Something that's really struck me this year (as I have mentioned on the show) is the use a few current bands are making of that late nineties, trebly, sounds-like-it's-in-a-funny-time-signature-but-probably-isn't guitar sound. So today's mp3 is by a band who used that kind of sound as a focus for some really nice instrumental albums a few years ago, Pele. This song is from Elephant, their third record, and it's a good summation of their kind of jazz-inflected instrumentals. Some great guitar playing and drumming too here.
Pele - Egg
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Monday 28 December 2009
Mp3 of the day #3 - So Damn Pure by Cass McCombs
Today's track is So Damn Pure from Cass McCombs' debut EP. It's fairly typical of that record, sleepy strumming plus a vocal that evokes Dean Wareham at his more narcotic. Not a particularly original sound, granted, but it's a very pretty record when you're in the right frame of mind.
Since the release of the EP (it's called Not The Way) he's changed quite a lot: I haven't heard that much of the newer stuff, but this has a certain charm of its own.
Cass McCombs - So Damn Pure
Since the release of the EP (it's called Not The Way) he's changed quite a lot: I haven't heard that much of the newer stuff, but this has a certain charm of its own.
Cass McCombs - So Damn Pure
Sunday 27 December 2009
Mp3 of the day #2 - A Leaf by Okkervil River
Here's today's mp3. It's from Okkervil River's split EP with Julie Doiron (which I finally managed to find on CD the other day, one of the reasons I'm posting it). It's a classic OR take on the murder ballad with one of their typical twists, bits of it reminiscent of The President's Dead and bits of it more like their earlier stuff.
Actually the whole Okkervil River side of the EP is pretty fixated with death; there's a good cover of the the traditional song Omie Wise and the slightly more upbeat He Passes Number Thirty-Three but it's all fairly bleak. But then you kind of expect that from this band anyway.
The Julie Doiron (ex-Eric's Trip) side is really nice too so pick this up if you see it.
Okkervil River - A Leaf
It occurs to me that this mp3 of the day thing is going to cover a lot of the kind of thing I might play on the show, so there might be some overlap. I'll try to cover different things on here; it'll probably end up being stuff I've known for longer on here as opposed to newer stuff on the show in future.
Actually the whole Okkervil River side of the EP is pretty fixated with death; there's a good cover of the the traditional song Omie Wise and the slightly more upbeat He Passes Number Thirty-Three but it's all fairly bleak. But then you kind of expect that from this band anyway.
The Julie Doiron (ex-Eric's Trip) side is really nice too so pick this up if you see it.
Okkervil River - A Leaf
It occurs to me that this mp3 of the day thing is going to cover a lot of the kind of thing I might play on the show, so there might be some overlap. I'll try to cover different things on here; it'll probably end up being stuff I've known for longer on here as opposed to newer stuff on the show in future.
Saturday 26 December 2009
Mp3 of the day #1 - Tremens by Sonic Youth
Firstly, I hope you all had a nice Christmas. I did!
I'm going to start doing an mp3 of the the day as often as I can while the show takes a break (hopefully daily). Here's the first. Not topical at all. Sorry.
Our first mp3 is by one of my favourite bands, Sonic Youth. It comes from the first in their SYR series of records, an outlet for their even-more-out-there-than-normal tendencies. I think it's the stand-out track on the EP, three minutes of brooding guitars, spacey echo and Steve Shelley playing some of the funkiest drums I've ever heard on a Sonic Youth record. It doesn't have a catchy tune or clever lyrics (or indeed any lyrics at all) but what I like most about this one is the whole aura of subdued dread, like the feeling I get from Spiderland or something like that. When the guitars do go noisy they don't overwhelm the song, brutal but restrained.
This is the sound of walking through the dark parts of a city at night - a feeling that a lot of Sonic Youth stuff evokes, but in a different way. Very nice.
Sonic Youth - Tremens
The first two tracks of the EP are well worth listening to if you like fairly minimalist and atmospheric improvisations. The last track is an anomaly, 6 minutes of very Merzbow-y noise. You probably need to be a big fan of both Sonic Youth and the Merzbow type of sound in order to get too much out of it. An interesting departure from almost anything else the band has done though.
I'm going to start doing an mp3 of the the day as often as I can while the show takes a break (hopefully daily). Here's the first. Not topical at all. Sorry.
Our first mp3 is by one of my favourite bands, Sonic Youth. It comes from the first in their SYR series of records, an outlet for their even-more-out-there-than-normal tendencies. I think it's the stand-out track on the EP, three minutes of brooding guitars, spacey echo and Steve Shelley playing some of the funkiest drums I've ever heard on a Sonic Youth record. It doesn't have a catchy tune or clever lyrics (or indeed any lyrics at all) but what I like most about this one is the whole aura of subdued dread, like the feeling I get from Spiderland or something like that. When the guitars do go noisy they don't overwhelm the song, brutal but restrained.
This is the sound of walking through the dark parts of a city at night - a feeling that a lot of Sonic Youth stuff evokes, but in a different way. Very nice.
Sonic Youth - Tremens
The first two tracks of the EP are well worth listening to if you like fairly minimalist and atmospheric improvisations. The last track is an anomaly, 6 minutes of very Merzbow-y noise. You probably need to be a big fan of both Sonic Youth and the Merzbow type of sound in order to get too much out of it. An interesting departure from almost anything else the band has done though.
Thursday 24 December 2009
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers.
Watch out for some end-of-year/end-of-decade type stuff in the next couple of weeks.
Until then, here's some (topical) Big Star:
Watch out for some end-of-year/end-of-decade type stuff in the next couple of weeks.
Until then, here's some (topical) Big Star:
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Show 13/12/2009
Hello!
Firstly, sorry for the long absence. Technical problems, plus last week when I was at ATP, have meant that it's over a month since the last proper show.
Hopefully this new one willmake up for it!
mp3.
I played:
Fergus & Geronimo - Blind Muslim Girl
Tubelord - Night of the Pencils
Josh T Pearson - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Joanna Newsom - Sprout and the Bean
Trailer Trash Traceys - You Wish You Were Red
Atlas Sound - Quick Canal
Life Without Buildings - The Leanover
Pissed Jeans - Dream Smotherer
Allo Darlin' - Heart Beat Chilli
Hangedup - Powered By Steam
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus Forever!
One more show before Christmas, so get your requests in! Also if you have any thoughts on the year in music as a whole send them in and I might read some out.
Another thing: I did the sound design for a play a while ago (The Pillowman in the Garage Theatre) and as part of it I recorded some stuff on guitar. I found the files while I was putting the new show up and thought I might as well put them on the blog, so here's the house music I did in case anyone's interested (recorded in one take the afternoon of the show).
Firstly, sorry for the long absence. Technical problems, plus last week when I was at ATP, have meant that it's over a month since the last proper show.
Hopefully this new one willmake up for it!
mp3.
I played:
Fergus & Geronimo - Blind Muslim Girl
Tubelord - Night of the Pencils
Josh T Pearson - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Joanna Newsom - Sprout and the Bean
Trailer Trash Traceys - You Wish You Were Red
Atlas Sound - Quick Canal
Life Without Buildings - The Leanover
Pissed Jeans - Dream Smotherer
Allo Darlin' - Heart Beat Chilli
Hangedup - Powered By Steam
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus Forever!
One more show before Christmas, so get your requests in! Also if you have any thoughts on the year in music as a whole send them in and I might read some out.
Another thing: I did the sound design for a play a while ago (The Pillowman in the Garage Theatre) and as part of it I recorded some stuff on guitar. I found the files while I was putting the new show up and thought I might as well put them on the blog, so here's the house music I did in case anyone's interested (recorded in one take the afternoon of the show).
Thursday 10 December 2009
Most People are Tin Trains ATP Special
Hey!
