Deep Valley- Walk of Shame
Fist shaking garage rock-feminism from Los Angeles finest female two piece. Strokes meets White Stripes meets Royal Blood.
The Seeds- Evil Vodoo
West coast 60’s psychedelia meets garage rock; what the Doors would have sounded like if they’d tried to play like Arthur Lee’s Love.
George McCrae- It’s been so long
Pure soul from George (rock your body) McCrae who gives us his own blend of Marvin; Sexual healing, longing and frustration.
Gladys Knight and the Pips- Just walk in my shoes
A beat to equal anything come out of the Motor city.
Neil Young- Mr Soul
Shakey goes all vocoder cool on this track from over-looked 1982 album Trans. West coast sensibilities with Daft Punk feel. Well ahead of it’s time. So far ahead that he ended up getting sued by his own label for not sounding like Neil Young.
Gang of Four- I found the essence
Surely equal grand-fathers with Television for the Strokes sound? Taken from their 1979 debut album, Gang of Four take the punk sound into a post punk feel with heavy bass and a Stranglers buzz guitar rhythm.
CRX- Ways to Fake it
80’s FM rock from Strokes guitar man Nick Valensi. Up with the very best of all Strokes output.
Julian Casablanca’s- Eleventh Dimension
If we’re heading down that route, then here’s the best track from any Stroke- solo or group. Daft Punk sound, Tron looking video, Bananarama sentiments; utterly brilliant.
Albert Hammond Jr- Call an Ambulance
Might as well get the full set. “And you would only hold me, if I told you that it would never end”
Lady Leshurr- Queens speech part 4
Insightful lyrics from LL (“you go to the club but you ain’t got money for your gas and electric”) who provides an updated Streets feel; the realities of living in broken Britain from a generation given no promises and very few hopes.
Massive Attack- Group Four
3d’s biography of a night watchman on duty; paranoia equals awareness.
The Specials- Do Nothing
“People say to me, just be yourself, it make no sense to follow fashion”.
Mike Batts- Summertime City
Might as well end with a guilty pleasure; the pop sound of the Beach Boys and Bay City Rollers meets the punk ethos of the Ramones. Genius.