Maybe their songs do sound the same - but that's 2010 baby - you gotta deal with it, let it go and admit that this here Modern Disbelief EP is just a collection of four great dream pop tracks and embrace Blackbirdx2.
Get your ears round the Modern Disbelief EP and other aural smoothness on their bandcamp here
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Here is a little fact about me, you may not have noticed before, but if you look a little closer at the slight red tinge imbedded in my nose you'll see I am a Scotch, a Scotsman, a Scottish, a deep fried munching, dram swigging, tartan shitting Jock. I haven't lived there since I was a wee bairn and my Mum's Englishness dilutes my tartan blood a tad, but I'm a hell of a lot more Scotch than our great patron Saint Andrew; a yoghurt scoffing, feta cheesed Greek. I don't actually know what he did, and as he hung out with all those bible lot, I'm not entirely sure if he actually existed, and if he did they sure could've hung him a little more dignity...
Getting a wee look there are ye laddie? Checking if he's a proper Scotch an' making sure he can see his soon lifeless Willy... he wasn't a proper Scotch and besides Scotland share the patron saint with the Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Romania, somewhere in Greece, Italy, Malta and Portugal.
Anyway, let's leave it to the Irish and anyone with the loosest possible connection to an Irish person to celebrate a Patron saint beyond any reason.
Here are some songs that are both Scottish and not Scottish but have something to do with Scotland... so that's the theme... And no a bagpipe or Deacon Blue in sight.
Words ain't coming to my head too easy today. I just had a wee look at their blog, they actually seem a wee bit insufferable, like the kind of knob's that think they're the life and soul of the party but really they're just irritating twerps that nobody really invited.
...So onto their music; well it's rock n roll I suppose and it's a bit bluesy with a bit of what some confused bloggers will call 'psychedelic', it's not really, but let's roll with it yeah?
It's worth a listen (what a salesman I am).
Episode 27. Rob & Callum return to the If There Is Hell Below chapel and discuss 'the worst kind of mum', 'has there ever been a truly massive band pop band to come from Sweden?' and talk male bums on record sleeves. Music comes from Museum of Bella Artes, Spiritualized, Anika, Pink Playground and Expensive Looks.
Tracklisting Spiritualized - All of My Tears Pink Playground - Sunny Skies Expensive Looks - Found Out Young Prisms - Sugar Tennis - Take Me Somewhere 900X - 101805 (remix by Tucker Martine) Museum of Bellas Artes - Days Ahead (Pistol Disco Remix) Childhood - Paper Wave Porcelain Raft - Tip of Your Tongue Anika - End of the World
I shamefully don't go to the 'night that celebrates itself' Sonic Cathedral enough, they always put on good gigs (i've just missed Still Corners w/ Ulrich Schnauss Dj'ing) and have started releasing some great records including a fantastic 13th Floor Elevators tribute album and the Team Ghost EP, which I love.
I guess for today I'll just have to celebrate the wonders of their latest Broad Church mix, full of jangling guitars, harmonies and garage rock. Enjoy.
Tracklisting 1. Ozzie - Android Love 2. Carriage Company - In Your Room 3. Bubble Puppy - Hot Smoke & Sasafrass 4. Shady Daze - I'll Make You Pay 5. Spacemen 3 - Mary Anne 6. Krzysztof Klenczon - Spotkanie Z Diablem 7. Bobby Jameson - Vietnam 8. Luke & The Apostles - Been Burnt 9. Dynastie Crisis - J'ai Mal 10. Larry Coryell - Sex 11. Blue Cheer - Parchment Farm
This is the stuff brothers and sisters, boys and girls, just straight up surf rock psych pop boogaloo - this stuff get you jiving. These couple of tracks come from Northampton but a mere few days ago sounding more like they came from more than a few decades ago. MORE PLEASE!
This coming Friday at my weekly club night Cassette Player, will see some fine live talent courtesy of two of Swindon's best live acts Anchor & the Wolf and Tommaso Galati (Disco Pierats were scheduled, but had to pull out) nevertheless if you're in Swindon this Friday there's no doubt that Suju is the only place to be.
Music can be defined by geography, a particular sound that comes from a particular place: if this is the case then half-Italian Tommaso is miles away from the Southern rootsy folk he performs.
His voice is rusty, soulful, lacking the insincerity that comes from someone attempting to sound 'raw', Tommaso is unaffected, uncontrived and it's all done with more than enough rock n' roll shuffle.
Tommaso Galati's debut album 'Mongrel' is available on iTunes
If there is any one reason for anybody to get excited about music coming from the humble office worker town of Swindon, it's Anchor & the Wolf. Formed by singer songwriter Zoe Mead, they make the kind of dreamy folk pop that sweeps you away like Beach House, Summer Camp and Bon Iver with a subtle cinematic touch of Sigur Ros.
Went to see Cherrystones this last Sunday at the Lock Tavern, he was typically great, his tune selection is disgustingly good; every track is your new favourite song. It's guys like him and Gaslamp Killer that really make me feel inferior. Cheers guys.
