The 3WTM Playlist has been something this blog has prided itself in over the years but sadly it's been a bit sporadic at times. So three months in a row is not a bad record. Now check out these records.
Bad Boyfrined - Spector
I'm starting to get excited about the next Spector album. Having already enjoyed All The Sad Young Men and Don't Make Me Try it was definitely a relief to see them carry on the form in Bad Boyfriend. Their first album was hit and miss and failed to live up to expectations. Maybe this one meet them?
Collaborations Don't Work - FFS
Franz Ferdinand and Sparks (FFS) team up and then they tell us collaborations don't work. Except they do. This may be taking the piss out of themselves but you can't help but smile as you listen to it. Then you start singing along. Then you start singing it at work to your fellow collaborators. Still it's all good.
Our Last Shot - Groenland
This track starts of querky, the kind you get in an 'independent' film stacked with stars who want to 'just give something back to the industry'. Like the fake sentiment of the actors and actresses this song steadily turns in to something produced by the Brits School. Still worth of a listen and a part of this month's playlist. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this song as it was released back in 2013 but it's worth your time.
When They Fight, They Fight - Generations
I'm guessing I discovered the last one on Spotify and this is no different and the two go well together. It's got a west coast surfer feel to this catchy, infectious pop song.
Sometimes I Feel So Deserted - The Chemical Brothers
As I'm doing a lot of running lately there are no better bands than The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, if you can call him a band as it's a one man name, (to quote the song) and The Chemical Brothers. Upbeat, great tempo, it's another one to pound the ears as I pound the streets.
Exodus of the Year - Royal Canoe
Another Spotify discovery and on my first few listens I wasn't too sure about it but each time it seeps in through every pore and draws you in to the song. Take a few listens and I'm sure you'll feel the same.
Regret - Everything Everything
EE, how do you do this? I start off thinking this isn't as good as the track I featured in last month's playlist yet it grows on me again and again. Now I think it's a solid track and can't separate the two.
Go Go Go - Life
For me Life are the next big thing. If only everyone else knew. They're like The Vaccines but a bit punkier and a bit cooler. This isn't their best track but certainly another step towards what I hope will be a cracking debut album.
Hold On Tight - Greg Holden
I feel it's not cool to like this song but having been introduced to it by Chris (co-writer of this blog) I think I can get away with it. It's all about appreciating what you have in life and I'm a big believer in that.
Flute - New World Sound
Not normally the type of track to feature on this blog but certainly one I enjoyed as is psyched me up for my 10K this morning. That and The Walk by The Foos had me buzzing on the start line and ready to go.
Loveblood - Sundara Karma
Another tip off by Chris and it's one of those tracks that I lazily compare to Arcade Fire. A band with such a diverse sound and such an energy that it's easy to link bands to. However I do think if like them you may like this.
Stupid Games - WATERS
I certainly get enough emails from the PR people for this band but again it was Chris's playlist on Spotify that I found it. Chris does seem to like new music with a hint of retro, especially if they've got synths. This ticks all those boxes.
Needle And A Knife - Tennis
They brought us the excellent Origins that featured on a previous blog and Needle and A Knife is another impressive track from this husband and wife duo from the states.
The Way That I Live - Ed Harcourt
The first of a few tracks that I've enjoyed from artists that have been on the blog recently. A big, strong ballad from the Mercury nominated artist.
Wrong Direction - British India
A recent track from the Aussie band, sounding great as I sip my Fosters.
Lonely At The Drop - Jimi Goodwin
Certainly some solid stuff from the ex-Doves man.
As always these tracks and others featured on this blog this month are available on our Spotify playlist.
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Friday, 15 May 2015
A Few More Tracks To Share
Oops - forgot to publish this a couple of weeks ago - anyway, here it is.
Inspired by John's excellent playlists, I thought I'd share a few more tracks which seem to me to have something special. Many of these are already on my 'Great Songs To Share' Spotify list.
I'll start with an old track - and one which I'd never heard of until it was played on 6 Music the other night - it's 'Vitamin C' by Can from 1972. I'd never even heard of Can - they were apparently an experimental outfit who produced some stuff that even their mothers would struggle to like - well I don't think that's true of this track.
Right ... next up, Laleh and 'Speaking of Truth' - and OH WOW. A recent release is 'Speaking Of Truth - Orchestrated'
This has got absolutely beautiful orchestration in it, and stunning singing - I have listened to it many times. So, just now, when I was searching for the link to paste into this article, I found the original song from a couple of years ago - and what a cracking original. I think I probably prefer it, so here it is:
I have subsequently bought the album with the original on it, but had to buy an imported CD as it hasn't been released in the UK. It's a great album with some songs in Swedish on it.
Just another great song - I don't know anything about Aurora, but here she is with 'Running With The Wolves':
You probably don't need me to introduce you to this track, but it is stunning and is included anyway. The National and Sunshine On My Back
OK, next up, Zac Brown Band, Chris Cornel wtih Heavy Is The Head. Great.
