Tag Archive for 'monthly mix club'

it’s hard to be a good girl listening to the drive-by truckers: last month’s mix, august 2010;

Published on August 31, 2010 in music. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This entry is part 28 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

290810 - The City Has Sex With Itself I Suppose

In which, even when she is being the world’s most rubbish and lazy music blogger, Lis puts together a selection of songs that have caught her attention through the joys of iTunes shuffle this month.

Holy down-to-the-wire, Batman! Real life keeps calling me away from my pile of half-written drafts, but I feel as if I begin every one of these monthly missives with an apology for absence real or imagined.

As I type this up on the last day of August there’s the unmistakable chill of autumn in the air, but also a gorgeous golden light as if such summer that we had is trying to cling on with its last breath. Glasgow looks a little like a fairy tale, and whispers to me: stay. Soon it will be skirts and tights weather again.

I can’t wait.

Pull All The Stops Out For Future Wife of the Month: last month’s mix, August 2010

1. Lovers Turn To Monsters: I Can Only See In The Darkness
A gentler start to this month’s playlist than usual. I met Kyle, also known as Lovers Turn To Monsters, the night before my 28th birthday. I missed his set, but he gave me a CD anyway. “I’m a BLOGGER!” I exclaimed, as full of shit as eighty percent proof vodka. He’s got a new EP out, and it’s free.

2. Drive-By Truckers: Outfit
Jason’s are the best Drive-By Truckers songs, and the night before I got married I wrapped myself in a blanket made out of his voice and lemon-flavoured throat sweets. This has been in my library forever, but I heard it for the first time the night my best friends came round to help me make wedding favours. Whitney tells me it’s always made her think of me, perhaps because of the reference to singing with a “fake British accent”.

3. Frank Turner: Poetry of the Deed
I think I’m falling in love with a singer-songwriter with a Hold Steady tattoo, which shouldn’t surprise anybody. I have hardly stopped listening to this three-minute manifesto since the first time I heard it.

4. Best Coast: Bratty B
The soundtrack to my summer. I need to write about this thirty-minute fuzz-pop wonder of an album properly, actually, since everybody else has already beaten me to it.

5. Sarah Harmer: Open Window (The Wedding Song)
Not that I downloaded this until afterwards, because that’s pretty much how long it took me to unblock my iTunes account. Still, lovely.

6. Phil Campbell: Isn’t She Beautiful
I don’t know much about this local singer-songwriter, apart from the fact that half my work seem to be obsessed with him and that this is such a pretty little song.

7. She and Him: Brand New Shoes
The lovely Zooey Deschanel’s second album with songwriting and performing partner M Ward is a slow burner, but her husky voice lends a lovely warmth to these laid-back songs of longing.

8. The Unwinding Hours: Tightrope
I was a huge Aereogramme fan, but I’m still not one hundred percent convinced by Craig B’s new project. Taken on its own though, this track is sheer gorgeous.

9. Yahweh: Make Me Stop
Another local one: gorgeous, delicate and part of a recent split 7″ on Gerry Loves Records.

10. Cancel The Astronauts: Funny For A Girl
This was a weird little coincidence: I downloaded this Edinburgh indiepop band’s titular EP on the recommendations of a few friends, including my Radar colleagues, but before I had a chance to even listen to it I met the singer in my work. This track is great fun, well worthy of a listen – and I have a spare copy of the EP now, if anybody fancies a listen.

11. Marah: Tramp Art
The new album from my firm favourites Marah is a folkier, less immediate listen than its predecessors – but they released it on cassette tape, which was pretty frickin’ sweet even if I barely have anything left to play the things on.

12. Amanda Palmer: Idioteque
It started out with her famous cover of “Creep”, but now eccentric musical laydee AFP has put together a whole EP’s worth of ukulele Radiohead covers. Recommended if, like me, you find much of the source material unlistenable.

13. The Voluntary Butler Scheme: The Eiffel Tower and the BT Tower
This month’s track I know next to nothing about is cute-as-a-button indiepop with lyrics you can’t help but smile along to.