Spinning circulars before Cherry was Stanley Schtinter, playing some great soundtrack stuff, lounge funk, erotica, far flung sounds, flute heavy wig outs and even made the Happy Days theme sound like the coolest TV theme since 'Mysterious Cities of Gold'.
Here are a couple of mixes from Stanley, perfect listening when you're brain has got it's foot in dreamland and you need something classically cinematic before the curtains close.
Here's a little winter warmer; the debut full-length from Welsh cosmic folk krautrockers H. Hawkline 'A Cup of Salt', available on super limited vinyl from Shape Records (with free download). You may have heard the charming little cosmic folk ditty Gelly on the podcast, the rest of the album takes a similar approach a little light on vocals but they'd only really distract from the hypnotic autobahn forest H. Hawkline takes us through.
You can listen to the album on their bandcamp, download it for £7 with your choice of FLAC and MP3 or be lucky enough to get one of those select and wonderfully packaged vinyl HERE
Episode 26. Between Rob & Callum falling short of becoming the Heat Magazine podcast, a sordid excerpt from 'Rob Morgan's School Days', Callum's tropical dance tips and the difficulties of sharing a band name with a brand of confectionary - they do manage to put some tunes on, with Blood Diamonds, Feminine Complex, Cloud Nothings, James Pants and more.
Tracklisting
Sun-Ra and the Blues Priject - Batman Theme
Boston Spaceships - Come On Baby Grace
Big Trouble - Freudian Slips
James Pants - Darlin'
Blood Diamonds - Heart
Cloud Control - Rolling Stones
Cloud Nothings - Understand It All
Mountainhood - Apacotees
Gil Trythall - Nashville Moog
Djanimals - Nightshift in Blue
Lonely Galaxy - Bible Truth Depot
Feminine Complex - Hide & Seek
I have nothing I can tell you on this one really, which I always think is pretty nice sometimes, adds an air of mystery and it's kind of exciting to think that there are most probably many more tracks as good as this heard by only a lucky few.
White Cloud appear to be a short lived country rock group, who rocked pretty hard and when the females take over vocals they even have a bit of Betty Davis funk to them. Rocky Road to clear is a heavy country rock groover designed for long trips on open roads.
I have to give thanks to the Mystery Poster & Friendsblog for yet another fine upload, the full White Cloud album is available to download in full here
I have been meaning to put this album up for months, geez Louise does that make me sound out of step?
It's a bit of a mixed bag this, and just as well they're giving it away free, there are some great songs here but the musical styles are a little too schizophrenic for this to be a complete work. Nevertheless Fetus Dreams has some fine moments from the Panda Bear chamber fuzz pop of 'Polar Bear' (hmmmm), to the shoegaze reverb, drive and thump 'Fins and Shark'. 'The Hello Barrel' is perhaps the standout, but that's all a bit Beach House, Grizzly Bear and dare I say Fleet Foxes; it's almost like they're trying to tick some Pitchfork placed boxes, I don't think they need to. And why do they need a horrible Ian Brown early B-side as heard of Sunglasses?
Man, this is suppose to be positive, cos I like this collection of songs, it's no album but it serves to show that Heartbeat Hotel are something to listen out for - when they find which Pitchfork box is best kept ticked.
After bringing the Psychedelic Fuzz Funk Cosmic Boogie to the Horse & Groom back in October DJs Spacehips and The Mighty Zoo are gonna be armed with an unholier mix of funk, soul, garage, psych, kraut, the cosmic and the groovy.
Entry is free and we'll be kicking off from 8pm to the AM, for those who want a place to move your anxious feet when the stuffy pub closes it's doors at 11 - then Horse & Groom is the place to be.
Below you'll find a mix from my co-DJ/Promoter and record fiend The Mighty Zoo who has put together what he describes as "a Journey through Psychedelic sounds and beyond. Featuring music from Serge Gainsbourg, Ananda Shankar, Pierre Henry, The Shadows, Pop Levi, Marsha Hunt, Gonjasufi and more"
I'm working on a new Spacehips mix, which will be available on round disc at Cold Heat where you can also pick up a physical copy of The Mighty Zoo mix with artwork.
Bit of a buzz with your fuzz on this one, not much to make of this other than it's a bit of a trip. Taken from the film of the same name, check out the trailer, I've not seen it but from what I've read and seen it seems like a must for anyone interested in the Laurel Canyon acid scene of the late sixties.
Meant to put this on the last podcast, but for some reason or another it never got on, maybe cos it's a bit too California soul sunshine funk for that particular autumnal toned podcast. It's been floating about the blogs for a week or so and rightfully it should.
It sounds a little like Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack as re-imagined by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.
If there are any available you can order this record on 7 inch at their label Father/Daughters website.
The Idle Race? Only the band Electric Light Orchestra could've been. Good sunshine pop for the erm... morning. Jeff Lynne is a genius in these eyes of mine, you can hear some flashes of ELO in this brief just-under-a-minute pop gem in the brief slick slide guitar.
