Wednesday 30 September 2009

What's Wrong With The Mainstream September '09 Playlist

Some how I've managed to put together this months playlist and it's a corker. Admittedly I've written the posts in the early hours so they're probably filled with mistakes and while the writing quality might not be there, it certainly won't be found lacking in the music.

Remember you can listen to the tracks as you read by clicking on the play icon next to the link, it will automatically move on to the next track when the song finishes playing. Your comments are always welcome even if you don't like the tracks or disagree with what I say.

Icicles For Fingers - Nathan Oliver

OK, let's get this show on the road. To start off with with we've got Nathan Oliver and on this track he's taken a sound reminiscent of The Coral or The Last Shadow Puppets and added an American tinge. It works well, not only that but he's giving away two more songs from his album. Just head over to his site.

Fragile - Frankie & The Heartstrings

When you go on a band's myspace and they haven't got any songs posted up you'd think your chances of getting a song off them to post would be pretty slim but the same morning I enquired I got a reply with music attached. So I'm very pleased to bring you this quality track. Remember you can now preview a track before downloading by clicking on the play button to the left of the link.

Photoshop Handsome - Everything Everything

This is a song that makes me think of the graphic designers I used to work with. One of them said there's nothing new in design just different takes on what has already been done. That might be the case with design but is it with music? I think Everything Everything have come up with an original sound and song. It's not ground breaking but it's something refreshing for your ears.

This Is Our Time - Lion O'Brien

Lion O'Brien are an unsigned band who recently self released an EP through iTunes and Amazon. I think it's great that a band can get their songs on iTunes for such a low cost (£60 I think). Anyway they sent me through the EP and I've selected this upbeat track for your listening pleasure. You can also get some of their other tracks free here.

Monsters - Yes Cassette

As regular readers may remember I discovered Yes Cassette by chance, hearing a song by lead singer Dan's previous band The Electric Cinema. Yes Cassette is the slinky older brother of The Electric Cinema with indie pop songs so infectious I wake up singing them having not listened to them for a few days. I would go as far to say they are my best discovery via Myspace and previously posted Rewind To Kickstart will make it in to my favourite songs of the year list. I've had a couple of songs that I haven't posted in the locker for sometime and they've just posted some new tracks on their Myspace site so there's plenty of new stuff for you to listen to. Enjoy Monsters...

Rhythm In The Dark - Midnight Spin

For me Midnight Spin have a sound that sits very closely with Ash. They're from the other side of the pond from Ash but with the two guys on vocals, Mike and Jim, adding to the similarities of Hamilton and Wheeler's vocals you then just need a love of guitars and yep you've got that Ash sound. No bad thing but they need to raise the bar if they want world domination.

Do Not Toll The Bell - Magic & Fur

A track I featured earlier in the month. Magic & Fur write about love, drugs and alcohol and like all three their music sinks gets in your blood and you feel it in your bones? Has it hit you yet?

The Good News - Philadelphia Grand Jury

The Phily J's seem like pretty cool guys to me and this is a pretty cool song. As track no.2 on their new album it gets it going with some pace and was always going to be on this months playlist as soon as I heard it. I posted it a few days back, how about some comments from those of you who have listened to it already...

Valentines Day Final - The Flying Change

Do you remember when Elbow did a cover of Destiny's Child's Independent Women? At one point I thought it was going to cause the band problems, people were starting to know them but only for that tongue in cheek cover. Other bands have made it because of a cover and then surprise surprise fall from grace when people don't instantly like their other material.

Well The Flying Change had their cover of All My Friends by LCD Soundsystem voted 17th in the 100 best covers of 2008. Understandably the band didn't want the highlight of their set to be someone else's song so they took the elements of the cover and made it in to their own song. Have a listen and see what you think, it's recorded live hence the dodgy recording quality on the vocals.