14. Metric: Gimme Sympathy
I’m not gonna lie – I used to really love Emily Haines’ ominously discopop songs but, having moved on to musical pastures new, had lost track of what the band were bringing out. It was the lyrics grabbed me here, on a stripped-down version of the this track for the band’s recent Daytrotter session: who’d you rather be, Ms Haines asks, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones – and I swoon, but now, for the ballsy full band version.

15. Eamon McGrath: Icebreaker
Who sent me this? Was it you, Martin Douglas? Did you say I’d like it, all smoky-voiced lo-fi rawness? Yeah, you can read me like a book.

16. Admiral Fallow: These Barren Years
Catchy flutes and guitars and heartstopping lyrics from an album that just gets better with every listen.

[ZIPPED MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly most played is, as ever, after the jump.

Continue reading ‘it’s hard to be a good girl listening to the drive-by truckers: last month’s mix, august 2010;’

and if all was well and you heart could find the words // would we be for better, baby, would we be for worse;

Published on July 20, 2010 in music. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This entry is part 27 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

2010-07-19 at 14-23-54

In which, even when she is being the world’s most rubbish and lazy music blogger, Lis puts together a selection of songs that have caught her attention through the joys of iTunes shuffle this month.

One of those nights I walk two miles through my home town because the sky smells that fresh, sharp way it often does after the rain and I can’t help myself. Along the way I train my iPhone to recognise the only two voice activation commands you’ll ever need: “call Teuchter Barbie” and “play songs by the Gaslight Anthem”. As my bus passes through Paisley I see this guy about my age sitting on the sill with the window open. Our eyes meet, and I wonder if he is thinking the same things that I am.

I feel the disconnect. On one hand the timing couldn’t be worse, but on the other… this is my weather, and my heart feels fuller than normal and I want to find the time to squirrel myself away to write. “Then what’s stopping you?” says the boy my heart is full for, not least because he understands better than anything… even if he knows exactly what is stopping me.

Which isn’t to say I’m not looking forward to it.

BRB. We’re away to get married. But here’s something for you to listen to in the meantime.

These Things Get Louder: last month’s mix, July 2010

1. The New Pornographers: “Moves”
While their solo and spin-off projects tend to grab me more, what I love most about the New Pornographers as a collective is the way the way the melodies seep out of what seems like a collage of duelling harmonies and snippets with repeated listening. This, the opening track from new album Together is an excellent example.

2. Shabby Rogue: “The Mountain”
This was a submission that I’ve sat on for absolutely ages – bad Lis! – perhaps because I never really warmed to the accompanying album. This track, however, is a magnificent slice of country rock from the London four-piece.

3. The Killing Floor: “Shout”
You’ve got to imagine this one half-shouted, and smelling slightly of sweat and vodka and hips and leather, and perhaps then you’ll get a better impression of The Killing Floor’s support slot with Jesse Malin a few weeks ago.

4. We’re Only Afraid of NYC: “Warm Heart Cold Hands”
Fresh after playing the second Ayetunes vs. Peenko night, another of my favourite Glasgow bands gets a long overdue inclusion on one of these mixes – I’ve been working on a profile of them for the Radar lot, so I guess I’ve had them on my mind of late, but regardless: their new EP (free download, kids!) is just that good.

5. Bottle of Evil: “Stay”
I remember being a little bemused when I got this submission. I might have read it out to whoever I was with. I think I was drunk at the time. This one is definitely a case of don’t-judge-the-band-by-the-name – describing themselves as “electro/shoegaze/folk, inspired by miserable Scottish weather”, Bottle of Evil’s music is dreamy and delicious.

6. Beach House: “Walk in the Park”
Beach House have long been one of those hipsterish bands I have just never gotten. I’m still not sure that I do, but there’s something pretty lovely about this one from their latest release – particularly in conjunction with the Bottle of Evil track preceding it.

7. Jesse Malin & the St Marks Social: “Angel In Blue”
Unreleased J Geils Band cover performed as part of the St Mark’s Social’s recent Daytrotter session.

