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Q's Compilations
Vol #115 – August to September
2017
Hi!
No time to waste on these last-minute notes. I seemed to have very little
inspiration before setting down to put this mix together late-on, but it turns
out I’m pretty happy with the results once I got down to it. You’ve got the
usual mix of brand-new stuff mixed with context-based additions, some of which
will be explained!
01)
Honey - Dream Come Now: Brooklyn trio Honey released their debut album, Love Is Hard, last year and have already
followed it up with New Moody Judy.
As this track suggests, it’s a rip-roaring set of psych rockers, much in
keeping with their debut, though the songs seem a little more focused this time
around (that’s certainly not meant in a bad way).
02)
METZ - Drain Lake: It’s sometimes hard to remember that METZ actually record
music, such is the justified stature the trio have as a live act. Indeed, I’ll
be seeing them on the 4th of October at Music Hall of Williamsburg
and cannot wait. They just released their third album, Strange Peace, and it has all the classic METZ characteristics,
though it’s different enough from the first two records to stop them hitting an
artistic rut.
03)
Wand - Bee Karma: One band who never seem in danger of staying in the same
place is Wand, who are going in a far more psych direction with an expanded
line up than before. There’s somewhat of a classic rock vibe to the main riff
in the song and that’s certainly not a bad thing either!
04)
Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires - Had to Laugh: A lot of bands struggle
with their second records, but Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires probably
rank as “most improved” that I can think of in recent years. Youth Detention is perhaps the finest
dose of radio-friendly rock and roll that I can think of this year, the songs
are sharp, melodic and catchy as hell. Possibly best experienced in a car. “When I told you that I'd never fall in love,
I know you had to laugh”
05)
Male Gaze - Tell Me How It Is: My buddy Felix sent me a raft of recommendations
recently (thanks!) and though I enjoyed most of them, I found it hard to find
the right ebb and flow for this mix with any of them, that was until I got to
Male Gaze and they immediately hit the spot. Thanks Felix! I’m sure those other
tunes will worm their way in sometime.
06)
Thurston Moore - Smoke of Dreams: It’s probably not terribly surprising that
Thurston Moore is releasing material closest to Sonic Youth, and having realised
it had been many years since I saw him play, made a fairly impromptu decision
to catch a recent show at Bowery Ballroom.
07)
The Pharacyde - Oh Shit: In a recent “hmmm, wonder what classic hip-hop records
I haven’t listened to in years” mood I was in, this was one! The South Central
fourpiece from LA (though now a duo in present day form) released debut album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde in 1992 and
it’s often considered one of the all-time greats.
08)
Epmd - You Gots to Chill: In a recent “hmmm, wonder what classic hip-hop
records I haven’t listened to in years” mood I was in, this was another one!
This is also another debut record, Strictly
Business was released in 1988 and is rightly considered a classic.
09)
Andrew Hung – Animal: One half of Fuck Buttons, Andrew Hung, is about to
release his debut solo record, Realisationship,
on the 6th of October. It’s a bit odd hearing him singing, having
been pummelled relentlessly (and joyously) with the wall of noise that Fuck
Buttons unleash, but after doing a double-take on the vocals initially, I think
it works really well.
10)
Curtis Harding - On and On: If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that I
think Curtis Harding is just about the best new artist of the last few years. Soul Power was a complete triumph and
having heard three new tracks from his new album, Face Your Fear, which is out at the end of October, he’s done it
yet again. Produced by Sam Cohen, the new songs have more emphasis on keyboards
and groove than the guitar and horns of his debut and I think the smoother
direction compliments his vocals perfectly. I can’t wait to catch him at Rough
Trade on the 2nd of November. “No
more wasting time, I gotta get into this groove”
11)
Screaming Females - Black Moon: Two years on since last album, Rose Mountain, the New Jersey trio put
this track out just a few days before I put this mix together. Screaming
Females are never going to change and that is a great comfort.
