5 March 2018

Good evening

Geowulf - Sunday
Australians in Europe - more of that later - Stark Kendrick and Toma Banjanin are old school friends from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Now they make music as Geowulf and their album Great Big Blue came out last month.

The Calls - Lost Art Of Romance
Leeds band kicking off their 2018 with this new single which came out a week and a bit ago.

IDestroy - Lemons
Bristol alt-punks with a track from their EP Pure Joy Of Life which is out this month.

I, Ludicrous - Ladytron
A tribute to Roxy Music who had a 45th anniversary recently.

Vandal Moon - Baby Sounds
Californian duo with the lead single from the new album Wild Insane which is due out soon.

Gang Of Four - Lucky
Leeds post-punk survivors - well, only one original member remains - this is off the EP Complicit which is out on April 13.

Gloria - Heavy feat. Arianna Monteverdi
New on Tjinder Singh's Ample Play label, these are from Lyon and is taken from the LP Oidophon Echorama which is out on Friday.

Dirty Laces - In Time
Mancunian 5-piece with a track from their debut EP The Modern Age which is out now.

The Creature Comfort - Alone By Your Side
A second single from another Manchester band. This is out a week on Friday.

Elegant Slims - Not Human
A debut record from New York City's finest new electro-pop outfit.

Nostalgist - Smoldering Amber
Adding to Seattle's pantheon come post-punkers Nostalgist. This is from the mini-LP Disaffection which is out on Good Friday.

Bonnacons Of Doom - Solus
Astonishing alternative stuff from Liverpool collective Bonnacons Of Doom. This is off their self-titled debut album which is out in May.

BBXO - Hard Road To Travel
Berlin producer Krisz Kreuzer and British-Ugandan poet Musa Okwonga - now based in Berlin - make up BBXO and this is their terrific debut single.

Sir Robert Orange Peel - Europeans In Australia
The enigmatic Sir Robert has a new LP coming soon. Snapchat is it and here's an early taster.

Night Giants - Don't Let It Happen
Brilliant debut single from new electronic dance act. More of this please. Lots more.

Youtube:



Soundcloud:



Bandcamp:



More of this kind of thing in a week

19 May 2015

Hello again. I'm tired and behind schedule, so less chat more music.

Thee Faction - Employment
Still annoyed with the election and work very much is a four-letter word. Off 2013's Good Politics.

The Novatones - Daddy Didn't Know
You know, sometimes I play tracks that at the time of putting the show together I'm not sure about. Now, I really can't see what I saw in this Jamie-bloody-T-doing-an-impression-of-The-fucking-Libertines effort. Learned my lesson though.

Happy Hollows - Astrid
That's more like it. Out on May 24.

Cover Version Corner
The Cure/8:58 - A Forest
A classic from 1980 and the album Seventeen Seconds. And then, from the album 8:58, Paul Hartnoll's version with vocal assistance from the Unthanks.

Suck Puppet - Happy Meal
Grunge-tastic from Connecticut.

Birdskulls - Good Enough
Good enough for me, that's for sure. These are from Brighton and that's on an LP called Trickle.

Wild Billy Childish And The Spartan Dreggs - Fen Raft Spider
Record of the week. Off the new album called Archaeopteryx Vs Coelacanth. Of course. Out now on Squoodge.

FFS - Johnny Delusional
When it was announced that Franz Ferdinand and Sparks were merging to form FFS and their debut single was called Piss Off, it was April 1. I assumed it was a joke then and I'm still not certain that it isn't. Anyway, the LP FFS is due on June 9 unless I am right and it's all a massive hoax. Which it still might be. FFS indeed. Good though, innit.

JD Meatyard - Waves
John Donaldson, erstwhile of Levellers Three and Calvin Party, is JD Meatyard. The new album is Taking The Asylum and it's very good indeed.

Kid Wave - Honey
Splendid. More where that came from on Wonderlust, out June 1.

One Degree of Separation
Extradition Order - Boy In Uniform
Gang Of Four - I Love A Man In Uniform
Flipping love Gang Of Four. That's from 1982 and the LP Songs Of the Free. Before that, from Warrington and off the new album Kennedy. It's not biographical as such, but draws on the JFK era. They say it contains "the only disco anthem about Lyndon B Johnson seeking the Democratic nomination for the 1960 Presidential Election". Fair enough.

Summer Camp - Bad Love
The title track to their new LP out next week. 

Saffron - Morning Levine
Not the former lead singer of Republica, rather a Canadian producer (damn you, internet). The new album is Petra II. Different from what Republica did with their hit.

The Cyclist - Heart Of Stone
And to finish, Derry's Andrew Morrison is The Cyclist and the EP Hothouse came out last month. And this is just superb.

Here's that on Youtube:



and Soundcloud:



and I'll see you next week.

