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.

MP3: Icicles For Fingers - Nathan Oliver

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.

MP3: Fragile - Frankie & The Heartstrings

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.

MP3: Photoshop Handsome - Everything Everything

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.

MP3: This Is Our Time - Lion O'Brien

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...

MP3: Monsters - Yes Cassette

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.

MP3: Rhythm In The Dark - Midnight Spin

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?

MP3: Do Not Toll The Bell - Magic & Fur

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...

MP3: The Good News - Philadelphia Grand Jury

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.

MP3: Valentines Day Final - The Flying Change