Don Lett’s fabulous documentary for BBC 4 “The Revolution Will
Not Be Televised” will hopefully be repeated in tribute but in the meantime someone bootlegged it on Youtube. It features contribututions from The Last Poets and Chuck D.

Newsnight’s Steven Smith travelled to the States to meet Heron on the eve of his comeback album “I’m New Here”.

In 2000 Sean Rowley featured Gil on his much missed “All Back To Mine” series discussing music that he loves or was influenced by.

Sounds:
Gil Scott-Heron – Goodbye, So Long by Kane33

Gil Scott-Heron – “Whitey on the Moon” (MP3) / (words)

Gil Scott-Heron – Message to the Messangers

Gil Scott-Heron – “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”

Esther Phillips – “Home Is Where The Hatred Is (MP3)”

Gil Scott Heron – “Home Is Where The Hatred Is (MP3)”

Gil Scott-Heron – Home Is Where The Hatred Is ( Ramsey Hercules Tribute ) by Ramsey Hercules

Chris Cunningham’s video remix of “New York Is Killing Me”

Now he’s resurrecting his blog “Stop Me If You Think Youve Heard This One Before“ with a broader focus on popular culture.  So if you’re going to return why not do it with a bang and declare the 50 best songs of all time?

Why not? Because its a ridiculous task and just the thought of trying to boil down all the songs bouncing around my tiny mind is enough to push me closer to the funny farm.

I’m filled with a mixture of admiration at the enormity of the task and incredulity over some of the chosen tracks.  Older brothers are meant to act as some kind of fount of musical inspiration for their impressionable siblings but I can only claim influence over Billy Bragg, the Pet Shop Boys and Coldcut’s go-go/reggae/hiphop classic “Stop This Crazy Thing“.  My obsession with that track extended to painting a mural of the sleeve across the entire length of my bedroom wall.

Happy birthday Ryan, and over to you.
UPDATE: RoomyBonce kindly created a Spotify playlist containing 40 of the 50, but no Luxembourg or Gifthorse: Spotify playlist

StopMe: I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a top 100/top 50 list of my most cherished songs for about a year now.  As my thirtieth birthday is weeks away I’ve decided nows the time to sit back and reflect on m musical life.  For a bit of “Fun” I analysed my Top 50 and found out my tastes are 22% Pop-Rock and 18% Folk and that 2005 was the best ever year for music (Who’d have guessed).

I’ve included a selection of the best video clips below but you can watch all the available videos on my youtube channel by clicking here.  It was tough going whittling it down to only 50 tunes and even harder to put them in order.

1. Bruce Springsteen – Jungleland
Born To Run LP – 1975

“Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a dodge, drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain”
Nine and a half minutes of shear epic Rock grandeur. Most full novels don’t contain this much beauty and narrative power.  It also features Clarence Clemons delivering the greatest Sax-Solo in history building to an almost unbearably emotional climax across 2 minutes. I could listen to this every day for the rest of my life and never tire it out.

2. The Magnetic Fields – Papa Was A Rodeo

69 Love Songs LP – 1999
“Home was anywhere with diesel gas, love was a trucker’s hand, never stuck around long enough for a one night stand”
A story of lonesome one night stands and fleeting affairs. When the cathartic duet kicks in at my heart at 4.11 once breaks and yet rejoices. Over the years Stephen Merrit has written at least 50 of the greatest love songs ever written and this is his best.

3. The Indelicates – Savages

Songs For Swinging Lovers LP – 2010
“We are ash, we are books, coffee stained and overlooked, We are ornamental swords, forged for the peace after the war”
The lyrics to this song read like beautiful poetry.  It’s a searing celebration of the outsider spirit.  This says everything I ever wanted to say about great music.

4. Luxembourg – (I Need) A Little Bit More (Than You Give Me)
Best Kept Secret: Demos & Rarities 2001-2004 Compilation – 2004
“I guess that when i told you I would leave you if you cheated, you took it as a promise, not a threat”

It takes a man of David Shah’s calibre to write a lyric this funny and yet sing it with so much power it’s like he’s tearing out his soul for your listening pleasure.

5. Ed Harcourt – Apple Of My Eye

Here Be Monsters LP – 2001
“I drink a lot of wine when I am alone, I lose my track of time, my ideas turn to stone”
I can’t fully describe why I love this song so much. There is something hidden in the giddy mix of handclaps, Hip-Hop percussion, woozy Jazz orchestration and raw Soul vocals that enthrals me everytime.

6. Richie Havens – Going Back To My Roots

Connections LP – 1980

“Not talkin’ ’bout the roots in the land, I’m talkin’ ’bout the roots in the man”

Roaring Soul vocals, Funk instrumentation, proto House Pianos and Disco beats building to a level where you just have to move your body.

7. The Pogues – Rainy Night In Soho
Poguetry In Motion EP – 1986

“We watched our friends grow up together, and we saw them as they fell, some of them fell into Heaven, some of them fell into Hell”
Simply one of the most beautiful things ever created by the hand of man. Shane MacGowan was in his late twenties when he wrote it but it reads like a death bed revelation.

8. The Wallbangers – Kick The Drugs

Kick The Drugs EP – 2007
“If I smoke Weed I get neurotic, Alcohol turns me psychotic, Heroin’s just a narcotic, S-S-S-Speed makes me despotic, if you’re on Crack-Cocaine you’re goin’ outta your brain, you’ve gotta pull the plug, you’ve gotta kick the drugs!”
Nick Cave gets all the headlines but his brother in arms Mick Harvey beats him in the fire-breathing Punk savagery stakes with this song.  Guitar Riffs don’t get much better than this.

9. Bob Dylan – Desolation Row

Highway 61 Revisited LP – 1965
“Now at midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew, come out and round up everyone that knows more than they do”
I could almost recite word-for-word the whole 11 minutes of this song’s apocalyptic lyric.  Dylan paints dizzying and terrifying images in your imagination with his words.

10. Kings Of Leon – Fans

Because Of The Times LP – 2007
“All of London sing, cause England swings and they sure love the tales I bring,
and those rainy days, they ain’t so bad when you’re the king”
I never tire of this song yet struggle to properly define why.  The word’s of KOL’s loveletter to their UK fans are almost incomprehensible but it’s about the passion he sings them with.

11. David Ford – State Of The Union

I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I’ve Caused LP – 2005
“Sweet dreams all met with derision, this train, it was armed for collision”
A song featuring one mans despair at the world around him.  Every instrument layers together into a roaring political cacophony.

12. The White Stripes – Jack The Ripper (Live At The Forum, 2001)

Live At The Forum Bootleg – 2001

“I’m walking down the street, late at night, Jack the ripper, Jack the ripper”

Less than a minute and half is all Jack and Meg need to rip your ears to shreds.  How can just two people create this much energy and brutal Guitar magic.

13. Barry Bliss – All I Really Want

Antifolk Vol. 1 Compilation – 2002
“All I really want is to beat your fuckin’ ass, to be thrown in jail and rolled in broken glass, to be offered a kingdom by a crazy man and say I pass, to be beaten to death by British bobbies in mass”
This song is pure nihilistic hate for the world and everyone in it.  Yet it’s so damn beautiful and tuneful that you can’t truelly despair.

14. Coldcut – Stop This Crazy Thing (Feat. Junior Reid)

What’s That Noise? LP – 1988
“Children are cryin’, animals are dyin’, Governments who lie to you, don’t let them tell you what to do”
I can play along with all the vocal samples on this classic but no matter how many times I listen to it I can never predict when the drums come in! A record celebrating the calaeoscopic joys of sampling.

15. The Divine Comedy – If…

A Short Album About Love LP – 1997
“If you were attacked I would kill for you, if your name was Jack I’d change mine to Jill for you”
Another song that pulls off the trick of being darkly comic and heartbreakingly honest. This lush orchestral epic builds to literally maniiacal levels of intensity.

16. Etta James – I Just Want To Make Love To You

At Last! LP – 1961
“All I want you to do is make your bread, just to make sure you’re well-fed, I don’t want you sad and blue, and I just wanna make love to you”
Etta goes from roaring like a lion to purring like a kitten is the space of seconds.  It’s undoubtably the most powerful and sexiest female vocal ever layed down.  It sounds as if you are in the studio with the musicians (Complete with a couple of snatches of studio chatter).

17. Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris – Love Hurts

Grievous Angel LP – 1974
“I’ve really learned a lot, really learned a lot, love is like a stove, burns you when it’s hot”
This sublime cover of Boudleaux Bryant’s song is the all-time greatest duet. Gram and Emmy could reduce grown men who have been born without tear-ducts… to tears!

18. Billy Bragg – Sexuality

Don’t Try This At Home LP – 1991
“I’ve had relations with girls from many nations, I’ve made passes at women of all classes, and just because you’re gay I won’t turn you away, if you stick around I’m sure that we can find some common ground”
Billy has so many wonderful songs that are variously tragic, angry, passionate but it’s the shear liberating joy of ‘Sexuality’ that keeps me coming back. It’s not possible to be in a bad mood when listening to something like this.

19. The Who – Baba O’Riley
Who’s Next LP – 1971

“I don’t need to fight to prove I’m right, I don’t need to be forgiven”

If you’ve never played air-guitar along with Pete at 1.39, then you’ve never lived. For a time The Who were the greatest band alive and this was their finest achievement.

