Home » Willkommen Orchestra @ The Bubbly Blue and Green Festival
Willkommen Orchestra @ The Bubbly Blue and Green Festival
Kings Cross hasn’t quite shaken off its seedy air entirely but Kings Place on York Way is a good example of just how much times have changed. Certainly different to 14/15 years ago when I did a nights work as a cross between security guard and Satellite truck technician. That evening outside an Antipodean pick up joint, not unlike the Walkabout but without its air of sophistication was beyond grim. LiveTV! were broadcasting a dating show from within the sawdust floored cesspit, while I did my best to fend off aggressively beered up rugby types. The trip to the nightbus was obstacle course of discarded needles and the unwanted attention of drug ravaged prostitutes.
In 2010 the scene is slightly different, Kings Place, the first new public concert hall in London for 25 years has swapped the syringes for studious sophistication. The Guardian newspaper appropriately shares the building.
No chance then of the usual shoe sticking to floor gig experience for this the fourth night of Arctic Circles Bubbly Blue & Green festival. Gliding down the escalator to the subterranean concert halls the events theme of ‘water music’, shipwrecks, rivers, waves and lighthouses is quickly apparent. Cutout fishes dangle above, watery textures project up onto the ceiling and two people dressed as Eskimo’s dangle sweets on the end of fishing rods to tempt the punters below. The Sone Institute play live watery soundscapes as we relax on comfy chairs, cup of tea tea in hand. People are making origami creatures on a table nearby and the fishing couple above have cleverly attached a cam to the end of their rod, throwing a shimmery image of those below onto one wall. I’m starting to feel a little drowsy or at least more so than crowding round the bar deciding whether to have warm Carling, Carling or Carling.
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It would be wonderfully dramatic to say the evenings performance is a once in a lifetime, one-off, never to be repeated experience, but strictly speaking its a two-off, (probably) never to be repeated which is special enough for me. Brighton based Willkommen records are cut from a similar cloth to Fifes celebrated Fence Collective, consisting of numerous bands, many with members in common who alongside their own LP’s seem to have the habit of interpreting each others work. The Willkommen Orchestra is made up of 20 musicians from four groups, The Miserable Rich, Shoreline, Sons of Noel & Adrian and The Climbers interpreting the songs of those groups en masse.
With a couple of dozen musicians on stage you’d be forgiven for expecting a battle of ego’s but the only evidence of such is a inadvertent slip of the tongue from The Miserable Rich’s lead singer James Malplaquet. Joking about the seething mass of ego’s present he introduced the section of Miserable Rich songs by saying “the next part of the evening features the music of MY group…” before swiftly correcting himself to a more “collective” description.
In truth the lack of arrogance seems at odds with the talent present, the 5 main vocalists take turns to spotlight their fabulously distinctive voices before shuffling off to shake a tambourine, provide backing vocals or guitar. The evening is a debut for The Climbers, the newest addition to the labels roster, although as is the Willkommen way they contain members of Sons Of Noel & Adrian, The Leisure Society and Miserable Rich. Tim West may be a low key front man but he’s assembled a cast of dozens to swell the anticipation for the May release of their 5 years in the making LP.
I’d been surprisingly underwhelmed by The Leisure Society supporting Alela Diane last year so it was a pleasure to hear Nick Hemming put his banjo aside for a moment and step up to the mic. Of the two tracks performed “In a Circle” (youtube) (if thats whats its called) was especially good.
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We unfortunatly missed Shoreline due to the ramshackle nature of Kings Place with the only open bar a floor up without a PA system to tell you the next performance is underway.
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I last saw The Miserable Rich completely accidently playing by the riverside under a Texan bridge as dusk fell and bats filled the sky, but this was the first time I’d heard their eagerly awaited new material. On the evidence of the four songs played the new songs are not as instant, less dark, but in the gorgeous at least “Oliver” may hold the promise of equalling one of the unsung albums of the last few years. James Malplaquet has an affecting voice at the best of times but when slowly intoning each word of “The… feast… of … Oliver” with the pin drop beautiful accompaniment of the choir its enough to make a grown man weep.
The sound produced by all present, brass, woodwind, string, piano, choir is at times overwhelming. Scanning the stage your eyes and ears pick out individual elements within the collective whole, whether that’s the ever present bearded Will Calderbank dashing between Cello and grand piano or the accordion player. The layers build and build into a glorious swell of sound but its the quieter moments that send tingles down the spine. The sweet voices of the choir softly sending out the lyrics with minimal accompaniment.
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My knowledge of The Sons of Noel and Adrian’s music was limited to their scene stealing covers of fellow Willkommen artists, but here they stole the show with their own material. Jacob Richardson’s (above left) voice is no where near as gravelly as Joe Cocker, but its the closest comparison I have to get across the mixture of roughness and soul he brings to bare. That alone would be perfect enough but in the sweet angelic lilt of Catherine Cardin he has the perfect foil. A bit of googling after the gig reveals what I should have guessed, she’s got a solo project linked in to Willkommen, Redwood Red.
The evening ended all too soon with “Damian” bringing every musician and instrument on stage to play in a joyous wall of sound. The audience left Kings Place torn between preserving the privilege of hearing a rare never to be repeated performance, and the knowledge that it would be a criminal not to capture something this beautiful for posterity.
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The London Snorkeling Team create cocktail, crime, space music they imagine happened sometime in the 1950s at a party for experimental scientists with an obsession for cartoons. It sounds a bit like the theme music from Inspector Gadget as played by a cocktail band.
The Line Of Best Fit were less than impressed describing them as “little more than a surrealist experiment in bad jazz, am-dram and overhead-projector storytelling, one has every right to feel blighted.”
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My initial slightly tongue in cheek tweet doesn’t really communicate just how depressing news that the BBC “could” be set to cut two of its digital stations really is.
The loss of BBC 6Music and The Asian Network may only directly effect around a million listeners but the decision would have huge ramifications on everything from the viability of up and coming new bands, the BBC’s relevance to ethnic minorities, and the future of DAB Digital Radio.
It would signal a betrayal by Mark Thompson of the very reasons the BBC exists, ie to represent and provide for EVERYONE irrespective of commercial cost, niche or minority. Perhaps its a sop to a potential incoming Conservative government or to the Murdoch press who broke the story describing the BBC as “Big, Bloated and Cunning“. If so its naive, Murdoch doesn’t dislike a “bloated BBC” its the BBC as a concept, as a public service that he considers disgusting. The idea that for around the price of a Sky Sports subscription people can get TV, national and local radio, iplayer, and a world respected website all without the proprietors enforced political bias is anathema to the man. Snivelling cockwheasel Tory Shadow Culture minister Ed Vaizey greeted the closures as both “intelligent and sensible“. In 2009 The Sun switched its support to The Conservatives.
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Listen below to Richard Bacon on 6music giving his views on the BBC axing a jewel in its crown… Amanda Holden’s Big Top comedy series
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As my earlier tweet hinted Im by no means an evangelical 6music listener but the station has carved out a niche particularly for unsigned and up and coming new acts. Its live sessions in particular have provided a first breakthrough for countless bands who quite simply wouldn’t be heard without it.
The Asian Network is even more vital for acts with much less chance of exposure and by extension ability to earn a living. The stations South Asian remit takes in everything from Bhangra to Bollywood and the British Asian Underground, all styles unlikely to trouble the airwaves anywhere other than on The Asian network.
And its not just about exposure, Performing Rights Society (PRS) money paid per play on stations like 1xtra and Asian Network provide financial support to artists. Pirate radio, and most commercial stations don’t pay out for plays in the same way the BBC stations do so its closure could end careers, and starve scenes of both exposure and an income.
The Asian Network also serves a section of licence fee payers arguably under-represented by Auntie. The cost per listener may be fairly high at the moment but the cost of its loss in terms of minority communities feeling any connection with the BBC could be even greater.
Leaving aside George Lamb, 6music has begun to fulfil the dreamed for potential of being the station John Peel would have wished for and less the one your middle of the road dad would appreciate. There’s a long way to go until Peel would truly have approved but recruiting people like Jarvis Cocker who’s a musically respected name, rather than just a name is a step in the right direction. Take a listen to the Jarvis Cockers Valentines Day special for an example of a wonderfully diverse, intelligent piece of radio at its best.
In The Guardian Phil Jupitas explains how the stations eclectic output simply isnt available anywhere else on the dial. Particularly during the day commercial stations who lack the freedom afforded by licence fee backing have no option but to pump out the most popular mainstream music possible. Like any other station 6music has a playlist that forms the bedrock of its output but DJ’s on the channel are also allowed to play their own choices irrespective of style.
“I once bumped into one of my main competitors from commercial breakfast radio on a train. As we chatted, I bemoaned the fact that we only got nine free choices per show. He looked at me somewhat crestfallen and said “I get one … a week.” Phil Jupitas
As far as I’m concerned 6music is worth the 6 million pounds (or 10 x Chris Moyles paycheck) a year just for providing a home to Adam Buxton and Jake Cornish. I listen to the music free podcast rather than the live show, partly because if Im honest I find the music a little bland. All I can say is whoever penned the old joke about “these arnt wrinkles, theyre laughter lines…. REPLY: Nothings that funny!” never subscribed to the A&J 6music podcast. Watch A&J NWA cover “Help The Police”.
“I was going to buy a digital radio next week. If they get rid of BBC 6music I might as well not fucking bother.” Charlie Brooker on Twitter
DAB Digital Radio will also be badly hit by the loss of two of its most high profile stations. How many people who bought digital radio’s would like Charlie Brooker of thought twice without particularly 6music. As with TV, the government will no doubt be keen to sell off the analogue radio spectrum once the digital switchover is feasible at around the 50% take up point. The figure has barely broken 20% as yet so DAB itself could be fatally undermined by this ill conceived plan.
When The Times leaked news of 6music’s possible closure SaveBBC6music immediately began trending in the top 10 Worldwide tweets and Facebook groups sprang up dedicated to demonstrating the strength of feeling among its 700,000 listeners.
