POSTS TAGGED : Courtney Barnett

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #14

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We’re thrilled to share yet another Millions Like Us Podcast with you all. It’s fantastic to back with the latest in a series of music podcasts hosted by Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

Every two weeks we aim to serve some lively and entertaining chat mixed with an eclectic selection of fabulous music from metro Vancouver and elsewhere. There’s plenty in there, well over an hour in fact, of great tunes and plenty of chat.

You can read more on it over here and of course, listen below (and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too). You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic, Mixcloud & SoundCloud, or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

Thanks for all the support and once again, thanks for listening! We hope you enjoy Episode #14. And last but not least, thanks to Caroline for the super image.

Podcast #14 Tracklist:

 

BarryGruff January 2016 Playlist

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Your regular monthly round up all the blog action, in a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured throughout the month.

January was a busy month, especially for new record announcements and whatnot. We had tunes from The Coral, Yuck, Sea Pinks, Steve Mason, exmagician, Ulrika Spacek, Coves and The Last Shadow Puppets, from their respective, new and forthcoming albums. We had introductions to Bousada, ACCU and Honey Moon, while there were excellent new singles/EPs from Seazoo, Allure, Applescal, Marta Ffion, Courtney Barnett, Shit Robot and Golden Fable. Oh, and there were two new episodes of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s new music podcast extravaganza for 604now (if you missed them, check ’em here). You can also subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter.

Well then, that’s that for another month – listen to BarryGruff’s January 2016 playlist below. Enjoy!

 

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #8

We’re thrilled to share the first Millions Like Us podcast of 2016. It’s great to back and the latest, the eighth, of music podcasts hosted by Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

On a bi-weekly basis we aim to please, providing relief from all life’s toils* with lively and entertaining chat and eclectic selection of fabulous music from metro Vancouver and BEYOND. There’s plenty in there, well over an hour in fact, of new tunes, reflection on 2015, anticipation for the forthcoming year and more.

You can read more on it here and listen below, and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too. You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

Thanks for listening as always, enjoy!

Podcast #8 Tracklist:

Courtney Barnett shares new song ‘Three Packs a Day’ + Tour Dates

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Less than a 12 months since Courtney Barnett released her excellent Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, she’s kicking off 2016 with new material.

The new track ‘Three Packs A Day’ features on her Australian label Milk! Record’s compilation, Good For You, alongside tracks from Jen Cloher, Fraser A. Gorman, Ouch My Face, The Finks, and East Brunswick All Girls Choir. In typical Barnett fashion, ‘Three Packs A Day’ is clever, witty and slightly dark. An instantly infectious, light jangle with a jaunty guitar line, meandering bass and folksy harmonica blasts giving the song its upbeat coat, as she sings about her addiction to instant noodles. A magnificent tune indeed and exactly the high standard we’ve come to expect from her.

With a couple of shows coming this month in her native Australia, the North American leg of her tour kicks off in April, including a show on April 19th at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom. Find her full list of dates below. Good for You is out on February 14 via Milk! Records. Listen to ‘Three Packs A Day’ below.

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Johnny Feeney’s Albums of 2015

Johnny Feeney's albums of 2015

The reliable musical sage that is Johnny Feeney, steps up on this soapbox to share his favourite records from 2015.

Johnny’s guest posts are always insightful, interesting and always add an extra flavour the blog and I look forward to reading them – surely I’m not alone? 

A massive thanks to Johnny for taking time out to write this up, and on that note, I’ll leave you with his 25 albums of 2015……

25. Grimes – ‘Art Angels’

24. Floating Points  – ‘Elaenia’

23. Public Service Broadcasting – ‘The Race For Space’

22. EL VY – ‘Return To The Moon’

21. Julia Holter – ‘Have You In My Wilderness’

20. Girl Band – ‘Holding Hands With Jamie’

19. Trembling Bells – ‘The Sovereign Self’

18. Courtney Barnett – ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’

17. Stealing Sheep – ‘Not Real’

16. Nadine Shah – ‘Fast Food’

15. C Duncan – ‘Architect’

Glaswegian Christopher Duncan’s Mercury-nominated debut album is a beautiful piece of dreamy, baroque chamber pop, heavily layered with more than a hint of Grizzly Bear about it.

14. Unknown Multi Orchestra – ‘Multi-Love’

The Auckland/Portland band’s fantastic third album chronicles a soured polyamorous relationship. A lovely lo-fi record full of psychedelic grooves and some of the sleaziest, funkiest guitar lines you’ll hear this year.

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BarryGruff Albums of the Year (2015)

BGs Albums of the year 2015So it is that time of year again, lists, lists and more lists. Well, not be out done, here are my 41 (yes 41, and yes it’s a weird number) albums of 2015.

It has been such a good year for new albums, probably the best since I started the blog back in 2010. So much so that there is very little difference between the top 5, top 10, top 15 and so on. So without further ado, here are my favourite records from 2015:

There is also a Spotify playlist of the Top 20 albums, to save you time and hassle (it’s here).

