That Music List: July 2015

Friday 24 July 2015

LIST 166 - 24/07/15 (Indietracks 2015 special – part two)

Hello there,

Almost inevitably one week on from part one, here's the other half of this year's Indietracks List. Pleasingly, I managed to find something from all bar three acts this time around (not always a given), and space alone prevented them from making the cut. Yay Bandcamp and Soundcloud for helping me fill in a few gaps.

Highlights are as usual almost too many to mention, but having missed Bunnygrunt completely in their original incarnation it'll be a proper treat to see them all these years hence. The track included in this List is surely thing to "Tell Laura I Love Her" in indiepop.

Relatively late to the Colleen Green party, the early 90s fuzz of "TV" (included here) and other tracks has won me over utterly, and the oversight up to this point of excellent York trade JUNK. is all the more heinous given they don't ply their trade a million miles away from me. I've put that right, mind.

It all starts this evening. Tickets are probably still available via the Indietracks website, and the downloadable Indietracks compilation certainly is - go to https://indietracks.bandcamp.com/album/indietracks-compilation-2015 and given generously in aid of the Midlands Railway Trust.

See you there?

J xx

THE SCHOOL – Do I Love You? (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOYP8YSniHg

THE LEAF LIBRARY – Walking Backwards (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz2yp_n0few

THE HI-LIFE COMPANION – Brockweir House (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8kCMFVSnuA

JUNK – Car (2014)

https://soundcloud.com/junkbandyork/car

THE GO! TEAM – What D’You Say? (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4LbdTf-fl0

LAURA K – Loving You Is Not An Art (2013)

http://laurak.bandcamp.com/track/loving-you-is-not-an-art

FEVER DREAM – Serotonin Hit (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RCJUPraZ6A

BUNNYGRUNT – Boy Meets Wall (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMF1RRZ5G3Q

STEVEN JAMES ADAMS – Tears of Happiness (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB3tBpttXQc

LOST PETS – Get Out (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhZ3PMFAjcw

TIGERCATS – Wheezer (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNbE4vA8Vc

FLEMMINGS – Wizards (2014)

https://flemmings.bandcamp.com/releases

EUREKA CALIFORNIA – I Bet That You Like Julian Cope (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxsmQ5U60k

LOS BONSÁIS - Los Perdimos De Vista (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRsjk4sSz1I

FIRESTATIONS – Never Closer (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6gMSqJcxhY

COLLEEN GREEN – TV (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2VUAi-sIYM

EMMA KUPA – Propped Up By Affection (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG27ufM5sBQ

COLOUR ME WEDNESDAY – Sugar Coated (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAvqFb8ZkfI

MICHAELMAS – Why I’m Blue (2014)

https://soundcloud.com/amazingmwood/why-im-blue-by-michaelmas

THE ETHICAL DEBATING SOCIETY - Sum Of My Parts (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifvafgPIRQc

JEN SCHANDE – I Really Like Sonic Youth, And I Really Want To Have Sex With You (2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToDD_4SuBpQ

GRUBS – Dec 15^th (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Aqr8GaiY1s

CHORUSGIRL – Alone (2014)

https://soundcloud.com/chorusgirl/alone

THE WAVE PICTURES – Missoula (2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yU2Q2ZQdb4

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – Until the Sun Explodes (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBdbbBDOwv4

Friday 17 July 2015

LIST 165 - 17/07/15 (Indietracks 2015 special – part one)

Hello there,

Yes, that favourite time of year has very nearly come around again, with a railway museum buried in the heart of the east midlands all set to do its very, very best impersonation of a heaven on earth for indiepop devotees for a ninth straight year. A week today (the 24th), Indietracks 2015 is go.

(Or should that be is "Go!", given the presence of The Go! Team in the line-up this time around?)

Here, then, is the first of two Lists that between them will feature as many of this year's performers as can be squeezed in. Friday night headliners Cinerama kick things off here, too - and yes, "Mystery Date" did feature on the last Wedding Present album Valentina. Everything on the new Cinerama album appeared on that album, in fact - the former is a complete musical reworking of the latter, thus realising a long-held ambition of David Gedge to give one of his long-players such a treatment.

Other than Amelia and Rob in their current Caternary Wires guise, the closest thing to a Sarah Records presence in the 20th anniversary year of that seminal label's cessation is the set by The Luxembourg Signal, who are effectively erstwhile Sarah artistes Aberdeen by any other name. Will frontwoman Beth Arzy be accompanied to Butterley by other half Bobby Wratten? No idea. If so, will he be talked into performing an impromptu live set? Judged on a recent podcast interview with Pete Paphides, sadly almost certainly not. We can but dream, though...