17 February 2015

Back to it. Despite having this terrible cold coming on. I put myself out for you lot.

Mourning Birds - Leave Me Alone
We like these and have played a bit. Finally, there's an album due, coming in spring. Looking forward to it.

The Voyeurs - Train To Minsk
Formerly Charlie Boyer and The Voyeurs, new name, new direction. This is the second single from the forthcoming album Rhubarb Rhubarb. Incidentally, it's the Wakefield Rhubarb Festival this weekend.

Hooton Tennis Club - Jasper
New band from Liverpool, this being their debut single. It's had plenty of airplay, but that's not a reason to not play it.

One Degree of Separation
Lloyd Price/Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Stagger Lee
Not the original from Lloyd Price, but certainly the one that popularised it. It's an old traditional song about a wild west murder played in the '50s style by Price which made it to number one. Nick Cave turned it into more of a murder ballad.

Gang Of Four ft Alison Mosshart - England's In My Bones
They are back and as important and relevant as ever. This track from the new LP What Happens Next features Alison Mosshart of The Kills on vocals and there are other collaborations on the album.

Garden Of Elks - This Morning We Are Astronauts
I like that a lot - it's different. They're from Glasgow and the album A Distorted Sigh is due in spring.

Lusts - Temptation
Brothers Andy and James Stone from Leicester are Lusts. This is due out on March 2. Plenty going on in here to keep us interested.

No/No - Hardcore
To Milwaukee now and an EP called Drag that came out last October. Fits in well with the previous track.

Makee - Tone
From a self-titled EP which came out last November, this is a lovely, dreamy slice of Australian electronica.

Yokan System - Klee
And now to Tokyo for something out of the ordinary. This came out a week ago.

One Degree of Separation
John Cooper Clarke - Thirty Six Hours
Joy Division - Transmission
Of course the Joy Division, from 1979 that and still a brilliant record. Before that, opening for them here as he opened for them then, the bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke. That's off his 1980 album Snap, Crackle And Bop.

Hot Chip - Huarache Lights
New stuff from these, the first single from the new album Why Make Sense? which comes out in May. Something a little darker, moodier than usual.

Kalabrese - Makelovedisco
Swiss trance now, from back in 2008. Lovely stuff.

Real Lies - North Circular
And to finish, some prose-style rap from that there London. This came out last July, but I was clearly sleeping on the job as I've only just come across it. Late night Friday vibes to close the show.

Here's that on YouTube:



and Soundcloud:


Not in next week - more football - so see you in a fortnight.

29 July 2013 - The Yorkshire edition

Liverpool's had a few scenes, including one semi-popular four-piece beat combo they do like to mention a bit, as has Manchester, Bristol and of course London. Well it's high time Yorkshire's music scene was celebrated and with this being the week in which Yorkshire Day falls - it's on Thursday, August 1 - what better time?

Pulp - Do You Remember The First Time?
John: I remember the first time I heard this. From way back in 1994 and their breakthrough album 'His n Hers'. I'm conscious that Sheffield will feature a lot in this selection tonight...

Wedding Present - The Girl From The DDR
John: Up the M1 to Leeds now. From last year's 'Valentina' which I haven't listened to enough, a take of holiday romance behind the iron curtain.

Fila Brazillia - Neanderthal
John: Take the M62, A63 and Clive Sullivan Way and it's to Hull. Doesn't that dreamy, summery track evoke memories of a stroll along the gentle, lapping waters of the Humber? That came out in 2007.

Cover Version Corner
The Human League/Heaven 17 - Being Boiled
John: Back down the M18 to Sheffield, and this works as a cover version and our other format section, One Degree of Separation what with Heaven 17 being formed by ex-Human Leaguers Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh. I think you can hear the musical difference that caused that split. The Human League version, from 1978 originally and the album 'Reproduction', is really stripped back, bare, experimental. Heaven 17 tart it up, make it more grandiose, maybe a little bit pompous. That's off the 2008 album 'Naked As Advertised'.

Gang Of Four - I Love A Man In Uniform
John: Back to Leeds and everyone's favourite agit-punk rockers with an avowedly anti-war song from 1982 off the album 'Songs Of The Free'.

The Crookes - Afterglow
John: Love that. Punchy, lively and a woah-oh-oh-oh bit.
Carolyn: I like that. I love a good chorus.
John: Thought it's be up your street. That's off last year's album 'Hold Fast'.


High Hazels - Hearts Are Breaking
John: We've had these before too, still relatively fresh. That's jolly pleasant.

Hey, Rube! - Bali Hai
John: Another laid back, dreamy comfort blanket of a track from Hull. Must be something in the water... That's off last year's album 'Can You Hear Me Mutha?'

