DATE ARCHIVES : December 2010

Free ‘Chemikal Underground’ Label Sampler

There’s been quite a few record label samplers floating about as 2010 draws to an end. Not to be out done seminal Scottish indie label Chemikal Underground has done the very same and dropped a free MP3 sampler from their roster.

The excellent 16-track compilation includes tracks from Mogwai, The Phantom Band, Panico, Radar Bros and lots more from Chemikal Undergrounds catalogue. It get’s a definite thumbs up! There’s a lot of great stuff on here that would have gone unnoticed.

It’s available to download for FREE from here. Here’s a couple of excellent reasons why you should!

 Radar Bros. – Breathing Again

The Phantom Band – Left Hand Wave

 Sister Vanilla – What Goes Around

 Panico – Bright Lights

Gorillaz Release New Album ‘The Fall’

As promised, Damon Albarn released the new Gorillaz album The Fall on Christmas day. The album was recorded using an iPad while on tour in North America over 32 days. Essentially it’s a diary to the said tour – hence the track titles ‘Detroit’, ‘Phoner To Arizona’ and ‘Bobby In Phoenix’.

It’s a pretty chilled and relaxing listen. Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Bobby Womack and others pitch in but it’s Albarn’s vocals, instrumentation and a serious dose of synths which takes centre stage.

It’s available to stream or to download via the fan club.

Here’s the video for ‘Phoner to Arizona’ and ‘Detroit’.

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 Gorillaz – Detroit via wewanttobeyoung

All I Want For Christmas Is….

Christmas is one of those things that always seems to have been better ‘before’, before what I do not know.

Bucking this trend is Half Man Half Biscuit‘s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit’. It’s a slightly unorthodox Christmas tune but hey, this one from the Birkenhead lads still sounds as great as ever. We can probably expect a new album soon (I posted some new tracks from a 6Music session a while back here).

It’s been an interesting and enjoyable 9 months or so since starting this blog, thanks for continuing to read and support it.

Have a Happy Christmas & all the best for the new year.

Half Man Half Biscuit – All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit via Martan

Two Wounded Birds – ‘Keep Dreaming Baby’ EP

 

Okay, there’s been quite a lot of surf-rock meets indie-pop, especially this year, but when it’s done well there should be no aversion to more.

Step forward Two Wounded Birds, who have released their debut EP Keep Dreaming Baby. You would be forgiven for thinking they had cooked up this sound on the sunny beaches of California rather than southern england coastal town of Margate.

In short, we are presented with a splendid mix of catchy sunny, fast paced surf rock and other distinctly more melancholic songs, leaving a lingering feeling of deja-vu. Think of a contagious sound ala Graham Coxon meets The Beach Boys.

I’d expect to hear plenty more from Two Wounded Birds in the future and here are two fine examples.

You can stream/buy the EP from bandcamp

Two Wounded Birds – Keep Dreaming Baby

Two Wounded Birds – My Lonesome

Video: The Joy Formidable – ‘Austere’

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Welsh rockers The Joy Formidable have unveiled a new cut of an old song ‘Austere’.

This is the first single from their forthcoming debut album The Big Roar. I kinda prefer the original version but I very much like this video.

‘Austere’ is out January 17th 2011.

Mariam & Amadou – Sabali (Vitalic Remix)

2010 has been pretty quiet on the recording front for Vitalic, preferring to concentrate on bringing his exceptional live shows to the public.

Anything new from the mercurial Frenchman is always most welcome, even just a remix. Vitalic does his thing with Marian & Amadou‘s ‘Sabali’, unsurprisingly it’s compelling stuff.

The track is taken from the aptly named ‘Remixes’ project which pays tribute to the Mali couple’s music through respective interpretations from their discography.

REMIXES is expected on January 11th 2011.

 Mariam & Amadou – Sabali (Vitalic Remix) via Hypetrak

Photo by Neil Dorgan.

Video: The Bees – ‘Winter Rose’

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How we could do with some of that sunshine clad summery music The Bees are renowned for. Brrrrrrrr!

Oh well, you can’t always get what you want.

The second single to be lifted from The Bees splendid fourth album Every Step’s A Yes‘ is a frosty winters love song, ‘Winter Rose’.

Domino Records Release Free 2010 Compilation

Domino Records have decided to sign off 2010 with a little festive cheer in the shape of a free MP3 sampler of their releases in 2010.

The excellent 14-track compilation includes tracks from Villagers, Steve Mason, Clinic, The Fall, These New Puritans and lots more from Domino’s cataloge this year.

It’s available stream or download for free from www.dominorecordco.com. Here’s three very good reasons why you should!

Tracklisting after the jump.

The Fall – Bury Pts. 1 + 3 via Musicmule

Steve Mason – All Come Down via Niallb

These New Puritans – Orion via LukeLewis

Continue reading →

The Lucky Dip Escapade – ‘Campfire Song’

The Lucky Dip Escapade is the moniker of Oliver Smith. He’s a UK ex-pat now residing in Sweden where he along with his trusty acoustic guitar, makes musical gems like ‘Camp Fire Song’.

I picked up on this little beauty via ‘The Devil Has The Best Tuna‘ (an excellent music blog well worth checking out). It was described as “the best Billy Bragg song that Billy didn’t write” – quite some claim but as much as might try I can’t fault nor top that, a perfect description for a great song.

You can stream or grab ‘Campfire Song’ for keeps below. There is an EP in the pipeline for 2011.

The Lucky Dip Escapade – Campfire Song via Bad Panda Records

Rewind: Zero Boys – ‘Vicious Circle’

2010 has been a great year for new music but ironically one of my favorite records this year comes is 1982’s ‘Vicious Circle’ from Indianapolis punk band Zero Boys.

I’ve been meaning to post something about this album since they flashed up on my radar after The Hives covered ‘Civilization’s Dying‘. The album is loud, fast and raw. It’s hard to fathom how they are largely unrecognized today, especially on hearing ‘Trying Harder’, ‘Amphetamine Addiction’, ‘Civilizations Dying’ or ‘Livin’ in the 80s’, the later two could quite easily have been anti-establishment anthems for a generation.

This is on a par with anything from the punk era, like a marriage of Dead Kennedys cynicism and The Ramones melodies it still sounds slightly dangerous almost 30 years later. It’s bizarre how unknown they are but I’m delighted to have found it, albeit 28 years later.

Zero Boys – Livin’ In The 80’s

Zero Boys – Trying Harder