This weekend I went to All Tomorrow's Parties Nightmare Before Christmas curated by My Bloody Valentine. The Tin Trains crew was there too. We also had a dictaphone. So we recorded a special podcast from the festival for your listening pleasure!
Here's the mp3.
Playlist:
De La Soul - Me, Myself and I
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda
Television Personalities - This Angry Silence
The Pastels - Nothing To Be Done
J Mascis and the Fog - Ammaring
The Horrors - New Ice Age
Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69
No Age - Brain Burner
A Place To Bury Strangers - In Your Heart
Swervedriver - Sci-Flyer
Dirty Three - Everything's Fucked
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Have fun. Show as per usual (first for a month!) on Sunday. Be there.
This weekend I went to All Tomorrow's Parties Nightmare Before Christmas curated by My Bloody Valentine. The Tin Trains crew was there too. We also had a dictaphone. So we recorded a special podcast from the festival for your listening pleasure!
Here's the mp3.
Playlist:
De La Soul - Me, Myself and I
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda
Television Personalities - This Angry Silence
The Pastels - Nothing To Be Done
J Mascis and the Fog - Ammaring
The Horrors - New Ice Age
Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69
No Age - Brain Burner
A Place To Bury Strangers - In Your Heart
Swervedriver - Sci-Flyer
Dirty Three - Everything's Fucked
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Have fun. Show as per usual (first for a month!) on Sunday. Be there.
Sunday 22 November 2009
Sigh
Just when we were about to take an enormous technological step forward (I was going to try playing some vinyl in the studio) the Rare FM server is down again.
So this week's show is postponed.
So this week's show is postponed.
Monday 9 November 2009
Show 08/11/2009 - Indiepop Special!
Here it is.
mp3.
Playlist:
Malcolm Middleton - We're all Going to Die
Airport Girl - Between Delta and Delaware
Hefner - The Hymn for the Alcohol
CaUSE CO-MOTION!!! - This Just Won't last
The Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes
Speedmarket Avenue - Don't Fall in love
Apples in Stereo - Seems So
Belle & Sebastian - Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
Comet Gain - Young lions
Pocketbooks - Cross the line
Even as we Speak - Getting Faster
Helene - Heliotrope
Orange Juice - Blue Boy
Stereolab - Tone Burst
On an indiepop subject go get tickets for the last ever Twee as Fuck, 11th Dec at the Buffalo Bar. Comet Gain are headlining, and, as you might have noticed, I'm qute fond of them (they released maybe my favourite pop single of the decade after all).
mp3.
Playlist:
Malcolm Middleton - We're all Going to Die
Airport Girl - Between Delta and Delaware
Hefner - The Hymn for the Alcohol
CaUSE CO-MOTION!!! - This Just Won't last
The Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes
Speedmarket Avenue - Don't Fall in love
Apples in Stereo - Seems So
Belle & Sebastian - Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
Comet Gain - Young lions
Pocketbooks - Cross the line
Even as we Speak - Getting Faster
Helene - Heliotrope
Orange Juice - Blue Boy
Stereolab - Tone Burst
On an indiepop subject go get tickets for the last ever Twee as Fuck, 11th Dec at the Buffalo Bar. Comet Gain are headlining, and, as you might have noticed, I'm qute fond of them (they released maybe my favourite pop single of the decade after all).
Friday 6 November 2009
A Tune a Day
Just thought I'd do a blog as there was no radio show this week (as Rare FM was, as usual, fraught with technical difficulties). Rest assured that there will be one this week: any requests etc, get them in.
In the meantime here is my favourite song from a record I'm really enjoying at the moment:
Great Kinsella-style sparkly guitars etc. Unfortunately it fades out before the end, which is the best bit.
If you like the stuff that Dananananaykroyd, Tubelord etc are doing in the UK at the moment, give their record a listen.
Algernon Cadwallader - Some Kind of Cadwallader at Banquet Records
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Show 25/10/2009 & Fanzine
Hello.
Here is this week's show.
Playlist:
The Tamborines - Sally O'Gannon
Times New Viking - Those Days
Mazzy Star - Mary of Silence
Pavement - Date w/Ikea [Peel Session]
A Place to Bury Strangers - Breathe
Comet Gain - Brothers off the Block
Japancakes - Soon [James Rutledge Mix]
Richmond Fontaine - Incident at Conklin Creek
The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Dead C - Power
Daniel land & the Modern Painters - Benjamin's Room
The Fall - Eat Y'self Fitter [Peel Session]
We played a few things this week on Sonic Cathedral.
Also the newest issue of the fanzine Under City lights is now on the internet. You can download it here: http://undercitylightszine.blogspot.com
Have a good week!
Edwin
Here is this week's show.
Playlist:
The Tamborines - Sally O'Gannon
Times New Viking - Those Days
Mazzy Star - Mary of Silence
Pavement - Date w/Ikea [Peel Session]
A Place to Bury Strangers - Breathe
Comet Gain - Brothers off the Block
Japancakes - Soon [James Rutledge Mix]
Richmond Fontaine - Incident at Conklin Creek
The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Dead C - Power
Daniel land & the Modern Painters - Benjamin's Room
The Fall - Eat Y'self Fitter [Peel Session]
We played a few things this week on Sonic Cathedral.
Also the newest issue of the fanzine Under City lights is now on the internet. You can download it here: http://undercitylightszine.blogspot.com
Have a good week!
Edwin
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Show 18/10/2009
Hello!
Yes it's that time again. Time to download last week's show.
Here.
Playlist:
The National - Mr November
No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead
Maybeshewill - Seraphim & Cherubim
Sunset Rubdown - The Courtesan has Sung
Cats and Cats and Cats - This Brilliant Sky
The Fire Show - The Godforsaken Angels of Epistemology
Tender Trap - Grand National
Pink Mountaintops - Execution
Mogwai - like Herod
lift to Experience - Just as was Told
Cap'n Jazz - Planet Shhh
Anyway I just got back from seeing No Age play a show in a church hall (literally a church hall, with the posters on the walls and the plastic chairs and the horrible fluorescent lights). It was amazing. See next issue of the fanzine for Dasal's review. Sort of a prophetic choice there as I didn't expect to be seeing them this week!
Here's that article about lift to Experience I mentioned on the show, it's interesting.
Also I forgot to mention if you liked Tender Trap that they're playing in london on Thursday.
That's all for now. Bye!
Yes it's that time again. Time to download last week's show.
Here.
Playlist:
The National - Mr November
No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead
Maybeshewill - Seraphim & Cherubim
Sunset Rubdown - The Courtesan has Sung
Cats and Cats and Cats - This Brilliant Sky
The Fire Show - The Godforsaken Angels of Epistemology
Tender Trap - Grand National
Pink Mountaintops - Execution
Mogwai - like Herod
lift to Experience - Just as was Told
Cap'n Jazz - Planet Shhh
Anyway I just got back from seeing No Age play a show in a church hall (literally a church hall, with the posters on the walls and the plastic chairs and the horrible fluorescent lights). It was amazing. See next issue of the fanzine for Dasal's review. Sort of a prophetic choice there as I didn't expect to be seeing them this week!
Here's that article about lift to Experience I mentioned on the show, it's interesting.
Also I forgot to mention if you liked Tender Trap that they're playing in london on Thursday.
That's all for now. Bye!
Saturday 17 October 2009
Special Announcement
Attention.
For tomorrow only Most People are DJs will be at the new time of 10-11PM.
That is all.
For tomorrow only Most People are DJs will be at the new time of 10-11PM.
That is all.
Monday 12 October 2009
Show 11/10/2009
Hey!
Here's the playlist and mp3 for our 50th ever show.