8. Wintersleep: “Weighty Ghost”
It looks as though I bought this track in August 2008, but have only gotten around to listening to it now. The curious thing is this band were actually recommended to me a couple of weeks ago on the strength of an upcoming opening slot for none other than The Hold Steady. Intriguing…

9. Phosphorescent: “The Mermaid Parade”
This is breezy, bittersweet summer listening with the windows down.

10. Wilco: “Pot Kettle Black”
I’ve been creating a lot of “genius” playlists recently. It’s proving a great way to rediscover old favourites.

11. Wheat: “El Sincero”
A band who sneaked into my life on the back of the Elizabethtown soundtrack, although I’m not sure how this track in all its complex, layered beauty sneaked its way into my music library. I’m not complaining though.

12. Evening Hymns: “Dead Deer”
This month’s track I know next to nothing about, other than the fact that it is soft and subtle and earthy and just a little bit folky.

13. Griffin House: “Liberty Line”
A recommendation from my longtime gig buddy Mad Rachel, downloaded immediately on the strength of a “he’s a singer-songwriter from Nashville with an acoustic guitar, trust me, you’ll like it!”

14. The Indelicates: “Anthem For Doomed Youth”
Very nearly this month’s title, if I hadn’t had too many anthems of late. Taken from the follow-up to beloved-around-these-parts American Demo, which is just as clever if maybe not as catchy. And available on a pay-what-you-like basis so, you know, do it. It’s really not that hard to stay alive when you’re twenty-five…

15. The Gaslight Anthem: “She Loves You”
Oh, band. There are so many reasons that I love you, but the fact that even your bonus tracks make my heart beat that little bit faster is definitely up there.

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played is, as ever, after the jump.

Continue reading ‘and if all was well and you heart could find the words // would we be for better, baby, would we be for worse;’

the songs that make you feel like everything will be okay: last month’s mix, june 2010;

Published on June 27, 2010 in music. 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This entry is part 26 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

In which, even when she is being the world’s most rubbish and lazy music blogger, Lis puts together a selection of songs that have caught her attention through the joys of iTunes shuffle this month.

Jerry Lee Lewis Twenty Times A Day: last month’s mix, June 2010

1. Best Coast: “When I’m With You”
My Dear American Friend and sometime internet celebrity rockstar/heartthrob Martin Douglas Martin has this total thing for Best Coast and their scuzzy, melodic chick-rock right now, which leads me to conclude that at least one of them is smokin’ hot. Oh, look: there it is.

2. Blair: “Hello Halo”
A singer who’s been on my list to check out for a while now, not least because of my buddy Josh Neas’ longterm championing of her on his radio show. Blair’s voice is sweet and playful, and her simple sunny songwriting is reminiscent of Melanie Safka.

3. Kid Canaveral: “Smash Hits”
Does that make three mixes out of three for Edinburgh’s Kid Canaveral now? This track is so catchy that the day before my birthday I played it about twenty times on the way to work – and then I was thrilled to discover that the band themselves were playing down the road that same night. And then I drank eighty per cent proof vodka, causing twenty-eight to go downhill before it even properly began.

4. Jason and the Scorchers: “Golden Days”
This is a real Jay band, and a real Jay song – nineteen again and rooting through the vinyl with a guitar slung low across your shoulder.

5. Drunk on Crutches: “Apt. 16″
Gorgeous girl-fronted country, probably acquired from one of the fantastic new (to me) blogs I’ve been enjoying recently – such as A Fifty Cent Lighter and a Whiskey Buzz.

6. Meursault: “Crank Resolutions”
The best track from the debut album from what is probably the best band in Scotland right now.

7. Nina Nastasia: “Cry, Cry, Baby”
This song stands out from Nastasia’s new album Outlaster just because of where I fell in love with it: walking up Sauchiehall St on the way to the lady’s basement show at Sleazy’s.

8. My Bubba & Mi: “Apple Spell”
I was sent this album by a friend of mine, completely out of the blue. They’re Italian folk-punks, and they sound a little bit like Cocorosie without the shrill annoyingness.