20. The Stooges – Down On The Street

Fun House LP – 1970
“Down on the street where the faces shine, floatin’ around I’m a real low mind”
I adore the brutal unrelenting groove the band have locked themselves in on this track.  Iggy’s squeeling, gurgling, barking vocals are totally exhilerating.

21. Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia (Video Mix)
Suburbia Single – 1986
“Stood by the bus stop with a felt pen in this suburban hell, and in the distance a police car to break the suburban spell”
The lyrical urban decay is matched by samples of sirens, barking dogs, helicopters, bombs, breaking glass, screaming children and machine guns.  Yet somehow it’s still one of the finest Pop songs ever to grace the UK charts.

22. Ty – The Scheme Of Things

Apples & Snake: Two Five Compilation – 2008
“I smile at the crackheads in my area, I remember when we used to play pat-ball as children in neat school uniforms, what went wrong?”
A meandering spoken-word track musing on the trials of life.  The Jazz backing track brilliant mirror’s every nuance of TY’s vocal poetry.

23. Dan Sartain – P.C.B. 98

Dan Sartain Vs. The Serpientes LP – 2005
“I got my name crushed into a penny, we had a ball down in Panama City”
I love Dan’s dark world of Rock-a-billy and Punk.  Out of a legion of causticly brilliant songs this helter-skelter Blues-Punk gem is his finest so far.

24. Spiritualized® – Stop Your Crying

Let It Come Down LP – 2001

“Nothing hurts you like the pain of someone you care about, if I could take it on myself, you know I sure would without a doubt”
I remembering listening to the CD-single of this on a loop for a whole month on icy winter mornings. Possibly it fails in it’s lyrical objective since you’ll being crying tears of joy that something so catharically powerful exists.

25. Hedwig & The Angry Inch – The Origin Of Love

Hedwig & The Angry Inch: Original Cast Recording LP – 1999
“I could swear by your expression that the pain down in your soul was the same as the one down in mine”
The best song from the best ever musical containing unbearable levels of passion.  John Cameron-Mitchell sings Stephen Trask’s poetic Greek-Myth inspired lyrics like his life depended on it.

26. The Dirtbombs – Cedar Point ’76

Hand Springs / Cedar Point ’76 Single – 2000
“Wanna play some pinball with this honey, but damn my luck, Mom won’t give me no money”
Fuzz-Guitar never sounded as good as on this cut.  The lyrics capture an 11 year old Mick as he remembers lusting after an older girl at his local arcade.

27. Laura Marling – New Romantic (Live On Later, 2007)
Live On Later With Jools Holland TV – 2007
“I made you leave her for me and now I’m feeling pretty mean, but my mind has fucked me over more times than any man could ever know”
Laura was only 17 when she wrote this profoundly beautiful Joni Mitchell-esque song. The world stops turning everytime I watch or listen to the intimate fragility of this performance.

28. Nick Drake – Northern Sky

Bryter Layter LP – 1970
“I never felt magic crazy as this, I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea, I never held emotion in the palm of my hand, or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree”
It’s difficult to imagine the soul that recorded a record as hopeful as this succumbing to despair a few years later.  The lush yet subtle orchestration is intoxicating.

29. Andrew W.K. – She Is Beautiful
I Get Wet LP – 2001

“You’re giving me moves that hit from all sides, and when you’re hitting like that you melt my eyes”

A sweet love song on Andrew’s terms which means him screaming at love at noise poluting levels.  Metal music rarely is as fun as this frenetic single.

30. Har Mar Superstar – EZ Pass

You Can Feel Me LP – 2003
“DJ, DJ, can you play some more Minogue, and keep up with the tracks that everybody knows, cut to some Har Mar then that Pharcide beat, how’s that shit go, she keeps passin’ me”
This contains some truly outstanding rhymes detailing Sean’s “Mission to find the hypest party”.  After hundreds of listens I still love the Hip-Hop Drums and House Pianos.

31. The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy

Ready To Die LP – 1994
“We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us, no heat, wonder why Christmas missed us”
It’s the way every line from this cut feels like it’s straight from the heart speaking of poverty made good.  The Bass-Guitar heavy production is also total genius.

32. Jamie T – Pacemaker

Panic Prevention LP – 2007
“Body bags come back on planes from wartorn Iraq, it’s the stark naked truth, a dark aftermath”
A stream of conscienceness Rap taking in the Iraq war, drug abuse, illness and violence.  Jamie has so much to say he has no time for big choruses or even pausing for breath.

33. Adam Green – Emily
Gemstones LP – 2005
“Emily, sweet baby, won’t you be my wife, cutting me wide open with a kitchen knife”

It’s testament to the irresistable Pop-Blues beat of this cut that make Adam’s predictably bizarre lyrics are so catchy. What Sinatra would’ve sounded like if he’d taken as many Drugs as Elvis.

34. Rufus Wainwright – Oh What A World

Want One LP – 2003
“Wouldn’t it be a lovely headline, ‘Life is Beautiful’ on the New York Times”
A dizzying, whirling Orchestral-Pop cut that envelopes your ears in delight.

35. Bobby Conn & The Glass Gypsies – We’re Taking Over The World

The Homeland LP – 2004
“Don’t you wonder why the times are tough, why you never seem to get enough”
Written as an attack on George W. Bush and I’m still listening to it as the economies of the world collapse. An irresistable Disco-Rock classic.

36. David Gray – The One I Love

Life In Slow Motion One LP – 2005
“Perfect summers night, not a wind that breathes, just the bullets whispering gentle ‘mongst the new green leaves”
David gets alot of flack but he deserves a knight-hood on the evidence of this one poetic masterpiece.  The lyric tells of a soldier bleeding to death and dreaming of his love back home.

37. Coyote Shivers – Sugarhigh

Coyote Shivers LP – 1996
“Think again, sometimes reputations outlive their applications, and sometimes fires don’t go out, when you’re done playing with them”
This Pop-Punk cut is a totally exhilerating celebration of life.

38. Akala – Bullshit

It’s Not A Rumour LP – 2006
“They rob the third world of every cent, now that’s bullshit, now you got third world debt, now that’s bullshit”
Akala vents his spleen on everything that pisses him off.  One moment he’s Rapping about racism and one moment he’s annoyed by the British weather.

39. The Smiths – Girlfriend In A Coma

Strangeways, Here We Come LP – 1987
“Girlfriend in a coma, I know, I know, it’s serious”
This brings a smile to my face everytime.  Morrissey has a wicked wit and never more so on this glorious single.

40. Sufjan Stevens – Come On! Feel The Illinoise!

Come On Feel The Illinoise LP – 2005
“Cannot conversations cull United Nations, if you got the patience, celebrate the ancients, cannot all creation call it celebration”
With six and a half minutes it still feels like Sufjan is cramming in all his magical ideas. I wouldn’t be surprised if every instrument ever invented crops up at one point or another.

41. Jape – Phil Lynott

Ritual LP – 2008
“It was a luner eclipse, I was out drinkin’ with two of my oldest pals, one is called Glen, one is Al”
This very personal Folktronic tribute song is so simple but so heart felt.

42. The Flamin’ Groovies – Headin’ For The Texas Border

Flamingo LP – 1970
“Headin’ for the Texas border, cos I’m tryin’ to avoid the law”
One of those songs that it’s dangerous to drive to and the band sound like a blazing Blues Hot-Rod with the pedal to the floor.

43. Okkervil River – The President’s Dead

The President’s Dead Single – 2006
“On a beautiful day, I was waking up and I was lying in bed with my girlfriend, And the eggs on the plate, and the bacon hissin’, And the coffee was great, there was spring on the wind”
The lyric celebrates life itself in the shadow of death.  Just wait for when the drumms kick in, fantastic!

44. The Durutti Column – In Memory Of Anthony

Love In The Time Of Recession LP – 2009
“The flames you set alight, they’re always gonna last”
Even if Anthony H. Wilson hadn’t founded the great Factory records he could’ve still rested easy in his grave knowing that he’d touched his friend so deeply that he would write a song this powerful about him.

45. Jonathan Richman – I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar
I, Jonathan LP – 1992
“Well in the first bar things were controlled, but in this bar things were Rock and Roll, in the first bar things were so controlled, in this bar things were way way bold”
Pop singles don’t get much more fun than this, you can’t help but sing along.

46. Hot Club De Paris – You Can Call Me Al

Clockwork Toy Single – 2007
“I need a photo-opportunity, I want a shot at redemption, don’t want to end up a cartoon, in a cartoon graveyard”
A Simple Indie-Rock Paul Simon cover causualy tucked on to a B-Side. But maybe it’s the carefree spirit with which they recorded it that keeps me listening. Just three friends having fun in a studio.

47. Patrick Wolf – Pumpkin Soup

The Patrick Wolf EP – 2002
“Autumn’s brown sturdy fingers are embedding bouquets up and down your spine, embrace the moment ‘cos everything changes and all this will too”
An intoxicating blend of personnal nostalgia and subtle Folk production.  The whole lyric is a towering poetic achievement.

