Bang Gang - "Sleep"

Bang Gang have already been featured on this blog and this Icelandic project of Bardi Johannsson's deserves another posting. "Sleep" is an earlier song from the debut album 'You' released in 1998. This showed all the promise that he later fulfilled.

Florence + The Machine - "Kiss With A Fist"

Florence Welch performs with her band as Florence + The Machine and after the release of her debut album 'Lungs' in 2009 she has gone on from playing London pubs to large festivals all over the world. She is currently loved by the indie crowd and a big chunk of the mainstream crowd... and she has taken home more than a handful of awards as well. "Kiss With A Fist" was the first 'Florence + The Machine' song I heard and it conjured up images of an intense relationship between a couple and their fights getting completely out of control... but deep down you feel there is an undying passion between them. I may be wrong,,, maybe it was inspired by 'The War of the Roses' movie. Either way, it certainly made an impression.

Wreckless Eric - "Whole Wide World"

To me, Wreckless Eric defines the whole Stiff Records label. Stiff Records were one of the great punk labels, with artists as important as Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and The Members, to name a few. If anyone ever asks you about Stiff Records (very unlikely, I know) all you would need to do is play them this song "Whole Wide World." The label's mission statement is all here, wrapped up in 4 minutes.

Harrys Gym - "Toothpaste"

'Harrys Gym' are a Norwegian band that may not be the best at English punctuation, but are certainly good at writing great, English language, pop songs. Actually, they probably deserve some credit, as it was an abandoned gym in the same building as their rehearsal space, that they took their name from. I somehow came across them and downloaded their second album 'What Was Ours Can't Be Yours' which came out earlier this year. The album is a well blended mix of classic pop and electronica. Dream-Pop may be a good way to define them. "Toothpaste" may not be as instantly appealing as some of the other tracks from the album.... however, the live, more acoustically driven version on the video below, reveals an earthly beauty that made me realise it deserved more notice.
Take morning and night!

Hamell on Trial - "John Lennon"

'Hamell on Trial' is the alter ego of Ed Hamell, a politically charged folk/punk rocker from New York. He is an intelligent humourist with interesting tales of sex, drugs and rock n' roll... as well as fatherhood, gangsters and even Bill Hicks. In fact, he possibly fits somewhere between Henry Rollins and Bill Hicks. His acoustic guitar playing style is nothing short of energetic and you could say the same about his vocal style, often half sung, half spoken, diatribes. "John Lennon" is a humourous story of the time he met his hero all those years ago. His live album 'Rant & Roll, The Terrorism of Everyday Life' is a good place to discover this artist if he is new to you. File under folk, or punk, or comedy, or spoken word.

I am Kloot - "To You"

'I Am Kloot' have been playing their unique blend of acoustic/alternative rock since 1999. The Manchester band released their debut album 'Natural History' in 2001, which was produced by Guy Garvey of 'Elbow.' Maybe that alone was a masterstroke because he has brought some of Elbow's lush arrangements along with him. "To You" is an acoustic pop song with snippets of slide guitar and a great vocal performance. This was released 10 years ago and they are still practically unheard of... what the hell is going on here? It should be 'I Am Kloot' this and 'I Am Kloot' that... and 'Lady fucking who?' But the world is not perfect.

CLASS ACTRESS - "Let Me Take You Out"

Class actress are a New York trio consisting of singer songwriter Elizabeth Harper and a couple of producers Scott Rosenthal and Mark Richardson. Elizabeth Harper had previously released her more guitar based material under her own name. Mark Richardson did a remix of one her songs, and after that, she decided to bring him on board. So while the songs had already been written, the new production they were given, was her reason not to release them under her name.... and 'Class Actress' was born. The sound of "Let Me Take You Out" is more 80's Manchester than present day New York, with a nod towards 'New Order' and 'The Smiths.' Classy!

The Virgins - "Rich Girls"

New York band 'The Virgins' released their self titled debut album in 2008 and it featured this single "Rich Girls." You can definitely pick up the New York influences... from 'The Strokes' to 'Interpol' and mixed with their own disco/punk style, the final result is a catchy and upbeat party starter. If the production is too slick for you... then track down their earlier EP featuring a more unrefined original recording of "Rich Girls." Party time!

