Saturday 31 July 2010

3WTM July Playlist 2010


Oh yes, it's back and it's a thing of beauty. The end of month round up, the essential sync for your iPod, the food rations for your ears, iiiiiits the What's Wrong With The Mainstream playlist. Originally put together for Schonberg as a CD and then jumping on to the interweb as a blog, the playlist is designed to be downloaded as a whole, listened to several times and then pick off your favourites to add to your own playlist. Go ahead, cherry pick my beauties...

With all songs directly hosted you should be able to click the play symbol next to each song and listen to them as you download.

Stars
Releasing their fifth album Stars are no stranger to the music world but I'm not ashamed to admit I've only just been introduced to them. On this track the female vocals certainly remind me of Black Kids. The Five Ghosts is out now.


Hugo
Hugo's blues sound isn't new but it's not many artists who can do it this well. We posted his cover of 99 Problems just the other day so I'd show you what he can do when he's writing. Not bad Hugo, not bad.


Anja McCloskey
Tinker on those ivories in the right way and you've got me. Anja is from Haunted Stereo who we wrote about a while back and this is her debut release on her own. I think this is the start of something really good, come on Anja live up to your potential. We just need some nice strings now.


Cha-Cha
Mix the Kooks with The Virgins or Hockey and you've got Cha-Cha. That's either your thing or it isn't...


Steel Train
Somehow I managed to post the wrong track when I wrote about this band. I post a different track by them. I should have actually posted this track that was the one used in the video. It's a Bullet of a pop song - can I get any more lame?


The Whigs
If you bothered downloading the three tracks that The Whigs were giving away then you would agree that it's difficult to separate which one is best. I'm enjoying them all and I'll be ordering it as soon as I've finished this post. You should too.


Jeremy Messersmith
I was drawn to this song for its cover art, not usually the way I discover music but I knew what kind of feel it would have. Folk music singing about graves, not a revelation but disappointing when it's anything else.


William Fitzsimmons
Raised by his two blind parents would probably make your ear more acute than the next man's, this is a remix, I don't normally post remixes but I think this is worthy of your attention. He's got a beautiful sound but this remix definitely adds to it.


Hot Hot Heat
Posted earlier in the month, a freebie from the band. There are two reasons bands give tracks away i) because no one will buy it ii) because they've got a sound they think everyone should hear. I'd put this closer to number ii.


School of Seven Bells
Best song of their new album, always welcome on my iPhone.


Aerial
If The Cribs were from Scandinavia


Bishop Morocco
Having listened to the album after my previous comments, the album is closer to Joy Division than Stone Roses. For me this is the best song on the album.


Jubby Taylor
Sheffield product Jubby Taylor gets his acoustic guitar out and plays a cheery song about life being heavy like the weather. Add a bit of Badly Drawn Boy esq strings and you've got something.


Paper Swords
I've probably not given their album enough chance yet to comment on it. This track stands out but is that because I already knew it. As we all know that can often be the case so all I will say is that I really like this track, I love how the drums kick in after two minutes and it has a gradual build after that, nothing much at first, an instrumental section and then, after another verse the instrumental kicks in again. The instrumental swallows you and it could go on way past its 6 minutes for me. I posted about this on the 16th of June but as I didn't do an end of month playlist for June I'm putting it in this one instead.


Trances Arc
I'm still enjoying this one, I hope you are too.


The Honey Pies
The retro blues start nearly makes me skip this track, jump to 15 seconds in and I remember why I like it. You can tell I'm from the CD / download generation, no time for intros.


The Knocks
This track doesn't really fit with the other tracks on this playlist and so any normal person would drop it but that's not we're about here. I like it, I think you might too. They've got some new stuff out but this is my favourite so far.


The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
We've written about this lot before here and they are/were kindly giving this track away for free - it's worth having too.


J Roddy Walston & The Business
Find of the month and Jools Holland will probably wet himself when he hears this. I don't think it will be long before they're invited on Later... The label hope they will "do a Kings of Leon", having listened to the album the only comparison I can see is on track "I Used To Did" although I think they were meaning more success wise than sound. Kings of Leon with a piano? Kind of but not really. You tell me.