48. The Viking Moses! – I Will Always Love You

Sandstorms Single – 2006
“Bittersweet memories, that is all I’m taking with me, so, goodbye, please, don’t cry, We both know I’m not what you need”
In stark contrast to Whitney’s bombastic version, Brendon crafts a Lo-Fi gem. At points I could swear you can hear his voice cracking and hear the very tears running down his face.

49. Orphan Boy – Billy’s England

Billy’s England Single – 2006
“This retail park is wank, this town’s a fuckin’ fish tank, I get my culture from a bookcase by the door”
The first single by a great British Punk band delivering a scathing rant at the nation.

50. Gifthorse – Childhood Gang Reunion

Childhood Gang Reunion EP – 2005
“You were a tough kid, never cried, went to the funfair, the day your mother died”
Youthful memories recounted with nostalgic lyrical magic.

Introduced via The Daily Growl blog back in late 2006 when recording under the guise of “Barbarossa” (“Red Beard” in Italian), James’s latest EP gave a taster of what to expect on his eagerly awaited LP “Care Cracks“.

In the past Ive compared his vocals to Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor (a comparison reinforced when they played after each other at one of the final Luminaire shows). Thankfully he also shares the Chips gift for melancholic lo-fi electronic beauty coupled with beguiling melodies.

First up the beautiful “Bloodlines”, it was a real privilege to see James and his band play this track live. Thanks must also go to Pure Evil for letting us film after hours.

You can hear more from James on the links below. You’ll also get a few musical tips too, like this gorgeous Findlay Brown remix which completely passed me by back in January.

James Mathe – Facebook / Myspace / Soundcloud

For the second track James put the Omnichord to one side, grabbed a drumstick and joined the drummer for the urgent stripped down sound of “Turbine“. Lovely guitar work, especially as the guitarist had only learnt the songs the previous day!

Back in 1995 Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine were less than flattering about “Lenny and Terence”, but James is clearly a fan. He covered Trent D’Arby’s “Wishing Well” (listen below) for the limited edition ‘The Bedrume Cassettes’ EP and now Kravitz’s “Heaven Help” has received Mathe’s golden touch.

Ask me tomorrow what my favourites are and ill have changed my mind or remembered a classic that somehow escaped my thoughts. Loving a piece of music depends so much on where you hear it, whats happening in your life or who you’re with. There are tracks that only feature because they seem to work particularly well when played repeatedly at volume while pummelling up the M6 late at night.
Its a personal selection at pray to my whims, if Im in love ill overload the chart with slush, break my heart and ive a terrible weakness for Country and Western. Quite what putting an experimental Norwegian Jazz collective at No.1 says on that front is probably best glossed over.

Hopefully somewhere among this ridiculously long list there might be one artist you’d never heard before but will go on to love in 2011. Regardless of their order everyone of these 200 pieces of music has something very special about it.

Visit the Music Like Dirt page on Facebook to tell me just how wrong my selections are or what tunes Ive criminally overlooked? Theres also Twitter or the comments section of this page.

Theres a ZIP featuring some of the music featured here or listen to all the tracks on the Hype Machine. (I tried Spotify but it only had about 45 of the tracks).

1. JAGA JAZZIST – “Toccata”

Jaga Jazzist – Twitter / Facebook / Website

Watch: Jaga Jazzist perform a dogma version of “Toccata” in Tønsberg’s grand church, Tønsberg Domkirke (below)

2.THE INDELICATES
“Savages”

“But we are ash, we are books
Coffee stained and overlooked”

The Indelicates – Twitter / Facebook / Website / Shop

3. BILAL
“All Matter”

“So what is love? (What is it)”

Bilal – Twitter / Facebook / Soundcloud / Website /
Listen to the original version – Robert Glasper (feat. Bilal) “All Matter”

4. GHOSTPOET
“To Something (feat. Rox)”

““try, try again, maybe we can start it over, like a record at the end””
The buzz around Obaro Ejimiwe aka Ghostpoet built slowly but inevitably in 2010. His soft, sleepy, dulcet tones first came to my attention via blogging stalwarts Cubikmusik & Jus’Likemusic, then in February at The Worldwide Awards his performance was so packed, security had to enact a strict policy of one in, one out (unfortunately I never got beyond out).
Gilles Peterson was just one of the people spellbound by Ghost’s everyday tales, sonorous delivery and mix of wonky beats, hiphop & electronica, snapping him up for his Brownswood imprint.
“To Something”, his unofficial mix of Fourtet’s “She Just Likes To Fight” featuring another up-and-comer Rox is a new high watermark. Absolutely beautiful. Count the days to his debut album.

GhostPoet – Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Soundcloud
Listen: The Sound Of Strangers FREE EP
Watch: “Cash & Carry Me Home” (Video) – The first big Ghostpoet single!
Read: Ghostpoet tells Cubikmusik about the acts that have most influenced him.

5. SAGE FRANCIS
“Best of Times”

“go on and listen when they tell that these are your best years, don’t let anyone protect your ears, it’s best that you hear what they don’t want you to hear, it’s better to have pressure from peers then not have peers.”

Sage Francis – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Best Of Times” (YouTube)

6. CIARA
“Ride (feat Ludacris)”

“I can do it up and down, I can do circles
To him I’m a gymnist, This one is my circus”

Ciara – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Ride (feat. Ludacris)”

7. AFROJACK
“Pacha On Acid (Original Mix)”

Afrojack – Twitter / Facebook

8. ADELE
“Rolling In The Deep”

“The scars of your love, remind me of us.
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all”

Adele – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Daydreamer” Live on Jools Holland
“Rolling in the deep” – Slightly odd video featuring a room filled with cups of water, a dancer flicking talcumn powder and Adele unable to get out of a chair.

9. KING CHARLES
“Love Lust”

“Oh, lust only grows like anger and revenge or beauty comes and goes but love stays until the end”

King Charles – Twitter / Facebook / Blog
Watch: Love Lust (Video) / Cover of Billy Joel “We Didnt Start The Fire”

10. JOSE JAMES
“Love conversation”

“Youuuuuuuu… are so very precious to me”

Jose James – Soundcloud / Facebook / Website

11. PETER BRODERICK
“Human Eyeballs On Toast”

“Feathers and a cage too small
Chemicals that make us tall”

Peter Broderick – Facebook / Website / Flickr
Watch: “Human Eyeballs On Toast” Video of Studio Recording

12. OWEN PALLETT
“Lewis Takes Off His Shirt”

“What I have is what you need
And I’m never gonna give it to you”

Owen’s trademark looped violin and vocals given extra oomph by the Czech Symphonic Orchestra.

Owen Pallett – Twitter / Website / Soundcloud
Download: FREE Export EP
Watch: “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt” – Suitably bizarre video

13. ROBYN
“Dancing On My Own”

“Somebody said you got a new friend
Does she love you better than I can?”

Robyn – Twitter / Facebook / Soundcloud
Watch: “Dancing On My Own”

14. DAN LE SAC Vs SCROOBIUS PIP
“Great Britain (Akira the Don vs. Joey2Tits Remix)”

“And we’re so so bitter, we never got over when Marathon got renamed Snickers”

In a flagrant abuse of the one song per artist rule I’m opting for three Akira The Don related tracks at No.14.

Back in May Akira’s website went up in smoke after his ATD 23 Streetfighter tribute mixtape was declared “The Best Gaming Mixtape You’ll Ever Hear” by the ludicrously popular gaming site Kotaku.com. In the name of adding to the buzz, my dulcet tones could be heard on Hype Machine Radio enthusing about standout track “Be Brave”. Shortly afterwards an unholy alliance of MLD and ATD’s twitter followers propelled the tune to the top of the Hype Machine chart.

14. AKIRA THE DON – “Be Brave”

“All I need a beat and sample
I hit it and it goes pop… example”

No best of the year would be complete without an entry from Polarbear, this year its as a guest on Akira’s all done in a day LP. Listen to more here, and he’ll also be guesting on “Concrete Pigeon” from Sound Of Rums new album.

Finally a quick mention for PolarBear’s AfroBear side project, this month a few new demos popped up on Polars Soundcloud page.