12)
Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good: Considering that his album from this year, Prisoner, is my most played record of
2017, I had to go back through the discography somewhat. This opens his
self-titled album from 2014 and is very similar to his latest effort (which I’m
glad I heard first). This track always gets stuck in my head when I ask a
friend what we should have for lunch and I’m met with a simple reply of
“something good”. “All my life, Been
shaking, Wanting something, Holding everything I have like it was broken. Gimme
something good”
13)
Alvvays - In Undertow: Doesn’t seem like three years since Alvvways self-titled
debut album, but it has been fun seeing the band grow in the last few years and
new album Antisocialites is
definitely a triumph. “There’s no turning
back”
14)
Kyle Forester - Won't Go Crazy: I recently saw Ken Stringfellow play a rare
solo set in Brooklyn and Kyle Forester opened. I’ve seen him in other bands
(including Crystal Stilts) but did not know he had his own music too. “So I won't go crazy tonight, Having you
here right by my side”
15)
Nick Lowe - So it Goes: I’d only previously seen Nick Lowe perform a few songs
as part of a benefit show with about a dozen other acts, so it was a treat to
see him perform at a free show recently, with Los Straightjackets as his
backing band. He played this song, of course, and you forget just how great a
pop songwriter he is sometimes.
16)
The Jayhawks - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me: Another free show at Lincoln Center
recently, I’d heard the name over the years but did not know their music at
all. They opened with this track, which I could say a lot about, but it’s a
great song. “Your hair's long and black,
as it lays 'cross my pillow, when I stare in your eyes, I get lost in your
glory”
17)
Creeper Lagoon - Under the Tracks: A few weekends ago I was lamenting how slow
August was for shows, when NYC Taper mentioned Creeper Lagoon were playing
their first show in NYC in many a year. I didn’t know of them but liked the
tracks enough to see them since I was gagging to go to a show. This is very
much a typical 90s rock track but I’m a sucker for that sometimes.
18)
Ultimate Painting - Central Park Blues: I saw Ultimate Painting open for Yo La
Tengo in Central Park recently and unsurprisingly they played this tune. It
comes over better live since the Velvet Underground influence is maybe to the
point of parody here, but what can you do. “I
want to be alone with you, I want to do the things you do, You always do”
19)
Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You in the End: The mercurial Daniel
Johnston just announced his final ever tour, which includes a stop at New
York’s Town Hall and I’m quite excited to see him since I never thought I
would. I hope this track is true. “True
love will find you in the end, you'll find out just who was your friend”
20)
Julie Byrne – Sleepwalker: When Mark Kozelek can’t seem to write an actual
fucking song anymore your ears start to prick up at the sound of any
finger-picked folk song. That’s not to downplay the beauty of Julie Byrne’s
music, but it’s definitely filling a requirement I need right now. “Before you, had I ever known love? Or had I
only known misuse of the power another had over me?”
21)
Vagabon - Fear & Force: Another free Lincoln Centre show recently was
Vagabon, who I’d been hoping to see for about 6 months and kept missing. A
large outdoor show was perhaps not the best format for such intimate material,
but her record is well worth checking out.
22)
Kevin Morby - Downtown Lights: I was randomly going through some press releases
the other day and realised I hadn’t ever listened to a full Kevin Morby solo
record. I tend to favour drifting off with a lullaby on mixes and this track seemed to fit the bill. “You know I've gone to live one thousand
lives, and to die one thousand deaths, But lately baby, got me scared, Ain't
got too much left. But the ones that I had spent with you, Were the best that I
ever had”
And
there we have it, another mix down, another couple of months down, hopefully
there were things to like on this mix, and I hope there are many things for you
all to like in life right now.
As
always, Peace and Love
Q
Please note that the zip file has a password: QCOMPS.BLOGSPOT
Download mix from: https://www.mediafire.com/file/18suak61rcam41s/Q%23115.zip
