24 June 2013

Last week, I got talking about long records and the concept that anything above eight minutes really sorts out the men from the boys. It so happens that there are a couple of new releases of quite a weighty size and after playing 21 records last week, I felt a contrast was required.

Hookworms - Away/Towards
From Leeds, we've had these on before. I really like what they do. The album 'Pearl Mystic' came out in March. They like a long record.

Cover Version Corner
Pink Floyd/BEAK> - Welcome To The Machine
BEAK> are from Bristol, ex-Portishead man Geoff Barrow is heavily involved. As opposed to north-east supergroup B>E>A>K>. This can get confusing. Their version sounds a bit Joy Division-y, all bleak and metallic like. Before that, Floyd from 1975's 'Wish You Were Here'.

Four Tet - Unspoken
Kieran Hebden records as Four Tet and that - all 9'30" of it - is quite excellent. Got a bit of a DJ Shadow feel to it which is never a bad thing if you ask me.

Champions League - Paris Is Our Playground
Not an overly long one, this. Champions League are a couple of lads from Paris and that's off an album called 'Please Don't Go' which comes out on Wednesday - June 26.

One Degree of SeparationHey, Rube! - Mengi Dem Disco Leggi
Cabaret Voltaire - I Want You (Extended 12" version)
That Cabaret Voltaire record is from 1985 and, frankly, sounds like it. They were from Sheffield and you get the feel of the other things going on around the time there - Human League and all that malarkey. It is a bit dated. The album is 'The Covenant, The Sword and The Arm Of The Lord'. Hey, Rube! are from Hull and that very jaunty track is off 'Can You Hear Me Mutha?' and your link is Stephen Mallinder who has been in both bands.

Holy Ghost! - Dumb Disco Ideas
Now this is a belter. From New York, Holy Ghost! are Nick Millhiser and Alez Frankel and that's off 'Dynamics' which is out about now.



Shit Robot - Feels Real
Marcus Lambkin from Dublin is Shit Robot. This is a new release and hopefully signifies a second album is in the offing.

Sultans Of Ping FC - Where's Me Jumper?
Here's a self-indulgent piece of nostalgia. Also Irish - from Cork this time - this was a minor hit back in 1992 and came off the album 'Casual Sex In The Cineplex'. I think we can all sympathise with the difficult themes raised in the song.

And that's your lot. I'm actually surprised I managed to get ten records in - thought it'd be single figures. Anyway, all that's in a YouTube playlist here for your delectation.