41. Only Real – Jerk At The End of the Line’

40. Rozi Plain – ‘Friend’

39. Wildling – ‘Molecules To Moon’

38. The School – ‘Wasting Away And Wondering’

37. Sweet Baboo – ‘Boombox Ballads’

36. The Stammer – ‘Days In Between’

35. SexWitch – Sex Witch’

34. Faith Healer – ‘Cosmic Troubles’

33. Girl Band – ‘Holding Hands With Jamie’

32. Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’

31. Fort Romeau – ‘Insides

30. Soft Serve – ‘S/t’

29. Applescal – ‘For’

28. Zefur Wolves – ‘Zefur Wolves’

27. Hot Chip – ‘Why Make Sense?’

26. Drenge – ‘Undertow’

25. The Charlatans – ‘Modern Nature’

24. Gaz Coombes – ‘Matador’

23. Bill Ryder-Jones – ‘West Kirby County Primary’

22. Drinks – ‘Hermits on Holiday’

21. The Expert – Dynamic Drift

20. Boxed In – ‘Boxed In’

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BarryGruff’s Albums of 2015 So Far……

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I’m not exactly the best at keeping you and the site up-to-date with album reviews, to be honest, it’s the old enemy time. Discovering the hours to scribble some thoughts about this album or that has become rather elusive, but thankfully finding time to listen to albums, and music in general, is less of an issue.

Here are a list of my most listened and loved records of 2015 so far with Spotify links and playlists for overall albums of 2015. There are plenty of playlists on Spotify and Soundcloud and on the blog too. Oh, and with regards to albums *cough, cough*, you can still download GruffWuff, a 19 track compilation celebrating 5 years of BarryGruff, for FREE from bandcamp, *cough, cough*.

Top 24 albums of 2015 so far…

01. Czarface – ‘Every Hero Needs A Villain’

02. H. Hawkline – ‘In The Pink Of Condition’

03. Villagers – ‘Darling Arithmetic

04. Blur – ‘The Magic Whip’

05. Ghost Culture – ‘Ghost Culture’

06. Boxed In – ‘Boxed In’

07. Django Django – ‘Born Under Saturn’

08. Girlpool – ‘Before The World Was Big’

09. Stealing Sheep – ‘Not Real’

10. The Charlatans – ‘Modern Nature’

11. Courtney Barnett – ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’

12. Gaz Coombes – ‘Matador’

13. Hot Chip – ‘Why Make Sense?’

14. Applescal – ‘For’

15. Public Service Broadcasting – ‘The Race For Space’

16. Jamie xx – ‘In Colour’

17. Sen Segur – ‘Films’

18. Zefur Wolves – ‘Zefur Wolves’

19. Faith Healer – ‘Cosmic Troubles’

20. Mowbird – ‘One-Offs’

21. Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’

22. Fort Romeau – ‘Insides’

23. Rozi Plain – ‘Friend’

24. Pale Honey – ‘Pale Honey’

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Courtney Barnett – ‘Pedestrian at Best’

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Melbourne singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett has announced she will release her eagerly-awaited new album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, on March 24th through Mom + Pop Records.

The forthcoming new record follows up her marvelous debut, The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas, which cast a woozy spell with her hazy tales of vapid suburban life, aimless procrastination and her superlative way with words and glorious delivery; a charming record, filled with funny and sharp observations. To get us in the mood, as if we required any encouragement, Barnett has shared the first single from the record, ‘Pedestrian at Best’, with an equally brilliant accompanying video directed by Charlie Ford. ‘Pedestrian at Best’ is anything but pedestrian. Rumbling along a series of rocking riffs, brash percussion and general fuzz, serving as a sublime companion for Barnett’s signature lyrical stylings, astute and humorous observations and witticisms. It’s a magnificent, if slightly angrier return from one of the most exciting artists from the past few years.

New album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit  is out on March 24th. For now you can check out new single ‘Pedestrian at Best’ and for those of you back in the motherland, there’s an added treat. Courtney Barnett will play Whelan’s on April 4th. Tickets on sale next Thursday.

Courtney Barnett – ‘Anonymous Club’

 

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Having only recently unearth the rambling, freewheeling anti-folk of Courtney Barnett‘s, The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, any excuse has been sought to wax lyrical about this wonderful artist and record.

In pairing a few jangly chords with her lazy drawl, Barnett cast a woozy spell over listeners with her hazy tales of vapid suburban life and aimless procrastination. The Melbourne native has a marvellous way with words and an equally glorious way of delivering them, the record is charming, funny and filled with sharp observations. So, yeah, that ‘excuse’. Well, Barnett has recently released ‘Anonymous Club’ along with it’s beautifully animated visual companion, and provided the aforementioned opportunity. It’s a slow-burning, tender folk lullaby, with a warm, faintly glimmering feedback-kissed strum that matches melancholic romanticism and longing depicted of her a night in with a lover. ‘Anonymous Club’ is but one of many absolute gems which litter The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas.

You can check out ‘Anonymous Club’ & ‘Avant Gardener’ another fine example of her superlative ability, and a sure fire future classic, below. You can stream The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas in it’s entirely here too.

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