Even As We Speak - 100
Allo, Darlin' - Henry Rollins Don't Dance
Okkervil River - Song About a Star
Polvo - Tilebreaker
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Side Ponytail
Damon & Naomi - ETA
Jim O'Rourke - All Downhill from Here
The Specific Heats - Ice Cream Shop
Cass McCombs - Opium Flower
White Denim - Shake Shake Shake
Algernon - Yo Soy Milk
Hefner - Hymn for the Cigarettes
Sonic Youth - Rain on Tin
Teenage Fanclub - Don't look Back
Built to Spill - life's a Dream
East River Pipe - King of Nothing Never
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
Prolapse - Zen Nun Deb
Wake the President - Miss Tierney
Tartufi - Church of Hanging leaders
Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey
The For Carnation - Get and Stay Get March
The Fall - Container Drivers
Jay Reatard - An Ugly Death
Wives - Boys Club
As I said I'm looking for suggestions for a name change, so send them in.
Also for comedy value here's the first ever Most People are DJs (or Edwin's Gold Soundz as it was then known). Pretty solid playlist, not so sure about the presenter though.
Here's the playlist and mp3 for our 50th ever show.
Even As We Speak - 100
Allo, Darlin' - Henry Rollins Don't Dance
Okkervil River - Song About a Star
Polvo - Tilebreaker
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Side Ponytail
Damon & Naomi - ETA
Jim O'Rourke - All Downhill from Here
The Specific Heats - Ice Cream Shop
Cass McCombs - Opium Flower
White Denim - Shake Shake Shake
Algernon - Yo Soy Milk
Hefner - Hymn for the Cigarettes
Sonic Youth - Rain on Tin
Teenage Fanclub - Don't look Back
Built to Spill - life's a Dream
East River Pipe - King of Nothing Never
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
Prolapse - Zen Nun Deb
Wake the President - Miss Tierney
Tartufi - Church of Hanging leaders
Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey
The For Carnation - Get and Stay Get March
The Fall - Container Drivers
Jay Reatard - An Ugly Death
Wives - Boys Club
As I said I'm looking for suggestions for a name change, so send them in.
Also for comedy value here's the first ever Most People are DJs (or Edwin's Gold Soundz as it was then known). Pretty solid playlist, not so sure about the presenter though.
Saturday 10 October 2009
It's Coming
Yeah. On Sunday we have the 50th EVER episode of Most People are DJs. A two-hour (at least) special, it's going to be fun. Maybe guests, maybe not. Maybe the guest will be past Edwin via the magic of radio.
I will also put up the first ever show for download. It's hilarious.
Also, fanzine news: it's out. Find a copy in UCl Union or expect the pdf shortly.
I will also put up the first ever show for download. It's hilarious.
Also, fanzine news: it's out. Find a copy in UCl Union or expect the pdf shortly.
Thursday 10 September 2009
Update
Just to prove that this blog is still alive.
I've had a busy summer and so not much time to do radio but rest assured that we will return for the 50th ever Most People Are DJs in the very near future (when I get internet in my flat/they let me in the Rare studio).
I'm also preparing the new issue of the fanzine at the moment so watch out for that too.
In the meantime, here's some pop.
I've had a busy summer and so not much time to do radio but rest assured that we will return for the 50th ever Most People Are DJs in the very near future (when I get internet in my flat/they let me in the Rare studio).
I'm also preparing the new issue of the fanzine at the moment so watch out for that too.
In the meantime, here's some pop.
Saturday 11 July 2009
Show 11/07/09
Here's a new show for you.
mp3
Sparklehorse - Rainmaker
Pajo - Where Eagles Dare
Spare Snare - QWERTY for the Masses
Please - Aprington Orpan
Pink Mountaintops - Vampire
Crime - San Francisco's Doomed
Vaselines - Jesus Don't Want Me for a Sunbeam
June of 44 - Arms over Arteries
Danananaykroyd - Black Wax
The Drones - I'm Here Now [Live at Spaceland]
The Lucksmiths - T-Shirt Weather
Cymbals Eat Guitars - And the Hazy Sea
Snapper - Snapper and the Ocean
Make sure to join us next time for our 50th ever show!
mp3
Sparklehorse - Rainmaker
Pajo - Where Eagles Dare
Spare Snare - QWERTY for the Masses
Please - Aprington Orpan
Pink Mountaintops - Vampire
Crime - San Francisco's Doomed
Vaselines - Jesus Don't Want Me for a Sunbeam
June of 44 - Arms over Arteries
Danananaykroyd - Black Wax
The Drones - I'm Here Now [Live at Spaceland]
The Lucksmiths - T-Shirt Weather
Cymbals Eat Guitars - And the Hazy Sea
Snapper - Snapper and the Ocean
Make sure to join us next time for our 50th ever show!
Sunday 21 June 2009
Show 20/06/2009
It's the summer and the studio is shut but here's a show anyway!
Recorded "live at home" in Camden. Hope you enjoy it.
mp3
Playlist:
Old Time Relijun - Indestructible Life!
Husker Du - Chartered Trips
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 103 [Acoustic]
The Replacements - I Need a Goddamn Job
Magnolia Electric Co. - Memphis Moon
Galaxie 500 - Oblivious
Polvo - Beggar's Bowl
School of Seven Bells - Iamundernodisguise
My Sad Captains - Troika
The Posies - Open Every Window
Fireflies - Winter
Chain & The Gang - Interview with the Chain Gang
Foreign Born - In the Shape
Murray Attaway - Allegory
Stricken City - Bardou [Demo]
Pavement - Kennel District
You can get the Fireflies EP I mentioned here.
Recorded "live at home" in Camden. Hope you enjoy it.
mp3
Playlist:
Old Time Relijun - Indestructible Life!
Husker Du - Chartered Trips
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 103 [Acoustic]
The Replacements - I Need a Goddamn Job
Magnolia Electric Co. - Memphis Moon
Galaxie 500 - Oblivious
Polvo - Beggar's Bowl
School of Seven Bells - Iamundernodisguise
My Sad Captains - Troika
The Posies - Open Every Window
Fireflies - Winter
Chain & The Gang - Interview with the Chain Gang
Foreign Born - In the Shape
Murray Attaway - Allegory
Stricken City - Bardou [Demo]
Pavement - Kennel District
You can get the Fireflies EP I mentioned here.
Tuesday 9 June 2009
Album Feature: The Drones - Gala Mill (2006)
OK, I lied. I promised a show on Sunday but there wasn't one. One of Rare FM's top quality DJs had lost the keys to the studio, temporarily suspending all shows. I might make up for it sometime this week by doing an impromptu show, a "guerilla show" if you will. How very 2004.
Anyway instead here's another album feature, this time on a band I finally saw for the first time last night at an instore at Rough Trade East: The Drones.
Gala Mill is the first of their albums I ever heard, and it's still my favourite. For me it's the best-realised cross between the more traditional rock of the first two albums and last year's more restrained Havilah.
The Drones are often called "blues-based", but you can ditch any notions of boring retreads; this is a deeply dark and twisted Australian rock, which takes as much from the noisy guitar work of Neil Young c. On the Beach as it does from Charley Patton. There's a Blind Willie Johnson half-cover on their first album and another on the outtakes compilation which are truer to their fire-and-brimstone originals than any note-for-note recreation could be.
Anyway, Gala Mill. As with the rest of the Drones' albums, the first thing that is obvious is the sheer unremitting bleakness of the lyrics. Theft, cannibalism, murder (those last two in historical narrative-type songs) and, in opener Jezebel, a terrifying vision of a modern world exploded into conflict. In fact it takes some resilience to even get past that first track. Two slashing chords repeated over and over again, occasionally relieved by a more melodic chorus, punctuated by Gareth Liddiard yelping fragments of letters home:
"How many people gonna lie?
How many people gonna die?
What's best for the West and the greed?
Kill 'em all? Let 'em breed?
