LIST 195 - 25/03/16

Hello again,

An arboreal feel to the start of this week's List, all inspired by the title track of the new album by Hintermass, yet another winning psych-pop act to grace the roster of the impressive Ghost Box imprint (see also Cavern of Anti-Matter, Soundcarriers, Belbury Poly, John Foxx, etc).  Early contender for my personal favourite track of the year...

...as is "Out of Control", the lead track on the first original material by the newly reactivated Lush for two decades.  Such was the switch from the shoegaze/dream-pop template of their earlier years to the (for my money very much less satisfying) Britpop of final album Lovelife back in 1996, I've approached the return of Miki Berenyi, Emma Anderson et al with a degree of trepidation up to now, but it's pleasing to hear - albeit admittedly on the limited evidence of the one song - that the intention of the reunion has not been to pick up where Lovelife left off with half a dozen new takes on "Single Girl" and the like.  "Out of Control" is vulnerable, blurred around the edges, and very beautiful indeed.

Monkey Swallows the Universe rightly close out this week's selection, ahead of their for-one-night-only reunion gig in their native Sheffield that garnered enough interest for the venue to be upgraded to the Queens Road Social Club - do go along to see these fine word- and songsmiths one last time if you can (before, presumably, Nat Johnson returns to solo pursuits). 

From a far earlier era of Sheffield music, the inclusion of 1,000 Violins' nearly-eponymous second (I think it was) single seems reason enough for me to consider whether I could craft an entire List of tracks where the song title is also the band's name - LFO by LFO and the like.  Hmmm, one to keep in mind for the weeks ahead, I think...

J xx



MONTY PYTHON – The Larch (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0zVsxUbbjM

HINTERMASS – Apple Tree (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-dmDXq5c0

FOOLS GARDEN – Lemon Tree (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCDIt50hRDs

GRAND NATIONAL – Cherry Tree (2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kGYq9VqZOs

MBONGWANA STAR - Kala (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAZxMZBZ628

PLUME OF FEATHERS – First Date (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNgmyYn6XME

ELECTRONIC – The Patience of a Saint (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wXQZNC1864

GIRLPOOL – Before the World was Big (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDprSv9DjxY

ITAK TEL – Babel (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKlp_7PXolw

GUY CARAWAN – We Shall Overcome (1961)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdEv4BvQiuw

LUSH – Out of Control (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD4O20ePnXo

LUSH - Sweetness and Light (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7cqkpy4QrQ

LAKE RUTH – Cabin Fever (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D08_73Cqc

MOON B – Moments in Slank (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjxuKYF88Kc

1,000 VIOLINS – Like 1,000 Violins (1985)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpkqYhmaD5E

MIKRON – Sleep Paralysis (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIWjyIn0KXA

DOG CHOCOLATE - Emotionally Buff (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8iyU7Yepvk

渚にて [NAGISA NITE] - Me, on the Beach (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAVl0M6E_FY

THE EUROPEAN – The Settler (2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_teyz3AIuxI

MONKEY SWALLOWS THE UNIVERSE – Gravestones (2007)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT7IbeRxF44