Oh! No link! Yet another excellent Django Django track - Shake And Trouble, but it's not on YouTube or Soundcloud. Oh well - have a listen somehow if you can.
Inspired by John's excellent playlists, I thought I'd share a few more tracks which seem to me to have something special. Many of these are already on my 'Great Songs To Share' Spotify list.
I'll start with an old track - and one which I'd never heard of until it was played on 6 Music the other night - it's 'Vitamin C' by Can from 1972. I'd never even heard of Can - they were apparently an experimental outfit who produced some stuff that even their mothers would struggle to like - well I don't think that's true of this track.
Right ... next up, Laleh and 'Speaking of Truth' - and OH WOW. A recent release is 'Speaking Of Truth - Orchestrated'
This has got absolutely beautiful orchestration in it, and stunning singing - I have listened to it many times. So, just now, when I was searching for the link to paste into this article, I found the original song from a couple of years ago - and what a cracking original. I think I probably prefer it, so here it is:
I have subsequently bought the album with the original on it, but had to buy an imported CD as it hasn't been released in the UK. It's a great album with some songs in Swedish on it.
Just another great song - I don't know anything about Aurora, but here she is with 'Running With The Wolves':
You probably don't need me to introduce you to this track, but it is stunning and is included anyway. The National and Sunshine On My Back
OK, next up, Zac Brown Band, Chris Cornel wtih Heavy Is The Head. Great.
Oh! No link! Yet another excellent Django Django track - Shake And Trouble, but it's not on YouTube or Soundcloud. Oh well - have a listen somehow if you can.
Saturday, 9 May 2015
Calexico - Edge of the Sun
Sometimes my trawling of new releases on Spotify doesn't always catch everything I might like. An example of this is Edge of the Sun by Calexico. This showed up instead on the Amazon website as a new release. Incidentally, it is within Spotify's catalogue,
Well, I knew nothing at all about Calexico - a quick look at their bio on Spotify informed me that they produced an album in Europe when they first formed, but moved to the States and met with greater success over there. They are named after a town on the border between California and Mexico, despite being based in Nevada, and perhaps unsurprisingly, their music is an eclectic mix of styles drawing from international influences. I listened to a couple of tracks on Spotify and it was enough to convince me that I would like the album, so went ahead and bought a copy from Amazon. This is now twice in a row that I've got lucky with a purchase - what a fantastic album it is. And also, the bonus material in the 'deluxe' version in fantastic too.
My only issue with the whole album, and it is more of a personal foible, is that there are a couple of tracks with steel guitar in them. I just don't get on with the sound of a steel guitar. I associate it with country music, and I don't like country music - although that is a massive sweeping generalisation. It just grates with me - so there it is.
The only problem now is ... I was looking for a way to share a track and found this video on YouTube. It is the only song from the album with a video (as yet) ... but it's very odd. A bit unsettling actually. I'll share it anyway:
Well, I knew nothing at all about Calexico - a quick look at their bio on Spotify informed me that they produced an album in Europe when they first formed, but moved to the States and met with greater success over there. They are named after a town on the border between California and Mexico, despite being based in Nevada, and perhaps unsurprisingly, their music is an eclectic mix of styles drawing from international influences. I listened to a couple of tracks on Spotify and it was enough to convince me that I would like the album, so went ahead and bought a copy from Amazon. This is now twice in a row that I've got lucky with a purchase - what a fantastic album it is. And also, the bonus material in the 'deluxe' version in fantastic too.
My only issue with the whole album, and it is more of a personal foible, is that there are a couple of tracks with steel guitar in them. I just don't get on with the sound of a steel guitar. I associate it with country music, and I don't like country music - although that is a massive sweeping generalisation. It just grates with me - so there it is.
The only problem now is ... I was looking for a way to share a track and found this video on YouTube. It is the only song from the album with a video (as yet) ... but it's very odd. A bit unsettling actually. I'll share it anyway:
Monday, 4 May 2015
Django Django - Born Under Saturn
Well, it's release day for Django Django's new album Born Under Saturn. I see they've featured on this blog a couple of times. Well based on the quality of their last couple of tracks, I took the plunge and bought the album without even a preliminary listen through. It is rapidly turning out to be one of my best buys ever.
Never do I buy and album and then just sit and listen to it through - I normally listen in the car or something or, while I'm doing something else. Well, here I am, doing exactly that - too gripped to even go and get breakfast. Well I suppose I am typing about it at the same time. I'm also quite chuffed to be first person to review the album on Amazon - if only I could have sounded wise in it.
Link Here
Never do I buy and album and then just sit and listen to it through - I normally listen in the car or something or, while I'm doing something else. Well, here I am, doing exactly that - too gripped to even go and get breakfast. Well I suppose I am typing about it at the same time. I'm also quite chuffed to be first person to review the album on Amazon - if only I could have sounded wise in it.
Link Here
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