J xx

CINERAMA – Mystery Date (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMQ8wuLxNuo

MAMMOTH PENGUINS – When I Was Your Age (2015)

https://soundcloud.com/fortuna-pop/mammoth_penguins_when_i_was_your_age

VIOLET WOODS – Here (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cFRRHbkVK0

EUROS CHILDS – Spin That Girl Around (2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fMkoR-Oenc

TUFF LOVE – That’s Right (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydPRKmeJa44

RODNEY CROMWELL – Barry Was an Arms Dealer (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8jfuc20QQ4

THE DARLING BUDS – Shame on You (1988)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz5mG3UhtAs

OH, PEAS! – Mountain Song (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx3T9g_Bwlc

PETE ASTOR – Tiny Town (2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-nHe4Wu27Y

FEATURE – Tourism Fiction (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hqWaHHnAM

LAETITIA SADIER – Oscuridad (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTgZG-JOS_M

THE HAYWAINS – Badgerline Day Return (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql24ZXzK0OA

EVANS THE DEATH – Enabler (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaExfJKL4oo

FRANCESCA’S WORD SALAD – Miss Nash (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQxDDrY9LlI

FRIDA & ALE – Hidden Song (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWkSSocQhD0

RALEGH LONG – Islands (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SzIPG0QT-s

THE FIREWORKS – Runaround (2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBncC15iByA

RÉMI PARSON – Gomina (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5rXYlevyTg

DESPERATE JOURNALIST – Organ (2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BbpviG9sWk

THE CATENARY WIRES – Throw Another Love Song on the Fire (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIA2wLATM7Y

MARTHA – The Historian (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8zho5rd8EI

ALEXANDER CHRISTOPHER HALE – The Failed Soviet State of My Heart (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If6tVyfeuKs

THE TUTS – Loving It (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxUB4sPwSq4

CRISTINA QUESADA – Just Like Honey (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iedmnzo3cPM

THE LUXEMBOURG SIGNAL – Dying Star (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLnZD8pbFs0

Friday 10 July 2015

LIST 164 - 10/07/15 (1985 special, part three)

Hello again,

Part three of the look back on musical outpourings from 30 years ago this week, and the first sightings on record of the likes of Chumbawamba and The Housemartins. Both of their contributions here charted impressively highly in what was, overall, as politically charged a Festive Fifty as any there has been in that institution's long history.

It's a pleasure to include, as well, some inspired nonsense from Bogshed and The Very Things, respectively the strangest acts surely ever to have emerged from Hebden Bridge and Redditch. Les Zarjaz, meanwhile, still sound utterly unlike anything else Creation Records had released before or since - what a shame they were let go by them so abruptly.

J xx

CHUMBAWAMBA – Revolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K375inBoe-w

THE HIT PARADE – The Sun Shines in Gerrard’s Cross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P8Y1rtcY-Q

DIE ÄRZTE - Du willst mich küssen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWorGrRjPts

THE PASTELS – I’m Alright with You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_E4y8qntkk

THE CHILLS – Whole Weird World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrgFivSP0-c

THE FLOWERPOT MEN – Melting Down on Motor Angel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQtPIFtP_tc

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – Tupelo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSl4KX7zBTQ

THE VERY THINGS – Mummy You’re a Wreck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqzEn_lS6ig

THE WOODENTOPS – Move Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLBZKSQoEIM

A CERTAIN RATIO – Wild Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLXXjjeJC5o

DEPECHE MODE – Shake the Disease
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_0sL_SQYvw

BOOTHILL FOOT TAPPERS – Jealousy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiE-B5eUs5M

LES ZARJAZ – One Charmyng Nyte
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqcgnaddsiU

THE HOUSEMARTINS – Flag Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xxt8gRVLnw

THE LOFT – Up The Hill and Down The Slope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjNNYI2dAA

BOGSHED – Fat Lad Exam Failure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzp6oTy1c-Y

MAZE ft FRANKIE BEVERLY – Twilight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dy5uKqISWQ

LICK THE TINS – Can’t Help Falling in Love with You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0gfTr1jqLY

Friday 3 July 2015

LIST 163 - 03/07/15 (1985 special, part two)

Hello again,

It's a second selection of tracks from thirty years ago this year for you this time, and particularly pleasing to be able to include something from the first Bhundu Boys release in this country. Immediately picked up by messrs Peel and Kershaw, those melodious township guitars and Jit rhythms still put a smile in the heart and feet all this time later.

At the opposite end of their careers by this stage, I think I'm right in saying that "Take It" represented a final outing for Norwich's finest The Higsons. Frontman Charlie hasn't done too badly for himself in the intervening years...

For those fans of beige eighties telly that enjoyed the footage of Helen & The Horns on Pebble Mill in the first 1985 selection, my gifts to you this time are China Crisis being by far the most interesting thing on an episode of Wogan; and the late lamented Frank Tovey smashing stuff up on a German outside broadcast. Bitte schön!

J xx