Chanteuse and The Crippled Claw - You're A Freak
John: Back to Sheffield for this and they've still got electro-pop covered down there. The Crippled Claw is Adrian Flanagan of show favourites the Eccentronic Research Council and Chanteuse is singer Candie Payne. I'm not sure how a leopard dances on the floor, but that's just lovely and verges on the 1980s Doctor Who score at times which is never a bad thing. More please.

LFO - LFO
John: And that's how Leeds used to do it. You've no idea how much pleasure it gives me to play that on the radio and really test the bass in the headphones.
Carolyn: Were you getting a bit of a dance on there?
John: A little bit. Man, that takes me back. 1990, that came out in, off the album 'Frequencies'. Low-frequency oscillator, before you ask.

Comsat Angels - Independence Day
John: Another band I've been trying to squeeze in for ages, but no excuse today. That's just a great record. From 1980 and the album 'Waiting For A Miracle'.

One Degree of Separation
Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair
The Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For You
John: There's this band called The Arctic Monkeys, right. You might not have heard of them, but I reckon they're going to be big. Obviously your link here is Alex Turner. I love the guitar on that Last Shadow Puppets track which is off the 2008 album 'The Age Of The Understatement. The Arctic Monkeys record comes off 2011's 'Suck It And See'.

Terrorvision - Tequila
John: Breaking the Sheffield/Leeds/Hull hegemony we've built up here, it's a big hello to Bradford for our last track. From 1999, this, off the album 'Shaving Peaches'. Do drink sensibly, folks...


Here's all that in a YouTube playlist apart from the High Hazels, Hey, Rube! and Chanteuse and The Crippled Claw tracks, links to which are in the relevant sections.
So much more that I wanted to play. Babybird (not THAT one), Longpigs, Utah Saints, Richard Hawley, The Ukrainians, Cabaret Voltaire, Spectrals, Menace Beach, The Mekons.... I'm going to expand the playlist out to include a load more stuff and you feel free to use that in your Yorkshire Day celebration parties.

Happy Yorkshire Day everyone!

19 November 2012

Maximo Park - The National Health
John: From the album of the same name that came out earlier this year

Gang Of Four - To Hell With Poverty
John: From Leeds, that was them railing against a previous age of austerity and worth another listen now.
Carolyn: Am I detecting a theme?
John: A little bit. A lot of things got me angry in the week.

Camper Van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling
John: But here's a solution to all the problems - just go bowling
Carolyn: With your knees?
John: Yes, last time I went, I was laid up for a week.

Cover Version Corner
Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Half Man Half Biscuit featuring Margi Clarke - No Regrets
John: Unmistakably Edith Piaf first, then the greatest band in the world singing it in English. Can't believe it's taken me so long to play them.
Carolyn: Yes, I know you like them.
John: They are the greatest band in the world. That's a non-album track from 1991.


Paws - Sore Tummy
John: This has been doing the rounds for a bit and I've finally got my hands on it. It's their first single from the album Cokefloat which is out about now.

Belly - Feed The Tree
John: From back in 1993, off their debut album Star. They kind of got lost in that glut of 1990s, female-fronted indie bands like Elastica, Sleeper and Echobelly, but worth digging out.
Carolyn: Is she singing 'take your hat off' or 'take your head off'?

DJ Shadow - Midnight In A Perfect World
John: From his debut album Endtroducing, which I discovered isn't easy to say out loud.

Toy - Make It Mine
John: We've played these a few times before, including the ten-minute epic Kopter. This is a little more laid back, but also off their debut album which is also called Toy.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Swim And Sleep (Like A Shark)
John: A US/NZ project based in Portland, Oregon. This is off their forthcoming second album, II, which is out in February.
Carolyn: So we're bang up to date then?
John: And our next track is from 1987...
Carolyn: Ah.

One Degree Of Separation
Echo And The Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
The KLF - 3am Eternal
John: The KLF with a rave classic from the early '90s, one of Bill Drummond's many and varied projects. Your link here is that Echo and the Bunnymen released their early stuff on Drummond's label, Zoo, which he ran with Dave Balfe. That was Lips Like Sugar from their fifth album, called Echo And The Bunnymen. They did four thinking up original names and then got to five and phoned it in. Pfft.

Friends - Va Fan Gör Du
John: Bright, poppy, short. They're from Brooklyn and I like that 1970s hand-clap vibe.
Carolyn: Yeah, it has a sort of playground feel.
John: The title, I believe, is Swedish for 'what the hell do you want?'

Tegan and Sara - I'm Not Your Hero
John: Identical twin sisters from Calgary, that's off the album Heart Throb which is out in January. I like that a lot - it reminds me of something, but I can't think what.
Carolyn: It does sound familiar.
John: I'll just have to listen to it more, which wouldn't be a chore as I really like it.

Cheatahs - The Swan
John: From their debut EP, Sans, which was out last month.

Here's your YouTube playlist.