Hopefully the thousands of “Save6music” campaigners will shout equally loudly for the Asian Network too. By demographic coincidence 6music’s largest listening type, 30something white middle class males happen to also be the type likely to spend inordinate amounts of time tweeting, blogging and updating their facebook status. I’m in no way knocking the wonderful outpouring of support 6music has received but DJ’s like Bobby Friction or Pathaan’s Musical Rickshaw on The Asian Network are as much musical champions of the unchampioned as Steve Lamacq on 6Music is.
Their survival is about fighting for musical diversity and as such the two stations are intertwined as a cause. Anyone who’s a truly a music lover should be equally passionate about the survival of both.
As a BBC staff member I should to declare an interest, but my main interest is in musical diversity. An example being the new scheme set up by the BBC Introducing team who’ve given vital exposure to new bands across the nation. The volume of music uploaded to the Introducing website has been phenomenal, and as the BBC has a duty to listen to it all they’ve recruited music fans from any part of the BBC. The upshot, I’m assigned a local radio station area and while Im munching my baguette at lunchtime I can listen to anything uploaded from that location. You can’t fast forward or skip tracks but its a privilege to get to hear such a wide variety of music. If in my humble opinion I think a track is worthy of consideration for airplay I can click a button to forward the song on to the Introducing show for that part of the country. They are totally free to ignore my recommendations but it is to borrow The Times’ phrase “a cunning” way of ensuring as much music as possible gets listened to, and where possible given vital exposure.
Back in 95 when Skee-Lo’s infectious wish that he was a “a little bit taller“ was flying up the charts, I couldn’t help but think if he actually was he might quickly wish to be diminutive once more. It’s true that at gigs being 6ft 6″ means unless Magic Johnson’s up the front you can pretty much see from wherever you choose to stand. The downside (apart from the guilt when someone 5ft stands behind you) is its difficult to blend in.
And so it proved at Jay Electronica’s first UK gig since “Exhibit C” transformed him from the internets hottest rapper to a Hot97 featuring, itunes destroying mainstream star. Oddly a lot of the publicity heralded the night as Jay’s UK live debut despite him playing here a number of times as far back as 2008.
Looking dapper in an immaculately tailored suit, like Louis Farrakhan guesting on Mad Men, Electronica is witty, engaging and utterly at ease on stage. Early in the gig he jokingly asked if we’d mind if he had a Jack Daniels to ease his nerves. Pouring himself one he asked if anyone else wanted a glass to which an American on the balcony yelled down “Yes, Up here”. Later he admonishes him for asking for more, calling him a “rude American” while pouring him another anyway. After running out of glasses a girl at the side of the stage requests a swig to which Jay goes to enquire if she’s got cooties… before saying what the hell I’ll just catch whatever you’ve got.
All very amusing… until midway through he set Jay abruptly stops and staring straight at my head poking up above the throng declares “this guy here is the only person still making me nervous“. To general chuckles he wanders over and enquires my name, “Leon!!”…oh Neil he says when corrected.
“Neil, Why are you making me nervous?” he gently demanded. At which point Id love to say I came back with a witty retort, but no I just stood and let my cheeks cycle through a variety of purple tinged shades. “Are you here with your girl?” came the next question… “no“… “then why are you making me nervous…if it isn’t because you think Im going to steal your girl!?” Clearly by now he’d taken pity on me and in his best Dick Van Dyke accent declared “Im only joking… what a handsome bloke!“… clarifying as he walked away “but not in a gay way!“. And who says Americans don’t do sarcasm!
Enough of the stories you might say, what about the music?! Well, you can’t really describe Jay Electronica live without the stories, because frankly there are lots of them. He could clearly earn a crust as an after dinner speaker, but some might say they came to hear the man’s MUSIC not his anecdotes. Its difficult to criticise too much though when you look round and see a mass of smiling faces.
Also for a long time it seemed like Jay may not actually turn up. It was a thankless task for the two support acts in front of a crowd who clearly only wanted to see one person. Fatima at least tried, and her fine voice is worth seeking out in more favourable conditions, especially as she already has quality material with Floating Points, and her vocal on Shafiq Husayn’s wonderful “Lil Girl”.
DJ Benji B entertained the crowd with some choice tunes while the announcements that Jay was 10 minutes away, almost here or in the building became increasingly desperate as time ticked on. It was almost 11pm – the time the gig was supposed to finish! – before Jay finally appeared on the gantry above the stage to much applause and more than a little relief. Later it transpired that it was all Gilles Peterson’s fault as Electronica had been busy watching Arsenal lose, and Giles was responsible for switching Jay’s allegiance from Chelsea in Makalele’s days to the Gooners. Jay researched the crowds allegiances by measuring the boo’s as he mentioned London teams… obviously Chelsea received the largest chorus of disdain.
One of his numerous unreleased tracks “Dear Moleskine” got the evening started. Its typical of Jay’s leftfield nature that the track first leaked as part of a trailer for a supposed feature length film featuring Electronica exploring the globe talking to characters like Monks at the Bodinath Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu. Unreleased or not, the crowd knew every word, mouthing each one along with Jay.
Overall he performed surprisingly little of his own material, he rapped some Nas and early in the evening a heartfelt tribute to J Dilla.
Asking the crowd to imagine Dilla in hospital wired up to machines with doctors telling him by rights he should be already be dead. Such was Dilla’s love of working on his music, Jay said, that instead of feeling self pity he asked for his MPC to be hooked up by his bedside.
With the “Waves” beat playing he asked everyone to take out a lighter/mobile anything that shines and hold it up in respect of Dilla. For a minute or two he just zoned out as it played telling us to feel this beat is being communicated to you from his death bed. It might have been moving but unfortunately an argument was breaking out next to me between some girls up the front and a very young inebriated young black boy cruelly trapped in the body of a white boy from Surrey. They reasonably objected to his constant “brapping” and gesticulating with his hand onto their heads.
Next came one of the most memorable moments of the evening as Jay asked if anyone wanted to come up and try some rhymes over the Dilla beat. I think the look on Jay Electronica’s face in this photo says it all about how shocked he was at just how good the young guy (North London MC Mangaliso Asi) who volunteered from the side of the stage was (see this bit and the much more on HigherPlanes superb video Pt2).
As Jay said “Normally when you pull people up on stage they might be wack, but Gilles, Gilles Peterson you’re in the building you got a play this man on the BBC. Give me your scouts honour youll play him!”
One person posting on the Brownswood forum objected to the very idea of inviting “civilians” up on stage:
“If I wanted to be kept waiting, 25 quid lighter and shouted at by a member of the public, I’d buy crack round the back of Lidl“.
I have to say I’d have liked it if Electronica had performed more tracks, but I wouldn’t have swapped that for the genuine sense of not knowing what might happen next. Would he rap accapella, serve drinks, discuss politics, jump into the crowd, tell jokes? I’ve not seen a performer break down the barrier between Star and public as much as Jay did and that can’t be a bad thing.
In the picture above he announced he’d been writing his own opera, and began delivering lines in baritone Italian! I’m sure I was the only person who didn’t see it coming, but I remember for a split second thinking “jesus he’s got a great voice“. At that moment of course he moved the mic away from his mouth while the singing being played by DJ TJ the King continued. Does anyone know what the track was called?? Jay did say, and even asked if anyone spoke Italian and knew what it meant. A quick witted audience member replied “playo Exhibito C-o“.
It would be dishonest of me not to mention the one moment in the show that made me uneasy. When with grins on their faces Jay and his DJ said they had a theory they tested at every city on tour, and that is, its a fact that “every woman loves to be strangled during sex“. Some girls like to be strangled a bit, while others love to be really throttled! They then asked for all the ladies in the place who liked to be choked during sex to put their hands up and shout… a gaggle to the side of the stage thrust their hands up while the line of girls in front of me kept theirs firmly crossed.
Its not really for me to say whats right or wrong sexually, and frankly whether this particular music blogger either enjoys, has indulged in or is disgusted by a bit of rougher sex is not really relevant. All Im saying is it felt unpleasant, the atmosphere changed for a moment, and for what its worth I thought it both a wrong and degrading generalisation but hell thats just me! He did say he was only joking…
Back to the music! His production on “Queens Get The Money” gave Nas the “Electronica” sound, and he returned the favour here, performing a cover of Nas’s “My World” track. As usual he teased the audience asking if there were Nas fans in the building, hinting he might make an appearance… a trick he tried again later with Jay Z.
The “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind” sampling “Pledge“ that first brought Jay to everyones attention back in 2007 was another highlight. As he did on numerous occasions throughout the night he cut the music, slowed everything down and recited the lyrics crystal clear to little more than the sound of others in the audience whispering the words. It’s a pet hate of mine that HipHop, a genre that more than perhaps any other should be about the words is often lyrically unintelligible live.
Predictably it was Exhibit A & C that really had the Jazz Cafe jumping, C being so good he played it twice, but the gig never really ended in a traditional sense. Yes he said goodnight London, and thanked us all but instead of exiting stage left he told everyone to head to the afterparty at MoMo’s, and then stepped down into the audience. There he stayed for at least 45 minutes, posing for pictures, signing, giving advice, even asking if anyone wanted to rhyme over some more beats while he worked the crowd. The lady who took the mic gamely kept going for a minute or two but realising Jay wasnt going anywhere gave the mic back to the DJ after cheekily advertising her myspace.
There are artists with a 10th of Jay Electronica’s talent who wouldn’t even consider “wasting their time” mingling with the fans for a minute let alone an hour. A guy wearing a tie suggested swapping and within moments he had Electronica’s no doubt expensive tie round his neck while Jay carefully knotted his “new” one.
So mission accomplished, London charmed, hit record No.1 under the belt… now the tricky part, matching the hype and delivering that long promised, long delayed LP.
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and rather than post “Exhibit C” here’s the original track it samples:
Billy Stewart – “Cross My Heart” (MP3)
Home » Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards 2010 @ The Garage
Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards 2010 @ The Garage
Gilles Peterson has been shining a light on the jazz/funk/soul/world music he loves since the late 80’s when the pirates of Horizon, Invicta and LWR did battle for London’s music lovers. Then when Radio 1 repeated it’s 60’s trick of hoovering up former pirate DJ’s to breath new life into the stilted world of Oooo Gary Davies, Gilles found himself peddling his wares on the nations No.1.