Demetri Martin - "Piano Jokes"

How to enjoy the Winter Solstice... creamy pasta, red wine, Bitter FM, bread and butter pudding, Volcanic coffee, port and finally some comedy from Demetri Martin.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - "Time of the Assassins"

Charlotte Gainsbourg is the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin... so I don't need to talk up her credentials. Her first recording was the provocative duet "Lemon Incest" with her father in 1984 when she was about 12 years old. She started her acting career at about the same time and followed that career path, other than her debut album 'Charlotte for Ever' in 1986. Her next album '5.55' wasn't until 20 years later, in 2006. She followed that up in 2009 with 'IRM.' 'IRM' was produced by, and co-written with Beck and the single "Time of the Assassins" was also released as an EP with additional remixes added. "Time of the Assassins" is one of many great moments on a heartfelt and personal album that deals with her surgery and in particularly her MRI scans (IRM in France) after an accident. Maybe a better introduction to her music than "Lemon Incest"... but can decide for yourselves.



Lemon Incest

Little Bark - "In The Forest"

'Little Bark' is another name for Wellington musician Sophie Burbery. She released an album 'Hope is Rubbery' in 2010, which was a double CD under, both, her real name and her 'Little Bark' alter ego. Supposedly, an album of two halves... with her electro-pop side attracting my attention initially. "In The Forest" is an 80's synth-pop/electro number that is the perfect pop hit that never was. She certainly has some catchy and upbeat elements to her 'Little Bark' songs... but a slight quirkiness keeps it interesting.

LOVE INKS - "Blackeye"

'Love Inks' are a band from Austin featuring the sweet vocals of Sherry LeBlanc. Their debut album 'E.S.P' has just been released and my E.S.P tells me that you won't be able to stop playing this album. It was recorded on reel-to-reel tape at Sherry LeBlanc's home. It may be minimal, but doesn't come across as a typical DIY lo-fi recording. The single "Blackeye" is an instantly appealing pop song with the simple drum machine beats keeping it all together... beautifully. The greatest band that no-one's heard of... yet.

Morrissey - "Margaret on the Guillotine"

One thing has to be said about great songwriters... and that is their ability to convey messages and subjects in a cryptic, ambiguous and subtle way. Often getting the message through to us eventually, sometimes with the help of a press release, and other times giving everyone a differing opinion. There have been books written about a single Bob Dylan song... let alone, hundreds of books pondering the lyrics of him and many other artists. Which proves that we like to have an opinion on and discuss the meaning of a lot of the great songs out there. Morrissey is a great example of a lyricist with so much respect... with tons of literary references throughout his songs. However, there is one such Morrissey song that he completely forgot about subtleties and he just went for the jugular. That song is "Margaret on the Guillotine" from his post Smiths debut solo album 'Viva Hate' (the album was originally released as 'Education in Reverse' in New Zealand) released in 1988. It was about the then Prime Minister of the UK, Margaret Thatcher. His tongue may have been in his cheek, but it made me a little uneasy the first time I heard it... partly because this time I didn't have to decipher the lyrics at all... my perspective would've been the same as everyone else's. A grand political protest statement? or just lyrically lazy? Either way, I forgave him.

Scattered Trees - "Love and Leave"

Chicago band 'Scattered Trees' recently released their debut album 'Sympathy' and the title reflects the mood of the album, which is loss, tragedy, death and mourning. "Love and Leave" is certainly about loss and sadness, but the sound is upbeat and turns out to be a pop gem. Their debut may be introspective and therapeutic, but it carries enough weight to establish themselves as a band with a big future.

HeartsRevolution - "C.Y.O.A"

HeartsRevolution are an electro-dance punk outfit from New York. The band consists of two core members Ben Pollock and Leyla 'Lo' Safa. They haven't yet released their debut album but caused a bit of a fuss in certain places (NME etc.) with the release of their singles and EP's to date. "CYOA" (Choose Your Own Adventure) was one such EP released in 2007. The title song is an angst driven slice of shouty DIY dance-punk... a little bit of M.I.A and a whole lot of attitude. COOL

Saint Etienne - "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"

English alt-dance band 'Saint Etienne' were influential in introducing dance music to the young indie rock crowd in the early 90's. Their best early example of it was their cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" from their debut album 'Foxbase Alpha.' They complete remade the Neil Young classic to the extent that, to some people, it was unrecognisable. On Foxbase Alpha Sarah Cracknell wasn't yet established as a full time member and she shared the vocals with other female vocalist.... and now a lot of people assume it is her on the vocals of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" but it is actually Moira Lambert, who somehow fell under the radar thereafter. But not a bad song to be remembered for.

