Friday 27 November 2009

November 2009

Ok, I’m writing this very sheepishly. It’s almost December, and I haven’t blipped for a long time. Apologies, but life got in the way for a bit.


So, admin over, onto the good stuff (and it is good stuff.)


I’ve got 9 little corkers for you this month, and to try and make it up to you, my little virtual visitor, I am planning something very special for December. Very special indeed. So keep those ears to the floor and that nose to the breeze. In the meantime, wrap your chops around the November Issue.



1. Baxter – Proof (Lifelike mix)


Now, if you’ve been paying attention, you might have realised that I quite like sleepy electronic music with someone (preferably foreign) chirping quasi-decipherable English over the top. And this is no exception. Lovely lovely stuff here from the mystery man Baxter. I’ve got it playing in my headphones as I type this and the song is ending and I don’t want it to but now there are just the little gurgles and it’s fading and the gurgles are quieter and it’s going and wow it’s taking a quite a long time to go and now there are organs and it’s gone. Sigh.


2. The Twelves – Works For Me


Take Phoenix and put them in Rio De Janeiro. Not that there is anything especially Brazilian about this track. That’s just where The Twelves are from (2 guys, both born on the 12th of July. See what they did there? Although technically, shouldn’t it have been The Twelfths? Although saying that does automatically give you a speech impediment.)


3. Pony Pony Run Run – Hey You


This album is only available on iTunes, but I guess that’s how most of you kids buy your music anyway these days. Apart from all the naughty illegal, bad, naughty, illegal, bad and naughty ones. It’s only about £7 and it’ll keep your ears happy for at least two weeks, depending on how demanding they are. I’ve heard of ears that have lasted months on this stuff though, so you could be lucky. Another one from the Eurolectro mould. Nice little guitars as well though. I like these guys and I really like this song.


4. Bag Raiders – Turbo Love


They’ve been called ‘the new Daft Punk’ and although those ‘the new’ tags really annoy me, I can kind of see where they are coming from, but at the same time, not even close. I still haven’t seen Daft Punk live. It’s on my TTDBID list. I’ll let you work that one as I can’t be arsed to type it. Anyway, Bag Raiders are in the same mould. And for all of you who get quite irritated by this French electro-pop malarkey, this is the last one, promise. I know your foot is tapping though. Come on admit it.


5. Local Natives – Stranger Things


A late entry into my list of contenders for album of the year, this record has literally knocked my socks off. Youtube entries are still relatively sparse, so this was the only decent recording I could get hold of that didn’t have a 2 minute blank space at the end of it. This is an absolute belter of an album, and I implore you to buy it. They have been described as “a hairy Arcade Fire”. I think that’s pretty good. Lots of sweeping strings, and harmonies. General sweepiness actually. Oh, and the handclaps. Gotta love the handclaps.


6. Wild Beasts – All The Kings Men


A lot of “Woooo oooo oooohh oh oh oh oooooooo” is a fantastic addition to any song. Combine this with a cheeky falsetto, some lovely place names and a generally lovely melody and you have yourself one gem of a song. Album was a little disappointing, although I’m holding out for it to be a slow-grower. Maybe it’s just because I bought it at the same time as Local Natives and I gave that all my love. I think these guys are English as well, which makes a change on this blog.


7. Memory Tapes – Bicycle


Weird band this. Don’t really know how to categorise it at all. If you were with me as far back as September, you will remember Department of Eagles. These guys are fairly similar, but much more on the electronic side of things. The track bubbles along nicely with some synthing and a bit of plinking, but then breaks into something really unexpected and, well, beautiful. It’s lovely. Makes my toes warm.


8. Fredrik – Alina’s Place


This is one for you obscure music lovers. Relatively unknown Swedish band who I stumbled upon one day completely by accident. I think if I lived in a place where the temperature always had a “-“ in front of it and it got dark at about 2pm every day I would make music like this as well. It puts you right there, in a little wooden lodge beside a dark and frozen lake, but you’re inside, lying next to a roaring fire, surrounded by reindeer blankets. Ahhhhhhhh. Yum.


9. Teddy Bear’s Picnic (Big Gay Bear Mix) (Kompakt)


As always with track 9, I’m offering you something from left-field. This month's entry is truly bizarre. There is something delightfully naughty about this song – it makes me feel like scampering around in a comedy-tiptoe style. Definitely one to stick on at that weird hour of the morning where no one really knows what’s going on. Guaranteed merriment and chaos. Think I’m going to buy a copy for my record bag. The little breakdown in the middle using the original sample is just brilliant. Come to think of it, there’s something quite sleazy and unsettling about this track. I think that’s why I like it so much.

It even has applause at the end. Fitting, because you too may now applaud. See you in December (I promise!)



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