For 2010 his live best of the year Worldwide Awards relocated to the newly refurbished “Garage” or as its now known the “Relentless Energy Drink Garage“. It’s been closed for what seems like decades, so long in fact the last band I remember seeing there were bodran beating Irish Marxist rap troop “Marxman” who coincidently were on Gilles’ “Talkin’ Loud” label. (can that really be 1993!)
Having only managed to get in by queing up at 7pm I can report its changed very little bar a lick of paint and a lot more Energy Drink related cocktails. Its a decent small venue and could have sold out many times over given the embarrassment of riches on the bill.
I missed several acts because the upstairs was so rammed security greeted you at the bottom of the stairs with a “Sorry Sir, Its one in – One out“. So GhostPoet, Elan Tamara, Nailah, and DOP will have to be caught another time!
But as Gilles himself says in his look back at the night, its not every awards show where you get “800 odd people cheering the fact that Harry Whittaker’s latest is number 4 in the jazz chart! It makes the the whole thing worth it just for that…”
Lee Fields & The El Michels Affair
At a little after 1am, the star of the show strolled onto the stage. Diminutive in form but a colossus in charisma and vocal talent, Lee Fields is the successor to the soul crown once worn by James Brown.
His backing band – made up of members of El Michels Affair & The Meehan Street Band – had already warmed up the crowd with 3 stonking slices of wah wah and brass.
Looking dapper in a suit Fields was relaxed, in command of both the stage and the full house. Word for word renditions of his latest album were belted out by the crowd, Love Comes & Goes, Honey Dove and of course the modern classic “Ladies”.
The only act of the evening to get an encore, Fields departed sweat dripping down his face. The front row reached out to him as he worked his way along them, clasping and shaking every hand. If this is a short Lee Fields set, look out for the full tour coming soon.
Prior to the gig The Robert Glasper Trio wouldnt have been the first name I thought of as show stealing but the man was bested only by Mr Fields.
Not only is he an incredibly gifted keyboard player but if the music every dries up he could have a lucrative second career in stand up.
Accepting his award for “Best Jazz Album” Glasper had the audience in stitches, feigning tears, and giving thanks to “big po… who’ll be coming out of jail soon“. He also thanked Gilles for incredible support saying he was so upfront he was playing tracks before he’d even finished writing them… “How’d you play that tune, I only just finished playing it!”
Over on the Brownswood noticeboard reaction to his set was justifiably euphoric “glasper converts ahmad jamal into stakes is high or Radiohead’s everything in its right place into maiden voyage its really the best jazz i’ve heard live in about 10 years”
The Trio were shorn of regular drummer Chris Dave who missed his flight from New York, and so Joshua McKenzie stepped in at the last minute. “I only met this guy today” said Glasper as a very cool looking McKenzie adjusted his kit.
He needn’t of worried as the trio proceeded to “tear the roof off“, if its possible to tear a roof off while sat at a fender rhodes? McKenzie’s drumming was phenomenal, or at least it was to these untrained ears… K magazine’s reviewer thought otherwise writing that the “flashing grin and blurred arms, failed to mask the lack of real polish.”
Earlier in the evening Andreya Triana performed a beautiful acoustic set accompanied by her NinjaTune labelmates, Fink on guitar and Bonobo on Bass. The stripped down sound allowed her gorgeously relaxed voice to be enjoyed in all its glory. Andreya Triana feat. Fink & Bonobo live @ WWA2010 by Brownswood
Wall-E on the Brownswood board: “Theophilus London was a strange one. I struggled intitally, particularly when he came out and started banging the drums like that bird from the Ting Tings. THEN, real energy followed, and he defititely knew how to hype a crowd. I wasn’t familiar with any particular tune, but eventually I got sucked in“.
Track of the Year 2010
1. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo [Hot Flush]
2. Floating Points – Vacuum Boogie [Eglo]
3. Zed Bias feat. Tawiah – Further Away [CDR]
4. Shafiq Husayn feat. Fatima – Lil’ Girl [Plug Research]
5. Darkstar – Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer [Hyperdub]
Album of the Year 2010
1. Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics – Inspiration Information Vol. 3 [Strut]
2. Martyn – Great Lengths [3024]
3. Lee Fields – My World [Truth & Soul]
4. Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro – Tradition in Transition [Tru Thoughts]
5. Mos Def – The Ecstatic [Downtown]
Jazz Album of the Year 2010
1. Robert Glasper – Double Booked [Blue Note]
2. Matthew Halsall – Colour Yes [Gondwana]
3. Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood Ferguson – Suite For Ma Dukes [Mochilla]
4. Harry Whitaker – Thoughts (Past and Present) [Smalls Records]
5. Build An Ark – LOVE Part 1 [Kindred Spirits]
Maida Vale Session of the Year 2010
Floating Points Ensemble
Ryan (StopMe): Okay so it’s mid February and at least a month late but I’ve finally finished my Top 100 Tracks Of 2009 (Read 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 here). I’ve not posted much here in recent months due to a hectic new job but I hope to get back to regular updates soon.
Here’s a link to download the top 20 as a Zip file (But do buy the albums from whence the tracks came if you like them, I’ve included links!):
I’ve also included links to download anything else that seemed to be sold-out or not easily available below. Without further ado…
1. JAMIE T – Sticks ‘n’ Stones “I was a ten a day, how’d you say, little shit, White-Lightning, heightening all my courage, quick wit”
Jamie T’s second album was so comprehensively better than his debut that I was overjoyed. ‘Sticks ‘n’ Stones’ was the best of an embarresment of riches. The irresistable beat has had me dancing around many a time and the lyric is his best and most intricate yet.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
2. GENERATIONALS – When They Fight They Fight “And when they fight, they fight, and when they come home at night they say, I love you, baby”
Indie duo record the best record Phil Spektor song never made. Horn, handclaps, whistles and gorgeous vocals combine to make pure magic.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
3. THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD – The Age Of Revolution “Princes and lawyers played with the English elite, years of repression started a noise from the streets”
Neil Hannon’s new band examine colonial history through the prism of cricket. The accompanying music is an intoxicating brew of terribly English Jazz and “Skankin’” Dub which is as it should be.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
4. THE MELTING ICE CAPS – A Good Night “Anyone who says Shoreditch folk are arseholes has obviously never tried playing an indie gig in a pub in Colchester, or at Cambridge University”
I’m not sure when this was recorded, but I found it this year on The Melting Ice Caps’ site listed under ‘Other Songs’. David’s spoken word narration is an hilarious peaen to London and he can break hearts when the chorus comes in at the end.
(Download) (MySpace)
5. THE CRIBS – City Of Bugs “It came to me like a voice from above, or like a message in praise of platonic love”
‘City Of Bugs’ is The Cribs bid for epic Indie from their best album to date. Feedback squeals and Ryan Jarman delivers a rich vocal to rival Iggy Pop’s ‘The Passenger’.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
6. THE DURITTI COLUMN – In Memory Of Anthony “You set alight my musical desires, and there’s no end to these flames, these are my eternal fires”
This is a stiring tribute from Vini to the late great Anthony H Wilson. It comes off like a lethargic Rolling Stones trying to play House music in a gospel church.
(Buy) (MySpace)
7. DAN AUERBACH – Heartbroken, In Disrepair “Searching for light, gasping for air, heartbroken, in disrepair”
The Black Keys front man lays down a howling tune on his solo record.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
8. JAY-Z – My President Is Black (DC Mix) “My President is black, infact he’s half white, so even in a racist mind, he’s half right”
The joy contained in this Obama tribute Rap is totally infectious. I just hope Obama doesn’t sour my opinion of this song by making a total fuck-up out of his presidency!
(Download) (YouTube) (MySpace)
9. SPEECH DEBELLE – The Key “The only real difference is you slyer than me, your need for attention makes you attract the beef”
Her debut richly deserved the Mercuty Prize when it boasts Jazz/Rap as good as the ‘The Key’.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
10. TRANSIT – C’Mon & Ride “C’mon and ride the M.T.A, yes we’re going your way”
The best track from Jack White’s Third Man label was this lush soul gem by Nashville’s Metro Transit Authority workers.
(Buy) (Website)
11. BRAKES – Two Shocks “Give me two shakes give me one shake twice, well you knew it was coming so don’t act surprised”
‘Two Shocks’ morphs from a catchy Indie song into a pounding Rock monster.
(Buy) (MySpace)
12. KASABIAN – Vlad The Impaler “All my friends are as sharp as razors, cut you down if you touch the faders”
I love the interesting production flourishes Kasabian use like what sounds like tinkling glass on ‘Vlad The Impaler’.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
13. DIZZEE RASCAL – Bonkers “And all I care about is sex and violence, and a heavy bass line is my kind of silence”
This year belonged to Dizzee as he finally lived up to all that promise.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
14. NICKEL EYE – Brandy Of The Damned “Don’t let them get you down, they’ll step on you to get to higher ground”
Who new the quite one from The Strokes had a voice like Leonard Cohen and tunes as good as this.
