29 April 2013

The usual stuff plus a special feature. It's Carolyn's birthday, so she's picked out a few tracks in what we're calling Carolyn's Classic Cuts. But first, something brand spanking new.

The National - Demons
John: This reminds me of a number of different things, none of which I can put my finger on.
Carolyn: No, I know what you mean. At the start, that low voice sounds a bit like late Johnny Cash, but there are several other cues there as well.
John: They're from Cincinnatti and the album is 'Trouble Will Find Me' which comes out on May 20.

The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
John: The first of Carolyn's Classic Cuts. Tell us about it.
Carolyn: Well you played it and I was worried about Dexter.
John: I wouldn't be. He's evil and criminally insane.
Carolyn: Can a child really be evil?
John: The sample is from the John Waters film 'Polyester', and if you know Waters' films... That's off the album 'Since I Left You' from 2000.

Harper Simon - 99
John: That's Harper Simon, son of Paul.
Carolyn: And he's about 40, so singing about a lost love from 14 years ago isn't creepy.
John: That's off the new album 'Division Street' and brings to mind late Teenage Fanclub.

Cover Version Corner
Phoenix/Dinosaur Jr - Entertainment
John: Not just a different style, but a totally different genre. And it works.
Carolyn: Which is what this section is all about.
John: We've played the Phoenix track before - from the album 'Bankrupt!' which came out last week - and Dinosaur Jr were quick to do their version in the immediate aftermath.

Owiny Sigoma Band - Owiny Techno
John: A lot of people say to me 'John, why haven't you played any Kenyan techno on the show yet?' Well there you go. Hopefully I'll stop getting accosted in the street now.
Carolyn: Has that actually happened?
John: No. The album is 'Power Punch' and is out now.

Lemon Jelly - Ramblin' Man
John: The second of Carolyn's Classic Cuts.
Carolyn: You told me that the initial letters spelled out a phrase last time we played it, so I've jotted them down.
John: So you're satisfied that I wasn't making up the fact that between Brixton and San Jose spells 'Bagpuss sees all things'?
Carolyn: Yes, but the rest is gibberish.
John: From the 2002 album 'Lost Horizons'.

Errors - Pleasure Palaces
John: That probably counts as a Monday night banger. From Glasgow, very much in the Mogwai envelope, that's off last year's 'New Relics' album. Great video too.

One Degree of Separation
Dr Feelgood - Roxette
Eight Rounds Rapid - Channel Swimmer
John: Wow. That Eight Rounds Rapid track fair blows your socks off.
Carolyn: Sure does. They pack a lot of notes into a short space of time.
John: Before that, you heard Dr Feelgood's debut single from 1974, from the brilliant album 'Down By The Jetty'. Maybe you can hear a similarity in the guitars, because on the Strat for Eight Rounds is Simon Johnson, son of Wilko, and he's a fair chip off the old block. The old man's legacy is in safe hands. A really exciting band and I'm sure we'll be having lots more from them in the near future.


Simian Mobile Disco - I Believe
John: Another banger for you. That's off the 2007 album 'Attack Decay Sustain Release'. Got a real late '80s/early '90s sort of Hacienda feel to it.
Carolyn: It does. Real thumping beats.

The Vaccines - Teenage Icon
John: And finally, the last of Carolyn's Classic Cuts
Carolyn: I just love it. I can't help singing along when it's on in the car...
John: This is true.
Carolyn: And having a bit of a dance...
John: Also true. That's off 'Come Of Age' which was out last year.

Lots of long tracks tonight, so that's your lot. Here it all is wrapped up by the magic of YouTube for your listening pleasure.

22 April 2013

The usual mix including some stuff I've been waiting to get my hands on for ages.

The Egg - In Your Pocket
John: And here's one of those I've been wanting for ages. This is off the album 'Something To Do' which came out late last year and is flippin' brilliant. I really love this track. It's got a great vibe.
Carolyn: Worth waiting for.

Rift Valley Brothers - Mu Africa
John: An old track given a new release on Soundway Records who specialise in 1970s and '80s East African rarities. These are from Kenya and it's on a compilation called 'Kenya Special'. I like that a lot. I could listen to it a lot. Indeed, I have.
Carolyn: Yeah, I like it.