9. Julia and the Doogans: “Borderline”
Sweet, folky, this-ain’t-a-lovesong from one of Glasgow’s loveliest voices.

10. Yeongene: “Love, Look At Me”
South Korean Yeongene’s debut album is sugary-sweet – a little too much for comfort at times, despite or perhaps because of the guest appearances from pretty much a who’s who of Glasgow indiepop. In small doses though, her cute voice makes a playlist sing.

11. The Gaslight Anthem: “The Diamond Church Street Choir”
And I think this is one of my favourite tracks from what so far is my favourite album of the year, although it’s all toe-tappin’ finger-clicky like nothing else they’ve ever done.

12. Wolf Parade: “Little Golden Age”
One of those indie darling bands I never really got into, but I do have a story about Wolf Parade and a mix exchange project I was a part of once: I was sent a CD with an accompanying ghost story, and at the appropriate moment their crashing, discordant chords made for the most perfect opening I had ever heard.

13. Dan Sartain: “Bad Thing Will Happen”
Stripped-down, spooky-sounding retro rockabilly.

14. FemBots: “My Hands Are A City”
This month’s track I know very little about: it’s bouncy, and fun, and the singer sounds like a grittier John K. Samson.

15. Admiral Fallow: “Subbuteo”
Another repeat entry from a Scottish band, whose folk-pop debut is one of breathtaking loveliness.

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

This may well be your last mix for a couple of months – I’m going to be a wee bit busy around the twentysomethingth of July, but I’ll see what I can do. Monthly Most Played after the jump.

Continue reading ‘the songs that make you feel like everything will be okay: last month’s mix, june 2010;’

it’s not a tape at all: last month’s mix, may 2010;

Published on May 27, 2010 in music. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This entry is part 25 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

In which, even when she is being the world’s most rubbish and lazy music blogger, Lis puts together a selection of songs that have caught her attention through the joys of iTunes shuffle this month.

But, while I’ve gotten your attention: although I don’t think anybody’s had a response from Google/Blogger yet regarding the disappearance of The Pop Cop (see this post for some explanation), the fight still goes on. Jason and some supporters are putting together a campaign video, and are looking for clips to use. If you create a homemade “Save The Pop Cop” banner or poster and send in a video clip or photograph featuring you with it to musicalliancepact [at] gmail [dot] com no later than tomorrow you could feature. And look happy, as the message and the video is going to be a positive one!

Onto the tunes!

Teenage Anthems for the Drunk: last month’s mix, May 2010

1. Dr Dog: “Shadow People”
There was a point, sometime last year, when anyone with any kind of interest in music that could roughly be deemed “twangy” seemed to be going on about these Philadelphia natives – and I just didn’t get it. And it’s true that there’s something grating about those vocals, but this track from new album Shame, Shame sure puts a swing in my step.

2. Red House Painters: “Michigan”
It’s Mark Kozelek’s graceful melancholy that normally attracts me to his music, but this breezy lovesong from his old band just whispers “summer”. I just want to feel your pulse again…

3. Mike Doughty: “(I Want To) Burn You (Down)”
I first came across Doughty back in his Soul Coughing days – there was a little X-Files connection there – but it’s always been his clever, quirky solo stuff that has meant the most. Stripped back acoustic guitar and wry, witty lyrics – she treats me like a parole officer // she checks in from time to time – this is from current release Sad Man Happy Man which I’ll be writing more about soon.

4. Not An Airplane: “As He Moved Away”
I know absolutely nothing about this bittersweet slice of Americana, but it seems to fit well within the overall feel of this month’s mix.

5. Big Star: “Watch The Sunrise”
Still feeling the loss of Alex Chilton’s summery songwriting, particularly with this beautiful song pouring through my headphones on the bus down from Oban after a friend’s wedding a couple of weeks ago.