(Buy) (MySpace)
15. THE DEAD WEATHER – Treat Me Like Your Mother “Come on look me in the eye, you wanna try to tell a lie”
‘Treat Me Like Your Mother’ features the furious drumming of Jack White probably proving he’s the most multi-talented person that ever lived.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
16. YEAH YEAH YEAHS – Zero “Shake it, like a ladder to the sun, makes me feel like a madman on the run”
YYY throw out the Guitars and bring in the Synths, resulting in sheer genius.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
17. GOSSIP – Dimestore Diamond “Everybody knows just where she gets her clothes, a water coloured painting in a Renoir pose”
Their latest album doesn’t seem to have been as successful as the last which odd considering it’s crammed with pulsating Dance-Rock like ‘Dimestore Diamond’.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
18. WAVE MACHINES – Keep The Lights On “The night’s too long, so, when we sleep, I keep the lights on”
‘Keep The Lights On’ is like a vintage 80s Pop single.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
19. DAN DEACON – Woof Woof “Instrumental”
‘Woof Woof’ sounds like The Flaming Lips meeting the looney tunes
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
20. REGINA SPEKTOR – Laughing With “No one laughs at God in a hospital, no one laughs at God in a war, no one’s laughing at God, when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor”
Regina comes back with yet another quirky and beautiful Piano masterpiece.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
21. CASIOKIDS – Fot I Hose “Instrumental”
‘Fot I Hose’ has a head crushing Bass sound combined with ace Surf Guitars.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
22. BECK – Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat “You know it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine”
Beck performs a rare miracle and improves on a Dylan original.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
23. LADY GAGA – Paparazzi “We are the crowd, we’re c-coming out, got my flash on it’s true, need that picture of you”
Her glitzy performance of ‘Paparazzi’ at Glastonbury bowled me over after my initial instinctive resistance.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
24. COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS – This Girl (Feat. Kylie Auldist) “Money rains from the sky above, but keep the change ’cause I got enough”
The production on ‘This Girl’ envelopes your ears in a rich golden Soul sound and Kylie vocals are of course gorgeous.
(Buy) (MySpace)
25. ASHER ROTH – I Love College “Yeah, of course I learned some rules, like don’t pass out with your shoes on, and don’t leave the house ’til the booze gone”
‘I Love Collage’ is a glorious beer stained Rap ode to student living.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
26. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – The Wrestler “Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free, if you’ve ever seen a one trick pony then you’ve seen me”
I couldn’t get in to his new album but this soundtrack song almost had me blubbing big manly tears.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
27. THE BIG PINK – Dominos “Three words we shared, said too early on, stuck with forever to the point of tears”
‘Dominos’ is like an Indie take on a humming Tibetan mantra.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
28. RICHARD HAWLEY – Remorse Code “You’re caught in the net, fathoms deep in regret”
His new album was a return to form and for me ‘Remorse Code’ was the epic peak.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
29. NEIL YOUNG – Fork In The Road “There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for me, it’s for all those creeps watching tickers on TV”
His superb new album proves that Neil can still Rock, with a grumpy rattlers like this.
(Buy) (MySpace)
30. THE DUKE & THE KING – If You Ever Get Famous “If you ever get famous don’t forget about me, I hope it’s everything that you thought it would be”
‘If You Ever Get Famous’ is an almost unspeakably gorgeous Rock ballad.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
31. JULIAN CASABLANCAS – 11th Dimension “I just nod, I’ve never been so good at shaking hands, I live on the frozen surface of a fireball”
The Strokes side project everyone was waiting for didn’t disappoint.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
32. MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Jackie Collins Existential Question Time “A situationist sisterhood of Jackie and Joan, separates us the questions without a home”
The best track from the Manic’s latest LP with one of the most catchy and bizarre choruses ever.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
33. Matty G – Keep Walking “Instrumental”
‘Keep Walking’ is a super cool re-edit of the Isaac Hayes classic ‘Walk On By’.
(Download) (MySpace)
34. DJ HELL – The DJ (Feat. P.Diddy) “This goes out to all the muthafuckas that like 15/20 minute versions of a muthafuckin’ record”
The years most unlikely guest spot was one of the best, just try not jackin’ your body to it’s Dance Vibes.
(Buy) (MySpace)
35. BILL CALLAHAN – Jim Cain “I started out in search of ordinary things, how much of a tree bends in the wind”
The best song that Lambchop never recorded, with a vocal like golden syrup.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
36. KID CUDI – Day ‘N’ Nite “The lonely nights, they fade away, he slips into his white Nikes, he smokes a clip and then he’s on the way”
The best track from Kid Cudi’s debut album is this hypnotic Hip-Hop tune.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
37. GABLÉ – I’m Ok “I’m really fine, I’m well balanced, I’m okay, I’m okay”
‘I’m Ok’ is unhinged Indie that is as crazy as it is brilliant.
(Buy) (MySpace)
38. ALELA DIANE – White As Diamonds “I’ve known mornings white as diamonds, silent from a night so cold”
With a voice as pure as snow and a song this beautiful how can you resist.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
39. M.I.A. & A R RAHMAN – O… Saya “Pick up the packs on my journey, dogs run, they start to follow me”
M.I.A’s amount of guest appearances is staggering and this ‘Slumdog
Millionaire’ cut was the best.
(Buy) (MySpace)
40. CAMERA OBSCURA – French Navy “Spent a week in a dusty library, waiting for some words to jump at me, we met by a trick of fate, french navy my sailor mate”
I still adore this slice of Pop perfection despite the fact that it is played three times every night where I work.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
41. EMPIRE OF THE SUN – Half Mast “Make amends and I will stand until the end, a million times a trillion more”
Shiny Pop-Rock so catchy it should be marketed as fishing equipment.
(Buy) (MySpace)
42. PRINCE – Crimson & Clover “I don’t hardly know her, but I think I could love her, I hope she walks over, ’cause I’ve been waiting to show her”
Prince continues his run of good form with epic Guitar melting cover of the 60s original by Tommy James & The Shondells.
(Download) (YouTube) (Website)
43. SERGEANT BUZFUZ – Here Come The Popes (Part 3) “Nicholas The Second said it was more of a crime, for a priest to marry, than to have a concubine”
The chequered history of the papal order is recounted against Indie majesty.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
44. SIMON INDELICATE – I Don’t Care If It’s True (Demo) “You can dissect a heart, and you can dissect a dove, but you would never deserve, a single spec of peace or love”
A gorgeous from Simon’s possibly fictious Musical ‘David Koresh Superstar’.
(Download) (MySpace)
45. MIKA – We Are Golden (Calvin Harris Vocal) “Teenage dreams in a teenage circus, running around like a clown on purpose”
He has his haters but I adore Mika’s line of sunkissed super camp Pop.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
46. BISHOP ALLEN – The Lion & The Teacup “He was the sun, he was the moon, he was a rat in two bit shoes”
Brilliantly catchy Indie and it always reminds me of the soundtrack to classic computer game ‘Monkey Island’.
(Buy) (MySpace)
47. JOHN ZORN – Los Cristeros “Instrumental”
Bask in the sorrowful Spanish Guitar from this Documentary Soundtrack instrumental about Mexican Dictator Plutarco Elias Calles.
(Buy) (MySpace)
48. MADNESS – NW5 “Though you have become a burden, one thing remains, thats for certain, I will love you all my life, but without you in my life”
‘NW5′ ranks along side the very best tracks from their hayday.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
49. BLOC PARTY – One More Chance “This time things will be different and you’re gonna see”
The last LP was a dull affair but the unstoppable House Piano on this follow up single was anything but.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
50. BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS – Sugarfoot “Can I come over singin’ tonight, I promise that you’ll be feelin’ right”
‘Sugarfoot’ is magic Soul/Funk/Blues from start to finish.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
51. N.A.S.A. – Spacious Thoughts (Feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith) “Good can’t help but do a little evil, evil can’t help but do a little good”
It was a wrench to pick just one cut from N.A.S.A’s superb and stupidly guest heavy album. This mad Blues/Rap cut gets the prize.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
52. THE STREETS – Trust Me “I see Alice in Wonderland, I see malice in Sunderland”
A tasty free download easing anticipation of new album to wipe away memories of Mike’s lacklustre last Lp.
(Download) (MySpace)
53. NEW YORK DOLLS – ‘Cause I Sez So “Takin’ pretty pictures everywhere I go, Orwell in the bathroom watching me go”
This proved despite their age (And absence of complete original line up) the Dolls can still Rawwwwk with the best of them.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
54. DJ SHEPDOG – Limb By Limb (Militia Mix) “You know I and I is dynamite, when me hold microphone, I strictly truth or right”
‘Cut Ups, Bruck Ups & Muck Ups’ was the compilation of the year and this raucous booty-shakin’ Dancehall bootleg of Cutty Ranks’ 1993 track was the highlight.
(Download) (MySpace)
55. THOM YORKE – All For The Best “Waking up and the bed was made, no one looked me in the eye”
Thom covers Mark Mulcahy To stunning effect, it sounds a bit like Radiohead (Naturally).
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
56. THE BOY FROM SPACE – Come Home “Come home where the air is free, come home and live with me”
An indie single as warm and comforting as a glass of mulled wine and a roaring fire.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
57. PASSION PIT – Sleepyhead (Bo Flex Giantess Remix) “Like stars burning holes right through the dark, flicking fire like saltwater into my eyes”
The original version left me cold (It seems I was very much in a minority) but this sparkling Remix blows me away.
(Download) (YouTube) (MySpace)
58. SABBO – Spanish Fly (Feat. MC Zulu) (Noiz In Zion Mix) “Wanna get you out of that dress, so here’s your ticket to ride, you and I become the Spanish Fly”
‘Spanish Fly’ is a awesome neck snappin’ Dancehall cut.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
59. THE PRODIGY – Warrior’s Dance “Come with me to the dance floor, you and me ’cause that’s what it’s for”
At first I wasn’t sure but I grew to lobe this amazing return to form.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
60. DAN BLACK – Poet “I have to be fearless, have to be tearless, look into my eyes, maybe you can feel this”
Dan writes b-sides every bit as good as his A-sides and ‘Poet’ is my favourite.
(Buy) (MySpace)
61. THE VERY BEST – Kamphopo “?”
‘Kamphopo’ will have you playing the Air-Steel-Drums as you move your body.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
62. THE THIRD DEGREE – Mercy “I love you, but I gotta stay true, my morals got me on my knees, I’m begging please stop playing games”
A Northern Soul take on Duffy’s Uber hit that sounds so authentic you’d swear she’d actually ripped of this vintage 60’s groove.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
63. TODDLA T – Rice & Peas (Feat. Mr Versatile) “Rice and peas and chicken is nice, tastes so good , me ‘ave to ‘ave it twice”
I loved the delirious mess of genres on Toddla T’s LP and ‘Rice & Peas’ is my favourite cut.