Opossom - Why Why
John: To New Zealand next and that's Kody Nielson, aka Opossom, who we've had before. That's off 'Electric Hawaii' which came out last year and is dead good.

Cover Version Corner 
Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm
Dutch Uncles - Slave To The Atypical Rhythm
John: We like Dutch Uncles. That's their release for Record Store Day last Saturday, a celebration of the nation's independent record shops. Vinyl Tap on John William Street had a few things on, including Simon Armitage DJing.
Carolyn: I thought he was a poet.
John: Yeah, but he can still play a record then play another one after it.
Carolyn: Don't give away our secrets!
John: Grace Jones released that in 1985, off the album of the same name.

Casual Sex - National Unity
John: From Glasgow, that's a belter.

Savages - She Will
John: An all-girl group from London, that's off 'Silence Yourself' which is out next month.
Carolyn: It doesn't sound like a female voice initially.

Bed Rugs - Blinds
John: To Belgium now, and these are from Antwerp. That's off 'Rapids' which is out about now.
Carolyn: I like the minute-long outro.


Bonobo - Cirrus
John: We've had these before. That's off 'The North Borders' which came out at the start of the month and is a cracker. I think we'll have more of these in the future.
Carolyn: Already planning next week's show?
John: I've got a huge backlog of stuff to get through and these are in it. There just isn't the time to play everything.

Mr Scruff - Fish
John: Something a bit different next. That's from 1999 and the album 'Keep It Unreal'. Mr Scruff is Andy Carthy from Macclesfield, but that's not quite got the same impact.
Carolyn: No, Mr Scruff is definitely better.

One Degree of Separation
Mickey 3D - Johnny Rep
Wedding Present - Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?
John: I love that Weddoes track. That's off 1987's 'George Best' and there's your link - Best and Rep, two of the finest right-wingers world football has ever seen.

Bibio - Fire Ant
John: Something else a bit different, that's from the 2009 album 'Ambivalence Avenue'. Bibio is Stephen Wilkinson from the West Midlands.
Carolyn: And another long outro.

Manja And The Maytrons - Fabulous Drones
John: From London, that's off the EP 'Wigwam Submersion' which is out now.

Marina And The Diamonds - Hollywood
John: Finish with something a bit cheesy and upbeat. That's Marina Diamandis from Abergavenny and it's off 'The Family Jewels' which came out in 2010.

Here's your YouTube playlist which doesn't have The Egg, Opossom, Casual Sex or Manja And The Maytrons on. Follow the links elsewhere for those tracks.

15 April 2013

John's flying solo again, and it's a big hello to the nation of Hungary.

Charlie Boyer and The Voyeurs - Things We Be
These have been supporting show favourites Toy and it's a nice, jaunty track to get us started. It's their second single.

OMD - The Future Will Be Silent
From a new band to an instantly familiar one. The album 'English Electric' came out a week ago and while a lot of it is unashamedly retro in feel, this is altogether more modern with club-inspired beats.

Splashh - Sun Kissed Bliss
Two aitches, naturally. These are a four-piece from Hackney and it's their third single. It was a bit warmer today, but sun-kissed might be pushing it. Still, any excuse to play this, which I like a lot.

Cover Version Corner
Python Lee Jackson/Kathryn Williams - In A Broken Dream
Wasn't that pleasant? Liverpool's Kathryn Williams really made that very different. Her version was on 2004's 'Relations' while Aussie rockers Python Lee Jackson roped Rod Stewart in to add vocals to their 1972 hit.

Zagar - Space Medusa
You know what we don't play enough of on this show? Hungarian dance music. Consider that rectified. Zagar are from Budapest and that's off the album 'Light Leaks' which came out a couple of days ago.

Le Carousel - Winter Months
From Budapest to Belfast now. This is from the album, also called 'Le Carousel' which came out last month.

Rob Swift - Age Of Television
One that Carolyn picked out via the wonderment of Shazam the other night. Rob Swift - real name Robert Aguilar - is what he calls a turntablist from New York and that's off the 2010 album 'The Architect'. Takes a certain amount of chutzpah to sample JFK's inauguration address, I feel.