'MUSIC FOR FREEWAYS' - that's what the FWY!'s bandcamp says, I don't drive, due to finding it incredibly boring and being the owner of a pathetic infant like attention span - I will constantly suffer this crippling affliction I fear. If I did drive and had the 'CA 80's - 90's EP' on I don't think I could concentrate on the road without finding myself transfixed on FWY!'s hypnotic post punk on the autobahn, at this point it may enter my brain that I needn't drive the car as the mechanic rhythm of FWY! is steering me to my destination.
You can buy the EP for a dollar or two from bandcamp and be sure to check other digital releases on the Burundi Cloud label, I'm delving in further and it all seems like winner.
This record has been ripped apart by many producers but gimme the original baby and you got my feet going.
Of course as a kid this was my first exposure to this fizzy electronic funk.
Episode 25. There is a more autumnal feel to the pod, as Rob channels Jarvis Cocker by providing poetry, romanticising the mundane in his newly adopted languid tone. We discuss important music matters like the upcoming Frank Zappa week on X Factor and an example of how to turn a potentially great song into a steaming pretentious turd. The music is autumnal and our tone is akin to a warm hot chocolate in your ear, sit back and enjoy the pod.
Tracklisting Frank Zappa - Duodenum (Theme From Lumpy Gravy) Smith Westerns - Weekend Magic Fingers - Killing Time John Cameron - Front Titles Espers - Meadow Linda Perhacs - Parallelograms Bradien - Velera Christopher Casson - My Mother Said John Cameron - Looking For Kes Coma Cinema - Hell Valleys - Ordinary Dream The Small Faces - Autumn Stone
On a bit of a Small Faces trip as of late, easily one of my life's most defining bands. This was the first video I ever saw of them when I was a kid, just thought they were the coolest band of all time and boy did I lust after Marriott's jacket. A godly godly band, expect some SF on the next pod.
This is something of a Halloween hangover of a track, masterfully dark vintage synths, an eerie pacing bassline and the eventual clattering's of your senses and surroundings falling at your feet. This was recorded at the end of the 70s but I think it has elements of the darker end of dubstep to it, it even has the sound of bad weather a dark dubstep staple.
I've been getting a few musical bits and bobs through my cyber letterbox lately and I'm happy to say that it's all been pretty good, usually good enough to make the blog or the podcast. Nothing yet though has made me gush and fall head over heels as much as my latest email this morning from Poprebop a small label from Barcelona who release dub, electronic and experimental cassette tapes and free downloads.
Their latest release is a split cassette from F.S. Blumm (Germany) and Bradien (Spain). Each side essentially is essentially a collage of recordings of forgotten ideas, loops and collected sound; the website says of each side of the cassette...
F.S. Blumm "F.S.Blumm was digging up treasures on his old tapes and mini-discs: recordings from the road, recordings from the store-room. You will hear Blumm making music in a tent , in a van, in a hotel, in a kitchen, in a toy-store... and whenever. You will hear a little child talking: this is not an overdub, it is Blumm's son Wenzel talking into the recording. You will also hear a sweet-potato seller in Kioto, lots of car horns in New-Delhi or a dynamophone in the Berlin-Museum of Technology. Precious remains, tiny audio dregs, sparkling remnants. "
Bradien "After finishing the mixes for Linden, we in Bradien began to talk about the posibility of preparing another recording that would represent what, for us, had been left out of that album. With this premise in mind, we started gathering ideas, sounds, recordings, melodies, loops and instruments, until we managed to finish these songs. In the end, on Trim there are 5 + 1 remix which, in our view, use the context to a great extent in order to take shape."
More info including an MP3 stream can be found here
I urge you to download or buy these most exquisite, interesting and beautiful recordings and also to keep following Poprebop for further releases.
Here's something with some substance. Jon Brooks, the man behind D.D. Denham, an act I cannot stop spouting off about has put out a lovingly assembled a seasonal mix/mixtape for you to watch the leaves fall and kick away in your stride.
Beautiful electronic curiosities, library music, the psychedelic and wonderfully quaint cuts make for some great autumnal listening.
Keep in touch with Jon's podcasts, music releases and other such things on his blog here
The new single from Gruff Rhys is quite possibly the best new sound in town, played it on the pod and now it's in your eyes in the form of this here music video. Has a touch of the Wes Anderson's about it, cute girl too, she's an actress of sorts I'm told.
Episode 24. Featuring: how to cyber bully a sugar lord, monkey theatre review and Ian Botham's services to fibre. With music from Larry Gus, Two Bicycles, Girls, Teen Inc., H. Hawkline and more.
Tracklisting
Kurt Vile - In My Time
Ceremony - Marianne
Guards - Swimming After Dark
Teen inc. - Fountains
The Books - Beautiful People
Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aerooplane Over the Sea
The Sun Electric Band - The Last Time
H. Hawkline - Gelly
Girls - Heartbreaker
Larry Gus - The Sun Debates
Two Bicycles - The Holy Forest/Forever
Pastor T.L. Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir - Ever Since