(Buy) (MySpace)
64. SAM McCARTHY – Cherrytree “There for the first time in the setting sun shine, well it felt like we belonged”
‘Cherrytree’ is Alt-Country ballad that’ll have you line dancing round your local Indie club.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
65. DAN SARTAIN – Bohemian Grove (Feat. Jack White)
“”
Another essential 45 courtesy of Jack White’s label. When is Dan gonna be hailed as a mega star?
(Buy) (MySpace)
66. DIRTY PROJECTORS & DAVID BYRNE – Knotty Pine “Here is the sound that photographs make, when I see them, when I hear them”
‘Dark Was The Night’ was one of the compilations of the year and ‘Knotty Pine’ was the highlight.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
67. ONE ESKIMO – Kandi (Eat More Cake Mix) “You’ve been my queen for longer than you know, my love for you has been every step I take, every day I live, everything I see”
‘Kandi’ is a fantasy duet featuring a sample of Candi Staton with a gorgeous Balearic vibe.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
68. DARREN HAYMAN & THE SECONDARY MODERN – Compilation Cassette “That was how we met, some things you never forget, I wrote down her address, and sent a compilation cassette”
Darren Hayman employs the Bazooki to stunning effect on this nostalgic Indie tune.
(Buy) (MySpace)
69. SHARON VAN ETTEN – For You “I was whispering in my sleep, all the secrets that i’d keep, I told to you”
A gorgeous Acoustic ballad with a mournful tune so good you can whistle along.
(Download) (YouTube) (MySpace)
70. MONGREL – The Menace “Fundamentally, you’re a fundamentalist, kinda guy who wondrin’ who the real terror is”
John Maker’s political Rap-Rock side project was so much better than his day job.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
71. CIRCLESQUARE – Hey You Guys “Quit before it widespread, learn to paint the town red”
Good god the Bass Guitar on this Indie/Dance tune is catchy.
(Buy) (MySpace)
72. NICK GARRIE – Twilight “Midnight, here come those blues again, it’s alright I’m really on the mend”
‘Twilight’ is a sublime piece of vintage Pop-Rock.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
73. MR. HUDSON – There Will Be Tears “I’ve no doubt there may be smiles, but a few, and when the tears have run out, we’ll be numb and blue”
Okay so the auto-tune sound isn’t to everyone’s taste but this still a beautiful song.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
74. POPULAR TYRE – East End After-Hours Blues “Take a little sip of my cup of wine, do a little shimmy and I feel fine”
‘East End After-Hours Blues’ is a free and loose Blues/Bluegrass sing along.
(Download) (MySpace)
75. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – Pistol Dreams “And deep into the orchard you will lead me by the skin of snakes, to let me know my sentence as they dry”
A beautiful Dylanesque song that I’ve been listening to all year.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
76. WE ROCK LIKE GIRLS DON’T – Don’t Know What Love Is “I think you know, she wants me so”
Finally! I’ve been waiting for this band to bring out another tune that Rocked as hard as 2005’s ‘I Just Wanna Stick My Head In The Bass Drum’.
(Buy) (MySpace)
77. AFROZEN ORCHESTRA – Tongana “?”
‘Tongana’ is summer sun on wax, Afrobeat to brighten your day.
(Buy) (MySpace)
78. CHAIN & THE GANG – Chain Gang Theme (I See Progress) “I see progress in paint peeling, I see progress in leaky ceilings”
‘Chain Gang Theme (I See Progress)’ is deliciously demented Rock-a-Billy from a thrilling LP.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
79. THE DYNAMICS – Downtown Barkings (Afrosoul Edit) “People them a hurry and a bustle, to many of them just a lookin’ for a trouble”
‘Downtown Barkings’ is easily the best thing the Reggae-Funkers have done so far.
(Buy) (MySpace)
80. ANT – Time I Was Gone “I’ll catch that bus in the rush hour to my sisters for tea and biscuits, she can’t fix it, but she listens”
‘Time I Was Gone’ is an endlessly charming Indie ditty.
(Buy) (MySpace)
81. THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE – Island “Lived through the smell of painted floors, echoing the sound of running water through the pipes, and posters falling down”
It was hard choosing just one Indie-Dance gem off of their album but ‘Island’ had it by a nose.
(Buy) (MySpace)
82. LA ROUX – In For The Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey Remix) “Two hearts with accurate devotions, and what are feelings without emotions”
Skream takes La Roux’s only half decent song and turns it in to an abrasive Dubstep masterpiece.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
83. FEVER RAY – If I Had A Heart “If I had a heart I could love you, if I had a voice I would sing, after the night when I wake up, I’ll see what tomorrow brings”
Like the humming of some vast Alien machine, ‘If I Had A Heart’ is hypnotically brilliant.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
84. THE MARS VOLTA – Cotopaxi “When Sanskrit was my mother tongue, Scarabs filled my pillow”
‘Cotopaxi’ is another great spaced-out Jazz-Metal cut from Messers blah and blah.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
85. JAY’S SOUL CONNECTION – Frankie’s Party Life “Ordered some Patreezy, while talkin’ to this breezy, brushin’ off my three-piece, I make this look too easy”
I love ‘Frankie’s Party Life’s melding of Jay-Z and the funky soul of Lefties Soul Connection (Tops anything off Jigga’s new LP).
(Download) (MySpace)
86. MILK KAN – 21st Century Love “A sweet kiss mixed with a rum taste, and for now I was the wrong kid in the right place”
’21st Century Love’ is a witty cut from one of the albums of the year.
(Buy) (MySpace)
87. SLOW DOWN TALLAHASSEE – Angel Of Death “I wish you were in my bed, I wish all my friends were dead”
I’d say the music of ‘Angel Of Death’ is like a fun bouncy castle, except the lyrics suggest it’s been inflated with deadly poison gas.
(Download) (MySpace)
88. SHUTTLE – Rotten Guts (Feat. Cadence Weapon) “That mind alert, cold war veteran”
‘Rotten Guts’ is blisteringly quick Electro/Hip-Hop/Pop.
(Buy) (MySpace)
89. ALASDAIR ROBERTS – You Muses Assist “You muses, you muses assist, all downtrodden spirits uplift”
With the graceful air of vintage English Folk ‘You Muses Assist’ is gorgeous.
(Buy) (MySpace)
90. FAGGET FAIRYS – Feed The Horse (Extended Dub) “I love my girls, I like them big on the top, big on the buttom too, feed the horse”
The simple pleasures of ‘Feed The Horse’ are chiefly it’s Toe-tapping beats and it’s naughty chorus that sounds a lot like “Feed the whores yum yum!”.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
91. NEAL CASAL – Back To Haunt You “Should I even lift a finger and try to get along, get along like a river and a thunder storm”
‘Back To Haunt You’ is like a great Chris Isaac song, rich and seductive.
(Buy) (MySpace)
92. WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE – Mutiny “Well the captain’s been drinking below the deck, and this vessel’s headed way off course, I want to wrap my hands around his crooked neck, and throw him overboard”
‘Mutiny’ is a gravelled voiced sea shanty climaxing with brilliant shouts of “Let the muthafucka burn!”.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
93. CURTIS PLUM – Call My Cellphone “I’ll call you up in the middle of the night, check out my new cellphone, it’s so tight”
‘Call My Cellphone’ is throughly daft and totally addictive Hip-Hop.
(Download) (YouTube) (MySpace)
94. FORT KNOX FIVE – Funk 4 Peace (Feat. Mustafa Akbar & Shunda K)
(Nick Thayer Remix) “You got to turn the music up, it’s time to release, turn the music up, lets vote for peace”
There were so many amazing remixes of Fort Knox Five this year that it was hard chosing just the chunky beats of ‘Funk 4 Peace’.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
95. BEASTIE BOYS – Too Many Rappers (Feat. Nas) “With Beastie Boys we can turn it out, perpetrators we can point ‘em out, so if you got somethin’ on your mind let it out”
As an early taster of the forthcoming album, ‘Too Many Rappers’ has left me pretty damn excited.
(Buy) (MySpace)
96. PATRICK WOLF – Hard Times “Divided nation, in sedation, overload of information, that we have grown up to ignore, mediocrity applauded”
With it’s stinging strings and scowling lyrics ‘Hard Times’ was easily the best track from Patrick’s latest LP.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
97. CLAIRE HUX – Fucked Up “It feels like a movie babe, it burns slow, gonna let it go”
‘Fucked Up’ was produced by Thom Yorke and sounds not unlike Radiohead covering Prince.
(Download) (MySpace)
98. THE HEAVY – How You Like Me Now? “If I was to cheat, would you see right through me?”
I’ve included ‘How You Like Me Now?’ because firstly it’s an awesome Funky cut and secondly because I got to sing a couple of improvised lines at their Rough Trade instore (I nearly died of embarrassment btw).
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
99. HANDSOME FURS – Talking Hotel Arbat Blues “There was a guy who came in from the cold but he’s never gonna get past face control”
‘Talking Hotel Arbat Blues’ is like Elvis Costello diggin’ on Suicide’s first LP.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
100. BAT FOR LASHES – Sleep Alone “Give my soul, give my soul, sing it free across the sea, lonely spell to conjure you, but conjure hell is all I do”
‘Sleep Alone’ is like some otherworldly music drifting through a snowy night.
(Buy) (YouTube) (MySpace)
Yesterdays first attempt at breaking the back of my overflowing inbox went fairly well I thought… 450 emails read and errr 5 tracks posted! It’s honestly not that I get sent a lot of terrible music (although I do get my fair share) its more I don’t see the point in featuring tracks I think are merely “alright“.
There was also a huge amount of junk, “So You Think You Can Dance” updates, and PR lies… “Hi Music Like Dirt, We’ve been reading your blog for some time now and think its one of the best there is… We thought you’d really like to hear the new single by Jamie Cullum/Celine Dion etc“.
Anyway on with the remaining 553… lets hope there are some gems hidden within!
14:00PM
At the risk of getting side tracked before I even begin I have to feature a monster of a track that popped up on Twitter. I’d read a few mixed reviews of “One Armed Bandit” the latest LP from Ninjatune’s Norwegian Jazz collective Jaga Jazzist but if the free edit of “Toccata” is anything to go by I’ll be heading to emusic to get the album later.
