This morning’s Soundcloud trawl has turned up a few beauties:
Fat Cat is no stranger to the scuzz, having given us the Awesome-Squared Odonis Odonis at the end of last year. The parade of excellence continues with Milk Maid. From their album ‘Mostly No’, out on July 9th.
I admit to being somewhat skeptical of Broken Hands when I turned up to see them at an A&R-packed show at the Bull and Gate several months ago. Being on the young side, they literally wore their influences (Britpop) on their sleeves (and haircuts). My internal chants of “pleasedon’tbelikeBrother pleasedon’tbelikeBrother pleasedon’tbelikeBrother” were cut violently short at the first chord. Dudes can play. I expected (feared) a dirtier Oasis or Libertines, and got a psychedelic cocktail of Tame Impala and The Stooges. If You Need To Lie is their second single, independently released on 7″ vinyl and download on May 28th.
Pepe Deluxe have been motoring for years, but they still manage to stay on the right side of kitsch. Go Supersonic is a fizzy J-pop-esque gem.
Stepping away from the 60s for a moment, I’ve pilfered this one from The Quietus’s Soundcloud feed – Gazelle Twin’s Changelings is given a dreamy electro-noire treatment by John Foxx and the Maths.
A nice little bit of lo-fi pop sludge that probably owes Lou Barlow a pint or two. You can line their pockets with beer money buy purchasing their split 7″ from Manchester-based “micro-label” Iceapades. Or you can get it on Bandcamp:
Gigs:
Sunday 29th April @ Common, Edge Street, MANCHESTER – w/ Brown Brogues & Former Bullies SINGLE LAUNCH
Saturday 5th May @ The Black Cap, Camden Crawl, LONDON – Moshi Moshi stage
Sunday 6th May @ Rover Return, Sounds From the Other City, SALFORD
Sunday 27th May @ Trof Fallowfield, MANCHESTER – w/ Beta Blocker & the Body Clock, King of Cats & No Womb
My obsession with the 60s started here, with this song:
My second ever “real” concert (i.e., my parents let me go without them) was the Monkees, minus Mike Nesmith of course, because this was the late 80s and it was Monkee Mania 2, and he’d politely declined the reunion tour. I even did a school project on the Monkees in what would have been the 6th grade (I went to a Montessori school, we didn’t have grades. And they let me do history projects about the Monkees). It was an illustrated history, with a timeline that stretched from the auditions (complete with pic of Stephen Stills, who didn’t make the cut), to Monkee-Mania, to Head (I saw it in the cinema, 2nd time around), and finally to Monkee Mania 2. It ran from my classroom all through the hall, round the corner, and practially into the stairwell.
Peter Tork:
”It is with great sadness that I reflect on the sudden passing of my long-time friend and fellow-adventurer, David Jones. His talent will be much missed; his gifts will be with us always. My deepest sympathy to Jessica and the rest of his family. Adios, to the Manchester Cowboy.
Peace and love, Peter T.”
Micky Dolenz:
“I am in a state of shock; Davy and I grew up together and shared in the unique success of what became The Monkees phenomena. The time we worked together and had together is something I’ll never forget. He was the brother I never had and this leaves a gigantic hole in my heart. The memories have and will last a lifetime. My condolences go out to his family.”
Mike Nesmith:
All the lovely people. Where do they all come from?
So many lovely and heartfelt messages of condolence and sympathy, I don’t know what to say, except my sincere thank you to all. I share and appreciate your feelings.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
While it is jarring, and sometimes seems unjust, or strange, this transition we call dying and death is a constant in the mortal experience that we know almost nothing about. I am of the mind that it is a transition and I carry with me a certainty of the continuity of existence. While I don’t exactly know what happens in these times, there is an ongoing sense of life that reaches in my mind out far beyond the near horizons of mortality and into the reaches of infinity.
That David has stepped beyond my view causes me the sadness that it does many of you. I will miss him, but I won’t abandon him to mortality. I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane.
David’s spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us.
Two Scandi gems courtesy of Danish mentalists PowerSolo, signed to Copenhagen label Crunchy Frog. Lo-fi, shouty, with tons of strut and squirm-inducing videos. Of course I’m going to love this.