6. Kid Canaveral: “Stretching The Line”
The first time I went to visit Jay in the Midlands, back when we were doing that whole distance thing we’re not very good at, I had to switch trains at Crewe – and, completely unexpectedly, he was leaning against a pillar on the platform waiting for me. And that’s maybe not what this song from one of the best young bands in Scotland is about, when David sings about how it gets harder to leave for the train each time, but that’s what it reminds me of and that subjectivity is one of the best things about my favourite songs.

7. The Last Battle: “Oh Best Beloved”
Recently signed to Edinburgh’s 17 Seconds Records, The Last Battle are releasing their debut album of heartfelt Americana with an east coast accent later this year and I cannot wait.

8. The National: “Runaway”
Among the many things I haven’t done as a naughty, lazy blogger in recent weeks is review the National’s new album; but suffice to say I love it even if it’s for different reasons than the ones for which I loved their previous. “Runaway” was my favourite of the demos and live tracks which I got my ears on in the run up to High Violet’s release, and remains my favourite of the brooding, introspective album line-up.

9. First Aid Kit: “Hard Believer”
They’re Swedish, I think? They sound like they could be, with their shimmery pop in the Concretes/Camera Obscura vein. This track was on a compilation I picked up on Record Store Day last month, and it’s from a name I’ve seen crop up a fair few places since.

10. RM Hubbert: “TipsyTapsy”
I’m a sucker for guitar music so stripped down you can hear the guitarist’s fingertips start to bleed. And there’s something so incredibly alive about the compositions of this “huge, hairy, tattoo covered instrumental guitarist playing solo flamenco based post rock about his chronic inability to communicate clearly” (his words, not mine) that I would be a sucker for it anyway.

11. Beat Radio: “Teenage Anthem for the Drunken Boat”
Another one of those songs I know nothing about and can’t remember where I got it from: it’s tagged “best genre ever”, and it’s lo-fi and scrabbly and sounds like every hopelessly doomed manic teenage-lite crush I’ve ever had right down to the last one (maybe I should come over // the truth is I’m on my way), so I’m inclined to agree. More like this, please.

12. Mitchell Museum: “Take The Tongue Out”
The other half of the Peenko vs. Ayetunes lineup from the end of last month, along with the also-featured Kid Canaveral (stop saying I told you so, boys), is a slice of manic, mental energy. They’ve got a new single out in a couple of weeks, you know.

13. Hole: “Samantha”
May’s biggest musical event was probably getting to see my teenage heroine, regardless of to what extent my tastes may have changed since. “Everybody thinks this song is about a prostitute, but if you replace Samantha with a guy’s name it becomes a whole different song,” Courtney Love explained from the Academy stage. “Well, apart from the bit about watching her wrap her legs around the world. That bit is about a prostitute.”

14. Scout Niblett: “Duke Of Anxiety”
I never thought I liked Scout Niblett, despite her being the sort of quirky chick singer I’d normally fall all over. I guess I was wrong, because I was playing this song in the kitchen earlier and the ending is so good I actually stopped breathing. I mean, I must have liked it – I’d already put it on the tracklisting for this month, which kinda gives it away – but to have been blown away by a song twice like it’s the first time I’ve heard it is pretty good going.

15. Titus Andronicus: “Four Score and Seven”
And the prize for this month’s “where have you been all my life” band, courtesy of my good friend Paul of the Sunny Govan Switchback. A rambling note to end on, and one that deserves thorough further exploration.

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played is, as ever, after the jump. Continue reading ‘it’s not a tape at all: last month’s mix, may 2010;’

they said the sky was falling and they played the hits: last month’s mix, april 2010;

Published on April 29, 2010 in blogging & pixlet and music. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This entry is part 24 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

So I’m going to try out a new format for my monthly tracklisting this month. The thing is, I receive more music than I ever have the time or inclination to review, particularly as I’ve never really reviewed single tracks on this blog – I know, I know, #firstworldwoes etc. But a lot of the time, some of that stuff will end up on a monthly mix and, as great a way as that is to publicise the bands concerned, I really ought to throw in a few words as well.