Another bomb for every atom you injure
Meet the Devil with extended ring finger
Saying "thou shalt not kill"
But I'm damned if I don't
So I'm thinking I will"
falling into a final full minute of screeching open chords. It's quite an introduction to the record, musically and lyrically.
There is what could almost pass for tenderness though. "Dog Eared" is a slower and more relaxed song, most notable perhaps for the guitar interplay between Liddiard and second guitarist Pereira. Most of the record is in this more sombre mood, with the vocals to the fore.
The final track, "Sixteen Straws", is an anomaly; a nine-minute murder ballad which is almost acoustic, telling the story of a party of convicts and their escape in the Australian bush. It's fantastically vivd, and in style points ahead to the more acoustic Havilah than the earlier records. In short: an unsettling and bleak record but a very powerful one. The band is fantastic throughout.
For fans of: Neil Young, Gun Club, Dream Syndicate etc.
Stream it here (seems you have to sign up to use this now, which I haven't done. Maybe it'll work. Unfortunately this album isn't on Spotify):
Anyway instead here's another album feature, this time on a band I finally saw for the first time last night at an instore at Rough Trade East: The Drones.
Gala Mill is the first of their albums I ever heard, and it's still my favourite. For me it's the best-realised cross between the more traditional rock of the first two albums and last year's more restrained Havilah.
The Drones are often called "blues-based", but you can ditch any notions of boring retreads; this is a deeply dark and twisted Australian rock, which takes as much from the noisy guitar work of Neil Young c. On the Beach as it does from Charley Patton. There's a Blind Willie Johnson half-cover on their first album and another on the outtakes compilation which are truer to their fire-and-brimstone originals than any note-for-note recreation could be.
Anyway, Gala Mill. As with the rest of the Drones' albums, the first thing that is obvious is the sheer unremitting bleakness of the lyrics. Theft, cannibalism, murder (those last two in historical narrative-type songs) and, in opener Jezebel, a terrifying vision of a modern world exploded into conflict. In fact it takes some resilience to even get past that first track. Two slashing chords repeated over and over again, occasionally relieved by a more melodic chorus, punctuated by Gareth Liddiard yelping fragments of letters home:
"How many people gonna lie?
How many people gonna die?
What's best for the West and the greed?
Kill 'em all? Let 'em breed?
Another bomb for every atom you injure
Meet the Devil with extended ring finger
Saying "thou shalt not kill"
But I'm damned if I don't
So I'm thinking I will"
falling into a final full minute of screeching open chords. It's quite an introduction to the record, musically and lyrically.
There is what could almost pass for tenderness though. "Dog Eared" is a slower and more relaxed song, most notable perhaps for the guitar interplay between Liddiard and second guitarist Pereira. Most of the record is in this more sombre mood, with the vocals to the fore.
The final track, "Sixteen Straws", is an anomaly; a nine-minute murder ballad which is almost acoustic, telling the story of a party of convicts and their escape in the Australian bush. It's fantastically vivd, and in style points ahead to the more acoustic Havilah than the earlier records. In short: an unsettling and bleak record but a very powerful one. The band is fantastic throughout.
For fans of: Neil Young, Gun Club, Dream Syndicate etc.
Stream it here (seems you have to sign up to use this now, which I haven't done. Maybe it'll work. Unfortunately this album isn't on Spotify):
Sunday 7 June 2009
Show 31/05/09
Long show this week (which doesn't explain why it's taken so long to put it up).
mp3
Playlist:
The Vaselines - Son of a Gun
Quasi - Our Happiness is Guaranteed
Jeffrey Lewis - Back When I Was Four
The Gaslight Anthem - The Navesink Banks
Frank Black and the Catholics - Hermaphroditos
Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
Wilco - Shes ' a Jar
Mclusky - Without MSG I am Nothing
Pink Floyd - Summer of '68
Deerhunter - Disappearing Ink
Captain Beefheart - Pachucho Cadaver
David Bowie - Life on Mars?
Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else but You
Pink Mountaintops - While We Were Dreaming
David Bowie - Life on Mars? [take 2]
The Hold Steady - Two-handed Handshake
Glenn Branca - The Spectacular Commodity
Elbow - Bones of You [Live]
Bearsuit - Chargr
Show tomorrow too. Be there.
mp3
Playlist:
The Vaselines - Son of a Gun
Quasi - Our Happiness is Guaranteed
Jeffrey Lewis - Back When I Was Four
The Gaslight Anthem - The Navesink Banks
Frank Black and the Catholics - Hermaphroditos
Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
Wilco - Shes ' a Jar
Mclusky - Without MSG I am Nothing
Pink Floyd - Summer of '68
Deerhunter - Disappearing Ink
Captain Beefheart - Pachucho Cadaver
David Bowie - Life on Mars?
Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else but You
Pink Mountaintops - While We Were Dreaming
David Bowie - Life on Mars? [take 2]
The Hold Steady - Two-handed Handshake
Glenn Branca - The Spectacular Commodity
Elbow - Bones of You [Live]
Bearsuit - Chargr
Show tomorrow too. Be there.
Monday 25 May 2009
Show 24/05/09
Here's this week's show. Sam is the guest.
mp3
Playlist:
Guided By Voices - Buzzards & Dreadful Crows
The Drones - Jezebel
My Sad Captains - All Hat and No Plans
Pere Ubu - Nonalignment Pact
The lucksmiths - T-Shirt Weather
Bob Dylan - Just like Tom Thumb's Blues
Fugazi - Two Beats Off
The Weakerthans - Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michael Foucault in Paris, 1961)
Airport Girl - Power Yr Trip
Neil Young - For The Turnstiles
Red House Painters - New Jersey
Galaxie 500 - Fourth of July
The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash [Shine a light version]
Eleventh Dream Day - Daedalus
The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations
Youthmovies - Magic Diamond
This podcast was brought to you by the chord B flat minor.
mp3
Playlist:
Guided By Voices - Buzzards & Dreadful Crows
The Drones - Jezebel
My Sad Captains - All Hat and No Plans
Pere Ubu - Nonalignment Pact
The lucksmiths - T-Shirt Weather
Bob Dylan - Just like Tom Thumb's Blues
Fugazi - Two Beats Off
The Weakerthans - Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michael Foucault in Paris, 1961)
Airport Girl - Power Yr Trip
Neil Young - For The Turnstiles
Red House Painters - New Jersey
Galaxie 500 - Fourth of July
The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash [Shine a light version]
Eleventh Dream Day - Daedalus
The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations
Youthmovies - Magic Diamond
This podcast was brought to you by the chord B flat minor.
Tuesday 19 May 2009
Most People are Tin Trains - Show 17/05/09
This week's show was a collaboration with Rob from Rare FM's own In Transit.
Here's the playlist:
Talking Heads - Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
Women - Shaking Hand
St. Vincent - Black Rainbow
Biography of Ferns - John The Barber
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control
Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven
Sonic Youth - What We Know
Young Marble Giants - Music For Evenings
Beirut - A Sunday Smile
The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
Sparklehorse & Danger Mouse - Pain [ft. Iggy Pop]
Bearsuit - Going Steady
Manic Street Preachers - All Is Vanity
Titus Andronicus - Arms Against Atrophy
Wilco - Bull Black Nova
Enablers - The Achievement
Malcolm Middleton - Fuck It, I Love You
Dananananaykroyd - Infinity Milk
mp3
Try and get through the ridiculous first few minutes where it sounds like I'm talking to myself and then Rob seems to be speaking through a fuzz pedal. We got the mics sorted eventually.
Check out Tin Trains, the In Transit blog, here.
See you next time for a post-exams celebration of a show!
