Radio Ginger – Baby Baby At The Weekend
by Ginger ~ September 7th, 2012. Filed under: Uncategorized.06 Get Free Get Free – THE VINES (album: Highly Evolved)
Cruelly roped into one of NME’s ejaculations of ‘next things that sound like popular current things’, and unfairly misunderstood by po-faced students rimming their fave weekly for angst, The Vines’ intelligent take on Beatles-with-balls needs reinvestigating. Five albums of consistently inventive, heavy guitar led melodic rock psychedelia is a great track record by anyone’s standards. Start with Highly Evolved and see how you get on. If you dig, then there is much to dig.
03 A History Of Lovers A History Of Lovers – CALEXICO/IRON & WINE (e.p: In The Reins)
Iron & Wine is Sam Beam, Calecixo is a band from Arizona, they’re both awesome, they did an E.P. together. That’s pretty much all you need to know about this sublime slice of pure American sunshine. Well, apart from that fact that the hole in your life is exactly the size of this song. I’m right, right? And now you feel complete. Who wouldn’t? You’d thought you’d heard the most perfect pop song until you heard this. It’s like your previous favourite, only with swearing. C’mon, don’t fight it you fool. Let it onto your lap. Let it lick your face. There. See?
01 Miracle Miracle – VON HERTZEN BROTHERS (album: Stars Aligned)
In UK Los Bros Hertzen, along with lonkero and fisu, are among Finland’s best kept secrets, which seems absurd considering the amount of people openly purring at the thrones of Muse et all. Take the the most caustic elements of prog, give it mountainous harmonies and slap a bit of arena sized rock on it and…well, you’re listening to it. Check out, also, a track from the Love Remains The Same album called ‘Freedom Fighter’, and if you’re sold then you’re in for a rare treat. Tell Santa you want all three albums. He’s from Lapland, innee? You’ll probably get a discount.
05 Puma Gym Puma Gym – WHALE (album:All Disco Dance Must End In Broken Bones)
Yep, the same Whale that gave you Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe, and song that should be the National Anthem in at least a couple of countries. While their debut album We Care is a must have, this, their slightly less known second album is not without its share of naughty delights. Still, if you’re only gonna pump out for one then get We Care. It’s the kind of album that will make you friends with money. Oh Whale, please reform. The world smells like lettuce on the turn without you.
07 Across The Shields Across The Shields – TORCHE (album: Meanderthal)
Hear that rattle? That’s the sound of your favourite bands position being threatened that is. Torche dare you not to love them. They effortlessly throw melody into a vomitous cauldron of molten riff lava and laugh at your stunned expression. I imagine they do anyway. I mean, it’s easy to imagine a lot of things when confronted with the density that is Torche, most of it nothing you’d openly talk about. That’s the power. That’s the hook. They make you think. Then they make you stop thinking and dance violently. Then they make you think again. About dancing and violence. Together. Aaaarrggghh…that’s the sound of….ah, you get the point.
Girl from the North Country Girl From The North Country -LIONS (e.p. Sons Of Anarchy North Country EP)
Dammit, I hate it when we lose great bands to indifference. It’s like losing actual family members to industrial accidents, only with better music. No worries, you can still grab hold of their sole release No Generation and imagine that they’re working on the follow up while you weep. Dry your eyes little one, Matt Drenik, he of that ridiculously righteous voice, is currently churning out material under the moniker Battleme. You can hear the debut album here http://soundcloud.com/mebattle/sets/battleme/ . Still, it doesn’t feature the Battleme song Pocket Full Of Flies, which is every bit as incredible as Girl From The North Country. For that you will have to pay. And you’ll be glad to. Trust me on this one.
01 Time to Pretend Time To Pretend – MGMT (album: Oracular Spectacular)
It’s Friday, right? Which is followed by Saturday, in my reckoning. Nothing I like more than to just dance the fuck right through Friday and Saturday. Maybe stop on Sunday for something to eat. Maybe a nap. Anyway, enough about me. What about you? You dancing? YES I am asking, as it goes. I didn’t just stick this song on for you to sit and listen to. Feel that quiver in yer liver? That strut in yer foot? That hanky pankiness in yer, er…pancreas? That’s Connecticut’s mostly willfully freestyle MGMT. Can anyone tell me exactly what genre this music exists in? Trick question. It’s lives in the section marked “It’s the weekend, buddy. Let’s go!”
01 Radiation Vibe Radiation Vibe – FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE (album: Fountains Of Wayne)
Currently the only band capable of giving Sparks a run for their money as far as smart lyrics go (Hamell On Trial isn’t a band, he’s just one fella. Although Sparks are only two. Okay, now I’m confused). Often playful and sometimes almost too bloody intelligent for their own good. But not for yours. They’re just intelligent enough for YOUR own good. Choosing an album with which to begin your cerebrally intense love affair is thoroughly pointles, you could just dive in at any point of their 5 album career and come out sucking a tune. Like pop? Like rock? Like pop rock? Invest. Thank me later.
02 Queen Of Hearts David Comes To Life – FUCKED UP
Possibly an obvious choice, but hear me out. Imagine if there is someone out there who hasn’t heard this yet? Imagine, for just a second, their faces twitching at that cacophonous tsunami of guitars. Think a while at how strangely attracted their are right now to the guttural throatage bellowing from the vast man-thing that is Damian Abraham (Pink Eyes). Dream, if you will, that you’re this innocent first timer, and the sweet release of angelic vocals, courtesy of Madeline Follin (Cults), is shimmering over your body like butterfly water. For the first time!?! Oh man, that’s a lucky motherfucker right there. And if it’s YOU then I hate you. Not real hate, you understand, just the kind of resentment you’ll feel when YOU play this to someone for the first time. Damn you. Sigh…
01 Zero Zero – YEAH YEAH YEAHS (album: It’s Blitz!)
Ah dammit, now I’m really wound up and ready to spring into Friday night action. This week feels more like a DJ set than any kind of semi-educational poke through the entrails of my collection of unknown pleasures. Sometimes it just gets a feller like that. One week you’re the sailor, the next you’re the ship, the week after that you’re the sea, and within the month you’re a net full of barnacles and molluscs. Know what I mean? Anyway, pass the grog me hearties, it’s Friday for fucks sake. Shiver me tumbleweed, hoist the poopdeck and don’t forget the dramamine.
There’s a wanker on ever anchor. So don’t stop being awesome, y’all.
Have a great weekend.
September 7th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Feel quite proud to say I own the Vines and Whale albums mentioned above. I agree with Ginger on Vines, the rest of their work is well worth digging into.
Checking out the other 8 tracks….
September 7th, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Best selection thus far G. Thanks a lot.