I kinda tried this with a couple of songs last month, but here goes – how about I pop my reasoning for each selection in there rather than just throwing up a .zip? No promises as to how long this will last, because I’m lazy, but let me know what you think.

By the way, do you use Facebook? Of course you do! Well, you can now become our fan! And read the blog too, if I can ever figure out how to import an RSS feed…

Eloquent Young Pilgrims: last month’s mix, April 2010

1: Drew Danburry: “Edited”
This track came to me tagged as “sex rock”, and I’ve never been one for genres but as its lazy, laid-back opening breaks into a heap of “ahhhhs” and jangly guitar I’m inclined to agree.

2. The Shins: “Young Pilgrims”
Most of the time, songs end up on one of my monthly playlists because I hear them for the first time of become fixated on them during the course of that month. Occasionally, it’s because a line from something we all know already pops into my head while wandering downtown Jerusalem, and it makes me smile.

3. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists: “One Polaroid A Day”
I’ve been a big fan of New Jersey’s other voice crying in the wilderness for a long time, but really didn’t warm to his last full-length. I haven’t spent anything like enough time to new album The Brutalist Bricks yet but what I have heard sounds as melodic as it is forceful.

4. Spaghetti Anywhere: “Girlfriends With Boyfriends”
I don’t know much about these guys – I picked up this track from my BAMS colleage Jim at Aye Tunes – but this is a delicious slice of local indiepop whimsy. (Incidentally, you know Jim and Peenko have a cracking gig on at the Captain’s Rest tomorrow night? And then later, some bloggy types are DJing at Pinups? You did? Awesome.

5. Mimicking Birds: “Cabin Fever”
Via Heather at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends this is delicate, melancholy beauty from Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock’s Glacial Palace label.

6. Victoria and Jacob: “Clash”
I have no idea what this is or where I got it from, but it’s a giddy, girlie, electropop demo and pretty freaking fabulous.

7. Mirah: “Jerusalem”
Another lo-fi, Sunday morning oldie I haven’t been able to get out of my head recently – for obvious reasons.

8. Roman Candle: “I Wish I Was In New York”
This is an older song from an indiefolk act who have featured on my mixes before – it turned up on the Some Songs Considered Tumblr, and as expected I couldn’t resist the title.

9. Jesse Malin & the St Mark’s Social: “All The Way From Moscow”
Being busy, travel blogging and – if I’m completely honest – a certain disinterest has delayed any expected review of fourth studio album from my longterm blog sweetheart (and Last Year’s Girl lyricist) Jesse Malin. Recent repeated listening has cemented this particular love affair though – and this storming track is an early standout.

10. She and Him: “Lingering Still”
Way behind on giving this second album from M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel a proper listen, but the way their voices melt together like from a summer garden record player makes me swoon, and crave frosty homemade lemonade.

11. Big Star: “Kangaroo”
Still mourning Alex Chilton, and gorgeous ethereal songwriting way ahead of its time.

12. Kasey Anderson: “Real Gone”
I’ve already raved about Anderson’s heartfelt, hard-rocking Americana, and this open road anthem is a perfect example.

13. Kitty The Lion: “Lion In The Bed”
I caught this lot at Glasgow’s recent Hinterland festival and their sparkly summertime country stomp was an easy highlight.

14. Jeffrey Lewis: “How Can It Be” [live]
Hinterland’s other highlight was a lovesong in Lewis’ trademark cleverly self-deprecating style. Of course, I had to fall for an unreleased track – and this bootleg took me a Sunday afternoon to track down!

15. Panda Su: “Eric Is Dead”
Spookily low key yet catchy number from my other favourite animal-themed local act.

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played is, as ever, after the jump.

Continue reading ‘they said the sky was falling and they played the hits: last month’s mix, april 2010;’

everything is all lit up: last month’s mix, march 2010;

Published on March 30, 2010 in music. 12 Comments Tags: , , , , , .
This entry is part 23 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

Running a little later than I’d normally like to this month, with weekends away and whatever else, but hopefully worth the wait. I think I’ve mentioned this before, or at least alluded to it, but I love how the composition of my monthly mixes is changing thanks to more and more bands submitting more music to this blog than I’d ever have a chance to write about. I count no less than five tracks by new or up-and-coming Scottish bands among my usual alternative country leanings. There is so much fantastic talent coming out of this country at the moment (and with Hinterland approaching this weekend, I hope to write about some more tomorrow).