Akira The Don – The No.1 artist site in the world / Twitter
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip – Facebook / Twitter (Dan / Scroobius)

15. GIDEON CONN – “Wildfire”
“Money fucks money and money is sexy”

Gideon Conn – Facebook / Twitter / Website

16. ROOTS MANUVA AND WRONGTOM
“Butterfly Crab Walk (feat. Riddla)”

“If you’re drinkin’ Tennants, you need to sober up”

Roots Manuva – Twitter / Facebook / BananaKlan
WrongTom – Twitter / Website / Soundcloud

Watch: Music Like Dirt talks to Wrong Tom about the album and heads to the launch party

Read: Tony McDermott talks about his classic Greensleeves sleeve designs – Must read
WrongTom selects 10 all time favourite tracks for CMU Weekly

17. BIG BOI
“Shutterbug (Feat. Cutty)”

“Now party people in the club it’s time to cut a rug
And throw the deuce up in the sky just for the shutterbuggs”

Big Boi – Twitter / Facebook / Website
Watch: “Shutterbug”s excellent video

18. JAMES MATHE
“The Load (“Get a wind thing for the mic” live on a rooftop version)”

“I will not ever take this for granted, I am forever in your hands”

James Mathe – Twitter / Facebook / Soundcloud
James Mathe – “Pallyacho (Home Demo)” (MP3)

19. GOLD PANDA
“You”

“You, You, You, You, You, You, You, You, You (repeat)”

Gold Panda – Twitter / Facebook / Soundcloud

20. JASJOT SINGH GHUMAN
“Vaisakhi Mela”

Jasjot Singh Ghuman – Facebook

21. YELAWOLF
“Speak Her Sex (Feat. Nikkiya)”

“Every night my little box, these speakers sexin me”

YelaWolf – Facebook / Twitter / Website

22. SUN KIL MOON
“Natural Light”

“I found a picture from before the fight, we’re in natural light
And youre sitting on my lap like everythings alright”

Sun Kil Moon – Website

23. CARAVAN CROOKZ
“Scooter Singh (feat Ash King)”

“ Definitely Southall sovereign status, more than Shadow from Gladiators”

Caravan Crookz – Twitter / Facebook / Scooter Singh Appreciation club / Website
Download: Free track “Jason DONovan” from their website

24. MARK RONSON
“Somebody To Love Me (feat. Boy George) (Holy Ghost remix)”

“In a couple of weeks you can tell all the freaks how you carried my body home”

Mark Ronson – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Somebody to Love Me (Video)”

25. BLEEDING HEART NARRATIVE
“Perun”

“You look so lovely as you stand there”

Bleeding Heart Narrative – Twitter / Facebook / Soundcloud / Blog
Watch: “Perun” (Video)

26. PAUL WELLER
“No Tears To Cry (Leo Zero Remix)”

“If you don’t want to see me fall
Turn your face to the wall”

Every generation has a Weller song to call its own whether its by The Jam, Style Council or the Modfather’s “Wildwood” era. The glorious 8 minute Northern Soul swirl of Leo Zero’s “No Tears To Cry” remix may just be the track that bewitches a fresh generation.
Leo Zero’s Dub Psychedelic Series previously sprinkled magic onto 70′s Bowie, and his Weller mix is a subtle triumph. On Soundcloud Leo was modest about his input “I can’t take credit for any of the parts! – I just did a beef-up and added some drums… the original is actually constructed with a lot of separate samples, I was very surprised when I cracked it open – it sounds so live, I thought it was all original“.

He was also understandably excited to be offered the chance to work on Weller’s material:

“A remix for Paul Weller that was a real honour ( and a lot of fun) to do. I think of this sound as what was going on at Blackpool’s Mecca Ballroom on the Northern Soul scene – slightly disco-fied…. but this track also reminds me of Neil Diamond and Glen Campbell – it’s a truly great song, and I was literally jumping round the studio with excitement when I first heard it! It was one thing to land a Paul Weller mix after being a fan for so long, but then to find out it was for such a belter of a song was mindblowing”.

Leo’s work is always unbelievably good, for further proof download his remix of Lissie here, and Patrick Wolf’s new one (below)

27. JAMES BLAKE
“Limit To Your Love”

“So carelessly there, is it truth or dare
There’s a limit to your care”

James Blake – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Limit To Your Love” (Video) / Feist’s original version of “Limit To Your Love”

28. ALOE BLACC
“I Need A Dollar”

“Please mister boss man, I need this job more than you know
But he gave me my last paycheck and he sent me on out the door”

Aloe Blacc – Twitter / Facebook / StonesThrow Records (loads of videos & downloads)
Watch: “I Need A Dollar” (Video)

29. BLAKULA
“Permanent Midnight”

“Blakula” an imaginary soundtrack to the tale of a black vampire born in Haiti, hibernated in Transylvania and defrosted in New York City in 1977. Its nothing to do with the 1972 Blacula (with a c) film which had its own collectable blaxsploitation soundtrack.
Theres an amusing backstory of Blakula’s adventures on the New York scene, writing poems with Burroughs, jamming with Miles and the Velvet Underground, shaking a canister for Basquiat and his tail feather with Warhol.

The album takes in rock, prog, disco, jazz but melds it all into one glorious voodoo funk soup that the Italian duo Simon Maccari and Andrea Bellentani aka The Diaphanoids should be justly proud.

Blakula – Myspace / Buy
Listen to Sergio Rizzolo’s unofficial extended disco edit of another album highlight “Miss Morgue”

30. BENIN CITY – “The Beat (Live @ E4 Underbelly)”

A live favourite, and the perfect blend of old style Hip-Hop with a little Go-Go – its like Shady Grove are back on stage. The Beat sounds very very nice.

Benin City – Twitter / Facebook

31. RUN TOTO RUN
“This Is A Lull”

A slice of pure pop dance so blissful that Kylie herself would crawl over hot coals to get her mitts on it. “This Is A Lull” would fit daytime Radio 1 perfectly, but equally it’s pulsing synths and 80′s snare hits make it more than cool enough for the trendier dancefloor.
It works even better when twinned with one of Run Toto Runs inventive videos – this time its all trippy motion effects (watch below). To show how they created it, the director Christopher Poole has released footage of the band performing to a super slowed down version of the tune, which when sped creates the otherworldly effect. Watch Rachel singing deliberately sloooowwwlllyyyy here.

Run Toto Run – Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud

32. MAGNETIC MAN
“Getting Nowhere (feat. John Legend)”

“I keep using my energy
Pushing and shoving my way to please”

Magnetic Man – Facebook / Website / Twitter (Scream / Benga / Artwork)
Watch: “Getting Nowhere” (Lord Of The Rings meets KIDulthood – odd video)

33. ARP & ANTHONY MOORE
“Spinette”

.

Arp – Arpsounds / Myspace

34. HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE
“Spottie”

The musical equivalent of sunshine, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble returned with a devastatingly brilliant free download of the Outkast covering “Spottie” from their new EP. They’re safe in the knowledge that anyone who listens will be compelled to buy the full EP (if not their entire back catalogue). See them live if you have a chance.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Twitter / Website
Watch: Heritage EP Video

35. SLEIGH BELLS
“Tell ‘Em”

Sleigh Bells – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: Excellent fan made “Tell ‘Em” (Video)

36. MONDKOPF
“Valse Dans L’Ombre”

An ipod inspired musical version of attention deficit disorder killed my album listening habits – Twitter, Facebook, MP3′s by the thousand, iplayer, youtube… Its hard enough to hold my attention for one song, let alone a whole LP!

Mondkopf’s “Galaxy Of Nowhere“ was one of a handful of exceptions in 2010. An album I can listen to from track 1 to 12 without my finger even hovering over “next” – ridiculous though that problem is.

Perhaps the 23 year old Parisian just ticks all the right boxes for me? Eno influences, crunching beats, large synths but most of all wonderfully BIG orchestration! Lovely.

Mondkopf – Twitter / Facebook / Lastfm / Music blog
As a bonus grab Mondkopf’s remix of one of my favourite tracks of 09 by Wolf Parade. Its huge and free from those people at RCDLB who get their mitts on all the best tunes, damn them.

37. LION D
“Nah Like Da Way Deh”

“To make it look like a global conspiracy, to hold the people down and keep them in poverty”

London born but now living in Italy (from where his mum hails) Lion D’s “Nah Like Da Way Deh” is a bitter pill of social commentary wrapped up in the sweetest summer reggae coating. Wind down the car windows and sing along to the likes of “To make it look like a global conspiracy, to hold the people down and keep them in poverty“.

Its also two tunes for the price of one as 2 and a half minutes in the vocals disappear and it heads off on a glorious 4 minute sax led instrumental excursion! If you like this be sure to check out his debut long player “Burning Melody“.

Lion D – Twitter / Facebook / Buy

38. EDWYN COLLINS
“Losing Sleep (Instrumental)” (MP3)

Edwyn Collins – Twitter / Facebook / Website
Watch: “Losing Sleep” (Video)

39. DENIS JONES
“Clap Hands”

“The goose drank wine, The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked. And they all went to heaven in a little rowing boat”

Clap Hands (Video) pilfers its lyrics from the 1965 Shirley Ellis hit “Clapping Song” (which itself borrowed from an old nursery rhyme). Musically its a world away from Shirley (Youtube) with a huge squelching synth throb, Jones’ vocal clicks and a generally ominous tone. Not a skipping rope in sight but fantastic nevertheless.

Denis Jones – Facebook / Website / Buy
Watch: “Clap Hands” (Video)

40. NOCANDO
“Hurry Up and Wait”

“I’m flawed just like all of us, and I never pray but keep yelling that god is ominous”

Nocando – Twitter / Facebook /
Download: El-P Remix feat. Nocando
Watch: “2 Track Mind (feat. BusDriver)” (Video) / “Wow” – Who doesnt love hip-hop love songs?

41. STRAYFOLK
“What wouldn’t I do” (MP3)

“What wouldnt I do for a woman like you?”

Strayfolk is an americana constellation found on the south-west and western seafront of Sweden.

Strayfolk – Website
FREE download of “What Wouldnt I do” + interview at Bad Panda
Listen: More from members of Strayfolk on the Swedish Music blog

42. PRETTY LIGHTS
“Forever Lost”

Pretty Lights – Twitter / Facebook
Download: Grab the brilliant “Spilling Over Every Side” & “Glowing in The Darkest Night” EP’s for FREE on the Pretty Lights site.