Findlay - Off And On
Natalie Findlay, from Manchester but based in London, has this available as a free download. Lo-fi goodness for all.

Sega Bodega - Konerak
Sega Bodega is Salvatore Navarrete from Glasgow. This is from the EP '34' which came out last month.

One Degree of Separation
LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
!!! - One Girl One Boy
That's new from !!! off the album 'Thr!!!er' which was released last week. The LCD Soundsystem track is from 2007 and the album 'Sound Of Silver'. Your link is Tyler Pope who has, at times, been in both bands.

Frank's Daughter - Fall Fully Backwards
Based in London, but originating from Brooklyn, this is their debut single which is off the album 'Sound Of A Heart Unravelling' which came out a couple of weeks ago.

The Postal Service - A Tattered Line Of String
Originally out in 2003, it's had a 10-year re-issue as has the album it came off, 'Give Up'. As good a reason as any to play it and I think you can see how it's influenced the like of Hot Chip among others.


I had loads more stuff as well which I'll keep back for future shows. Meanwhile, here's all the above in a neat YouTube-shaped package.

8 April 2013

Back after the Easter break, and John's bang on the bonce, with some Monday night bangers.

Dan Le Sac - Four Thousand Thumbnails
John: One of our favourites with a treat for his fans on his recent birthday. Once this hit 4000 views on YouTube, he gave it away as a free download. Which was nice.


Mat Zo and Porter Robinson - Easy
John: In a proper late '90s/early 2000s club style, that's proper banging.
Carolyn: Listeners should note that when we had this on in the car yesterday, John was throwing some serious shapes. Good job we were in a massive queue.
John: That's Matan Zohar from London and Porter Robinson from North Carolina and it's out now.

Visuals - Levitation
John: From Brooklyn, that's Marshall Ryan and Andrew Fox. It's got a real Joy Division-y feel to it, certainly in the bass and the guitars. It's available as a pay-what-you-like download from their bandcamp site.

Cover Version Corner
Rolling Stones/Devo - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
John: Devo, very much of the burgeoning MTV scene, had a very visual element to their work. That's from the 1977 EP 'Be Stiff'. The Stones, of course, need no introduction. We play them as they've been in the news lately with concerts in Hyde Park - not free, £300 this time - and headlining Glastonbury. That's from 1965.

Vitalic - Fade Away
John: Vitalic is Frenchman Pascal Arbez. That's off the album 'Rave Age' which came out last December. It sounds like a number of things, none of which I can place.

Tomorrow's World - Drive
John: Keeping it French, this is Jean-Benoit Dunkel - him out of Air - and Lou Hayter. We've played them before, but this is the second track from the album 'Tomorrow's World' which is out today. And yes they are named after the TV show.

Spectrals - Milky Way
John: Someone else we've had before, this is Louis Smith from Heckmondwike, now firmly part of the Leeds scene. It's off the forthcoming long-player 'Sob Story' and is very jaunty indeed.
Carolyn: Always good to play local stuff. We do a lot from all over the world, which is great, but also good not to forget those closer to home.

One Degree Of Separation
Boards Of Canada - roygbiv
Public Service Broadcasting - roygbiv
John: We've been championing PSB like few others. 'Inform, Educate, Entertain' is out next month and I can't wait to get hold of it.
Carolyn: We like them.
John: Before that, a track we have played before, a 1998 10" single which I adore. The link is the title. Nothing else.

Menace Beach - Drop Outs
John: Back to Leeds now for some lo-fi goodness. It's out on a limited release on Rough Trade records.

Tricky - Nothing's Changed
John: New from the Bristol trip-hop veteran, from the forthcoming album 'False Idols' which is out next month. You can grab this as a free download from his website.

Serafina Steer - Disco Compilation
John: Not enough harp on this show. This is off the album 'The Moths Are Real' which is out about now, I think.
Carolyn: A bit bass-heavy isn't it?
John: No such thing as too much bass.

And here's a website-only bonus, apropos of nothing:


Here's all that wrapped up in a YouTube playlist for you, minus the Visuals track which isn't on there.