Recorded as a homage to avant-garde composer Steve Reich, “Toccata” begins like an lost track from “Music for 18 Musicians“. The free edit is “only” 5 and a half minutes long but there’s plenty of time for Reich-like repetition, and gradual build over that time. A piano riff repeats throughout, beats kick in half way through to be joined by what sounds like the entire brass section of the orchestra booming down. Its a simply glorious sound.
14:40PM
Ok who’s stupid idea was this!? I’ve not found anything that really grabs me and now I can see the clock ticking since my last recommendation.
There are plenty of the usual suspects, the bands that occupy the upper heights of the Hype Machine charts. Numerous remixes of Marina & the Diamonds of which the thumping house of Juan MacLean’s version comes out top. The genius that is Chilly Gonzales recorded a orchestral piano remake supposedly for an Eastern European TV show. Watch that here.
Another bloggers favourite Yeasayer have been remixed by the uber-cool XXXchange, but to be honest I prefer the unashamedly bouncy pop remake by Alan Wilkis. Be sure to check out Alan’s own solo work, and a host of tasty remixes on his website.
Any room for some more electronic pop? Dan Black has released one of his unofficial mixtapes featuring borrowed lyrics and un-releasable steals from Goreki, Beastie Boys, Kate Bush and Drake. Grab the Weird Science mixtape here:
And finally with the lighter poppier sounds is Laurel Halo from NYC, but who emailed to say she’d just been in Bethnal Green. She describes her music as “funky and dreamy“, although at the start of “A Single Breath” I thought I was in for some more Steve Reich. Visit her blog for more downloads including a “Vampire drum and Bass” version by London’s Radiant Dragon.
16:20PM
Right, before all that pop rots your teeth, its time for The London Snorkelling Team. They create cocktail, crime, space music that they imagine happened sometime in the 1950s at a party for experimental scientists with an obsession for cartoons. It sounds a bit like the theme music from Inspector Gadget as played by a cocktail band.
They’re playing King’s Place in February as part of the Arctic Circle festival featuring The Willkommen Collective, and to mark the occasion theyve put together a 13 track sampler of all the artists playing the concert series.
How could I forget to mention the latest Akira The Don mixtape!!? ATD 20 is available to buy in various bundles with tshirts and the like, or as a Free lower bitrate MP3.
The Don didnt sleep for 40 hours while creating this epic mix that takes in the Jungle Book, Black, a new version of Thanks For All The Aids and all kinds of new Akira goodness.
The man has even branched out into spoken word territory with the beautifully shot version of “Security“. Filmed on location at the Olympic construction site just across the canal from his Hackney home.
17:30PM Emails are great ive learnt about fresh revenue opportunities, that Mr Motivator has confirmed his appearance at an Austrian music festival, and that the Heavy rocked David Lettermans world so much he forgot to sleep with a member of staff (and asked the Heavy to play the same track twice). Watch it, they’re fantastic live.
19:59PM 0 Emails left to be opened… 433 tracks to potentially be listened to! Not sure this experiment in clearing my mail really works as a spectator sport. Now to cook some dinner and start listening to a few of these tracks… where to start!
I’ll sign off with a video from Benin City who did send me a link to their new single but by the time I’d checked it out the link had expired. If this video of “The Beat” Live is anything to go by it’ll be well worth snapping up. Check their Myspace or become a Facebook fan, then watch the video below which reminds me of old style Hip-Hop mixed with a little Go-Go. The Beat does indeed sound very very nice!
Ping… another email arrives and the count of unread messages ticks over the 1,000 mark. You’ll never hear me complain about being sent music by either email or post but keeping on top of it, and sorting the wheat from the PR chaff is near impossible.
In a bid to end my guilt I hope to be able to sit back by Sunday evening with a big fat zero unread mails and an empty PO Box.
12:300PM…
Last week while scrolling forlornly through the vast unread list, a name from Music Like Dirt’s past grabbed my attention. Way back in June 2006 I developed an unhealthy obsession with a John Gregory/Jeru/Snoop bootleg called “Earthshaker (MP3)“.
A few months later the man behind the mix Jez Proctor was kind enough to indulge in a little bit of “Listen To This” musical banter during which he recommended a band called Hercules & The Love Affair… who obviously never amounted to anything!
So when Mr Proctor sends an email saying “I LOVE this track, it just has to be out there and be heard” you’d be foolish not to give it a spin.
Radio 1’s Gilles Peterson first picked up on the fantastic bass squelch of Don Froth’s “10,000CC” back in October so its a surprise that a limited run of 444 12″s is only imminent now (in the next month or so on the Phonica White Label).
13:30PM Apologies, I got a bit distracted by a sending off at Anfield…
14:00PM Getting a lot of “This link has now expired” from emails… sorry for taking so long to have a look.
Fortunately Primary 1’s ultra chilled remake of Alex Metric’s “It Starts Again” is still online. Having enjoyed their upbeat “Hold Me Down” single back in 2008 I wasnt expecting such a lush sound. Largely underpinned by an almost steel pan keyboard sound its far mellower than the original. The subtle guitar and building multi-layed vocals towards the end are lovely.
14:45PM Perhaps it wasnt a good idea to do this on a day 10 man Liverpool defeat Everton 1-0. Concentrate!
15:00PM My brother arrives bearing chicken and informs me the piano on “Black The Colour of My Heart (Demo)” by Monarchy is “well Beatles-y“. My initial disappointment at it not being a Nina Simone cover are quickly dispelled by the mixture of almost Air like slick production and pure pop chorus. That chorus had me wondering if the single was a reverse racist, declaring “She’s everything that I want…but black“… the long pause is thankfully followed by “has always been the colour of my heart“.
15:50PM Jack Morgan
One from the postbag now (well ok small pile), and Jack Morgan was kind enough to send me his debut release “Sleep In Heavenly Peace“. Looking at his influences on myspace I was initially a bit sceptical about the influence of Radiohead, Blur and Sigur Ros but half way through a mildly sarky opening sentence I started to pick up a hint of Albarn in some of his phrasing and a touch of Yorke in the despondent yet strangely uplifting sound.
Recorded by 21 year old Jack in a variety of Leamington Spa and London bedrooms, he’s managed to generate a quality of production that wouldnt sound out of place on a Jose Gonzalez release. Jose being the person this track most reminds me of.
5 tracks into the CD and there’s two gems already, so definitely one I’ll be returning to for future listening.
My brother just chipped in with the observation that Jack’s sound was a little different back in the 1970’s. Watch “Reggae Man” below from Look Around You’s “Music 2000″ special (also well worth watching the first televised recording of rap music).
16:40PM The 4AD label deliver some fiery Norwegian Alt-Rock courtesy of Serena-Manesh, also known as S-M. There are touches of the Prodigy about the snarling bass guitar line and clattering drums but there’s much more of edge, agression and avant garde than anything Liam and co have recorded in the last decade. A wall of noise builds up over the riff, with bleeping electronics and distorted vocals collapsing in on themselves before dropping back again to just the beat.
17:29PM Mercenary Publicity would like me to know Jamie Cullum has covered Rhianna’s “Please Don’t Stop The Music” for his new single. Hmmm time to stop the music for today I think, while I go cleanse my ears.
The Music Like Dirt top tracks of the year list returns for a fifth edition and once again falls short of being the most comprehensive, the most knowledgeable or the most bleedin’ edge. It is however consistently the latest and for that I apologise and hold out the hope that as the light fades on January there are still a few hardy souls who still wish to pick over the embers of 2009.
Compiled from a shortlist of around a 1000 tracks through a process of demented indecision until “only” 200 remained. Breathtakingly good tracks were chopped in fits of peak, and the order could still change at any time. The point is these lists are slightly point-less, but these 200 tunes have enriched my life over the last 12 months. Besides half the fun of making charts is looking back at the previous editions of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 and realising you shouldn’t be left in control of the car stereo, let alone pontificating on the finest musical output of the year. Declaring Beyonce’s “Single Ladies“ the 45th best of 08 is as far as I’m concerned excuse enough for you to all to leave now.
It’d be great to hear your own favourites and you can now join me in heated debate on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments section of this page.
Emails with the subject line “How can you call yourself a music blogger when you don’t have the Animal Collective in your list” will also be accepted.
If you’re an artist and object to me giving away the fruits of your labour please let me know and I’ll remove the link ASAP.
1. McAlmont and Nyman
“In Rai Don Giovanni”
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“although surgeons fixed his eyes,
He never sees how vulgar he’s become” (lyrics)
All is not well with the musical universe when the glorious voice of David McAlmont is not present at the top of its table. Despite his phenomenal talent McAlmont’s career trajectory has been anything but smoothly ascendant, but in the unlikely form of Michael Nyman he may have finally found his perfect foil.
As this countries most celebrated contemporary composer you wouldn’t expect Nyman to struggle for inspiration but the pair only came together after discovering they shared a similar artistic block. Nyman needed words to spark his compositions to life, while McAlmont lacked the songs. The resulting album “The Glare” is the finest showcase for that unique voice since the first McAlmont & Butler longplayer way back in the mists of the 90’s.
Its no surprise that the project’s concept is suitably highbrow, how many LP’s take inspiration from the 19th century French painter Gericault? He saw his art as a documentary on canvas, telling the tale of news events of his time, sometimes in collaboration with people actually involved in the stories. McAlmont took this on by twinning some of Nyman’s finest works with lyrics written in the first person perspective of the subject of a current headline. So “Going To America” finds captured Somalian pirate Abdiwali Muse worrying about FBI agents and Navy seals, while the title track has Susan Boyle contemplating life as an overnight sensation. Zimbabwe, Joanna Lumley and the Gurka’s… it all sounds painfully clunky as an idea but aside from a few tracks it works phenomenally well. Its also worth reading McAlmonts blog on the lyrics with links to the headlines that inspired each song.
“In Rai Don Giovanni” gives Veronica Lario, the long suffering wife of ageing lothario and statue catcher Silvio Berlusconi a chance to tell her story. Despite first catching Silvio’s eye while stripping off in a play she eventually finds the “skinny blonde model’s” and “floozies younger than his kids” too much to bear and is off “to better things“. Her or rather David’s voice declares all this in celebratory style, the music is bouncy and vibrant, strings pluck and horns parp as she throws off the shackles of a “shameless playboy pimp“. With the P of pimp emphasised with spitting indignation.