The first few tracks (which, in one particular case, is a complete understatement… but we’ll say no more!) have started to appear from the albums that look set to make my 2010. But, before I disappear underneath a pile of Americana until the middle of June, there are a couple of tracks I want to highlight in particular from this month’s selection:

My favourite song on March’s mix is “Squealing Pigs” by Admiral Fallow. Formerly Brother Louis Collective, the Glasgow six-piece’s uplifting, folky debut is due out towards the end of next month and promises to be pretty spectacular if the bits and pieces I’ve heard to date are anything to go by. I also love local electronica artist Miaoux Miaoux, who has been getting a tonne of good press from the likes of the PodcART crew on the strength of his new Blooms EP.

From further afield, there are some great female voices on this month’s mix – Sarah Jaffe and Lissie, who I can’t help but adore despite her stealing my favourite pet name, in particular.

I Don’t Know How You Learned That Look: last month’s mix, March 2010
1. Clem Snide: “Wal-Mart Parking Lot”
2. Kasey Anderson: “All Lit Up”
3. Big Star: “The India Song”
4. Blacklands: “Come Sad Light Of Dawn”
5. Burnt Island: “Timeless Colour”
6. The Unwinding Hours: “Solstice”
7. Joanna Newsom: “’81″
8. Sarah Jaffe: “Perfect Plan”
9. She and Him: “In The Sun”
10. Kid Canaveral: “Good Morning”
11. Sparklehorse: “Sad and Beautiful World”
12. Kathryn Williams: “Thirteen [Big Star cover]”
13. Astrid Williamson: “Superman” [acoustic]
14. Admiral Fallow: “Squealing Pigs”
15. Miaoux Miaoux: “Snow”
16. Lissie: “Everywhere I Go”

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played, as ever, after the jump.

Continue reading ‘everything is all lit up: last month’s mix, march 2010;’

lately i’ve been feeling a distance: last month’s mix, february 2010;

Published on February 27, 2010 in music. 6 Comments Tags: , .

I’ve got a list of half-finished blog posts as long as my arm, so let’s make this brief and get it up before the end of the month. There’s a whole lot of loveliness going on in this latest playlist – more loveliness than I expected to find, actually.

Because Four Chords Won’t Do: last month’s mix, February 2010
1. Andrew Vincent: “Fooled Again”
2. Sam Amaidon: “How Come That Blood”
3. The Tallest Man on Earth: “King of Spain”
4. Lowlands: “Lately”
5. The Kills: “Kissy Kissy”
6. Shearwater: “Black Eyes”
7. The Unwinding Hours: “Knut”
8. Tyler Massey: “Dirty Little Secret Love”
9. Galleries: “+Danger”
10. Brown Bird: “Severed Soul”
11. The Cave Singers: “Seeds of Night”
12. Pedro the Lion: “Nothing”
13. Mumford & Sons: “Little Lion Man”
14. Barn Owl: “When Noone Is Around”
15. The Little Hands of Asphalt: “Oslo”
16. Withered Hand: “No Cigarettes”
17. Frank Turner: “The Road”
18. Frightened Rabbit: “Fun Stuff”

[ZIPPED .MP3S, RIGHT CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played after the jump.

Continue reading ‘lately i’ve been feeling a distance: last month’s mix, february 2010;’

i will melt the snow from your heart: last month’s mix, january 2010;

Published on January 28, 2010 in music. 7 Comments Tags: , , , .
This entry is part 22 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

There is something cosy about much of this first mix, as the world starts to thaw and we get our teeth into the year proper.

And I get my teeth into Dirty Projectors, eight months after the rest of the blogosphere.