43. GYPTIAN
“Hold You (feat. Foxy Brown)”

“Gyal me wann fi hold yuh, put me arms right around yuh
Gyal you give me the tightest hold me eva get inna my life”

Gyptian – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Hold You” (Video)

44. ACTRESS
“Maze”

Actress – Twitter
Actress (Darren Cunningham) picks his favourite records of 2010

45. GALAPAGHOST
“Never Heard Nothin’”

“Im deep inside of you, but you feel nothing”

Galapaghost – Soundcloud / Facebook
Download: “Runnin’” EP for Free.

46. BATHS
“Hall”

Baths – Twitter / Facebook / Website /
Watch: “Lovely Bloodflow” (Video) / A fan with lights on his fingers

47. THE FALL
“Bury Pts. 1 + 3″

“I’m from Bury, as in Bourrée
A French composition, On a fluted instrument”

The Fall – Fall Online / Mark E Smith interview
Watch: “Bury Pts 2+4″ (Video)

48. MR. SCRUFF vs KIRSTY ALMEIDA
“Pickled Spider”

Mr Scruff – Twitter / Facebook / Website / Soundcloud
Watch: “Pickled Spider” (Video)

49. GEORGE LENTON vs AL GREEN

“Simply Beautiful”

George Lenton – Tons more music on Soundcloud

50. GONJASUFI
“She’s Gone (Oneohtrix Point Never Remix)”

Gonjasufi – Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Website

Read 51-100 in the top 200 here

JOAKIM’S BEST OF MUSIC YOU CAN DANCE TO IN 2010 by Joakim

51. SHAHEED & ANGELA KING
“Beautiful Black Ethiopian Skin” (MP3)

Who says romance is dead… Shaheed pays audio tribute to his beautiful wife…

Taken from BamaLoveSoul.Com‘s first remix compilation, The Street Lamp Sessions Vol.1: The Remixes!

The finest knob twiddlers in Alabama got their hands on tracks by Amel Larrieux, Jill Scott, Jaafar, Jay Z and more. Its free so head over to BamaLoveSoul and say thanks.

Shaheed – Myspace

52. PSYCHEDELIC SINGH
“Herbal Verbal”

Amarik Singh aka The Psychedelic Singh doesnt seem to appear on the blogging radar, or indeed any radio bar the BBC’s criminally threatened with closure Asian Network. Quite why is a mystery to me as everyone’s life would be improved by a little slice of Psychedelic Bhangra. On “Herbal Verbal” he takes HipHop pioneers The Last Poets down to the Bollywood disco.

Psychedelic Singh – Myspace / Soundcloud

53. HEDLUV ‘N’ PASSMAN
“Dreckly” (MP3)

“When I drink Tea, It’s usually Tetley”

The Busking Champions of the South West, Hedluv & Passman return with that difficult 2nd LP. Having confused/delighted/irritated audiences near and far, from Brazil to a string of 40th birthday parties “Dreckly” was the first taster of their new material.

Its everything you’d expect from Hedluv, ie. is it bad, is it good? Have Morris Minor & The Majors reformed? Daft, unabashed and embarrassment free as Hedluv lays his rhymes over Casio keyboard loops.
As many people will hate this as love it. To those that hate, I’m sorry I can see your point but whats that?.. I can’t hear you very clearly.. I’m just playing “Dreckly” 6 times straight on my ipod.

Hedluv – Website / Facebook / Blog / Twitter / The Online Pasty Guide
Watch: “Hedluv – The Musical” (Video)

54. PEEPHOLES
“Ladder” (MP3)

Peepholes – Twitter / Facebook / Website
Watch: “Ladder” (Video)

55. KATY B
“Katy On A Mission”

“Sip the bottle now don’t be slow, Keep up with me as we lose control”

Katy B – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Katy On A Mission” (Video)

56. WRETCH 32 – “Traktor”

“My lifestyles terrible wild
but you’ll never find me on the Jeremy Kyle show”

Wretch 32 – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “Traktor” (Video)

57. DEBRUIT
“Nigeria What?”

Debruit – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “” (Video)

58. RICKY RASURA
“Night Sin” (MP3)

Ricky Rasura – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “” (Video)

59. CHALK AND NUMBERS
“I Really Wanna Work This Out”

Chalk and Numbers – Twitter / Facebook
Watch: “” (Video)

60. DIE ANTWOORD
“Enter the Ninja”

61. JANELLE MONAE
“Tightrope (feat. Big Boi) (Organized Noize Remix)”

62. ZINJA HLUNGWANI
“N’Wagezani My Love”

63. SAM AMIDON
“How Come That Blood”

64. ÚTIDUR
“Fisherman’s Friend”

65. BLUEPRINT
“Radio-Inactive”

66. LUDACRIS
“My Chick Bad (feat. Nicki Minaj)”

67. PIFCO
“U.K. Adults”

68. NAS AND DAMIAN MARLEY
“As We Enter”

Tiny Tempah remix

69. THE CRYSTAL ARK
“The City Never Sleeps”

70. LES SHELLEYS
“Rum And Coca Cola”

71. CAITLIN ROSE
“Own Side”

72. CEE LO GREEN
“Fuck You”

73. NICKI MINAJ
“Did It On ‘em”

74. IONA MARSHALL
“Facing West”

75. FOUR TET
“Angel Echoes”

76. L.B. DUB CORP
“Take It Down In (Dub)”

77. GORILLAZ
“Stylo (featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack)”

78. SOLAR BEARS
“Twin Stars”

79. GAYNGS
“The Gaudy Side Of Town”

80. JAMES PANTS
“Darlin’”

81. TRACY THORN
“Hormones”

“Yours are just kickin in
Mine are just checkin’ out”

82. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
“You Wanted A Hit”

83. CARIBOU
“Sun (Mondkopf Remix)”

84. PENGUIN PRISON
“Golden Train (The Royal Palms Remix)”

85. DEMONS CLAWS
“Fed From Her Hand”

86. BULLION
“Say Goodbye To What”

87. SADE
“Soldier Of Love”

88. MEURSAULT
“Crank Resolutions”

89. KANYE WEST
“Runaway (feat. Pusha T)”

90. DARWIN DEEZ
“Bad Day”

91. TYLER, THE CREATOR
“French! (Feat. Hodgy Beats)”

92. ARCHIE BRONSON OUTFIT
“Magnetic Warrior”

93. CRYSTAL CASTLES
“Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith)”

94. GUIDO
“Mad Sax”

95. DRAKE
“Shut It Down (feat. The-Dream)”

96. COCKNBULL KID
“Hold On To Your Misery (Lissvik Remix)”

97. JON HOPKINS
“Vessel (Four Tet Remix)”

98. MATTHEW DEAR
“You Put A Smell On Me”

99. STORNOWAY
“Zorbing”

100. CARLTON MELTON
“When You’re In”

Read 101-200 in the Top 200 tracks list here

101. ARIYA ASTROBEAT ARKESTRA
“Lost In Kinshasa”

102. FOREST SWORDS
“Rattling Cage”

103. B. DOLAN
“50 Ways (Paper Planes Remix) (Live in London)”

104. KENDAL JOHANSSON
“Blue moon”

105. SEAFIELDROAD
“Hanging”

106. DAM MANTE
“A Statue that is Perpetually Unveiled”

Dam Mantle – Soundcloud

107. THE WILDERNESS OF MANITOBA
“Hermit”

108. GIRL TALK
“Let It Out”

109. LAURA MARLING
Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)

110. DAM-FUNK
HowUGonFuckAroundAndChooseABusta

111. KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS
Fokionos Negri Street

112. DJANGO DJANGO
WOR

113. ADEBISI SHANK
International Dreambeat

114. CLUB 8
Dancing With the Mentally Ill

115. WILD NOTHING
Bored Games

116. THE MISERABLE RICH
Hungover

117. DALE EARNHARDT JR. JR
Vocal Chords (Diego And The Dissidents Remix)

118. KATY PERRY
“Teenage Dream”

119. THE KRAYS
We’re Ready When You Are (Feat. Ebony Bones) (Dj Medhi Remix)

120. KINK
Existence

121. HYPE WILLIAMS
“The Throning”

122. AU REVOIR SIMONE
Tell Me (Villa Nah Remix)

123. THE XX
“VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)”

124. NOAH AND THE WHALE
Love Of An Orchestra (Chew Fu Fix)

125. JJ
“You Know”

126. TEENGIRL FANTASY
Dancing In Slow Motion (Feat Shannon Funchess)

127. SPOON
“Written In Reverse”

128. GRUFF RHYS
Shark Ridden Waters

129. TV GIRL
If You Want It (You Got It)

130. MIKA VAINIO
It’s A Muthang

131. NOT SQUARES
Release The Bees

132. A.G.
Infected

133. ZOLA JESUS
Sea Talk

134. LIARS
Scarecrows On A Killer Slant

135. HOT CHIP
“I Feel Better (Pitchfork Surveillance Live version)” (WATCH)

136. DIEGO BERNAL
El Corrido de Chico B

137. ENDGAMES
Ecstacy (Jam City Refix)

138. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH
Love is All

139. JAI PAUL
BTSTU

140. SHARK TANK
Red Rain

141. BALAM ACAB
Dream Out

142. GROOVE CHAMBERS
In The Bag

143. WATER BORDERS
Akko (Petals Remix)

144. JULIAN LYNCH
In New Jersey

145. JAMIE LIDELL
I Wanna Be Your Telephone

150. MONSTER RALLY
Honey Moon

151. DARREN HAYMAN & EMMY THE GREAT
“Calling Out Your Name Again”

152. RANDAN DISCOTHEQUE
Heather The Weather

153. JULIO BASHMORE
Footsteppin

154. JOE
Claptrap (Listen here)

155. FRENCH MONTANA
So High

156. Q ORCHESTRA
Ritmo Diabolico

157. BEAUTIFUL SWIMMERS
Big Coast

158. BRETON
Sharing Notes

159. GONZALES
I Am Europe (Claude Von Stroke Take A Trip Mix)

“”I am gay pastry and racist cappuccino”