What better way to start 2010 than with David McAlmont back centre stage, in his pomp, overblown, exuberant, camp as hell but gloriously beguiling. Even better according to his twitter the pair have re-entered the studio to record a new track together.
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“No one ever says that Im like you, but there are times when I’m frightened they might do”
Lyrics are often the songwriters neglected art, a catchy tune may stick in the head but the right turn of phrase can stop you in your tracks or send the mind spiralling. As such when you stumble across a true wordsmith you tend to hold them tight (or in my case enthuse about them at length on a blog).
The current crop of poets, or at least those that stray from purely spoken word into music seem to be in a rich vein of form when it comes to matching jaw droppingly good lyrics with a decent tune. Scroobius Pip returns with a new single “Get Better (YouTube)” in March and Kate Tempest’s Sound Of Rum LP was a highlight of last year, to name but two. At the top of that tree sits Polar Bear, an act Ive plugged so much that as I said in a previous post I’m dangerously close to donning a ra-ra skirt, energetically thrusting pom poms in the air and demanding readers “Give me a P… give me an O“.
“Locked Doors” a collaboration with Octave Mouret is achingly beautiful, with deceptively simple deft production allowing the words due prominence. PolarBear draws his stories from the ordinary, and the simple truth that there’s nothing more powerful or easy to relate to than everyday life. In this case the father/son relationship, and dealing with a dad who mostly isn’t there. The words are defiant yet laced with damage, the son may never “google his name, or sit on night buses wondering where he is” but the pity for the fathers loss can’t help but reflect back… “If I ever put even one foot into your shoes, I have people who’ll stop me“. As with all of PolarBear’s work its deeply affective, brilliantly judged and has more in common with Mike Leigh or Jimmy McGovern than any songwriter I know.
He’s always got several projects on the go at any one time so I’d recommend signing up for his mailing list to keep uptodate, or Twitter, although that mostly features the amusing things a son says to his dad.
PolarBears latest major piece is a collaboration with BAC called “Return” in which an entire film is conjured up and imagined through spoken work. The run starts in March, snap up your tickets here (I will be).
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“you don’t even like this song, you just dig the hook”
With its rumbling bass, subtle keys and whispered fruitiness “Freeki MF” is the sound of a pre-Jehovah Prince getting upto no good with some early Chicago/Detroit house. Riding a spartan backing Moodymann throatily intones his tale of voyeurism while the lady in his sights sighs and coo’s at his every line.
It’s probably the most sexually charged record since Lil Louis’s peak or at least since Prince released the Scandalous Sex suite, a 25 minute recording of his seduction of Kim Bassinger. Thankfully its a far better record than listening to half an hour of Prince & Kim shagging, but like Scandalous it has a comical quality. You can whisper the line “You used to ride the bus, today you took the train” in as gravely a voice as you like but it’ll raise a laugh before anything else.
One of the finest records of the year even if it does swing wildly across the lines of steaminess, comedy and creepiness.
In the interests of accuracy I should point out that I’ve discovered this actually came out in Dec 08, and has been a live favourite since 2005.
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“There will not be a good future for the rich, if there is no prospect of a better future for the poor”
A critique of the IMF’s systematic destruction of the Jamaican economy as told through the medium of a stonking great pop reggae anthem. It doesnt matter that as a sheltered speaker of our Queens English I cant understand half of what Terry is saying, the chorus is still cutting yet unbelievably catchy.
The IMF’s mantra of liberalize, privatise and deregulate is infamous, and its bullying of countries like Jamaica into selling their assets in return for access to loans has been the subject of entire documentaries. The award winning 2001 film “Life & Debt” examined what the Jamaican Prime Minister called the “imperialist” actions of the IMF. Its available to watch online, and features the speech by IMF Director Horst Kohler sampled by Terry on this track.
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“Watch things on VCRs, with me and talk about big love” (lyrics)
Aside from the obligatory Animal Collective, The XX were probably the most blogged about band of 2009. Unlike the Animal Collective however they broke through into the mainstream aided by a huge marketing spend from their label XL. Three or four promos were sent to me alone, posters plastered the tube, and it worked as critics applauded and the kind of people who buy their CD’s at Tesco bought into the band. That may sound outlandishly snobby, but on several occasions people I know who have never expressed any particular love for music beyond Radio 2 blasted out The XX and evangelised wildly on their behalf. And the reason beyond the hype and the major label? Its quite a simply a bloody good album.
“VCR” is the poppiest and lightest of the albums tunes, a simple love song about “watching films” together with the musical accompaniment of little more than a bass and sweet xylophone. I could in truth have picked four or five off the disc as my favourite, without even going into all the fine remixes on offer (eg Pariahs fantastic “Basic Space”).
Recently I attended xx: A Sculpture of the Album, a “3D physical interpretation” in a large empty storeroom beneath Soho’s Phonica records. It’s a decent idea, with three pillars, each containing a video performance from one band member and depending where you stand the mix of the album changes. I can’t say I was exactly bowled over by the experience but the visit did offer an opportunity for a bit of banter with my brother over the merits of The XX.
In his eyes the sparse sound of The XX is not beautifully simple, its just simple full stop. All the tracks fairly similar and unremarkable… its just pleasant. The debate concluded with my brother insisting he made sounds like the XX when he first tried to play a guitar. He confidently stated he could therefore easily toss off an XX LP in an afternoon. Needless to say I didnt agree but I’ve offered to pay for the release of this LP should he be able to deliver on his bold claim!
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“Don’t fight the Vibes… I like the vibes”
Winterthur, Switzerland – Not the first place that comes to mind when imagining hotbeads of 21st century Reggae sounds. Ok, old Pipecock Jackxon aka Lee “Scratch” Perry made Zurich his home but the 2 DJ’s/2 Producer’s team going by the name Talen should put Switzerland on the reggae map.
Dancehall meets dubstep with an absolute thumping bass drum made fiercer still by ragga royalty Sizzla booming his love of “Reggae music“.
The track works especially well when played very loudly on motorways (I havent tested it on A roads). Many long journeys out West were accompanied by me hitting continual repeat on this “Talen Sound“.
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“Mommy took a bus trip and now she got her bust out,
Everybody ride her, just like a bus route”
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“You know the ills of this world they can get you down
But then you get back up”
Watch: Unofficial video for “The Ills” as beautifully crafted by an annoyingly talented bloke I work with (below). Inspired use of archive footage, unlike a similar-ish attempt at Coldcut’s Beats & Pieces I bashed together but never finished about 15 years ago.
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“If the walls were too thin, You would break right in”
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12. Cracks In The Concrete
“Ballad of Ashley Marie”
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“you cant afford me, you sad sorry fuck… im dearer than rubys, you’re shit out of luck”
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“I don’t eat, I don’t sleep, I do nothing but think of you”
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“I want to wrap my hands around his crooked neck
and throw him overboard”
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“diggin for them secret doors, one day you shall find it”
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“I love her, she loves me too. That’s why we get togetherrr”
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“Full stops and exclamation marks
Oooh my words stumble before I start”
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“Health care hair, Drive by thighs
Education lips, HIV eyes” (lyrics)
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30. Randan Discotheque
“Daily Record May 18th 1993”
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“I forgot about that, Cliff Maier sold his wife to an arab millionaire”
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“If he breaks your heart, Will I stand a chance?” (lyrics)
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“I know some days are hard, But must you make mine too”
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“Should have taken acid with you, Melt our tongues and become unglued”
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“When I saw you walkin by. Girl you blew my mind.” (lyrics)
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“Sweet silver angels over the sea, Please come down flyin’ low for me”
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“Brought me down straight to my knees, She’s doing things I’ve never seen”
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“Before you, My whole life was acapella!
Now a symphony’s, The only song to sing”
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“Starting to feel just a little abused
Like a coffine machine in an office”
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“So you say it’s not okay to be gay, Well, I think you’re just evil
You’re just some racist who can’t tie my laces, Your point of view is medieval”
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“Ohh Lover gone, this song is not a love song, because our love is gone”
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“Your favourite dude champions every Chicago city slum
From his condominium”
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“Honey, you know I Love You
there’s no one above you… And no one below”
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“You never even liked me, how the hell you wanna save me”
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“Fu*k you like a billionaire. Debonair, in my Fred Astaire footwear”
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“Anyone who says Shoreditch folk are arseholes has obviously never tried playing an indie gig in a pub in Colchester” (lyrics)
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“I was made for loving you, baby, You were made for loving me”
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“I’m really fine, I’m well balanced, I’m OK, Im OK”
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“A Hard On, A Hard On, A Hard On dont mean you’re in love”
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Video below: At last years SXSW Alice & her band were kind enough to let me follow them around for BBC News during a day (and well into the next) of gigs.
64. Erol Alkan & Boys Noize “Waves (Chilly Gonzales Piano Remake)” (MP3 Removed)
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“She said pop culture reffrences will date your shit like Futurama, he said fie that bullcrap,
I that Bratpack, ask Amanda Palmer”
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“after all that we’ve been through
i know that i will always love you”
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“Im not an evil man, on pancake day Ill lend you my frying man”
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“We’re zeroxing your legacy, while we feed you on your shame”
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“When I’m in the club. I’m always on a drug. If you get a hug. Guess what drug.
I’m on ecstasy” (lyrics)
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“Just relax and follow me, until we start to fly. Apostrophe”
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“Why are there nightmares? And who made my shoes?
Why are there children shedding blood on the news?” (lyrics)
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“In case things go poorly and I not return
Remember the good things I’ve done”
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“Can we make the time to leave it behind and reshape, remake our Fate in what we see”
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“Your face will be the reason I smile
But I will not see what I cannot have forever”
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“I can hear it in your voice, There’s always a catch…
We’re going nowhere, And we’re going there fast.”