Wednesday 28 July 2010

99 Problems - Hugo


If BRMC and Kasabian did a cover together and they covered Jay-Z then it might sound a bit like this...

Monday 26 July 2010

Sacreligious Lullaby


Or so it was titled when I downloaded it. The actual name of the track is Hell Down Here and it's by Jubby Taylor. From Sheffield, Jubby was brought in to this world by a midwife with a speech impediment who introduced the baby to his parents declaring "here's chubby Taylor", "Jubby?" his parents asked and from there it stuck. Of course that is a complete lie but I wasn't supplied the song with any more information than "Sacreligious Lullaby.mp3 I thought we'd share this with you - hope you enjoy!".

The fact that Jubby is from Sheffield isn't a lie and the track is certainly worth listening to.

Saturday 24 July 2010

Brave Man's Death - J Roddy Walston & The Business

It sucks being a record promoter, well I think it must. At times you must be pushing a band you don't like, you don't believe in and they probably think the world owes them a number 1 record. I guess that's why you can't believe a thing they say. Occasionally you come across a good promoter, one that only sends you decent stuff, give you mp3s to post instead of just a link to YouTube and they introduce you to someone good who you've not heard before. Enter J Roddy Walston and the Business' promoter who is 'proud' of the album they have produced. I would be too.

Brave Man's Death has got balls, it sounds like an American band who's been on the razz with Paolo Nutini. J Roddy sounds like a man who has travelled far to get away from his roots but they've followed him everywhere and made him the man he is. The album's out in a few days time, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a slow grower in terms of chart success and then all of a sudden people will declare J Roddy Walston & The Business an overnight success.

Thursday 22 July 2010

Trances Arc - Boom City

An excited drummer and whoa, whoas end what is an exciting rock song. It may be nothing especially new but it's enjoyable as Trances Arc take you on an interesting journey through 90s guitar and vocal sounds. The track doesn't sound old just a bit familiar, I like it. Their self released "TA" album should be a good listen.

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Celebrations


Happy birthday to my wonderful sister and congratulations to Billy from The World Forgot on tying the knot. I was going to post this quality song (that I grabbed off Neon Gold) at some point so I guess this is as good a reason as ever...

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Taking the blog upmarket


Time for a 3D TV

I'm not saying that we're normally low brow at What's Wrong With The Mainstream but I thought I'd bring a bit of classical music to your ears. This piece has been used constantly during the world cup to promote a little know brand called Sony and their 3DTVs. Money wasted if you ask me but what do I know about marketing?

Sunday 18 July 2010

Aerial - Master Vacant Dreamers

When I heard this track the other day "finally" was the shout as I'd found something worth listening to in my inbox. After wading through endless number of remixes and reggae bands I was happy to hear this track from Swedish indie band Aerial.

Aerial have stated their influences amongst others as Pavement, Animal Collective and The Flaming Lips. I think they've got a bit of The Cribs about them and basically just aren't like the other pap I have to wade through. Jump to the top of the queue Aerial, you're on next...

Friday 16 July 2010

Friday Cover Special

As it's Friday I thought I'd post a couple of covers to keep you entertained. Two of them were sent to me by Schonberg, ocassional writer (hint, hint) for What's Wrong With The Mainstream. I'd been singing the lyrics for the first one without knowing what song it was and then out of nowhere Schonberg's CD pops up and has it on. The second track I got from The World Forgot wrote about back in April. The third track is cause we all like a sing-along every now and then, after all what's wrong with the mainstream? Wait is that a question or a statement?



Wednesday 14 July 2010

Fieldview Festival / OST - Promises

I've been contacted by OST (Old School Tie), terrible name, can't think why they abbreviate it. Anyway, they grew up not far from Bristol and they run their own festival called Fieldview Festival. So if you're at a loose end this weekend you could pop over and see the band. They've given me Promises to stream and the b-side "Wasteland" for a free download.







"Wasteland" is a strong track for a b-side and shows the band have potential as a middle of the road guitar band. "Promises" adds to that sound, bringing an 'ambient dance' vibe to their music (their words not mine) and it works. It takes them from pub band to something more advanced, I wait with interest to hear what more they've got.