David Axelrod - "Holy Thursday"

David Axelrod is a Los Angeles musician, arranger and producer. He had already established himself as a much sought after producer at Capitol Records before he released his debut solo album 'Song Of Innocence' in 1968. His first two albums 'Song Of Innocence' and 'Songs Of Experience' were inspired by the poetry collections of William Blake. The music is a fusion of orchestral rock, jazz, R n'B and pop and "Holy Thursday" is the much sampled highlight on the debut.

Tobacco - "Stretch Your Face"

Tobacco is one of my current favourites when it comes to experimental electronica music. Tobacco is the name for American musician Thomas Fec, who is also the leading member of 'Black Moth Super Rainbow.' Here on his 2010 album 'Maniac Meat' he cleverly mixes all the fuzz, feedback, vocoder, break beats and everything else into stretched and surreal mini symphonies. "Stretch Your Face" got me hooked from the first listen. A nice change from the traditional electronic music that can get us high on the creativity alone.

Bob Marley + The Wailers - Trenchtown Rock (Trio Elétrico Remix)

In 2007 we finally got a Marley family approved remix album by Bob Marley and the Wailers called 'Roots, Rock, Remixed.' Previous to this album there were some dodgy remixes out there and 'Roots, Rock, Remixed' should have finally made the others insignificant. The remixes have kept the songs intact and are not focused on totally reinventing them and making them unrecognisable. "Trenchtown Rock" remixed by Trio Elétrico is possibly more dance based than the others... but not overpowering.

Larry Wallis - Police Car (2002 Extended Version)

Larry wallis originally released this song "Police Car" in 1977 when he was a producer at Stiff Records. Previously to this he was a member of 'Motorhead' and 'The Pink Fairies.' "Police Car" was re-recorded in 2002 in more of a rock style than the original New Wave recording... they are both fantastic. I suppose a good song will always be a good song.

Jason Lytle - "Ghost of My Old Dog"

Jason Lytle was formally the leader of 'Grandaddy' and released his debut solo album 'Yours Truly, the Commuter' in 2009. It was not too far from a Grandaddy album and would've kept the fans of the original band happy. His subject matter over the years has been far from traditional, but usually strangely interesting. One such track from the album is "Ghost of My Old Dog" which is an interesting ode to long lost pets.... but not in the way "Shannon" was for Henry Gross. Lytle is seemingly caught out thinking about someone he once loved.... which he has to admit is true, but it is the ghost of an old dog he is thinking about. I love this song and I know there will be a time in the near future that this song will mean a lot more to me, personally.



(Lyrics)
And she would know
For it was she
Who said that I
I looked happy
In the photos
Where I would pose
With the pets
That I once had

But they're all gone now
To earthen bed

Don't yell at me
Cus you can't see
Who I am thinking of

You act as if
You've caught me with
Someone I used to love

Well, I guess you caught me
But you won't stop me
And I'll never have enough

I'm only talking
I'm only laughing
With the ghost of my old dog

But they're all gone now
To earthen bed

Nick Cave - "Watching Alice"

The 1988 album 'Tender Prey' was Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' first masterpiece that set the standard thereafter... although it was hard to emulate, I think he managed to do it at least a couple of times. This was the template for his dark humour and powerful but somewhat melodic material to follow. None more powerful than "The Mercy seat" which is the rant or thoughts of a man just before he is executed by the electric chair. But that may be a blog for another day. The song that may have fallen through the cracks of such an essential album was "Watching Alice." A perverse but melancholic ballad that is as depressing as it is beautiful.



(Lyrics)

Alice wakes
It is morning
She is yawning
As she walks about the room
Her hair falls down her breast
She is naked and it is June

Standing at the window
I wonder if she knows that I can see

Watching Alice rise year after year
Up in her palace, she's captive there

Alice's body
Is golden brown
Her hair hangs down
As she stoops to conquer me
First she pulls her stocking on
And then the church bell chimes
Alice climbes into her uniform
The zippers on the side
Watching Alice dressing in her room
It's so depressing, it's cruel

Watching Alice dressing in her room
It's so depressing, it's true

10cc - "I'm Mandy, Fly Me"

10cc released "I'm Mandy, Fly Me", their greatest song, in my opinion, in 1976 as a single and on their 'How Dare You' album. There are some out there that are adamant that the song is about a drug called Mandrex (mandies) and it sounds plausible after listening to the lyrics. However, Eric Stewart stated in an interview that the inspiration was actually from an advertising campaign for National Airlines. He remembered a poster with an attractive stewardess and a slogan like "I'm Cindy, fly me" which had obvious sexual connotations. It was seeing a tramp looking up at one of the posters in Manchester and straight away thinking that there is a song there. He changed the name to Mandy and took the idea back to the band and Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley ran with it and they eventually created their masterpiece. A tramp's fantasy was now everyone's fantasy. Brilliant art that was in no way "Art for Art's Sake!"