160. BRASSTRONAUT
Hearts trompet

161. CFCF
The River

162. TURNER CODY
Corner Of My Room

163. MIGUEL ATWOOD FERGUSON
Do The Astral Plane (String Edit)

164. PEARSON SOUND
Blanked (Youtube)

165. IRON AND WINE
Biting Your Tail

166. TOM JONES
Burning Hell

167. BADLY DRAWN BOY
In safe Hands (Demo)

168. BABE RAINBOW
Care

169. BEENIE MAN
I’m OK (Youtube)

170. BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
All to All

171. DUCK SAUCE
Barbara Streisand (Original Mix)

172. SUFJAN STEVENS
I Walked

173. CAMERA OBSCURA
The Sweetest Thing (Richard Hawley remix)

174. MUSEE MECANIQUE
Our Changing Skins

175. AKALA
Yours And My Children

176. GLASSER
Home

177. NAPOLEON IIIRD
The Unknown Unknown

178. THE ARCADE FIRE
We Used To Wait

179. DEMDIKE STARE
Hashshashin Chant

180. LYKKE LI
Get Some

181. FATBOY SLIM Vs HERVE
Machines Can Do The Work

182. KING MIDAS SOUND
Lost

183. THE SOFT MOON
Circles

184. STILL FLYIN’
Runaway Train II

185. AWOLNATION
Burn It Down

186. SONIC YOUTH
Teenage Riot (Cracks remix)

187. HOLE
Samantha

188. DEERHUNTER
Helicopter (Diplo & Lunice Remix)

189. SUMMER CAMP
Ghost Train

190. TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix)

191. WARPPAINT
Baby

192. THE MORNING BENDERS
Excuses

193. KID CARPET
Cups of Tea

194. P A R A S A I L S
“Skylife #04″

195. DJ ZINC
Wile out (feat. Ms. Dynamite)

196. TAME IMPALA
Runway, Houses, City, Clouds

197. STARLITO
Alright

198. YUCK
Daughter

199. EMERALDS
Candy Shoppe

200. HERZOG
Slowest Romance

Hello there. For 15 years the comforting sweep of Heather “The Weather” Reid’s arm over the map of Scotland brought news of what the skies had in store for the day ahead.
When she left, Reporting Scotland marked the occasion with all the solemnity and imagination a TV producer can summon, ie a montage of clips set to Crowded House’s “Take The Weather”.
Thankfully at the time Randan Discotheque’s Craig Coulthard was questioning his decision not to follow migrated friends to London and stick with Edinburgh. In Heather he saw “a certain homeliness and familiarity, a humble attraction” perhaps a symbol of the Scotland his friends must surely regret leaving behind.
In truth the friends were probably far too busy living it up on the streets of Shoreditch to pine for anything but nevermind the resulting song is a delight – shot through with a dose of melancholy, its a wistful paean to Heather Reid and by extension Scotland itself.

It also like Mike Powell flying through the air to break Bob Beamon’s heart, wrestles the crown for “best ever weather presenter based song” from The Tribe Of Toff’s “John Kettley is a Weatherman” …and so is Michael Fish.

The single is available to buy digitally now or on 7″ in early December and is backed by an equally fine track about Armenian cannibals and a siege during the Spanish Civil War. One of the things that mark Randan Discotheque out from the crowd is their idiosyncratic choice of tone and subject. While its unlikely any other band would release a single about an edition of a Scottish newspaper “Daily Record, May 19th 1993″, they’re not averse to something approaching a tender love song – witness “I’d Like To Be Alone”.

Randan Discotheque – Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Randan Radio
Read: Interview with Craig Randan
Watch – Fantastic blue screened video for “Heather The Weather”
Buy: Heather The Weather on 7″ or digital

Randan Discotheque – Heather the Weather by The Bonjour Branch

Randan Discotheque – The Duke & His Orderly by The Bonjour Branch

While normally I’d rejoice at a rare failure for Rupert Murdoch’s pernicious empire, the humbling of Myspace by the all conquering Facebook left a huge gap for a social network with music at its core. Facebook does throw up occasional musical treasures, but it relies on the vagaries of your friends musical tastes. You have to plough through a lot of “Im watching X-factor/here are my holiday snaps” to get a few gems like Godzilla Black’s sleaze metal take on Prince Get Off.

Godzilla Black – Get Offf/Live jam (Prince cover)

Godzilla Black – “Enjoy Yourself” (MP3)

Video hosting sites can also do a reasonable job of introducing new music, a look at Randan Discotheques channel reveals the Edinburgh act “Pet”, who are supporting Randan at the Heather The Weather single launch gig.  A video featuring a bearded man getting a shave may not sound especially enthralling but “Yes Way” does just that with a charm and humour that perfectly fits the song.

Pet – Facebook / Blog

Over on Randan’s Vimeo page a quick look at favourite videos reveals a lovely slice of South African Shangaan dance music. The video may look like something filmed by The Apprentice candidates during their Westfield shopping centre task but its both charming and more importantly, what a tune!

Zinja Hlungwani – “Nwa Gezani My Love” (MP3)

SOUNDCLOUD

Perhaps the true heir to Myspace as the music centred Social Network of choice is Soundcloud. It may be hideously expensive to host more than a couple of hours of music on, but as a tool for “consumers” to find new sounds it hits the nail on the proverbial head.
The concept is simple, you or an artist set up a page, and if you wish upload music to it. Follow the musicians of your choice, and everytime they post a new a new tune up it pops in your timeline.

Theres no room for updates like “thanks to everyone who came to the gig last night” its simply about the music and comments on that music.

The interface is also clean and simple. Listen to tracks with a big play button in front of a waveform of the music (see below), or if for some reason its not loaded click on the link underneath it. If the music has been made available as a free download you’ll see a little down arrow. Just click on it to download, no sign ups, no email addresses.

A few days ago one of the final pieces of music featuring the late great Gregory Issacs popped up in my timeline courtesy of Wrongtom.
Taken from the Dub Pistols Rehash LP, Tom heard about Issacs death as he was putting the finishing touches to his mix.
“There are two mixes coming your way soon with a full vocal version featuring Rodney P and Gregory going head to head while this one’s a dub lick paying tribute to the late great cool ruler“.

Dub Pistols “Six Months (Wrongtom Meets The Cool Ruler)” by wrongtom

Elsewhere on Tom’s page you can of course listen to all of his recent Roots Manuva collaboration “Duppy Writer” along with a mix featuring 100 of Wrong’s favourite tracks in 10 mins!

Dj Wrongtom “All Time Top 100″ by wrongtom

Ghostpoet has been a regular fixture on this blog over the last year as he plots his bid for nationwide adoration in 2011.

Giles Peterson’s label Brownswood snapped him up in the summer, and over on their Soundcloud page you can find one of the original demo’s that first opened their ears to the mans talent.
‘Liiines’ – a comforting blend of bedroom electronics and his enchanting baritone ramblings.

**FREE DOWNLOAD** // Ghostpoet – Liiines (Demo Version) by Brownswood

Kelpe is another act to add to any list of those to follow. Listen to tracks from his brand new EP “Margins“, the video for which was shot by Kelpe himself on Super-8 (Youtube).

Kel regularly updates his page with remixes he’s done for other acts or stonking new versions of his own material. The Zombie Zombie mix of Bread Machine Bred (below) is an incredible mix of one huge low down sleazily parping acid bassline with break outs of full on percussion crashing through the mix.

The other joy of Soundcloud is the ability to see what the bands you follow are listening to and loving themselves. A click onto Kelpe’s comments reveals a skilfully subtle reworking of Joanna Newsom’s “Cosmia” that had passed me by earlier in the year.

Sparse glitchy electronica, and gorgeous strings show off Joanna’s voice to fine effect.

Bread Machine Bred (Zombie Zombie Remix) by Kelpe

JOANNA NEWSOM – COSMIA – COCOVALVE REMIX by Cocovalve

AKIRA THE DON

Ever one to harness the powers of new technology, Akira The Don has been busy uploading every single tune, mixtape and remix he’s ever done to his Soundcloud page. Essential stuff, but ignore his Soundcloud for now and check out the relaunched version 5.0 of his justifiably self proclaimed “Best Artist Website in The World” – AkiraTheDon.com.

It took Akira’s bro’ Zef months to create, but every hour was worth it to create such an incredible mix of new music, cartoons, youtube clips, live radio and more. The standard has been well and truly set.

