Ash Grunwald’s fifth studio album, Hot Mama Vibes, is neck-deep in the technological swamp of the 21st Century. It’s also the most primal concoction of elemental junkyard soul to stomp through your speakers this year.
The Black Keys / Tighten Up Well, I’ve been watching the clip on YouTube. It’s just out now, so I haven’t had a chance to hear the whole album but pretty much everything they do is right down my alley. Super soulful old school bluesy vocals mixed with tasty blues rock guitar. How could I not froth out completely!
When Gatsbys dissolved in 2006, Bobby Darling – aka Places and Numbers – put away his guitar for a while, got a job with an airline, and continued his nomadic lifestyle, traveling not only all over the United States, but also the world. But music was never far from Darling’s mind. His new album Travels pulls musical influences from acts as diverse as the Postal Service, Talking Heads, and the Strokes.
XTC / Dear God What a profound and clearly-worded dissection of religion. Thought-provoking lyrics, striking arrangements, and the production has aged incredibly well.
For a band that burst on the scene with an ecstatically received 16 minutes of music (2006’s A Lesson In Crime EP) followed in rapid fire succession by additional EPs and singles and a debut album (2008’s Elephant Shell) all in under two years time, you’d think 26 months between albums would be an interminable wait. And it might well have been for Tokyo Police Club, had they not toured relentlessly in support of that first album through August of 2009 — and started writing new songs virtually the second their previous record was put to bed. So the nine month gap between the close of that tour and the June 8 release of Champ, Tokyo Police Club’s second full length album and first for the mom+pop label, has been anything but boring or unproductive. Quite the opposite in fact.
La Roux / Bulletproof I don’t know much about La Roux, but I just heard this song on the radio today and have been humming it ever since. It unabashedly cops Depeche Mode, but I can also still listen to it in direct sunlight.
Villagers is the brainchild of Conor J. O’Brien, who has already toured Ireland twice, played festivals at home and abroad, and opened for the likes of Neil Young, Wild Beasts and Cass McCombs. Becoming a Jackal is a heart-wrenching, melodic piece full of lyrical finesse; it’s the sort of song you want to play on repeat until every last note is engrained in your mind.
The Beatles / Julia The words in this song sound like they are rolling over each other like gentle waves.
Andy Kelly is known to many as Andy Clockwise. He is also known to many as eccentric, charismatic, and magnetic. Originally from Sydney, he has made his home in Los Angeles for the past two years, with a sound that is part punk, part pop, part country, and part indescribable.
YACHT / Psychic City (Classixx remix) I have worn this ong out but I have to give it a mention. It provided many dancefloor showdowns amongst my friends in Los Angeles for a good couple of months there. I don’t know what it is, but it makes me want to dance like a wanker, buy a cool leather jacket, and move to Brooklyn. Great job guys!
Dirty Dancing is a duo comprised of multi-instrumentalist Eric Schoen, who previously fronted Electric Pants in Milwaukee, and Lauren Mikus, who previously sang for the New York band, The Midnight Hours, whose other members went on to form Vampire Weekend. The two are now based in Austin, and recently released their debut album, Mediocrity Is The Strongest Inevitability.
The Platters / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes I think the first time I heard this was on some golden oldies TV commercial, but I’ve been listening to it a lot lately. The vocals are very acrobatic and the whole production is over the top. But, man, Tony Williams can really go from belting it out like he’s yelling across a football field to getting down to almost a whisper in a millisecond. Maybe that’s where The Pixies got the idea from.
Kinetic Stereokids are every bit a product of Flint, Michigan, a legendary city perhaps better known for its abandoned auto industry, endless unemployment and crime rate. What started as childhood friends seeking refuge in basement jam sessions has since developed into an inspired, intelligent and innovative brand of modern rock. With comparisons ranging from Beck to Mogwai, and the cited influence of Can, Elliott Smith and the Beastie Boys, the Kinetic Stereokids’ sound is beat-heavy, sample-laden, sonic alchemy.
Shirley Ellis / The Clapping Song I could go into the whole historical perspective of this song but simply put: this song is the sh*t. Pack eight people into a car, blast this song, and no one is uncomfortable.
Philadelphia band Free Energy released an EP in September, and their debut album entitled Stuck On Nothing, produced by James Murphy (DFA/LCD Soundsystem), in January 2010. Nylon magazine call their sound ‘classic rock that makes you wish it was warm enough to roll down the windows’.
John Cale / Paris 1919 This is a song I’d like to play at the reception if I ever get married. Except for the opening lyrics about some girl making him unsure of himself, the song has a very grand, anticipatory feeling. It makes me feel that something good is coming.
Formed in 2005, the four piece Auckland-based indie rock band released their debut self titled EP in 2006, followed by the Into the Fall EP in 2007 and full length debut album, Tightrope Highway, in 2009. With a hurtling rhythm section, explosive guitars and vocal melodies, Motocade’s musical style has made a strong imprint amongst the New Zealand alternative scene.
Talking Heads / This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody) All-time favourite feel-good song. So good, in fact, we used it as our Bridal Waltz. The energy that builds up in Byrne’s vocal and the irresistible groove that could just go on forever is just genius.
Red Wire Black Wire formed in the Spring of 2006 at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. They’re usually there or in New York. They make music with synths, guitars, cello, and a mixture of real and electronic drums. They self-released The Compass EP in 2007.
Small Black / Despicable Dogs It’s always exciting when a new band comes out with such a promising combination of interesting textures and solid songwriting. The Small Black EP is great and I’m psyched to see what their first full-length sounds like.
My Secret Playlist is a music discovery website and weekly email publication. We invite our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now. These are their words on the music that inspires them.