Here's the playlist:
Talking Heads - Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
Women - Shaking Hand
St. Vincent - Black Rainbow
Biography of Ferns - John The Barber
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control
Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven
Sonic Youth - What We Know
Young Marble Giants - Music For Evenings
Beirut - A Sunday Smile
The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
Sparklehorse & Danger Mouse - Pain [ft. Iggy Pop]
Bearsuit - Going Steady
Manic Street Preachers - All Is Vanity
Titus Andronicus - Arms Against Atrophy
Wilco - Bull Black Nova
Enablers - The Achievement
Malcolm Middleton - Fuck It, I Love You
Dananananaykroyd - Infinity Milk
mp3
Try and get through the ridiculous first few minutes where it sounds like I'm talking to myself and then Rob seems to be speaking through a fuzz pedal. We got the mics sorted eventually.
Check out Tin Trains, the In Transit blog, here.
See you next time for a post-exams celebration of a show!
Thursday 14 May 2009
2008 Revisited
Because I tend to get a lot of stuff second hand, and because I just don't spend enough time on blogs, I came quite late to a lot of the best stuff released in 2008. So, since I haven't written anything on here for a while and I'm having a break from revising, is a roundup of my favourite stuff from last year, nearly six months on.
Here's my original end-of-year list:
10 No Age - Nouns
9 The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
8 Shearwater - Rook
7 Dodos - Visiter
6 Times New Viking - Rip it Off
5 Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
4 Deerhunter - Microcastle
3 A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Blues for 13 Moons
2 Los Campesinos - Hold on Now Youngster
1 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Here's the new one:
10 Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
9 No Age - Nouns
8 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7 Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
6 Times New Viking - Rip It Off
5 A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
4 The Manhattan Love Suicides - Burnt Out Landscapes
3 Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster...
2 Enablers - Tundra
1 Deerhunter - Microcastle
Deerhunter's was the record that's just kept growing for me this year, and it's pretty clearly my favourite. There's at least three brilliant songs which stand out right from the first listen, and the more atmospheric ambient stuff takes some getting used to, but is pretty great as well. Tundra by Enablers is pretty overlooked, but is really good: Slint-ish math-rock with spoken poetry lyrics. Sounds hard to listen to, but really isn't. That Manhattan Love Suicides record is properly a compilation, but has some new stuff on so I'm going to count it.
Oh, and listen to Rare on Sunday for a very special show. More details to follow.
Here's my original end-of-year list:
10 No Age - Nouns
9 The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
8 Shearwater - Rook
7 Dodos - Visiter
6 Times New Viking - Rip it Off
5 Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
4 Deerhunter - Microcastle
3 A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Blues for 13 Moons
2 Los Campesinos - Hold on Now Youngster
1 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Here's the new one:
10 Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
9 No Age - Nouns
8 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7 Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
6 Times New Viking - Rip It Off
5 A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
4 The Manhattan Love Suicides - Burnt Out Landscapes
3 Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster...
2 Enablers - Tundra
1 Deerhunter - Microcastle
Deerhunter's was the record that's just kept growing for me this year, and it's pretty clearly my favourite. There's at least three brilliant songs which stand out right from the first listen, and the more atmospheric ambient stuff takes some getting used to, but is pretty great as well. Tundra by Enablers is pretty overlooked, but is really good: Slint-ish math-rock with spoken poetry lyrics. Sounds hard to listen to, but really isn't. That Manhattan Love Suicides record is properly a compilation, but has some new stuff on so I'm going to count it.
Oh, and listen to Rare on Sunday for a very special show. More details to follow.
Sunday 26 April 2009
Show 26/04/09
Yes, oddly enough "tonight"'s show is already here.
As the studio is currently being painted this one is recorded in Most People HQ in Camden. I thought since I've missed the last two weeks I'd better do one today.
Anyway here's the download.
Click
And here's the playlist:
Sonic Youth - Sacred Trickster
Boo and Boo Too - Shimmering Glimmer
Modern Lovers - She Cracked
Big Black - Kerosene (live on the radio)
Bardo Pond - Yellow Turban
Deerhunter - Wash Off
Quasi - California
Sebadoh - A Violet Execution
Galaxie 500 - Strange
Gun Outfit - In the Dark
Comet Gain - You Can Hide Your Love Forever
Rocket from the Tombs - Amphetamine
Moe Tucker - Too Shy
Mission of Burma - That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
Hopefully we'll be back to normal next week.
As the studio is currently being painted this one is recorded in Most People HQ in Camden. I thought since I've missed the last two weeks I'd better do one today.
Anyway here's the download.
Click
And here's the playlist:
Sonic Youth - Sacred Trickster
Boo and Boo Too - Shimmering Glimmer
Modern Lovers - She Cracked
Big Black - Kerosene (live on the radio)
Bardo Pond - Yellow Turban
Deerhunter - Wash Off
Quasi - California
Sebadoh - A Violet Execution
Galaxie 500 - Strange
Gun Outfit - In the Dark
Comet Gain - You Can Hide Your Love Forever
Rocket from the Tombs - Amphetamine
Moe Tucker - Too Shy
Mission of Burma - That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
Hopefully we'll be back to normal next week.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Album Feature: Bardo Pond - Amanita (1996)
Here's a new feature I'm going to start doing occasionally, a maybe less-known album which I've been playing a lot recently. Here's the first in the series: Amanita by Bardo Pond. I'll play a track or maybe a couple of the album on the next radio show (I was going to do one on Sunday, but the studio was broken again apparently).
I first became aware of Bardo Pond from the (excellent, by the way) Pavement tribute record, "Everything Is Ending Here". They contribute a blazing version of the rarity "Home", all fuzz guitars, buried vocals and gorgeous feedback trailing guitar freakouts. So when I saw one of their records on one of my second hand record buying expeditions it seemed worth a go. Amanita is their third record, and perhaps their most popular (judging by the usual suspect websites).
And it's easy to see why. It opens with nearly four minutes of a single note drone played on what sounds like two guitars, repeatedly falling away into feedback or dissolving into fuzzy high harmonics. It's a pretty jaw-dropping way to open an album, and when the first track opens up it only gets better. BP construct deeply spacey drony psychedelic rock songs which move and grow with all the monolithic grace of a volcano erupting in slow motion. Most of the songs are based on just a couple of chords, with rock-solid bass and drums anchoring washes of warm fuzzy guitars and some of the best raga-ish streams of guitar and feedback I've heard since Karl Precoda left the Dream Syndicate. The general feel maybe owes a lot to the space-rock scene of Spacemen 3 et. al., but in terms of textures there's a definite shoegaze influence; they sound something like half-finished My Bloody Valentine jams (but better than that sounds)! The wispy female vocals almost recollect some of Kim's more melodic Sonic Youth songs, and in fact that's probably who their approach most reminds me of. They're like a warmer organic counterpart to SY's cold, industrial noise excursions. The lyrics don't make much sense ("Hey Mom, when I grow up I want to be a fish" on the imaginatively titled "Be a Fish"), but they're buried so deep in the mix they become just another component of the wash of sound floating above the wall of feedback. There's a flute in there too from time to time. The record's amazingly laid back, but controlled: the songs last just as long as they need to, and there's sometimes real aggression in the guitar noises.
All in all a really great record, psychedelic not in any cheaply artificial sense but by virtue of carefully constructed soundscapes. It's like a warm bath in aural form. It's also great music to play on an evening wander round the city, as I've been finding over the last week.
It's on Spotify, give it a listen if you have that.
Here's their Pavement cover.
For fans of: loveless-era My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Dream Syndicate
This might let you stream it:
I first became aware of Bardo Pond from the (excellent, by the way) Pavement tribute record, "Everything Is Ending Here". They contribute a blazing version of the rarity "Home", all fuzz guitars, buried vocals and gorgeous feedback trailing guitar freakouts. So when I saw one of their records on one of my second hand record buying expeditions it seemed worth a go. Amanita is their third record, and perhaps their most popular (judging by the usual suspect websites).