To celebrate the new site Akira was kidnapped by Joey2tits to make what started as a “simple” mixtape but ended as a fully fledged album. As usual it comes in a variety of combinations, downloads, tshirts and/0r physical release.

“All Now, Or Never“, Akira’s look back on a decade ‘in the pros”, from having The Darkness as a support act or spraying the side of Pulp’s tourbus.  (I think thats what the lyrics are…  I look forward to the new ATD lyrics section on the website – A band where the lyrics are worth reading)

All Now, Or Never by Akira The Don

This week The Beatles finally came to itunes, and as befits one of the greatest bands in history they’re also all over Soundcloud. Just dont expect the straight album versions.

A.Skills put together an unbelievable 10 minute mega-mix of The Beatles and countless cover versions from Reggae to Hip-Hop. Originally aired on 1Xtra even hardened traditionalist Beatles fans would have to admire the skill involved in weaving interview segments and so many influences into the mix. A.Skills also has a Come Together remix high on the Soundcloud charts but it didnt really float my boat.

Far better is ScratchandSniffs re-edit of the Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder collaboration “Whats That You’re Doing“. Check their SoundCloud page for a whole host of tasty re-edits.

A.Skillz Beatles mini mix 1xtra by A.Skillz

Paul McCartney – What’s that your doing (scratchandsniff’s extended re-rub) by scratchandsniff

The most popular remix on Soundcloud right now is The Prodigy’s retooling of Jay Z’s “99 Problems”. It’s suitably immense and has clocked up a good 100,000 plays in just a few days.

The Prodigy – Soundcloud
Jay Z – “99 Problems (The Prodigy Remix)” (MP3)

Theres also an instrumental version available.

For fans of re-edits or Disco edits, Soundcloud has groups dedicated to sharing their latest re-works. Have a listen to just some of the edits available in groups like Disco-Redits & Re-Edits.  Don Ray, The Velvet Underground, Esther Phillips, Barry White and The Theme From Knight Rider all get the cut and splice treatment. Listen below, or click the links to investigate even more.

Got To Have Lovin (Function Juan Ray Banned Edit) – Don Ray by Glitterball

The Velvet Underground – Rock & Roll (Gigamesh Edit) by GIGAMESH

Duff Disco – A Tribute To Barry – FREE DOWNLOAD by duffdisco

Knight Rider-(Dave Allison Edit) * Free Download by Dave Allison

Esther Phillips – And I Love Him (Matthew Kyle Acid Jazz Mix) by M.K.

STAR SLINGER

Star Slinger seem to be generating a real buzz of late, but they’ll probably upset a few Cocteau Twins fans with this reworking of “Heaven Or Las Vegas“.

Maybe not one for the purists but with its gorgeous vocals, stuttering beats, and spacey synths, its up there with and will be lapped up by fans of the finest output of Gold Panda, Baths, Various Production, and their ilk. Lovely!

Star Slinger – Facebook / Twitter

Star Slinger – Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins Rework) by Star Slinger

The Krays – We’re Ready When You Are -Dj Medhi Remix by extramusicnew

Mark Ronson & The INTL Business – Somebody To Love Me (Holy Ghost! Remix) by Hypetrak

Heart Full of Pentagons (Alan Wilkis Remix) – Film School by Alan Wilkis

JAY ELECTRONICA

Jay Electronica -The Announcement by TempoClash

JAMES MATHÉ AND THE GIANT PEACH

The quality of music coming from artists associated with the Fife based “Fence Collective” is never less than astounding.
James Mathe is no exception having already garnered glowing reviews with a 2007 album under the guise of “Barbarossa” or “Red Beard” in Italian. Now he’s back, shorn of that name but not of the ginger beard, or thankfully his talent for a beguiling melody.

200 copies of James debut EP ‘The Bedrume Cassettes’ are available (or 199 as Ive bought one already) and each comes in a lovingly crafted handmade sleeve. It features demos from the soon to come album ‘Care Cracks‘, as well as Johnny Flynn reading poetry over what sounds like an outtake from Wendy Carlos’s “Clockwork Orange” soundtrack. If that wasn’t enough theres also a cover of the classic Terence Trent D’arby track ‘Wishing well’!
Grab the EP at Rough Trade or online at Roughtrade.com.

For the new material James has put down his guitar and picked up an Omnichord (along with assorted synths and 808′s). Maybe its just the new electronic surroundings but his voice has the air of Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor while the tunes share the chips gift for melancholic lo-fi electronic beauty. A taster EP that leaves you counting the days till the full album.

PS The picture is of Apple’s “Ping” recommendation social network failing to allow me to “like” James EP. Further proof of just how much ping pongs.

James Mathe – Facebook / Myspace

James Mathe - “Wishing Well (Terence Trent D’Arby cover) (Demo)” (MP3)

DEMONS CLAWS

Montreal rockers Demons Claws deliver the finest Walt Disney inspired album of blues-psychrock melt around in 2010. On Myspace they categorise themselves as “Spanish pop / Tropical / Death Metal” but theres a delicious 60′s haze to much of the album.

Demons Claws – Facebook / Myspace
Demons Claws – “Fed From Her Hand” (MP3)

CHALE TAMALE

Direct form Marquitos, Rio Grande Valley, Chale Tamale specialise in re-edits of classic Cumbia tracks. They take the latin sound, originating in Columbia sometime in the 1820′s (or so google tells me) and cut it up for the modern dancefloor.

Chale Tamale – Soundcloud

fito olivares – el mensajedo (chale tamale edit) by chaletamale

GIDEON CONN

“Money fucks money… and money is sexy…” Lyrically “Wildfire” doesnt hold back its punches and the new video (above) makes Gideon’s rant against Capitalism all the more direct. Prowling while staring directly into camera, he intones as the bass rumbles and horns more glowering than the Inception soundtrack ring out. Its heady stuff, and perhaps not what was expected from the man who brought us the gorgeous – how was it not No1 – love song “I Want You Around”.
Inexplicably “New Bop Sounds” is Gideon’s debut album, despite the fact that he seems to have been around as long as I remember. Grab the LP here

Gideon Conn – Facebook / Youtube
Interview with Gideon
Gideon Conn – “I Want You Around”

STEINSKI

For some reason I regularly forget to visit Cut-up legend and advertising exec Steve “Steinski” Stein’s site. Everytime I check back in I’m rewarded with inspired Youtube videos (like Daffy meets Beck below), political commentary and most importantly hidden musical gems like Steinski’s cut up of Cream’s Strange Brew.
Theres also links to his latest mixes, or in some cases he’ll just say “drop me an email and I’ll send you the mix”. Not bad for a bonafide hip-hop god!

Steinski – Website
Cream – “Strange Brewski” (MP3)

Steinski – Mindbender by ChoiceCuts

A right-ring radio duck – Daffy Duck meets Glen Beck in this supadupaslick remix by Rebellious Pixels

FAMILY

Family, the London based audio/visual duo of George Cassavetes and Esther Theaker release their debut cdr ‘Umthakathi’. Umthakathi is the Zulu name for one who practises witchcraft and over 13 tracks they mix ethereal sludy synth (think ‘black-midi’), drag, chopped and screwed vocals and heavy sizzurp drankin’ production.

Family – Website
Family – “Hausu” (MP3)

CFCF

Sorry I’ll hopefully finish this blog post tomorrow. Many apologies!

KELPE

“Chocolate Money EP” Teaser by Kelpe

Untitled by Rome Pays Off

Sandro Dalepedro & TWO – hackneyed Ray by sylor-sandro dalepedro

And finally more from the Caravan Crookz who follow “Scooter Singh” with “Jason DONovan”

Jason DONavan is a Pirate. He partakes in Pirate activities and enjoys his Pirate chump change lifestyle.

This is his livelihood. This is his bread and butter.
He needs to be stopped.
But he knows boys. BIG boys. Boys who know even BIGGER Boys.

You want DVD, he got DVD.

Caravan Crookz – Facebook / Website / Twitter / Scooter Singh Appreciation Facebook Group
Caravan Crookz – “Jason DONovan” (MP3)

It must have taken hours or more likely days sweating over a hot laptop to boil down an epic phonecall to Uruguay into an hour of totally engrossing musical insight for anyone with the slightest interest in music, creativity, how to run a label, commission remixes or treat artists.
Even if you’ve never heard of International Feel, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll enjoy the music featured and the way the interview has been blended into the mix. Engrossing!

“Innersounds meets International Feel – “Interview/soundscape – An essential listen” (MP3)

Visit Innersounds to listen and read the interview in full

If you want someone with more musical heft than me to vouch for its quality, then I’ve just noticed Greg Wilson raving about it over on his site. He also posted a link to this record company related “gem of an animation” along with his recent remix work for International Feel.

Incidentally Greg’s blog is always a great read and he’s come up with the inspired concept of “Living To Music” get-together’s. The idea is to come together with a group of friends, turn off your mobile, silence your twitterings and actually listen to and appreciate an album. People around the world potentially join you in experiencing the same album at the same time.

The XX ‘Night Time’ – Greg Wilson Version by wearemachinemusic

While on the subject of record label’s, its remiss of me not to mention the 20th Anniversary of Coldcut’s NinjaTune record label. I owe 90% of the music I love to introductions made by Matt & Jon on their legendary Solid Steel radio show. Theyve taken to uploading it to Soundcloud now and to celebrate the anniversary theyve done a special on the labels history. They talk about the story behind the Ninja logo, the club night ‘Stealth’, their favourite releases and much much more (Listen below).

