Ryan Adams – Time After Time
There’s probably two people I actively share this blog with; one of them regularly sends me left-field peices to check out.
I roll my eyes when he sends me this; Ryan doing yet another cover, then I have it on repeat for about an hour…
Elton John – Honky Cat
The Elton love-in carries on as I blast through his back catalouge and continue to have the Rocketman soundtrack on regular repeat – Honky Cat stealing it this month.
David Bowie – New Killer Star
I listen to Simon Critchley’s excellent ‘Bowie’ audio book at least once a week throughout August. It reframes Bowie in ways I could never imagine.
Whilst Rebel Rebel will always be my favourite Bowie, New Killer Star was my favourite live track on the occassions I saw him live.
Don’t ever say I’m ready.
Fuck it, you might as well play the best….
You want more and you want it fast
Vanity 6 – Nasty Girl
The second series of Pose is filled with absolute pop bangers; the ones I pay particular to include this one by Prince..
Regina – Baby Love
This one by Regina….
Bobby Brown – My Prerogative
This one from the once baddest man on the planet..
Stephanie Mills – Never knew love like this before
And the best non-Kylie Kylie Minoque song…
Roachford – High on Love
An interview with Mr Roachford has me looping a preview of his new album. Opener High On Love turns out to be my favourite…
Massive Attack – Special Cases
The love for Massive Attack continues month after month, year after year. I spend a lot of time with 100th Window this month – a truly underrated album.
Which dickheads said this album was a failure!?
Massive Attack – Butterfly Caught
And as for what they said about Heliogoland….
Andy Bell – Love Comes in Waves
Nothing much jumps out at me of the month’s new releases I listen to on NME. This Love/ La’s/ Ride esque peice from Mr Bell may be the best of the new stuff I hear.
Back in the day I would have liked to watch the video on acid and had it on repeat walking around in flares. Not so much today…
Liam Lynch – United States of Whatever
A review of a quirky, abstract, peice gets me thinking back to this Liam Lynch peice; part comedy, part punk, part deliberatly messed up.
Aiming to be so bad it’s good.
My cousin used to love this. I remember getting totally wasted with him once watching this – I had no idea what was going on.
Jermaine Jackson – Sweetest Sweetest
An unexpected little treat from a small reference in the penultimate Q magazine.
Reminding me of Kokomo, what a little gem.
Zapp and Roger – Dance floor
A new Tv Show (Snowfall), another great soundtrack, kicking off with the 80’s electro boogie of Zapp…
Jam on it – Newcleus
..before keeping us warm with the early breakers sound including part Paul Hardcastle, part Kraftwerk and part Afrika Bambaataa
Strike – Union
Before blazing in with some serious stone cold funk
Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
Father John tip-toes back into my life this month; every time I pick him up after not listening to him for a few months I realise how profound his narratives and music are.
I wish I could make even one of the many revelatory points he makes in each of his songs.
Arnie Love and The Lovettes- Breakout
Snowfall pulls me back in for the late 70’s/early 80s sounding Chic esque banger...
New Generation – The Universals
And then with this weapon for it’s deep funk groove and Gil Scott funky bass and jazz flute sound…
Eveything’s gonna be all right – Rober Moore
And then the knockout punch comes with Robert Moore and this JB sounding weapon…
Richard iii / In it for the Money- Supergrass
It’s nice to get back into the live music scence; Supergrass destroying thier singles from In it For the Money especially their 1-2 opening of In it for the Money/ Richard iii.
The moment they stepped outside of the Britpop scene remains their watershed moment.
Nasa – Money
This one used to wake me up back in the day – i’m not sure it was exactly the desired state…
Ronnie Spector – Don’t Worry Baby
In the middle of trying to get some work done I get locked into a world of Beach Boy’s covers. Ronnie sounding like this one was made for her and her alone…
David Bowie – God only knows
David Jones getting into whichever crooning character he was channelling at the time…
Jesus and Mary Chain – Surfin’ USA
The Mary chain sounding almost perfect…
The Ramones – Surfin’ Safari
… until the Ramones turn up and, somehow, show them all up by tearing the surf pop model right down the middle before building it back up with the greatest of respect imaginable.
Smashing Pumpkins – My Daydream
It’s been the best part of 30 years since I’ve heard this little My Bloody Valentine influenced lovely. Perfect.
Lee Mosess – California Dreaming
The final episode of Season 1 of Snowfall throws this little soul belter out into the open. I wish I still did my funk and soul radio show…
Backstroking – Fatback band
The sound of the original G-Funk.
One day I’m going to get some music production equipment and create a groove as simple, but as effective as this – it’s clear evidence that simple is often the most effective.
Katy Perry – Harleys in Hawaii
I didn’t take to the song straight away, but what a cracking little video.
Carl Carlton – Bad Mama Jama
Talking T-shirt slogan’s, Gaz puts me onto ‘She’s a bad mama jama’ which fits into the 80’s electro boogie sound which Snowfall has been turning me onto this month.
I can’t think where I’ve had the vocal pattern before though and it’s doing my head in…
The Libertines – Boys in the Band
Has this been the most tracks I’ve recorded in one month? Without going through the nonsense of actually counting, I think it is.
The Libertines gig in Newcastle proves a real game of two-halves. It’s great to see the band, but gone is the chaos of old. Which makes a live show probaly better for them but not nessecarily as interesting for their crowd.
Boys in the Band takes us, briefly, back to the chaos of their debut and let’s us all forget that we’re twenty years older and that Albion perhaps isn’t a real place you can find if you look hard enough.
Summer in the City – The Lovin Spoonful
Libertine’s warm ups The Snuts steal their own set with a Lovin Spoonful cover – Summer in the City, are they being intentionally iconic in 2020?
Alphbeat – Boyfriend
This has.to.be my last update this month – it’s getting of hand.
A pre Jason Manford warm up song brings up this little 80’s-Stock-Aitkann-Waterman-sounding little pop gem. What a great little piece of pop.