Canadian singer-songwriter Andrew Vincent is my first great musical obsession of 2010, and as chance would have it he is playing at Brel tonight and Sneaky Pete’s tomorrow for you Edinburgh types. Maybe see you there?

If You Fall In Love, You Should Jump Right In: last month’s mix, January 2010
1. Tegan and Sara: “Sentimental Tune”
2. Kevin Devine: “The Burning City Smoking”
3. Mason Jennings: “New York City”
4. Norah Jones: “Jesus, Etc”
5. Vic Chesnutt: “Dodge”
6. The Second Hand Marching Band: “Grit and Determination”
7. Langhorne Slim: “I Love You, But Goodbye”
8. Jim White: “Ghost Town of My Brain”
9. Futurebirds: “Dirty D”
10. Dirty Projectors: “No Intention”
11. Burning Hearts: “I Lost My Colour Vision”
12. The Sandwitches: “No No”
13. Kristin Hersh: “Bliss”
14. Jeff Klein: “Everything Is Alright”
15. Andrew Vincent: “I Heard There Is No Sun”

[ZIPPED .MP3S, LEFT-CLICK AND SAVE]

Monthly Most Played after the jump.

Continue reading ‘i will melt the snow from your heart: last month’s mix, january 2010;’

this year’s been black and blue: last year’s mixes, 2009;

Published on December 31, 2009 in music. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

Resolving nothing more different than usual, but earlier today I posted something of a toast to the coming year on Facebook which I shall reprint for whatever passes for posterity on the internet:

“…[T]o beauty, inspiration, adventure and the people I’ll meet along the way. To making shit up and writing it down. To friends and schemes and gin and laughs and plans. To upteen bands who make me want to change my religious beliefs. To being an old married lady, but still an incorrigible flirt. To high-top sneakers and sailor tattoos, and learning to walk in my four-inch Vivienne Westwood heels. And, above all, to a year I’ll be sad to see over for once.

So it might not have been the best – but there are mere hours to go now, and I can’t wait for next year.

LYMix 2009 Side A: You've Been Wishing Weeks AwayLYMix 2009 Side B: This Year's Been Black and Blue
LAST YEAR’S MIXES 2009:
Side A: You’ve Been Wishing Weeks Away [download zip] [tracklisting]
Side B: This Year’s Been Black and Blue [download zip] [tracklisting]

Here’s hoping 2010 brings you all you wish for, guys. Thanks for sticking around.

heavy like sunday: last month’s mix, november 2009;

Published on November 29, 2009 in music. 2 Comments Tags: , .
This entry is part 21 of 28 in the series monthly mix club

I left the last monthly mix of this year too late, and am too hyper to provide much clever commentary. I don’t know what’s up with me today: I woke up in far too good a mood. And I love the shit out of far too many of this month’s songs, even though pretty much all I’ve listened to for the past fortnight has been the Gaslight Anthem and Jason Isbell.

Perhaps the wind is changing again.

The Stereo Just Ate The Mixtape That You Made: last month’s mix, November 2009
1. Imogen Heap: “First Train Home”
2. Franz Nicolay: “Quiet Where I Lie”
3. The Gaslight Anthem: “Miles Davis and the Cool”
4. Blitzen Trapper: “Furr”
5. Herman Dune: “Baby Baby You’re My Baby”
6. Leona Naess: “Heavy Like Sunday”
7. Lucero: “Darken My Door”
8. The Twilight Sad: “Seven Years of Letters”
9. Company of Thieves: “Oscar Wilde” [acoustic]
10. Beerjacket: “Dancing in the Dark”
11. The Raveonettes: “My Boyfriend’s Back”
12. Frightened Rabbit: “Song Against Sex”
13. Clem Snide: “1989″
14. Tom Waits: “Time”
15. Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch: “Lua”

[ZIPPED MP3S, LEFT CLICK AND SAVE]*

*Hosted on Dropbox at the moment, as I’m having FTP problems.

Monthly Most Played is, as ever, after the jump:

Continue reading ‘heavy like sunday: last month’s mix, november 2009;’