Host-Mean Streak

This was originally released as a 3 track in 2003 and it's now on Host's forthcoming album Minimum Listening Guaranteed out in September. Poppy punky poppy jerk stuff that I like, I don't know if they'll do much but hopefully they'll get a bit of press. They have a site here and a Live Journal blog here. They are on a little record label called hitBACK.


Har Mar Superstar-As

Ok so this one won't stay up for very long. This is from Har Mar's new album The Handler, out in September. I was due to review it for a magazine here in the UK called Jack but like so many other mags recently Jack has just gone down-oh well, less work for me all the time which is good in some ways but if you wanna make a living it sucks. Anyway much of the album is like lost Prince or Stevie Wonder classics, but somehow without being too derivative. It's a pop record through and through and is produced by John Fields who has also worked with Pink. In fact some of the tracks without Har Mar's sleazy silky vocals could easily be given to some non-descript girl band and make them into top ten artists. There's a definite sense of fun going around in music at the moment, less the ironic kind , more the get out and dance kind, some rollick and role with dare I say it some disco hedonism thrown in. Yes I like.



The Faint-I Disappear

Also one that won't be up for long...
The new Faint record Wet From Birth is waaaay more electro than the last, scuzzy squelchy noise that sometimes works, and others just make them sound like hanger-on losers. This track I like though and I think the album as a whole is a grower. I think it's also out sometime in September but I can't be sure.

New Mp3 blog Scattered Needles focusing on live recordings and unreleased stuff.

Also people don't like talking much around here, might just be that I'm not worthy but it'd be great to get some comments.

Anyone still out there?

So I had an unexpected holiday, a sort of mini jaunt around the country and I didn't get time to update before I left, but I'm back now and ready to go...

Geezers of Nazareth-Gold Rush

I hardly know anything about this odd lot. This track is a poppy number that floats along very nicely indeed, edging on the cheesy Gold Rush reaches the heady heights of Scissor Sisters disco terriotory-which to these ears is a good thing. A review of their last single Sunglasses can be read here and you can download that song here.




The Chameleons-Intrigue in Tangiers

The Chameleons are like the missing link between the Cure and Joy Division. Never becoming as big as those two bands, they have gained somewhat cult status. This track is from the 1985 album What Does Anything Mean? Basically (click link to buy). Their website is pretty detailed and you can find info on the bands many solo projects. I love the obvious moodiness that goes with these kind of new wave pop songs, I think it might actually make me walk with more vigour when I'm listening on the pod, you know that feeling? Stepping out.



Yashudi Ide-Jealous Guy/Back in the USSR


The first part of this track is a weird slow and spooky cover of Jealous Guy which I'm so-so about. What really gets me excited is after that is a cover of Back in the USSR, you have to wait through a little bit of silence when it gets to about 6:28 minutes in it kicks in. Aw it's a stormer, backed by no more than a mad brilliant Japanese choir the singer takes the song to a beautiful creative place. Yashudi Ide is some kind of Japanese maestro, but I can't find much more info on him. This is taken from a kitsch and surprisingly good compilation which you can pick up here.



Mandrill-Mango Meat

Funk straight out of 1973, the right amount of bass, Latin tinge and vocal umphs make this a good little piece of head nodding music. Some great soul voices get showcased too, a Sam & Dave croon here and there. The beginning of this tune could easily be the intro to an Ozomatli song. Mandrill are still going strong and touring, releasing albums and shit, the website has some MP3's up. This tune recently got re-issued (available here) and was on one of those DJ Shadow Brainfreeze mixes I believe.
Update; Oops for some reason the full track didn't upload so I was leaving you all with only half a great song, it's sorted now so you can hear the track in full.


Part of my trip included finding myself at T in the Park festival Kinross,Scotland. Great fun was had by all despite a few hiccups along the way. Top notch performances from some great bands too, shame Bowie had to drop out. One of the most exciting things was that I got to meet a life size Spongebob Squarepants, here he is..



We were drinking free alcohol so debauchery was abound and my memory is hazy but I know it was damn good, can you believe this sky didn't pour rain on us the whole weekend, it just didn't really break, ah bonnie Scotland.




I forgot to mention I've got a hell of a lot of good stuff to post and get through so keep checking back.

Also Fwak Grab Bag has linked to an article about some cool cats who have converted an ice cream van into a reggae sound system, it reminded me to mention DJ Wheelie Bag who as you will read is a guy who has coverted one of those little granny shopping bag on wheel things into a mobile DJ booth. He's pretty excellent and even does intros so you know what you're getting. I haven't got a picture, but next time I go to the pub he's at near me I'll take one and post it.