Into The Clouds - The Sound Of Arrows

I was brought up on the Pet Shop Boys by my big sister listening to them all the time. While they may not fit with my current tastes there is no doubting their talent and that they have produced music over such a large period of time shows there's certainly a loyal fan base out there. If you're one of those fans I recommend you check out The Sound Of Arrows, to me they sound like a modern Pet Shop Boys, even the vocals are reminiscent of Neil Tennant's. The Sound Of Arrows released the track on Monday through Neon Gold. As always comments are more than welcome...

We Are A Lighthouse - The Rocketboys

Another track I posted about earlier in the month and what seems to be a 3WTM exclusive! The latest single from The Rocketboys doesn't disappoint. You could compare it to the vocals of Chris Martin, it's radio friendly yet has a alternative vibe to it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have been, I can't wait for my copy of the album to arrive in the post!

Traitors - Apteka

Shades on in the car, cruising down the motorway "so come on, SO COME ON". This month's playlist is shaping up to be the best for a few months and this track just adds to the quality. Read my original post about it here.

The Price - Dappled Cities

If you're not in to this song within 30 seconds don't bother. If you can't spot this for the track that it is straight away you won't spot a good song in a month of Sundays. I think this is my find of the month and is on every rotation in my house / car / office.

God Bones - Saintseneca

I wrote about this band earlier in the month . If you like Fleet Foxes you might like this band, with four vocalists and a banjo led sound they've got a similar feel to 'Foxes but you wouldn't say they sound the same. Let me know what you think.

It's Thunder & It's Lightning - We Were Promised Jetpacks

I first discovered We Were Promised Jetpacks through an Insound Digital Mixtape in June. Often hit and miss affairs you can listen to a whole mix tape and just find one or two tracks you like. That's a hard slog and while I pointed out the track to occasional contributor Schonberg it didn't quite make the cut for the end of month playlist. Then recently I read about them on The World Forgot who are already stating their album These Four Walls will be in their top ten list come the end of year. Billy's words are enough to sell it to me, the songs just confirmed it.

Passenger - R..E.M.

and so we bring another What's Wrong With The Mainstream playlist an end with a cover. It's hard to imagine anyone adding anything to Iggy Pop's fantastic original version of this track and R..E.M. don't add anything apart from a great live performance and interaction with the small audience on Later with Jools Holland. However, that draws you in to the track and if you couldn't help singing along with the original you certainly be singing by the end of this track.

Monday 28 September 2009

Mix Tape Blind Date

I've been part of a group on Facebook for a while called Mix Tape Blind Date. It's quite simple, once a member you get a 'blind date' drawn out of a hat and you have to make a mix tape for them. With round 5 just finished I have finally sent off my date, Jen. As I've just become a Dad for the first time I put on tracks that tracked the life of our little one. From Chemicals Collide to Born Slippy, from Teenage Kicks to In The Year 2525.

Wednesday 23 September 2009

The Price - Dappled Cities

I have to thank Music of the Moment for pointing this track out, he may not have a lot of time to post at the moment but he certainly comes up with the goods on a regular basis. I'd never heard of Dappled Cities or Dappled Cities Fly (as they used to be called) before but this track has done it for me and I've taken the opportunity to download their previous album, for free, from their record label. I suggest you hot foot it over there now and do the same.

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Magic & Fur - Do Not Toll The Bell

Merlin from Radar Maker got in touch to tell me about Magic & Fur. A band from London whose only previous release was a limited edition vinyl release of their quality song Christine. It's worth checking out on their Myspace site. This time they're giving away Do Not Toll The Bell for free. It took a few listens for me to appreciate it but I think there's real quality in the writing of the track, jangly guitars make a more spooky than upbeat start. I think it's got a Darker Side of the Eighties feel to it but what do I know? Have a listen for yourselves.

Monday 21 September 2009

New Single and Album From Philadelphia Grand Jury

Philadelphia Grand Jury are a band I have posted about before, you may remember I'm Going To Kill You which made it on to May's playlist. Well that track will be on their album which is out on Friday 25th. Not only can you stream the album here but we've also been given the lead single off the album for you to download. It's an excellent track and first listen to the album suggests there are plenty of gems on there. I recommend you also check out Going To The Casino.