And it's easy to see why. It opens with nearly four minutes of a single note drone played on what sounds like two guitars, repeatedly falling away into feedback or dissolving into fuzzy high harmonics. It's a pretty jaw-dropping way to open an album, and when the first track opens up it only gets better. BP construct deeply spacey drony psychedelic rock songs which move and grow with all the monolithic grace of a volcano erupting in slow motion. Most of the songs are based on just a couple of chords, with rock-solid bass and drums anchoring washes of warm fuzzy guitars and some of the best raga-ish streams of guitar and feedback I've heard since Karl Precoda left the Dream Syndicate. The general feel maybe owes a lot to the space-rock scene of Spacemen 3 et. al., but in terms of textures there's a definite shoegaze influence; they sound something like half-finished My Bloody Valentine jams (but better than that sounds)! The wispy female vocals almost recollect some of Kim's more melodic Sonic Youth songs, and in fact that's probably who their approach most reminds me of. They're like a warmer organic counterpart to SY's cold, industrial noise excursions. The lyrics don't make much sense ("Hey Mom, when I grow up I want to be a fish" on the imaginatively titled "Be a Fish"), but they're buried so deep in the mix they become just another component of the wash of sound floating above the wall of feedback. There's a flute in there too from time to time. The record's amazingly laid back, but controlled: the songs last just as long as they need to, and there's sometimes real aggression in the guitar noises.
All in all a really great record, psychedelic not in any cheaply artificial sense but by virtue of carefully constructed soundscapes. It's like a warm bath in aural form. It's also great music to play on an evening wander round the city, as I've been finding over the last week.
It's on Spotify, give it a listen if you have that.
Here's their Pavement cover.
For fans of: loveless-era My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Dream Syndicate
This might let you stream it:
Wednesday 15 April 2009
Book recommendation
What comes through most is such a strong spirit of community and of shared experience in all the bands he mentions: the way that even though their music might not have a lot in common the way that the members of the various scenes supported each other. The common difficulties of being in that kind of band at the time I suppose. That, and the DIY principles that everything is built on (it's basically a 400-page lovesong to Ian MacKaye/Dischord sometimes) are pretty cliche by this point but it's a powerful message and one which I think is still valid and important. It's the kind of book that makes you want to do stuff.
Also, Azerrad is pretty good at writing about music. I don't like all the stuff he talks about, but most of it's really good. He's never going to convince me to like grunge, but he's evangelical enough about early noise-rock (Mission of Burma etc.) that I've been prompted to listen to more of it and I'm really enjoying it. Their music still stands up on its own merits, but I have trouble getting really excited about Minor Threat, for example, although I do love Fugazi. Maybe they're just one of those bands you had to be there for.
Anyway the bands he talks about are:
Black Flag
Minutemen
Mission of Burma
Minor Threat
Husker Du
Replacements
Sonic Youth
Butthole Surfers
Big Black
Dinosaur Jr
Fugazi
Mudhoney
Beat Happening
Anyway give it a read, it's good.
Saturday 11 April 2009
No Show/Kill Twee Pop
No show this week as I'm at home.
But here's some nice stuff to listen to anyway!
I've been rediscovering my first wave twee-pop records this week. Something about the summer really makes them sound better for some reason.
Vaselines - Son of a Gun
I think some band called Nirvana covered this, the original's prettier though. Did you know Kurt Cobain had a K Records tattoo?
Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh
The video for this is sort of unsettling. Really, the absolute worst kind of fey white kids. But it's a lovely song! How do I reconcile these opposing views? Not sure. I feel a post about twee coming on.
Here's one way of reconciling it.
Their record "Kill Twee Pop" is actually really good, noisy shouty songs with angry lyrics which somehow sort of remind me a bit of Beat Happening.
Have a good Easter all, see you after the break!
But here's some nice stuff to listen to anyway!
I've been rediscovering my first wave twee-pop records this week. Something about the summer really makes them sound better for some reason.
Vaselines - Son of a Gun
I think some band called Nirvana covered this, the original's prettier though. Did you know Kurt Cobain had a K Records tattoo?
Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh
The video for this is sort of unsettling. Really, the absolute worst kind of fey white kids. But it's a lovely song! How do I reconcile these opposing views? Not sure. I feel a post about twee coming on.
Here's one way of reconciling it.
Their record "Kill Twee Pop" is actually really good, noisy shouty songs with angry lyrics which somehow sort of remind me a bit of Beat Happening.
Have a good Easter all, see you after the break!
Monday 6 April 2009
Show 05/04/09
Here's what we played this week. Starts off poppy and goes noisy towards the end.
I love the tracks by Enablers and the Fire Show especially.
Ramones - Carbona not Glue
The Wedding Present - Kennedy
Love is All - Busy Doing Nothing
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of this Country
Pavement - Ell Ess Two [early version of "Elevate me Later"]
Absentee - They Do it These Days
The Boo Radleys - I Hang Suspended
Wilco - Airline to Heaven
Mclusky - She Will Only Bring You Happiness
The Mountain Movers - Bomb Shelter
Wire - Reuters
Bonnie Prince Billy - My Life's Work
No Age - Brain Burner
Enablers - Kosovo
Spacemen 3 - Transparent Radiation
The Fire Show - The Rabbit of my Soul is the King of his Ghost
Sonic Youth - Hyperstation
And the mp3:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/h7cpwb
I love the tracks by Enablers and the Fire Show especially.
Ramones - Carbona not Glue
The Wedding Present - Kennedy
Love is All - Busy Doing Nothing
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of this Country
Pavement - Ell Ess Two [early version of "Elevate me Later"]
Absentee - They Do it These Days
The Boo Radleys - I Hang Suspended
Wilco - Airline to Heaven
Mclusky - She Will Only Bring You Happiness
The Mountain Movers - Bomb Shelter
Wire - Reuters
Bonnie Prince Billy - My Life's Work
No Age - Brain Burner
Enablers - Kosovo
Spacemen 3 - Transparent Radiation
The Fire Show - The Rabbit of my Soul is the King of his Ghost
Sonic Youth - Hyperstation
And the mp3:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/h7cpwb
Friday 3 April 2009
EPs
It's been hinted to me that I should write more on here rather than just putting up the playlists (although I can't see how you could not be excited by arbitrary lists of song titles and band names) so here's some thoughts on the EP as a format. I'll post more rants/musings from time to time if I can be bothered. Comment and tell me what you think otherwise this will be futile.
EPs are good. I sometimes think they're my favourite kind of release, just because they're insignificant enough that they don't need to be taken seriously at all, either by the band or by the audience, but they can still be an interesting opportunity for bands to play around with new ideas or just to have fun. Sometimes bands' best work is on EPs. Maybe it's because they're freed from the pressure to repay lots of studio time, or from the necessity of making something the label thinks is going to be commercially succesful enough to warrant them promoting it as they would a full-length album. The other geat thing about the EP is how cheap it is to make - many (most?) really great bands' first release, at least since they started to get current again in the punk period, is an EP or a single of some sort (e.g. Buzzcocks - Spiral Scratch).
Some of my favourites:
Pavement - Watery, Domestic
Nothing particularly revolutionary about this one (beyond the fact that Pavement were moving so fast at this point - just after Slanted and before Crooked Rain - that they pretty much couldn't put a foot wrong) but it does contain at least three of the very best Pavement recordings for my money. Their next EP, Pacific Trim, is pretty great too, in a much different mould. Apparently Spiral Stairs didn't turn up to the recordings for whatever reason so it's a reduced version of the band playing some of Malkmus' most playful songs - Saganaw especially has to be a piss take, and because it's an EP it just doesn't matter. Also, "I Love Perth" off Pacific Trim is the best pop song they ever released.
Rites of Spring - All Through A Life
...being the one where Rites of Spring shifted from their pure hardcore roots (as seen on the classic End on End) and moved in a more considered, thoughtful direction: there's chiming guitars on this which remind me of something as far removed from DC hardcore as early REM. An example of the EP as pointing a new direction in a band's songwriting and sound, maybe, although they sadly broke up before they released anything else.