Just like a rollin' stone
I'm outside lookin' in
But if your chance came would you take it
Where on earth do I begin
I'm Mandy fly me

I've often heard her jingle
It's never struck a chord
With a smile as bright as sunshine
She called me through the poster
And welcomed me aboard
She led me she fed me
She read me like a book
But I'm hiding in the small print
Won't you take another look
And take me away
Try me Mandy fly me away

The world was spinning like a ball
And then it wasn't there at all
And as my heart began to fall

I saw her walking on the water
As the sharks were comin' for me
I felt Mandy pull me up give me the kiss of life
Just like the girl in Dr. No No No No

Ah when they pulled me from the wreckage
And her body couldn't be found
Was it in my mind it seems
I had a crazy dream
I told them so but they said no no no no

I found me on a street
And starin' at a wall
If it hadn't have been for Mandy
Her promise up above me
Well I wouldn't be here at all
So if you're travellin' in the sky
Don't be surprised if someone said Hi
I'm Mandy fly me

The Streets - "Get Out Of My House"

What I have always liked about The Streets' Mike Skinner is his style of rap that doesn't hide his London accent and also the fact that his songs are all about everyday life and real relationships. His second album 'A Grand Don't Come for Free' was the soundtrack to the best movie that wasn't made... it was a concept album about someone, much like himself, during a period of his life where he lost some money (1000 pounds), had a new relationship, a broken relationship and ends with him finding the money again. It had a couple of successful singles "Fit But You Know It" and "Dry Your Eyes" but the track "Get Out of My House" was the highlight for me. The protagonist's girlfriend throughout the album is Simone and on "Get Out of My House" we also hear her side of the story, during an argument, where she kicks him out of her house. Simone is played by Nottingham rapper C-Mone on this song and she steals the show... the best bickering and arguing on record since "A Fairytale of New York."



(Lyrics)

[CHORUS (GIRL):]
Go, get out of my house
Please
And actually give me back my keys
But
I'll be proper angry
If
You're not back later on your knees

[GIRL:]
Look, if I'm talking to you you shouldn't be gawping in thin air
You're so selfish but what about us, as in pair?
I needed you to come over man, I needed you to be near
I'm about to do something crazy; you'll regret this, I swear
This one time I really needed you to head over mine where
I was throwing up all morning it was all in my hair
Then because I was so dizzy I almost fell down the stairs
Like you always do, you know, you just don't fucking care

[CHORUS]

[MIKE:]
Look, come on, calm down, it wasn't all totally like that
You're over-reacting just a bit, maybe we can sit down and chat?
It's just you know I had stuff to do, you know, this and that
Maybe it wasn't so important as you being in the sack
But I had to sort out my pills man, I needed to stock up my stash
I couldn't do it any other day, I had to do it then, quick, snap
And you didn't want me there last Sat so I left you on your jack
And this Saturday I thought it was the same deal as last Sat at your gaff

[CHORUS]

You don't care about my broken TV
I sit on my sofa all day smoking weed
I never phoned that bloke from the TV company
So please don't be like this, please please please

Actually now I think about it, what am I guilty about?
I felt like I was in the wrong, I felt like I was the lout
Oi, this is what happened last Saturday now, I think I remember now
You were ill last Saturday and two weeks before that little bout
You know I need that medication for my epilepsy now
Or I run the risk of having a fit, you know I can't go without
So when you being in bed is because last night you got pissed
It's you that's being selfish, it's you that don't give a shit

I'm gone, I'll get out your house
Then
I'll never be back again
But
I'll still be 'cieving when
You
Text me to make up and be friends

So there you go
Eh?
Don't try and gimme that shit, right?
'Cos, d'you know what I mean?
You're not exactly...fuckin'..y'know..d'you know what I mean?
It don't really matter anymore, d'you know what I mean?
It's hard enough to remember my opinions without remembering my reasons for them
You're confusing me now
I'm not gonna give you an example
I can't remember an example
You do it all the time
You know, that thing that you do
I...look, I can't remember when you last did it can I?
I'm gone anyway
I'm never gonna darken your towers again, I'll tell you that
And that thing about Femme Fatale yeah?
She's fit, and she's fitter than you anyway
I like her, d'you know what I mean?
I'm never gonna meet her
So before you get these jealous...I like her, y'know

You can turn that off