the second.

Ruen Brothers - Aces
Scunthorpe rockabilly. It works. Rupert and Henry Stansall are the aforementioned brothers and there's an album coming.

Knuckle - Living Hell
A two-piece blues outfit from right here in Huddersfield. I've seen them live and they are loud and energetic. This track is available as a pay-what-you-like download from their bandcamp page.

Cover Version Corner
The Monkees/Robert Wyatt - I'm A Believer
That was Robert Wyatt's first solo single post-Soft Machine in 1974. There was something of a kerfuffle when he performed it on Top Of The Pops when a producer thought losing the wheelchair was a good idea. Before that, of course the Monkees. From 1966 and the album More Of The Monkees.
Wyatt also lends his name to the phenomenon of Wyatting, by which you stick on a very challenging record umpteen times on a jukebox and clear off. Strange House In The Snow by Teardrop Explodes is a good one.

Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser
From 1958 and the album Have 'Twangy' Guitar Will Travel, but getting a release on Record Store Day which is this Saturday. It's a fun record and it's good to introduce this sort of stuff, back when rock and roll began, to a new generation.

Wolf Alice - Moaning Lisa Smile
Brilliant. Very grungey, but the vocals offset against the rough-edged guitars lift it to something else. That's off the album Creature Songs which is out on May 26.

Black Lips - Funny
A band that have become in vogue simply by never changing and allowing fashion to catch up with them. That's a very now sound and comes off the album Underneath The Rainbow which came out last month.

The Horrors - So Now You Know
New from these, off the forthcoming album Luminous which is out on May 5. Sounds a bit like late-period Simple Minds, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

One Degree of Separation
The Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual
Nirvana - School
Nirvana from their debut album Bleach from back in 1989. Before that, The Smiths at the height of their powers and the Meat is Murder album from 1985. One of the great intros.
The link should be obvious.

Honeyblood - Killer Bangs
A two-piece from Glasgow - Stina Tweeddale and Shona McVicar make up the band - that's off their self-titled debut which is out in July. Great stuff.

Oxygen Thieves - To Boast
To the Wirral now, and some more new grunge type stuff. Reckon it's safe to say Nirvana were an influence here. That's off the EP We found The thieves which is out on May 5.

Teleman - 23 Floors Up
These have been touring with Maximo Park, but are about to embark on a tour of their own and are well worth seeking out. This is off Breakfast which is out on June 2. Sounds a little bit Floyd, methinks.

Todd Terje - Inspector Norse
He's from Norway. Inspector Norse. See what you did there. His first album, It's Album Time, came out last week and has done extremely well so far. No better reason to play another track off it than that.

Applescal - The Veil
And to finish, another new cut from Amsterdam producer and DJ Pascal Terstappen. We're fans.

Here's most of that on YouTube:


And most of it on Soundcloud:


Back next week...

28 January 2013

Finally, we got back in the studio.

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.


Here's this weeks YouTube playlist.

22 October 2012

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - The Night
John: Reached number seven in 1975, but it's got a real contemporary feel to it. Mark Ronson's doing this, basically.
Carolyn: It's certainly stood the test of time.

The Vaccines - I Always Knew
Carolyn: That's two for two off that album now. Teenage Icon is catchy and so is this.
John: That's the new single and it's out on November 11.

Little Comets - A Little Opus
John: From Newcastle and the album, Life Is Elsewhere, was out last week.

Cover Version Corner
Velvet Underground and Nico/Record Club - Femme Fatale
John: Record Club is a project Beck has put together where they cover a whole album in a day and this is off their first one. Also, Velvet Underground and Nico is re-released after a coat of varnish this week for it's 35th anniversary.

Django Django - Life's A Beach
John: The fourth or fifth record from the album we've played on the show. It's terrific.
Carolyn: It has a real '60s vibe.

The Go! Team - Buy Nothing Day
John: As peppy a pop record as you could wish for.

No Ceremony - feelsolow
John: I don't know anything about these, because there's nothing to know.

The Kingstonians - Sufferer
John: Skanking round the studio to that one. We don't play enough ska.
Carolyn: Well you pick the records!
John: Originally out in 1970, that's on a Trojan Records compilation called Boss Reggae

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
John: Less of a country feel to that than some of their others.
Carolyn: I like the woah-woah-woahs


One Degree Of Separation
The Streets - Let's Push Things Forward
The d.o.t. feat. Claire Maguire and Danny Brown - You Never Asked
John: Your link here is Mike Skinner, formerly recording as The Streets and that was his second single from way back in 2002. His new project with Rob Harvey, formerly of The Music, is The d.o.t. and their debut album, And That, is out today.

Vampire Weekend - Giving Up The Gun 
John: From the album Contra from 2010.

Grimes - Genesis
John: Grimes is Canadian chanteuse Claire Boucher.

Peace - Bloodshake
John: From their debut EP Delicious which was out in August.

We're away next week. Back in a fortnight. In the meantime, here's your YouTube playlist.