Monday 12 July 2010

Bishop Morocco - Last Year's Disco Guitars

So we're on a roll with this whole posting thing and I think the blog might claim that it's back and properly open for business. I'm quite excited to bring you this, I think the duo have really captured a sound of the past in a track that harks back to the time of The Stone Roses. Not surprising really as they had the skills of Martin Hannett who produced Joy Division and The Stone Roses. Bishop Morocco have added a bit of their own to that sound with syths but I'd certainly be interested to hear the rest of the album - they are releasing it in the States on the 12th of September. I've asked for a copy, we'll have to see if they send it me...

Saturday 10 July 2010

Scoundrels

My inbox is already bulging to its max and then Scoundrels' PR fills it with big names that have something to do with the band - they know Madonna's cleaner or something. Anyway they sound alright and so rather than fill my post with name checks I don't really understand I thought I'd just tell you that they're a band from London who have a bluesy feel with a slight hint of Ocean Colour Scene.

They're giving this track away, so I am too...

Thursday 8 July 2010

Young Heretics - Risk/Loss

Whatever it is that keeps making me think of Garbage (the band) when I listen to Young Heretics is not a bad thing. I'd describe them as a Garbage for 2010 but I don't think the comparison is that close. Perhaps it's just her voice but I like it and I don't tend to steer towards many female voices. To describe their sound they have piano and strings but a heavier sound too. Bones of a Rabbit (which I've been sitting on a while, sorry) sounds a bit like a track that just got missed off the Matrix soundtrack. It's a bit lighter than the tracks on the soundtrack but could equally sit beside them in another film. I might post Bones of a Rabbit if I get clearance for it (Krissy?).

They're currently touring Australia if that happens to be in your neck of the woods.

Tuesday 6 July 2010

School of Seven Bells


There's something magical and maybe even slightly mythical about identical twins. So many people dress the same and act the same that we often forget how individual we are until we see identical twins. It's no surprise then that Alejandra and Claudia Deheza produce quite unique music, the drive for identical looking people to create something unique must be quite high. Formely in a band called On! Air! Library! they met other band member Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines when they were all supporting Interpol. They named themselves after a mythical (there's that word again) South American pickpocket training academy. If all the above hasn't got you interested in hearing what they sound like I haven't done my job properly.

I'm lucky enough to have been sent the album to preview and I will come to that when I've given it the proper attention it deserves however you can listen to it yourselves as they are streaming it on their website now and you can preorder the album if you like it. It's out on July 13th. To give you a taster here's a quality track that I know already deserves your attention.

Sunday 4 July 2010

La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream Remix)


My boss talks about work all the time, he'd talk 24/7 if he could. He only reads business books and only listens to business on the radio. Don't get me wrong it's not a bad thing, his enthusiasm is great and sure makes the days flyby. It turns out he did use to have a life outside of work (he's only a few years older than me) and he liked his dance music. In fact every now and then the radio gets switched over to a music radio channel and he absorbs whatever's on.

He told me about this remix, I was not impressed and when it got to the end on YouTube I went straight to turn it off, only it hadn't finished, it was just a pause in the song. My boss then told me how La Roux had sorted this mix out especially for a gig in New York and this was to be last track played before the DJ came on. As it reached the pause before it kicked in again the DJ thought that was his cue and came straight in, the mix went to waste...

Anyway I thought you might want to witness the one and only time Dubstep makes it on to What's Wrong With The Mainstream. Well there aren't any plans for more.

MP3: La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream Remix)

Friday 2 July 2010

Cloud Cult New Album

I really should tell you about these things a bit quicker like Billy does and he posts songs, which I'm not going to do. I'm not very good am I really? I've ordered their new album though and it's a secure connection now so I don't have to worry about my credit card being cloned now (which it was last time). Anyway the money goes straight to the band rather than waiting until it comes out everywhere else in September and giving the money straight to The Man.

Thursday 1 July 2010

Jal - a retired musician?

I think I might have mislead someone or some'body', either that or I'm being scammed, I can't work out which. According to guidetoartschools (dot) com I'm a retired British artish and I'm number 49 in their top 50 Rockin' Music Blogs by Real Muscians (how embarrassing it must be to be number 50). Thanks for the link Nathan but I feel like a fraud, my name's not really Jal and I'm no retired artist or am I...