Aside from leaving fans queuing in torrential rain for over an hour, their London XX gig was a triumph. My disappointment at Coldcut only playing a DJ set was made up for by the ear splitting trickery of DJ Kentaro and best of all the always charming Kid Koala. I’m hoping for an official release of the “Yo Gabba Gabba” track that had the assembled masses “reaching up” as Eric – dressed in a Koala suit – teetered on top of his turntables. (YouTube of another performance / another)
Solid Steel Radio Show 17/9/2010 Part 3 + 4 – Interview with Coldcut & Peter Quicke by Ninja Tune & Big Dada

CHROME HOOF

In order to gain the attention of the army of music bloggers out there (or “socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother’s basements” as Andrew Marr called them) there are armies of PR firms frantically cutting and pasting “We’re huge fans of your site” into emails to secure their band a bit of online love and attention from said social inadequates.

The upside of this is the happy ping of a tasty remix arriving in your inbox to promote a new tour. In this case, Chrome Hoof’s Decompression tour which winds its way though London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Leeds, Norwich and Brighton at the end of the month (see their facebook for details). They are one of the finest live bands around but if you want visual proof check out the short video I cut together of their album launch show earlier in the year).

With a CV stretching back to the early 90′s, taking in Soma releases and collaborations with Black Dog, its safe to say Mark Broom is something of a house/techno veteran.
Broom takes the frenetic space rock-disco of Chrome Hoof and Cluster‘s “Deadly Pressure” and moves an originally barely audible violin (?) riff to the front of the mix, before strapping on a speaker shaking beat and filtered vocals.
While you’re enjoying a listen why not download a mix of his favourite acid house classics from the getthecurse website.

Chrome Hoof – Facebook / Twitter / Buy the album + Tshirt
Chrome Hoof – “Deadly Pressure (Mark Broom mix)” (MP3)

Fans of Chrome Hoof may also love “Blakula” the imaginary soundtrack to the tale of a black vampire born in Haiti, hibernated in Transylvania and defrosted in New York City in 1977. Its nothing to do with the 1972 Blacula (with a c) film which had its own collectable blaxsploitation soundtrack.
Theres an amusing backstory of Blakula’s adventures on the New York scene, writing poems with Burroughs, jamming with Miles and the Velvet Underground, shaking a canister for Basquiat and his tail feather with Warhol.

The album takes in rock, prog, disco, jazz but melds it all into one glorious voodoo funk soup that the Italian duo Simon Maccari and Andrea Bellentani aka The Diaphanoids should be justly proud.
Ideal for any discerning turntable this halloween.

Blakula – Myspace / Buy
Blakula – “Permanent Midnight” (MP3)

ALOE BLACC

Aloe Blacc has been one of the stars of 2010, with his authentic soul sounds ruling the airwaves and even cropping up on the BBC 10′oclock news as a soundtrack to the impending cuts (We’ll need more than a dollar!)

If you havent got it already his debut album “Good Things” is almost faultless, he’s due in the UK imminently, and even his guest appearances rule – Check out MED’s “Where I’m From” on Stones Throw.

Aloe Blacc – “Hey There Brother” (MP3)

MED – “Where I’m From” feat. Aloe Blacc (MP3)

LIGHT SOUNDS DARK presents RETURN OF THE SHERM

If you only purchase one compilation album this month (year) buy Return Of The Sherm. Its packed to the gills with Psych funk, Proto-house, Prog afro and a host of other seemingly made up genres, but theres not a duff track in sight.

Its the follow up to last years “Sherm Sticks” which passed me by but will be being purchased. There are classics like AR Machines “Come On, People”, but also a host of rarities and never heards rescued from crusty dusty boxes, cleaned up and presented for your salivation.

Gloriously fuzzed up, wigged out, epic guitar work abounds, from Bourbon People’s wah wah stomp “The Ghetto” to Big Boy Pete’s “My Love Is Like A Spaceship” with its “Tomorrow never knows” style reverses. The Rolling Stones “Sympathy for the devil” even crops up introduced by a deranged German cackling in a graveyard.

Big Boy Pete – “My Love Is Like A Spaceship” (MP3)

TRU-THOUGHTS

Tru-Thoughts taster compilations are renowned for two things, insane cheapness (99p for 15 tracks!!) and the stone cold guarantee of 100% killer, no filler brilliance of the music within! Dutch trio Milez Benjiman 2008 single “Chop That Wood” is just one highlight, they describe themselves as “a sonik sounding stomp of cyborg funk! Sent to hook you from root 2 roof-top…totally leaving you wanting more!”

Milez Benjiman – “Chop That Wood” (MP3)

SCOOTER SINGH

Where exactly Caravan Crookz maddeningly catchy “Scooter Singh” will end up in the Music Like Dirt Top 100 of the year is uncertain, but I can promise one thing… it’ll be the highest placed tribute to crash helmet free, 2 wheel based Southall Singh’s on there.

Why this isnt in the Top 10 is a mystery… Caravan Crookz assure me that the man is a Southall legend arguably greater than Channi Singh or Shadow from Gladiators and is even more famous than the Singh postman in Eastenders.

Download the track, Watch the video, and join the Scooter Singh Appreciation club today.

Here’s what the Crookz have to say about the man, the myth and their tribute to him:

“Scooter Singh scours through the dark streets of Southall, West London in the search for a community crying for help. Whenever there is injustice, hardship and discrimination, he is there to silence the oppressors. If Southall was a loaf of bread, than Scooter Singh is the yeast, making it rise when placed under pressure… As a tribute, the Caravan Crookz have penned an ode to their messiah, detailing his rise to superstardom and his influence on a generation seeking a figure to lead them through these troubled times.
BUT! Don’t just take our word for it. Hear what other “celebrities” are saying.

“I love Scooter Singh and I don’t care who knows!”
Terry Mardi
“Scooter Singh has been my biggest inspiration.”
H Dhami
“Bigger than Nelson Mandela, Gandhi Ji and Martin Luther King put into one.”
Bobby Friction

Caravan Crookz – Facebook / Website / Twitter / Scooter Singh Appreciation Facebook Group

Caravan Crookz – “Scooter Singh (feat Ash King)” (MP3) / Youtube Video

Perhaps not yet as famous or as speedy on 2 wheels as Scooter Singh but The Psychedelic Singh Soundcloud page is one to watch for the latest from the UK’s 2nd most highly acclaimed Singh.

Sahiban Da Khat feat Kuldeep Manak by The Psychedelic Singh

FELA! THE MUSICAL

Opens November 6th at The National Theatre!

Fela Kuti – “Zombie” (MP3)

WHITE DENIM

White Denim – Download the new album for FREE

White Denim – “Light, Light, Light” (MP3)

Napoleon IIIrd – “The Unknown Unknown” (MP3)

And finally… Ghostpoet’s debut single is imminent. Here’s the video. Big things soon to come.

12,” 7,” CD, MP3… my record rack runneth over with the output of Rodney Smith aka Roots Manuva, dating back to the mid 90′s. A chance to catch him old school style in a tiny East London basement crammed with a 100 lucky punters is one sticky sweaty opportunity too good to miss. During the course of the evening Rodney himself casts his mind back to bygone Brixton parties and 3 pound draws, before summing it up succinctly while wiping his brow… “I’m sweating me balls off here“.

I’d arranged to interview Mr Manuva MC so when Ninja’s lady in command Maddy spotted Rodney strolling towards us she asked “Quick Interview?,” I gulped in trepidation, or more accurately terror. A shake of the head in the negative later and without breaking stride he was gone and I have to say Ive never been happier to be blanked in my life. No more stressing, just enjoy the show!

A week or so later I caught up with the “Duppy Writer” himself (Ghost writer in Jamaican patois) DJ Wrong Tom to chat about the debut live performance, if he was happy with reviews like “the best reggae album of the last 30 years” and how he was first introduced to the sprawl of musical styles covered by the term, Reggae.
Watch the interview below, featuring clips of the live show and a multi-location interview (entirely planned obviously and nothing to do with me running out of batteries 5 minutes into the interview).

Roots Manuva – Twitter / Facebook / BananaKlan
WrongTom – Twitter / Website / Soundcloud

Read: Tony McDermott talks about his classic Greensleeves sleeve designs – Must read
WrongTom selects 10 all time favourite tracks for CMU Weekly

Buy: Order “Duppy Writer” Now

Listen:
Roots Manuva Vs. WrongTom – “Butterfly Crab Walk (feat. Riddla)” (MP3)

Roots Manuva – “Join The Dots (Drums of Death remix)” (MP3)

Roots Manuva – “Witness (Floorman M20 Edit)” (MP3)

Listen to a “Duppy Writer” minimix below courtesy of Pop Matters.

Kid Koala “Skanky Panky (Wrongtom Dub)” by wrongtom

A quick glimpse at a track by a band WrongTom has been producing called Phantom – WrongTom say “in shit-journalese I’d describe it as Link Wray goes on a murder spree at the hop then sits back and lights a cigarette contemplating who might be next”.
Phantom “Monster” (excerpt) by wrongtom