Belle and Sebastian - Dog on Wheels
Where it began for B&S. 4 songs including a different version of my own favourite B&S track, "The State I Am In" whose recording predates Tigermilk and as such shows the band still in a formative state but with most of the elements in place. Murdoch's songwriting is already great. Plus it has Joanne Kenney on the cover (same as Tigermilk) which is obviously a good thing.
The compilation of the B&S EPs, "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds", is very much worth getting as some of their best stuff's on there and not the albums I think.
Deerhoof - Green Cosmos
My favourite Deerhoof release, I think it's because the EP is a perfect length for their schizophrenic kind of crazed indiepop. A full album's length I tend to get a bit exhausted after half an hour or so but this hits the spot perfectly. Also the first Deerhoof I ever heard.
What do you think about the EP as a form and what are your favourites?
EPs are good. I sometimes think they're my favourite kind of release, just because they're insignificant enough that they don't need to be taken seriously at all, either by the band or by the audience, but they can still be an interesting opportunity for bands to play around with new ideas or just to have fun. Sometimes bands' best work is on EPs. Maybe it's because they're freed from the pressure to repay lots of studio time, or from the necessity of making something the label thinks is going to be commercially succesful enough to warrant them promoting it as they would a full-length album. The other geat thing about the EP is how cheap it is to make - many (most?) really great bands' first release, at least since they started to get current again in the punk period, is an EP or a single of some sort (e.g. Buzzcocks - Spiral Scratch).
Some of my favourites:
Pavement - Watery, Domestic
Nothing particularly revolutionary about this one (beyond the fact that Pavement were moving so fast at this point - just after Slanted and before Crooked Rain - that they pretty much couldn't put a foot wrong) but it does contain at least three of the very best Pavement recordings for my money. Their next EP, Pacific Trim, is pretty great too, in a much different mould. Apparently Spiral Stairs didn't turn up to the recordings for whatever reason so it's a reduced version of the band playing some of Malkmus' most playful songs - Saganaw especially has to be a piss take, and because it's an EP it just doesn't matter. Also, "I Love Perth" off Pacific Trim is the best pop song they ever released.
Rites of Spring - All Through A Life
...being the one where Rites of Spring shifted from their pure hardcore roots (as seen on the classic End on End) and moved in a more considered, thoughtful direction: there's chiming guitars on this which remind me of something as far removed from DC hardcore as early REM. An example of the EP as pointing a new direction in a band's songwriting and sound, maybe, although they sadly broke up before they released anything else.
Belle and Sebastian - Dog on Wheels
Where it began for B&S. 4 songs including a different version of my own favourite B&S track, "The State I Am In" whose recording predates Tigermilk and as such shows the band still in a formative state but with most of the elements in place. Murdoch's songwriting is already great. Plus it has Joanne Kenney on the cover (same as Tigermilk) which is obviously a good thing.
The compilation of the B&S EPs, "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds", is very much worth getting as some of their best stuff's on there and not the albums I think.
Deerhoof - Green Cosmos
My favourite Deerhoof release, I think it's because the EP is a perfect length for their schizophrenic kind of crazed indiepop. A full album's length I tend to get a bit exhausted after half an hour or so but this hits the spot perfectly. Also the first Deerhoof I ever heard.
What do you think about the EP as a form and what are your favourites?
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Show 22/03/09
This week's show! Mostly pop in its various (noise-, indie-, twee-) forms this week. I think it's a good one.
Playlist:
Minutemen - My Heart and the Real World
David & the Citizens - Graycoated Morning
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Share
Stereolab - Our Trinitone Blast
David Thomas Broughton vs 7 Hertz - The Weight of my Love
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - This Love is Fucking Right!
Drean Syndicate - Until Lately
The Primitives - Do the Ostrich
Manhattan Love Suicides - Indian Summer
caUSE co-MOTION! - Which Way is Up?
The Fall - Slates, Slags etc.
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
Also, cheers to Rob from Tin Trains for giving us a mention on his blog this week! Download their show, it's good.
http://tintrains.blogspot.com
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vyph3h
Playlist:
Minutemen - My Heart and the Real World
David & the Citizens - Graycoated Morning
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Share
Stereolab - Our Trinitone Blast
David Thomas Broughton vs 7 Hertz - The Weight of my Love
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - This Love is Fucking Right!
Drean Syndicate - Until Lately
The Primitives - Do the Ostrich
Manhattan Love Suicides - Indian Summer
caUSE co-MOTION! - Which Way is Up?
The Fall - Slates, Slags etc.
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
Also, cheers to Rob from Tin Trains for giving us a mention on his blog this week! Download their show, it's good.
http://tintrains.blogspot.com
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vyph3h
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Show 15/03/09
Here's the show from Sunday.
Threatmantics - James Lemain
The Triffids - In the Pines
The Gunshy - May 14, 1943
The Wedding Present - Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft [Live 1987]
The Acorn - Crooked Legs
It Hugs Back - Saving
My Latest Novel - Ghost it the Gutter
Velvet Underground - White Light White Heat
Tompaulin - Days Fall Away
Dinosaur Junior - In a Jar
Slowdive - Machine Gun
Wavves - The Boys Will Love Us
Looper - Mondo '77
mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/8m0h78
I have an excellent plan for next week's show. See you then!
Threatmantics - James Lemain
The Triffids - In the Pines
The Gunshy - May 14, 1943
The Wedding Present - Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft [Live 1987]
The Acorn - Crooked Legs
It Hugs Back - Saving
My Latest Novel - Ghost it the Gutter
Velvet Underground - White Light White Heat
Tompaulin - Days Fall Away
Dinosaur Junior - In a Jar
Slowdive - Machine Gun
Wavves - The Boys Will Love Us
Looper - Mondo '77
mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/8m0h78
I have an excellent plan for next week's show. See you then!
Sunday 15 March 2009
Show 08/03/09
Here's what we played last week. It was the 40th ever show so we had a bit of a party in the studio, with 3 guests!
Titus Andronicus - My Time Outside the Womb
The National - So Far Around the Bend
Wilco - Kicking Television
Pavement - Cut Your Hair
Fiery Furnaces - Smelling Cigarettes
Rote Kapelle - Sunday
Flaming lips - Race for the Prize
Okkervil River - Song About a Star
Absentee - Boy, Did She Teach You Nothing?
Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth
Bubblegum lemonade - Holocaust
mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/xqe1gn
Warning: this show may contain scenes of "banter" by certain guests which some listeners may deem offensively rubbish.
Titus Andronicus - My Time Outside the Womb
The National - So Far Around the Bend
Wilco - Kicking Television
Pavement - Cut Your Hair
Fiery Furnaces - Smelling Cigarettes
Rote Kapelle - Sunday
Flaming lips - Race for the Prize
Okkervil River - Song About a Star
Absentee - Boy, Did She Teach You Nothing?
Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth
Bubblegum lemonade - Holocaust
mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/xqe1gn
Warning: this show may contain scenes of "banter" by certain guests which some listeners may deem offensively rubbish.
Thursday 5 March 2009
Show 01/03/09
Here's the playlist & mp3 for this week's show. James Hodgson was on again.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/w99c7s
The Halo Benders - Virginia Reel Around the Fountain
Jeffrey Lewis - Life
Neil Young - Revolution Blues
Wetdog - Send a Delegate
Crystal Antlers - Owl
Unwound - Off this Century
Restlesslist - Hour Glass
I Heart Hiroshima - Captain to Captain
The Drones - Cold and Sober
The Velvet Underground - Beginning to See the Light (Live at Max's Kansas City)
Have fun!
http://www.sendspace.com/file/w99c7s
The Halo Benders - Virginia Reel Around the Fountain
Jeffrey Lewis - Life
Neil Young - Revolution Blues
Wetdog - Send a Delegate
Crystal Antlers - Owl
Unwound - Off this Century
Restlesslist - Hour Glass
I Heart Hiroshima - Captain to Captain
The Drones - Cold and Sober
The Velvet Underground - Beginning to See the Light (Live at Max's Kansas City)
Have fun!
