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Q’s
Compilations – Vol 82 – February - March 2012.
Greetings! The second compilation of the year tends to
follow the same pattern, it consists of songs I possibly should have put on the
previous one (best of the year) and also older tracks that I’ve wanted to use
for a while but couldn’t use on the last one!
01) Wilco – Art of Almost: I would have used this
track on the last mix but there wasn’t enough time left, so it’s the opener
here. Nice wig out section at the end.
02) Bitch Magnet – Motor: Whilst browsing in Other
Music last month I had a great surprise, Bitch Magnet’s entire recorded output
has been reissued in a single 3-CD box set, terrific! I’ve been a fan for a few
years but it was impossible to find anything to buy. Bitch Magnet lay down some
of the best hardcore tracks around and I’m sure this will go down well among a
few of you in particular.
03) Sleater Kinney – Dig Me Out: I also picked this up
in Other Music, for $2 it was rude not to! I didn’t own this album previously
so it was great to rectify that. I keep hearing about how great the recent Wild
Flag shows have been, hopefully they’ll be back around here soon and I won’t
miss them.
04) Wussy – Pulverised: This band were a tip from a
workmate and I found some free downloads on their website (www.wussy.org), unfortunately I just missed a show they did with
another fine band, Versus at a place called the Cakeshop. Hopefully catch them
at some other point.
05) Rebirth Brass Band – Feel Like Funkin’ It Up: We
watched the first season of Treme in January and whilst nothing will probably
ever be as good as The Wire, it was great to see another show by David Simon
(and many actors from The Wire).
06) Bob Marley & The Wailers – Riding High: I was
given a CD of early Bob Marley tunes by a friend at a pub meetup recently. I’m
not schooled up enough about reggae in general but I gather this is a different
version.
07) Fela Kuti - Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo: We
watched a film called The Visitor recently (it’s not about aliens from outer
space, but immigration in the US) which was very well done, I’d recommend it.
Anyway, Fela Kuti gets mentioned a bit and is featured on the soundtrack and I
liked it a lot.
08) Randy & the Radiants – Peek a Boo: This popped
up on a shuffle a little while ago and I loved it. I have the Sun Records 50th
anniversary box set, which is huge so it’s easy to forget about hidden gems
like this one.
09) Sharon Van Etten – Serpents: Sharon lives in the
neighbourhood we are currently in, Ditmas Park, unfortunately we missed the
show she did around here but I kept seeing the picture of the album and praise
for it, so I checked it out, and it’s good.
10) The War on
Drugs – It’s Your Destiny: Another one that didn’t make the cut for the last
mix, but I like the song a lot. Slave Ambient sees the band honing their
talents and I have the feeling that their best albums are still ahead of them.
11) Shearwater – Breaking the Yearlings: Whilst
browsing Academy Music in Williamsburg (before seeing Dum Dum Girls at the
Music Hall) I was surprised to see a copy of Shearwater’s just-released album
for $5 (new and sealed), so I snapped it up. The band do what they do and on
occasion are still guilty of sounding a bit over earnest, but they always put
out a few good tunes.
12) Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid: The second album from
this Brooklyn duo (Reign of Terror) is not as good to these ears as Treats was,
but it’s a decent record nonetheless. Slightly more polished and less abrasive
than previous effort, though this song, which is the lead single from the album
is more familiar territory.
13) Mark Lanegan – Ode to Sad Disco: Has it really
been 8 years since the release of Bubblegum? While Lanegan has kept himself
reasonably busy with other projects, a follow-up album has been long overdue,
Blues Funeral thankfully doesn’t attempt to be Bubblegum mkII and is different
enough in its own right to avoid unfair comparison. This song in particular
features deep synth sounds that sound like they could have been on what was
probably the best film of last year, Drive.
14) Steven Wilson – Remainder the Black Dog: Wilson is
a frustrating artist these days, releasing countless versions of each item in
his discography and sometimes describing work that has yet to come out as
something different than the final product appears (to these ears, anyway).
Still, his last solo album (which obviously I bought as a lavish coffee book
style with bonus discs), Grace for Drowning is a worthy addition to the canon.
I tend to feel he should be taking more risks with his solo output, but it’s a
good listen nonetheless.
15) Barry Adamson – Looking to Love Somebody: We
caught Barry Adamson (best known as the bassist in Magazine) do an in-store
performance at Other Music and I felt
compelled to buy his album as a result (spent a few minutes talking to
him, nice guy), the album, I Will Set You Free sees him take on a more
commercial sound (quite the contrast compared to his earlier releases) but he
has good songwriting chops and I’d recommend the album.
16) Nada Surf – No Snow on the Mountain: I can’t say
anything about Nada Surf than I haven’t already, there’s something that
genuinely excites me about a new album from this band, and The Stars are
Indifferent to Astronomy is a rocking affair, certainly more intense than the
last couple of albums. Guitarist Doug Gillard (past member of Guided By Voices)
has joined the band for this album and adds some nice touches to the songs. I’m
seeing the band at Webster Hall in April.
17) Crystal Stilts – Flying Into the Sun: I used
another track from In Love With Oblivion last
year and kept feeling as though I should use another one at some point, so here
it is! Probably not quite challenging the best albums of last year but it’s a
fine album and a jump in quality their debut, it’s going to be interesting to
see where they go from here.
18) Silver Sun – Dead End: I never understood how this
record (Neo Wave) wasn’t a huge success, it’s such a wonderful bubblegum
power-pop record, infectious hooks and harmonies all over the place. Anyway,
I’ve had this song in my head recently and had to chuck it onto the mix.
And that’s it for this latest instalment! Brief notes
yet again, everything is a million-miles-per-hour here and we have another
month on our current lease, stressful time of trying to find out next place to
live! Hopefully there is plenty on here
to like, please give me any recommendations or comments about the mix,
they are appreciated.
Peace and love
Until next time - Q