Friday 18 September 2009

Traitors - Apteka

I some how stumbled across this band but ended up with only a corrupt copy of Traitors. However 20 seconds was enough to make me hunt down a proper version of the track.

Listening to the track makes me imagine a smokey room, a band dressed in black with long hair and my ears hurting from the speakers turned up one notch too many. Listening to this track makes me feel like a real man, ug, ug. Early BRMC anyone? Apteka are from Chicago, they may not have the long hair but they're all men - as in there are no women in the band...

You can download their tour EP for free via their myspace site, well you could if Myspace wasn't being lame. Try this link on for size.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Write A Review For What's Wrong With The Mainstream

Fancy writing a review for our blog? The first person to get in touch will receive a copy of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes album to review for our blog. Get in touch by leaving a comment or by sending us an email. Good luck.

Hotlinkfiles.com not so hot


It appears hotlinkfiles.com is not so hot as it fell over a few days back. It appears to be back up and running but has wipped my account and files. Soooo, most of the recent songs I've posted are no longer available. Sorry. I'll go back to using box.net for the time being.

Monday 14 September 2009

God Bones - Saintseneca

With a band name sounding like a pharmaceutical product and a genre of folk I wasn't holding out much hope for God Bones when it hit my inbox. However as the label (Paper Brigade) pointed out "folk" doesn't do them justice. An upbeat song with banjo and violin the band have added layers of vocals and it works well. It's a song you feel you should be able to sing along to but at the same time find it difficult. You can stream Saintseneca's whole EP at their Myspace site or download God Bones below.

Friday 11 September 2009

More Bands Split...


I've just read that Tiny Dancers have split. They were my guilty pleasure, an album I really enjoyed and when you broke the album down it had no reason to be a guilty pleasure. Free School Milk was a well crafted album full of quality writing. The band are going on to solo projects and have promised not to be the "Joey" to Tiny Dancers' "Friends".

Thanks for the music gents. What better track to post than the last song on the album. It certainly shows their cooler side.


Another split announced recently was The Rascals'. Miles Davis has announced he is leaving the band and so they have called it a day. I saw them live supporting The Courteeners and all I can say is "meh".

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Daytrotter Sessions

I have another treat from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. They have recorded a session with Daytrotter.com and you can download five tracks for free from the web site. Here's a taster...

Tuesday 8 September 2009

The Rocket Boys - We Are A Lighthouse

The Rocket Boys have posted their first single to their myspace site and will be releasing their album 20,000 Ghosts at the end of the month. You may remember The Rocket Boys from previous song Like Ice In Water which made July's playlist.

They are also touring:

Tour Dates:

9/23 Abilene, TX - ACU
9/24 Austin, TX – Stubb's BBQ
9.25 Tyler, TX – Brewtones W/ The Ivoryline

w/ Dignan
10/7 Dallas, TX - Tree's
10/8 Little Rock, AR - Sticky Fingerz
10/9 Memphis, TN - Young Avenue Deli
10/10 Next Big Nashville Festival
10/11 Carmel, IN - The Warehouse
10/13 Springfield, IL - Black Sheep Cafe
10/14 Champaign, IL - Canopy Club
10/15 Chicago, IL - Martyr's
10/16 Toledo, OH - Frankie's
10/17 Butler, PA - Catacombs
10/18 Hamden, CT - The Space
10/19 Boston, MA - PA's Lounge
10/20 New York, NY
10/21 Philadelphia, PA
10/22 Washington DC - Red & Black
10/23 Charlotte, NC - Evening Muse
10/24 Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
10/25 Greenville, SC - The Channel
10/26 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
10/27 Macon, GA
10/29 Mobile, AL
10/30 Alexandria, LA - Finnegan's Wake

They have kindly allowed us to post their single...

Monday 7 September 2009

Have You Even Been Told You've Got A Weird Shapped Head? - I've Got Hurt Feelings



So it turns out my baby is just like me according to my Mum, well the shape of her head anyway! I've got hurt feelings but think about my baby...