Thursday 19 February 2009
Show 15/02/09
Here's this week's show.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nu1fuy
Playlist:
North of America - Keep it on the Download
Crystal Stilts - Sinking
Shearwater - A Makeover
Public Image limited - Swan lake
Guided By Voices - Echos Myron
Maps & Atlases - Witch
Dirty Three - Odd Couple
Ride - Dreams Burn Down
Blitzen Trapper - Fur
The Shot Heard 'Round the World - Inward to lexington
My Bloody Valentine - Cupid Come
A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Angels Standing Guard Round the Side of Your Bed
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nu1fuy
Playlist:
North of America - Keep it on the Download
Crystal Stilts - Sinking
Shearwater - A Makeover
Public Image limited - Swan lake
Guided By Voices - Echos Myron
Maps & Atlases - Witch
Dirty Three - Odd Couple
Ride - Dreams Burn Down
Blitzen Trapper - Fur
The Shot Heard 'Round the World - Inward to lexington
My Bloody Valentine - Cupid Come
A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Angels Standing Guard Round the Side of Your Bed
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Show 08/02/09
Here's this week's show (my 37th ever, if you're interested) and playlist. Helana was the guest.
Manhattan Love Suicides - Extra Medication
The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me
Art Brut - Modern Art
Frances Conway - Since I Laid My Burden Down
Yo la Tengo - Sugarcube
BARR - The Song is the Single
Spoon - Merchants of Soul
Mary Hampton - Silver Dagger
Animal Collective - Did You See the Words?
The Fall - Winter [Peel Sessions version]
Pretty Girls Make Graves - The New Romance
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
Wooden Shjips - Shrinking Moon for You
http://www.sendspace.com/file/0z8fja
Have fun!
Manhattan Love Suicides - Extra Medication
The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me
Art Brut - Modern Art
Frances Conway - Since I Laid My Burden Down
Yo la Tengo - Sugarcube
BARR - The Song is the Single
Spoon - Merchants of Soul
Mary Hampton - Silver Dagger
Animal Collective - Did You See the Words?
The Fall - Winter [Peel Sessions version]
Pretty Girls Make Graves - The New Romance
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
Wooden Shjips - Shrinking Moon for You
http://www.sendspace.com/file/0z8fja
Have fun!
Monday 2 February 2009
Show 01/02/09
Here's the playlist from this week's show. We had James Hodgson as a guest. It was fun.
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Another Morning Stoner
Spare Snare - Skateboard Punk Rocker
Modern Lovers - Pablo Picasso
Polvo - Thermal Treasure
Long Fin Killie - Pele
Davy Graham - Banish Misfortune
Saloon - Bicycle Thieves
I Heart Hiroshima - Surgery
Belle & Sebastian - I Could be Dreaming
Twinkie - This is Your Enemy Taking Over the World
Richard & Linda Thompson - Back Street Slide
Cauld Blast Orchestra - Tower of Babel Stomp
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3r53ge
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Another Morning Stoner
Spare Snare - Skateboard Punk Rocker
Modern Lovers - Pablo Picasso
Polvo - Thermal Treasure
Long Fin Killie - Pele
Davy Graham - Banish Misfortune
Saloon - Bicycle Thieves
I Heart Hiroshima - Surgery
Belle & Sebastian - I Could be Dreaming
Twinkie - This is Your Enemy Taking Over the World
Richard & Linda Thompson - Back Street Slide
Cauld Blast Orchestra - Tower of Babel Stomp
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3r53ge
Sunday 25 January 2009
Thursday 22 January 2009
Fanzine new issue
Some of you may already have seen this but check out the new issue of the fanzine at
http://undercitylightszine.blogspot.com
!
http://undercitylightszine.blogspot.com
!
Monday 19 January 2009
Show 18/01/09
This week's show:
Pele - A Scuttled Bender in a Watery Closet
My Bloody Valentine - Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)
Halves - May Your Enemies Never Find Happiness
Jeffrey Lewis - Seattle
Fridge - Clocks
The Velvet Underground - New Age
Hangedup - Automatic Spark Control
Maybeshewill - Not for Want of Trying
Shearwater - A Makeover
Pavement - Shoot the Singer
The National - Fake Empire
I also meant to talk about the London popfest which is happening at the end of February, but I forgot so I'll do it next time!
Here's the mp3:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kp7bub
Pele - A Scuttled Bender in a Watery Closet
My Bloody Valentine - Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)
Halves - May Your Enemies Never Find Happiness
Jeffrey Lewis - Seattle
Fridge - Clocks
The Velvet Underground - New Age
Hangedup - Automatic Spark Control
Maybeshewill - Not for Want of Trying
Shearwater - A Makeover
Pavement - Shoot the Singer
The National - Fake Empire
I also meant to talk about the London popfest which is happening at the end of February, but I forgot so I'll do it next time!
Here's the mp3:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kp7bub
Monday 12 January 2009
Show 11/01/09
Special show rounding up my favourite releases etc. from 2008.
10 No Age - Teen Creeps
9 The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
8 Shearwater - Leviathan, Bound
Reissue of the Year - Pavement - The Hexx [BBC Session version]
7 Dodos - Red and Purple
6 Times New Viking - (my head)
5 Crystal Stilts - Shattered Shine
EP of the Year - Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
4 Deerhunter - Never Stops
3 A Silver Mount Zion - Blindblindblind
2 Los Campesinos - Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats
Gig of the Year - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
1 Bon Iver - Wolves (Act I & II)
Here's the show:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mjd3z0
And here's 40 minutes I did before the show started of random tracks I felt like playing:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4pofp0
10 No Age - Teen Creeps
9 The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
8 Shearwater - Leviathan, Bound
Reissue of the Year - Pavement - The Hexx [BBC Session version]
7 Dodos - Red and Purple
6 Times New Viking - (my head)
5 Crystal Stilts - Shattered Shine
EP of the Year - Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
4 Deerhunter - Never Stops
3 A Silver Mount Zion - Blindblindblind
2 Los Campesinos - Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats
Gig of the Year - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
1 Bon Iver - Wolves (Act I & II)
Here's the show:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mjd3z0
And here's 40 minutes I did before the show started of random tracks I felt like playing:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4pofp0
Friday 9 January 2009
Guitar stuff
Not posted anything for a bit, as last time after I'd done all my preparation and everything for the show there was a huge powercut in the area of the Union and the stream went down. Fingers crossed it'll be back up for Sunday. If it is I'll be doing the postponed "Best of 2008" type show as promised before Christmas.
Anyway, the last couple of days I've been playing around with Open D tuning on the guitar. For some reason when I was first experimenting with alternate tunings a while ago I never really got into this one, which is a shame as it's really nice. I especially like the ringing low Ds you can get on the bottom string.
I was bored this afternoon so I recorded a quick instrumental in Open D. It's a bit ragged and needs a bit more developing, but hey, I only did 2 takes!
Download here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/u0kkn6
Feedback etc. appreciated.
Anyway, the last couple of days I've been playing around with Open D tuning on the guitar. For some reason when I was first experimenting with alternate tunings a while ago I never really got into this one, which is a shame as it's really nice. I especially like the ringing low Ds you can get on the bottom string.
I was bored this afternoon so I recorded a quick instrumental in Open D. It's a bit ragged and needs a bit more developing, but hey, I only did 2 takes!
Download here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/u0kkn6
Feedback etc. appreciated.
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