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“the three words always end
and you know we can’t pretend”
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“God never gave me a shoulder, baby, strong enough to carry your goodbye tearstains on”
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“You the fucking best, you the fucking best
You the best I ever had, best I ever had”
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“We dont want too many speeches, its all about the music”
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“take your dollar, your buck, I couldnt give a… penny“
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“Was your work of art so heavy that it would not let you live?”
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“Damp and bruised by stranger’s kisses on my lips
But you’re the one that I still miss” (lyrics)
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“Hold your fingers up to the sun,
trace the bones feel the blood run”
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Read: Father Abraham was kind enough to take part in one of Music Like Dirt’s irregular features “Listen To This“. He picked 3 songs for me, and I did the same back. Did he really hate them all!!?? Read Pt1 / Pt2 (and download some fantastic music too)
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“All the plans I had, like butterflies on my hands
have now flown from reach”
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But neither did Puff Daddy, and as a music blogger (even one who’s been missing for a couple of months) my hard drive is stuffed to bursting with ‘versions‘.
For decades record companies have used remixes as a marketing tool. Major acts would commission a variety of remixes to appeal to the various scenes… “right this new Sting track is amazing but we’d like a pop mix, a northern dance round the handbag club mix, a hip-hop take, and a credible electronic version please“… “oh and make sure you use all the current big name DJ’s“. Before Gallup tightened the rules, remixes could be spread out over multiple editions of singles to force completist fans to buy every format and boost chart positions.
Now that no one buys physical single releases anymore the role of the remix has changed once again. Take Little Boots, the Sound of 2009 or one might harshly say the sound of hype before the substance is quite there. Tipped to the heavens for greatness by people who I swear had only heard one track, if that. Lukewarm album reviews and sales followed, and now the new single “Earthquake” is being promoted with a mass of remixes. My inbox contains 5 or more versions, all with the official ok to disseminate at will.
Thats not to say Little Boots won’t go on to great success or to single her out, everyone is at it. Indeed over the last 6 weeks I reckon I’ve bought, stumbled across or been sent over 250 different remixes. Fortunately out of those I’ve listened to, about 50 are pretty damn good which is not a bad strike rate.
So in a lazy attempt to kick start my blogging habit I thought I’d go through a few goodies.
After being a little harsh about her I’ll start with Little Boots, and a mix by the pastmasters of the dance anthem, The Stonemasons. Their reworking of “Earthquake” hits the button marked 90’s pop dance, harking back to the type of treatment the Brothers In Rhythm used to serve up.
It’s the kind of wonderful pop froth that Kylie, Madonna, Britney, and Little Boots herself totally failed to deliver all year.
From the Sound of 09 to a group sure to be on the tipsters lips for the dawning of the <insert whatever the next decade’s going to be called>. Clock Opera’s debut 7″ is available from the ever excellent Puregroove records, but it wont be long before the major labels come calling. Last month I managed to miss seeing them play live three times in one week. Something I intend to put right in the new year.
Before delving into any more remixes lets quickly turn to the “Edit”. This blog has waffled at length about the re-edit, ie chopping up, reordering, lengthening a song rather than necessarily remixing it. The Edit had its peak in the disco era but has undergone something of a renaissance of late thanks to the likes of Greg Wilson.
Recently an edit appeared on my harddrive that may actually take the crown of “my favourite of all time“. I say “appeared” because I cant for the life of me remember where it came from.
Tim H & Pablosounds edit of Arthur Russell’s first crack at “Dance” music “Kiss Me Again” is nothing short of phenomenal. Recorded in 1978 under the pseudonym of Dinosaur the 14 minute long original is famously bonkers, featuring cello, a disco diva, piano, horns and an off the hook guitar courtesy of Talking Heads David Byrne. To get a flavour of the track read the perfect description by Mr.Disco on his blog.
“Somewhere amongst all the versions there is a KILLER track struggling to make itself heard.
That edit me and PabloSound did a couple of years back was based on the 12.42 ‘Kiss Me Again (Version)’ , off the red vinyl promo. That’s my favourite rendition, but we had to chop it up a lot to get it into a sensible structure.”
Of course no discussion of Edits would be complete without a mention of Greg Wilson. I won’t worship at his feet for long but mention should be made of his arrival into the world of SoundCloud. SoundCloud is the latest buzz site for musicians and fans to share music. No self respecting artist is without one it seems. It offers control over downloads or streaming, a lovely interface, and most importantly listeners to your track can annotate the sound wave with remarks like “that snare is dope man!!!“.
Greg’s SoundCloud is packed full of exclusive mixes, and lots of his legendary edits. All free to download, some of which, like the Elektrons edit below were previously only available on one-sided 12″.
There are certain darlings of the blog remix world who’s latest knob-twiddle is guaranteed to shoot up the hype machine. Don Diablo for example is actually a team of eight people who work in continuous shifts so as to supply 17 remixes a day to the inboxes of eager music bloggers.
Hailing from New York, the trio Lemonade are currently causing a storm both as artists and as in demand re-mixers. Thankfully they don’t operate a sausage factory policy and although prolific the quality level rarely drops. Glasser, aka Cameron Mesirow is one to benefit from Lemonade’s golden touch. Usually she employs her voice as an instrument perhaps like Kate Bush meets Bobby McPherrin, except that sounds like a bad thing! Check out her myspace to hear what I mean, but Lemonade strip the track down, lock it in an echo chamber and emerge with what reminds me of the Guy Called Gerald classic “Voodoo Ray“, and I do mean its that good! Beautiful in fact.
The XX are another band who not content with releasing one of the finest albums of the year still find the time to not only sneak out the odd remix, but hit the proverbial ball out of the park. Theyre even capable of feats of musical alchemy turning Jack Penate into certifiable gold.
COVER ME
Aside from getting yourself a snazzy remix, another way for a new band to get a bit of attention is the cover version. Preferably by a bloggers favourite so at the very least you show up on the hype machine when fans search for a free copy of their favourite bands new single.
It can be a dangerous tactic, if your covers terrible you risk the ire of people who spend far too much time sitting at a computer. Get it too right, or too good, and youre in danger of becoming The Futureheads.
One band who seem to have mastered the art of self-promotion though irresistible covers are Rachael, Mike and Matt, collectively known as Run Toto Run. Armed only with Rachaels digital camera, a set of angel wings and a couple of animal heads, their Passion Pit cover version charmed 80,000 Youtube viewers.
Now theyve repeated the trick with another beautiful cover, this time of Bombay Bicycle Club. They also have a single out, and new material on myspace from their forthcoming LP. One listener was so impressed by what he heard he offered to buy the band a PA system.
Marina & The Diamonds opted for getting others to cover their new single. So far so mundane you might say but how about by a 20ish piece all girl choir going by the name of Gaggle?!
Jah Wobble has been in the game too long to be accused of doing a cover for attentions sake. You can imagine Mr Wobble decided to cover “Get Carter” for his own merry idiosyncratic reasons. He remains one of the finest Bassists alive, and his Chinese Dub Orchestra LP has been collecting “world” music awards.
In 2010 the scene is slightly different, Kings Place, the first new public concert hall in London for 25 years has swapped the syringes for studious sophistication. The Guardian newspaper appropriately shares the building.
1. JAMIE T – Sticks ‘n’ Stones
2. GENERATIONALS – When They Fight They Fight
3. THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD – The Age Of Revolution
4. THE MELTING ICE CAPS – A Good Night
5. THE CRIBS – City Of Bugs
6. THE DURITTI COLUMN – In Memory Of Anthony
7. DAN AUERBACH – Heartbroken, In Disrepair
8. JAY-Z – My President Is Black (DC Mix)
9. SPEECH DEBELLE – The Key
10. TRANSIT – C’Mon & Ride
11. BRAKES – Two Shocks
13. DIZZEE RASCAL – Bonkers
15. THE DEAD WEATHER – Treat Me Like Your Mother
17. GOSSIP – Dimestore Diamond
19. DAN DEACON – Woof Woof
21. CASIOKIDS – Fot I Hose
23. LADY GAGA – Paparazzi
25. ASHER ROTH – I Love College
27. THE BIG PINK – Dominos
29. NEIL YOUNG – Fork In The Road
31. JULIAN CASABLANCAS – 11th Dimension
33. Matty G – Keep Walking
35. BILL CALLAHAN – Jim Cain
36. KID CUDI – Day ‘N’ Nite
37. GABLÉ – I’m Ok
39. M.I.A. & A R RAHMAN – O… Saya
41. EMPIRE OF THE SUN – Half Mast
43. SERGEANT BUZFUZ – Here Come The Popes (Part 3)
45. MIKA – We Are Golden (Calvin Harris Vocal)
47. JOHN ZORN – Los Cristeros
49. BLOC PARTY – One More Chance
51. N.A.S.A. – Spacious Thoughts (Feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith)
53. NEW YORK DOLLS – ‘Cause I Sez So
55. THOM YORKE – All For The Best
57. PASSION PIT – Sleepyhead (Bo Flex Giantess Remix)
59. THE PRODIGY – Warrior’s Dance
61. THE VERY BEST – Kamphopo
63. TODDLA T – Rice & Peas (Feat. Mr Versatile)
65. DAN SARTAIN – Bohemian Grove (Feat. Jack White)
67. ONE ESKIMO – Kandi (Eat More Cake Mix)
69. SHARON VAN ETTEN – For You
71. CIRCLESQUARE – Hey You Guys
73. MR. HUDSON – There Will Be Tears
75. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – Pistol Dreams
77. AFROZEN ORCHESTRA – Tongana
79. THE DYNAMICS – Downtown Barkings (Afrosoul Edit)
81. THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE – Island
83. FEVER RAY – If I Had A Heart
85. JAY’S SOUL CONNECTION – Frankie’s Party Life
87. SLOW DOWN TALLAHASSEE – Angel Of Death
89. ALASDAIR ROBERTS – You Muses Assist
91. NEAL CASAL – Back To Haunt You
93. CURTIS PLUM – Call My Cellphone
95. BEASTIE BOYS – Too Many Rappers (Feat. Nas)
97. CLAIRE HUX – Fucked Up
99. HANDSOME FURS – Talking Hotel Arbat Blues
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